Janitzio - The Rest of the Story

living.boondockingmexico@yahoo.com

Things didn't turn out as planned.  We had come home Thursday afternoon and the car started acting up.  We were in Opopeo, about 20 minutes from the ranch when the car started stalling and the EPC and check engine light came on.   We made it home but found a mechanic in Páztcuaro who would take us in on Friday morning early.   

So, Friday morning we ditched the gym and headed for Pátzcuaro.  There were no lights on and it ran fine.   We stopped at the Autozone first to have them do a scan and the one possibility was a dirty air intake.  There is a video on Youtube that shows how to clean it, in fact several, but the guy at the Autozone didn't recommend it.  This happened in 2008 when we had the Pathfinder (great SUV that hauled our first Funfinder and we sold it with over 465,000 km on the odometer) and the MAF sensor went out.  Very expensive to fix but we found the part cheap and it ran forever after.   

The mechanic cleaned the intake as I had seen in the video and we took off.  Ran great for a few miles and we were back again.   One of the diagnostic results from the scan was the ignition coil.  Sure enough, that's what it was and we spent most of the afternoon farting around waiting on parts from Morelia.

Saturday we kicked back and did some odds and ends around the house so that Sunday we could return to Janitzio.   Which we did.

For starters, the name Janitzio means flor de trigo y maiz (wheat and corn flower).  The island is one of five that covers the lake which is 50 by 30 km, about half the size of Lake Chapala.   Like most areas of the world where people trample the land, the lake has suffered deforestation of the surrounding pines and that in turn has affected the water levels, water quality as well as the wildlife.  The lake is home to over 200 species of birds and 10 distinct types of fish.

While we were on the docks the other day, we stopped for a cold beer (I didn't but he did, as you know, I don't drink during the day).  We were talking to the woman in charge of cooking in front of the restaurant.  I saw shrimp on the menu and I thought that sounded suspicious.  Her response was that the lake was salt water and the shrimp came from the lake.   Did I fall off of the turnip truck or what?

The lake is famous though for a small three-inch fish called a charal, that may look like a type of sardine.   There is an expression, como un charal which in English means, "as thin as a rake".   Everyone sells them and the lake abounds in Charal.  They are served lightly breaded and in a cup with lime juice.   I don't eat heads or feet meaning tails for that matter so I wouldn't even try it.  But, everyone had a cup in hand and downed them with a cold beer.

Imagine during Semana Santa and Día de Los Muertos, all of these boats are on the lake taking up to 90 passengers at a time to the island.  I was really more interested in the other four islands as Janitzio, although interesting, is a tourist trap.

A little background about the monument.   As you are well aware, we are stuck on the Mexican Revolution.  We eat it, play it, pray it and live by it.  That said, it has been killing Mexico since it ended in 1917.   I have proof and I will be sharing that will all of you in the next week.  Lazaro Cardenas, the eighth president after the revolution, made the decision to build the monument.  Work was started on it in 1933.   All the materials, mostly masoned stone, came from the mainland.

The charal fishermen use the same nets as they did over 1000 years ago.  I stated in an earlier blog post that the canoes were honed from a wood trunk.  Very few are and the one I posted is, but now most are made of a fiberglass material but maintain the same shape and dimensions.  The nets can be seen in historical drawings, paintings and photographs from the early 20th century showing the use of the nets.

Sesi janongue means "welcome" in Purepecha.  You hear just about everyone speaking their native language on the island.  Truly amazing to listen to.

The tourist area at the docks on the island side that are truly very good and highly recommended.  The prices are high and we opted for something more local which you will see in a minute.

The cemetery that, during Día de Los Muertos, can be seen from the mainland lit up with candles, lights and of course, lots of flowers.

The interior of the monument documents the life of Morelos.  As you can see in the following pictures, I was busy reading each one as people ran by to get to the top for a photo op.  So much history and no one seems to be interested not knowing that this is what has shaped us into who we are today be it good or bad.

A shot of the lake from up above.  I forgot to mention that the statue is 53 meters high, or about 160 feet.  

Every good Mexican community has a church.  This church on the island dates back to 1822.  I like visiting churches, they are a place of serenity, tranquility, and peace.  A great place to meditate, take a break, or even a short snooze no disrespect intended.  A lot of nostalgia as a Catholic kid growing up, the smell of incense, pageantry, and mystery. 

Now we're down to the nitty gritty.   The restuarants you saw earlier on the docks have meals from 120 to 280 pesos, $12 to $15 U.S.   These two meals below cost us 50 pesos each and well worth it.  Prepared by locals, homemade tortillas, and the best beans every.  The chile relleno Juan had was one of the most memorable ever.   

There are different routes to the top of the island.   We chose the local route which happens to be one of the easier yet still difficult walks.  You get a chance to see what life on the island is like even though almost everyone is involved in tourism.  Unfortunately, most of the items for sale are purchased from somewhere else and not made locally.  Great souvenirs from the island but not for me.

There is music on each of the boats.  This was a group of five and this older gentleman was the lead singer.  It made me a bit sad, he stopped for a while and put his head in his lap for a quick 10-minute nap.   Not knowing his past, he is a very, very good singer, exceptional.   He looked tired and worn out, and most likely, never went to school, defied the rules and this was his path in life.  Wish I had a million to give him.  Not sure where Mexico is going, but the world is passing us by.  You will be seeing a short political commentary by me this week that I think is a must read.