Morelia/Mexiko

Bernd
Apr 22, 2024
8 min read

We hadn't seen each other for at least 15 years. Against all good intentions. Back then, as a late-career student, I worked about ten hours a week in the Lebenshilfe school kindergarten. Steffen did community service and also played in a band. He later studied physics and received his doctorate. Today he lives and works in Mexico.

Steffen asks me on WhatsApp whether I know where Morelia is. What a stupid question!? I am a true traveler. Of course I know that. When we hang up, I first have to look on Google Maps to see where in God's name Morelia is.

Mezcal bar with a turquoise bench in front of it. Inside, a blonde man sits at a turquoise table in front of a glass of mezcal. — Steffen is still pondering.

In January 2024 the time had come. Steffen takes me by car a good 300 km from Mexico City in a northwesterly direction to Morelia. It takes us four hours to cover the route. I notice the many markings on the road. Especially the red light strips. They show the dilapidated trucks the way if - and I'm not kidding - the brakes fail: The red light strip leads to an alternative track, a sand or gravel road. The truck slows down there. Smaller vehicles that are not roadworthy are also welcome. Check out the video below.

The city, built in the 16th century, was originally called Valladolid, but was renamed Morelia after the Mexican War of Independence in honor of the popular hero Jose Maria Morelos, who was born in the city. In 2010 the city of Morelia still had 597,000 inhabitants, in 2020 there are already 849,000 inhabitants. It is located at an altitude of around 2000 m, in the central highlands of Mexico and is the capital of the Mexican state of Michoacán. The old town has been a UNESCO World Heritage Site since 1991. From Morelia you can visit the sanctuary of the monarch butterflies, the butterflies that come to the forests of the Sierra Nevada after a 4500 km flight from Canada and the USA.

El Acueducto, the symbol of Morelia

The aqueduct consists of 253 arches. It was built in the 18th century to ensure the city's water supply. The pink masonry corresponds in color to the locally mined stone deposits. The illuminated arches are a visual highlight, especially at night.

There is also a small park with beautifully decorated trees and the Fuente las Tarascas, a fountain in the shape of a fruit bowl held by three indigenous women from the Tarascan people. Which brings me to a key problem of the region with a promising future: water supply.

I observe the water problem, off the beaten track, on a bus ride not far from Morelia. The Lago de Cuitzeo is drying up, its ghostly banks pushed far back because of the lack of rain in recent years. This will be a huge problem because this is one of the most fertile areas in Mexico. The proportion of the population that makes a living from agriculture is correspondingly high. If there is no rain for a long time, the region will dry out. This exacerbates the already tense situation of farmers, who will lose their livelihoods, which will lead to a food shortage.

Prices are rising and endangering people's livelihoods. A pyramid scheme. The rival criminal gangs will benefit by promising alternative income from their machinations, to put it very quietly and carefully. People have to live on something - or die. So far, so bad.

There's the worm in there!

Someone pours mezcal into two glasses that stand on a turquoise table.

Steffen and I fight our drought with beer and mezcal. The world's suffering sometimes needs to be drowned in alcohol. Mezcal is a Mexican spirit with 40% ABV. It is made from agave plants. As with wine, some connoisseurs believe they can taste all possible flavors: smoky, sweet to nuances of apple and citrus fruits. I only recognize schnapps, depending on the type it has a harder or softer finish. After the second mezcal and the second beer it's enough for me.

We are now trying to find out in in-depth, cross-generational conversations how much money a person needs to be happy. Answering this socio-political question would probably have required considerably larger quantities of schnapps. Completely different philosophers have already worked on this in vain. Whereby: Gene Roddenberry, the inventor of Star Trek, was very close to solving the problem of humanity's poverty. Quickly have another mezcal.

While mezcal is made from the pulp of various types of agave, tequila consists of 100% Blue Weber agave and is therefore also a mezcal, albeit a more special one. By the way, the fact that you drink schnapps with worms is a legend from the party scene and goes back to a marketing gag in the 1940s. A worm has no place in a good mezcal, say Steffen and I, tipsy.

Ding Dong

The advantage of traveling to a country on your own is independence. In complete contrast to organized tours and their often rigid programs. If I don't feel like going to a tourist hotspot because thousands of tourists are crushing their feet there, then I just leave it alone. In return, I gain different impressions, have conversations with people or clear out my inner self.

What a blessing if you know people who live and work in the country. Like Steffen, who programs for the Dutch company ASML, and his girlfriend Dany, who works as a journalist. I like Dany straight away, which is saying something. She reminds me of the Mexican actress Mariana Trevino from the remake A Man Called Otto, with Tom Hanks and Truman Hanks in the other leading roles. Dany is bursting with energy, and her Mexican temperament, coupled with her humor, which is exactly reminiscent of this film, cheers up my weary travel soul.

Uchepos, tender corn with cooked tomatoes, cream and cheese — Uchepos, local specialty from Michoacan.

Over a good meal, we talk to Dany about Mexico's strengths and weaknesses: the country's cultural diversity, the fact that, unlike the USA, the indigenous population has never been crammed into reservations, the dubious privileges of whites over indigenous people, the frequent strikes and demonstrations in the country or the unequal income levels. The country is making progress in the fight against corruption and organized crime. But the fight cannot be won. The two of them explain to me that it is too complex and multi-layered because of the social and political dependencies. Factors such as skin color, place of residence, city or country, who your parents are, and how well connected you are determine careers in Mexico.

Well-paid positions are distributed within the networks regardless of your qualifications. But the wages of the masses are not keeping up with inflation. Gender roles are very traditional - especially in rural regions - and violence against women is omnipresent. Yes, and then there are still strong political left-wing forces that are hardly open to arguments. They basically act against the state order.

Again and again we come to the point that Germany has no reason to play the moral teacher. In our country, corruption is organized in lobbying and through an overflowing bureaucracy. To this day, our current Federal Chancellor Olaf Scholz has massive memory gaps when it comes to corrupt banks, even to the point of total loss of memory. The taxes and duties are too high, one reason why Steffen doesn't work in Germany. A few professional groups also dictate the rules of the game in Germany. And our state journalism in the public media has significantly lost credibility in recent years. Certain topics are also taboo in Germany or have a strong ideological bias.

We change topics, pour beer, wine and mezcal, which relaxes us more and more. Away from the thematic abysses of humanity and towards the funny and very private topics. Salute!

The Dentists' Market: Mall of Sweets

The Mercado de Dulces y Artesanias, as it is known locally, has been selling an extensive range of local handmade sweets and crafts since 1968. With around 170 shops, it is very popular with locals and tourists.

Packaging of the candy Ate with information about the ingredients. — I swear, it's healthy!

A typical sweet is Ates, also called Ate Moeliano, a specialty made from fruit pulp and sugar. It has the consistency of jelly, but its taste is unique.
Fruta Cristalizada are works of art made from crystallized fruits. They are made from fresh fruits and sugar. The cooking process creates the crystalline consistency.
Cocadas is a typical sweet from Morelia and consists of grated coconut and sugar. A must for coconut lovers.
Gaznates, originally from the Oaxaca region, look like cylinders. They are very popular in Mexico and are made from a wheat paste, similar to our fritters. The filling consists of meringue.

La Catedral de Morelia

Particularly impressive: the illuminated cathedral at night.

The Metropolitan Cathedral, which began in the late Renaissance style, stands on the Zocalo, the name of the central squares of a city in Mexico, in the historic center of Morelia. Its construction period was 84 years, from 1660 to 1744, in the classical baroque style. With the lively square, it forms the center of the city.

A carved wooden figure in a church, with a headdress, black robe and green scarf. The arms are spread out wide. — Torsten Sträter is apparently also very revered in Morelia.

Mexico probably has the highest density of churches. They even surpass the Romanians. Its art-historical splendor is limitless. While we in Europe tend to objectify things, in Mexico the faith is made pompous down to the last detail. Mexicans seem to have a penchant for the dramatic. They love it when their Jesus and their saints are depicted as life-size and authentically as possible. The more realistic the better. This makes your faith imaginable and creates identification.

With one of the characters I wasn't sure whether it should represent DJ Ötzi (austrian singer) or Thorsten Sträter (german Comedian). I'm leaning towards Thorsten Sträter.

Everyone meets at the cathedral and the Zocalo: locals and tourists, street artists and street vendors, lovers and the desolately failed.

A little humor can't hurt.

Shops, hotels, cafes, restaurants and cantinas known for their good and cheap food are located around the Zocalo area. There is something here for every budget.

A person dressed in an orange robe with a crown on his head stands on a pedestal. — Maybe one of the three holy kings.

Also a form of masochism: In the blazing sun, a prince dressed in red, perhaps one of the three kings, sells fortune cookies in exchange for a few pesos. Others sell tons of plastic souvenirs, toys, balloons, light balls made in China. There are no limits to your creativity when it comes to making some money. Artists show their pictures and paintings, singers sing their own or other people's songs on the square or go from café to café. Even if they don't speak Spanish. You understand or guess the emotional lyrics straight away. They are universal. Only the tour groups don't notice anything because they are being chased from one end of the square to the other. Do I know this from somewhere? Right now, at this moment, I am privileged without spending a single peso.

Well, that's not entirely true. I cannot ignore the fate of those people who are obviously in very poor financial and health terms. I always keep a few coins in my pocket for moments like this.

There are still a number of places I want to check out. Morelia is a good starting point for reaching neighboring cities and regions by bus. In addition, Steffen and I have not yet completed our ambitious program within the city. I'm coming back.

Travel info

In the bus station, travelers buy tickets and provisions for the trip. — Morelia bus station.

The bus stations are a cost-effective alternative to traveling within Mexico. In the arrival hall you will find the sales counters of various bus companies in a wide range of price categories. ETN has comfortable buses with plenty of space, which is why they are a bit more expensive. If necessary, you can also refill your travel funds at ATMs and buy travel provisions in small shops and restaurants.

The following travel options are available from the bus station in Morelia: