The weather is changing here in mid October as the Earth tilts away from the sun (in my hemisphere) and the nights are getting colder. We are at about 7000 feet here near Patzcuaro, Michoacan, and I’ve been here since early August. 

It never seems to get hot here, not even at the height of summer, and my two dogs have been loving it! Viggo especially loves cool weather and I can find him outside on the cold pavers in the morning, enjoying it.  Me and Ollie are a bit fonder of the warmth of the sun!

But during the day it’s been getting up into the 70s and really beautiful. I’m wondering if I’ll need to fill these tanks for the big space heater. How cold will it get?

Almost all of the rentals I’ve had in central Mexico have had neither air conditioning or heat, except for fireplaces, because the temperatures here are generally very mild. 

Our home now came with this heater and I haven’t used it yet. Right now it’s just early in the morning when I consider lighting it up. But a half hour after I get up the sun is warming everything and I forget about it.

I’ve been looking forward to the end of the rainy season to see what the terrain and the weather’s like in the winter months, which are generally very clear and dry.

I’m excited today because I’m doing something I’ve wanted to do for months! I’m going to the island of Janitzio on the ferry from Patzcuaro!

The island of Janitzio is the largest and most populated of the 5 small islands in Lago Patzcuaro.  Janitzio can only be reached by boats which run regularly back and forth from about 7:30 am to 7 pm. It costs $100 pesos for a round trip ticket on the ferry and it takes about 25 minutes to get there.

Janitzio Island can be accessed through the public docks, the easily accessible Muelle General, and from the smaller Muelle de San Pedrito. 

I stopped briefly in centro Patzcuaro to pick up a friend and then we made the quick drive to the pier. It costs $20 pesos to park, and there are little tiendas to buy food, drink and souvenirs at the docks.  After buying a ticket we had a seat on one of the boats.

Soon we could see  Janitzio’s most striking monument. The statue of José María Morelos – a hero of Mexico’s independence revolution – stands 40-meters high and is placed on the highest and most central point of the island.

The island is known for the butterfly fishermen who are skilled at lowering their butterfly-shaped nets to catch “pescado blanco” white fish, although I hear there are no more fish in the lake and now they do it for the tourists.
We came on a late Friday morning and although the boat was mostly full, the island was quiet and peaceful, as if the islanders were just getting ready for the onslaught of tourists. It’s pretty and colorful and soon a little old lady was enticing my friend with a free sample of the local snack Charales which is a Mexican specialty of small, deep-fried, minnow-sized fish eaten with salt, chilis, and a squeeze of lime juice.

The hike up to the statue of Morelos is a bit steep and we took breaks throughout our walk for a little shopping and photography. There are many vendors selling artisan goods, food, and drinks along the hike up to the statue.

As we climbed the views of the other islands, the lake, and Patzcuaro became better and better!

A couple of years ago, another attraction was added to Janitzio, a zip line with a length of 1,200 meters going all the way to the next closest island, Pacanda. A little boat will take you back to Janitzio. Unfortunately there was no one around and it appeared to be closed.

We made it to the top where there are more restaurants, a kids’ playground and of course, the monument to Morelos. You have the opportunity to climb to the top of the statue but we decided to stay on the ground.

I really enjoyed seeing the Baile de Los Viejitos or ‘The Dance of the Old Men’. Children and adults who do the dance, wear masks to make them look older along with wigs of long white braids. They wear wooden sandals that make a click-clacking sound when they dance too. The Baile de Los Viejitos is a famous dance from the state of Michoacán and you can see it performed all over the state, not just on Janitzio.

It’s thought to have been in existence since pre-Hispanic times, when it was a ritual to give honor to the “Old God” or the “God of Fire”. The dancers start moving slowly and then step by step faster, following the music, while their wooden shoes make a clacking sound to go with the music.

It was a beautiful day and as we made our way back down my friend bought a Catrina she fell in love with for a very reasonable price, and they even wrapped it really well for her flight home. 

We wandered until we found the cemetery, the Panteon. This is where all the magic happens on the Night of the Dead. It is said that there are thousands of tourists here for the celebration and that the wait to get on a boat is three hours long!

As part of this festivity, candle-lit boat processions make their way to the island and then to Janitzio’s Church and graveyard, remaining there for the night for a large festive vigil with much eating and drinking involved.

There are  altars of flowers, bread, fruit, symbols, and icons to honor loved ones who are no longer present; It’s truly a unique celebration in Mexico!

Throughout the night of November 1, people arrive at the graves with these altars of flowers, bread, fruit, symbols, and icons to honor loved ones who are no longer present; they make an altar and sit and watch the candles burn while saying their prayers. The Purépechas have a legend that tells that when they die, their souls fly like monarch butterflies over an enchanted lake until they reach the island of Janitzio. 

Visiting the panteon is the main reason people come to Janitzio island on the Day of the Dead.

It was time to head back to the mainland and we got on a boat with the band. I was sorry we had not stopped for a drink, some passengers had Day of the Dead skull cups for their cervesas!  

The island of Janitzio has been an important spiritual and historical site for centuries, with deep ties to indigenous practices. The natural beauty of the lake, the friendly people, and the spiritual atmosphere of the island make it a must-see destination for visitors to Michoacán.