2026 Bucket List Tour: Monarch Butterflies + Michoacan Folk Art
Come with us to Mexico, 9-nights, 10-days, February 11-20, 2026 Back by popular demand! I never knew that visiting the Monarch butterflies in Mexico should have been on my bucket list until I got there. Tucked into the mountainous forests of Michoacan and Estado de Mexico is the terminus of the butterfly migration from North […]
Textiles, Pottery, Paper, Masks and More on Lake Pátzcuaro, Michoacan
In addition to the monarch butterflies, what draws us to Michoacan is its extraordinary artisan traditions. Rich in cultural diversity, the Purepecha villages cling to their language and pre-Hispanic customs. Many of the craft and artisan wares were developed and promoted by Bishop Vasco de Quiroga who introduced traditional artisanry, many based on Spanish prototypes, […]
In Patzcuaro, Michoacan: Weaving and Guitar Making in Ahuiran and Paracho
Many of you have heard about the famous Ahuiran, Michoacan, feather weaver Cecelia Bautista Caballero, who died in 2022 at the age of 83. I wrote about her in 2019, the last time we visited the village before this year. Ahuiran is a small Purepecha village known for its hand-woven rebozos made on the back-strap […]
Cooking Class in Pátzcuaro with Chef Diego Carabez Andrade
Eight of us signed up for this class during our Michoacán Butterflies and Folk Art Tour. We are here now. Enjoy the photos. We are considering offering this tour in 2026. Please contact us to get on the interested list. The menu includes tacos de charoles (the little fish from Lake Patzcuaro), guacamole, ceviche, grilled […]
2024 Bucket List Tour: Monarch Butterflies + Michoacan Folk Art
Come with us to Mexico, February 1-11, 2024, 10-nights, 11-days Back by popular demand! I never knew that visiting the Monarch butterflies in Mexico should have been on my bucket list until I got there. Tucked into the mountainous forests of Michoacan and Estado de Mexico is the terminus of the butterfly migration from North […]
Mexico Folk Art Whimsies Sale
I might be able to get these to you by Christmas if you order by tomorrow—though no guarantees! Depending on the USPS. This a mix of pottery, alebrijes, exvotos, holiday attire, and more — most never before offered. How to Buy: Send an email to norma.schafer@icloud.comand tell me the item(s) you want to purchase by number, […]
Deals Continued From Oaxaca, Chiapas + More
We are committed to supporting Mexican artisans, especially women who work so hard to support their families to give them schooling, health care and nutritious food. Food insecurity is a big deal in remote villages. Access to local medical clinics is severely limited. There are extra costs for school books, tuition and required uniforms. It’s […]
Endangered Monarch Butterflies in Mexico: On Your Bucket List?
Monarch butterflies winter in the Mexican states of Michoacan and Estado de Mexico. Environmentalists report that the butterfly population increased in 2021 by 35% for various reasons, including fewer forest fires and lower rates of logging. But there is still considerable concern because of the use of herbicides to eradicate milkweed in the USA and […]
Summer Blouses: Mexico Style, For Sale
Here in North Carolina summer has arrived. It was 89 degrees Fahrenheit today. How to stay cool and refreshed as the heat arrives? With a beautiful, embroidered or woven blouse made by indigenous Mexican artisans. If you can’t travel with us, this is the next best way to own a piece of wearable art and […]
Feathered Plumage: Rebozos in Ahuiran, Michoacan
Grand Master of Mexican Folk Art Cecelia Bautista Caballero is recognized for her outstanding creativity and innovation. About 30 years ago she developed a weaving technique to re-introduce the feathered plumage of Purepecha royalty into the rebozos (shawls) she makes on the back-strap loom. Our Michoacan study tour leads us to a humble home on […]
Fragile, Glorious Monarch Butterflies in Michoacan, Mexico
Monarch butterflies at Mineral de Angangueo, Michoacan
Tamale Day, Candlemas and Masks in Patzcuaro, Michoacan
February 2, or Candlemas, is celebrated throughout the Catholic world as the end of the Christmas season. It marks the 40 days after the birth of Jesus, when Mary goes to the Temple in Jerusalem to purify herself. In Hebrew tradition, this is the mikveh ritual bath. In Catholicism, it has become embedded in the […]
Millions of Monarch Butterflies: A Visit to the Biosphere Reserve in Michoacan, Mexico: Study Tour Details
The Monarch Butterfly Biosphere Reserve in the State of Michoacan is a UNESCO World Heritage Site. It encompasses most of the municipality of Angangueo, an old mining town high in the Trans-Mexican Volcanic Belt and the Sierra Angangueo. Average altitude here is 8,500 feet. An overnight visit to this tunneled colonial mountain town to explore […]
Michoacan Folk Art + Textile Study Tour with Butterflies
Arrive Thursday, January 31 and depart Monday, February 11, 2019. Eleven nights and twelve days in the heart of one of Mexico’s greatest folk art centers. Sold Out. Taking a waiting list. ITINERARY Th-1/31, Day 1 Arrive Morelia, overnight in Morelia F-2/1, Day 2 Visit Casa de Artesania in morning. Depart for Patzcuaro at 2 […]
Rebozos, Guitars and Masks in Michoacan, Mexico
I’ve been back in Oaxaca for almost two weeks, and my mind is still on Michoacan, the last leg of my September journey, and the rebozos woven there. When I came to Oaxaca years ago, I thought it would be the perfect place from which to explore other parts of Mexico, north and south. And […]
Is Mexico Safe? My Experience
Is Mexico safe? I just got back to Oaxaca after traveling for three weeks in Mexico City, Estado de Mexico and Michoacan. In Michoacan there is a U.S. State Department Travel Advisory, (I include this link to safety vs. sensationalism.) I went to Morelia, Patzcuaro and rural villages. I traveled far out into the countryside in […]