Treasure on a hill (Morelia)

Member Name: donruk

Product:	Morelia
Date:	21/05/02 (37 review reads)
Rating:

Advantages: Great colonial architecture, Safe, Peacefull

Disadvantages: none

The small city of Morelia was formerly named Valladolid under Spanish rule. The name was changed in 1828 in honor of Jose Maria Morelos, a hero of the Mexican independence movement from Spain. Morelia which is located four and a half hours north-west of Mexico City, is the capital of the Mexican state of Michoacan. Many of the people of Michoacan are desendents of the Tarascan indians. The Spanish came and converted them to christianity, and built the colonial city of Valladolid(Morelia) with it's huge church atop a hill as it's focus.

Things To Do:

Explore the beautiful churches and plazas, or check out the many shops near the center, with great icecream shops. At the bottom of the hill there is a large Mercado(indoor market). Check out the Museo De La Mascara.

Morelia Today:
Morelia is built on a large hill, and the city center is built on the veary top. The magestic cathedral at the top is gorgeous, and can be seen from far away. Morelia is a Colonial gem of Mexico, and much of the architecture is old European. The city's constuction laws state that new building projects must match the original colonial style of the center. At the bottom of the hill, and away from the city-center these construction laws are not in effect. As a result of the rich colonial nature of Morelia, the city has alot of charm and beauty. Morelia reminded me of the Mexican city of Guanajuato, as both cities are built on a hill, and both are known for their Spanish-European Architecture.
My Experiance:
I visited Morelia as a side-trip from my stay in Guadalajara. I was only there for a few hours. The thing that I liked about Morelia was it's great atmosphere and people. After the taxi took me to the city's center, I walked around the beautiful plaza where the grand church is, and was impressed with the great architecture. The plaza is a great place to relax and look at the scenery. A dem
onstration was in effect when I was there, near the center. Many of the demonstrators seemed upset while the police took it easy. I decided to explore the other parts of the city away from the center. I walked past blocks of Colonial buildings and shops, as locals did their evey day thing. The girls are real pretty in Morelia, and plenty walked past me. As I concluded my stay in Morelia, I became depressed of the thought of going home as this was my last day in Mexico.

Conclusion:

If I could, I would move to Morelia because I feel at home there. Cities like Morelia make the cities of my country seem dull and depressing. American cities just don't have the charm or characture. The architecture and people of Morelia can lift one's spirit, because the city has life, and is peacefull The thing that sets Morelia apart from colonial gems like Guanajuato and San Miguel is that it's not quite as touristy, which is good. Morelia retains a strong Mexican flavor, and any traveler would feel at home there.

Summary: