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Entrance of the church (to the left)
BIIIGGG brown bears @ the zoo!
One of the statues in the parkMonarch butterflie, pt. 1....
I did an all day excursion (400.00) to the monarch butterfly preserve in El Rosario. Seven of us departed Morelia with Luis Miguel around 9 am and drove for about 2 hours through the Michoacan countryside, which is beautiful. Green fields - pear and apple tree groves, newly planted agave, shallow lakes. The hike into the mountains starts at a village that has numerous small rest-aurants and stores. The hike takes about 1 1/2 hours to get to the main viewing area - the air does get thinner as you hike upward through the forest. Along the way Luis told the migration pattern, the theories and the folklore associated with the monarch butterflies. The butterfly nucleus drifts, and expands on the mountain side according to weather conditions. You cannot walk underneath the huge mass of butterflies clinging to the trees anymore - however, Luis did bring some high powered binoculars which allowed for incredible viewing. Also, when the sun went behind clouds, the air was filled with monarch butterflies fluttering about everywhere. Personally - I found the experience moving - it almost felt like a pilgrimage, the forest lending a cathedral like quality, the migration of millions of monarchs from Canada to Mexico for thousands of years - a rewarding experience. If you choose to do the butterfly excursion - I really recommend Luis - the group size was intimate, he is extremely knowledgeable and personable - just a satisfying experience. His company also offer tours of Morelia and surrounding environs.
