Pátzcuaro Vendor

Today's photo is really just an excuse to tell the story of our overnight trip to Pátzcuaro. I captured this street vendor as we did a photo tour of town this morning before returning to Zihua. I don't think anyone would be able to wear any of those hats for sale as well as he does, but there were few shoppers anyway. 

We were on the road less than 20 minutes when our car started sounding overheating warning tones. We limped into Uruapan, in a pouring rainstorm, where we pulled into the first available mechanic. The car promptly spewed steam from under the hood. The mechanic, whose departure had been delayed by the pounding rain, fortunately spoke pretty good English and promptly got to work on determining the problem (after we pushed the car, which now wouldn't start, under cover). He found that the housing containing the engine temperature control unit was cracked and needed replacing. He asked me if I wanted to look for one in town or if he should go. I gave him a thousand pesos and he was off.

He was gone an hour and a half or so, time we spent next door in a "bar" the size of our bedroom. Very friendly locals played us loud music and had my wife translating English language texts, trying to make us feel as at home as possible. While sitting watching the rain, a taxi pulls up on the highway in front and stops. A short time later and ambulance pulls up and the attendants get into the back of the taxi as the rain continues to beat down. The next thing we know, the guys get out of the car with a new baby in their arms - who is quickly whisked into the ambulance, followed by its mother (on a stretcher) and father (who had also been in the taxi). Everybody heads off to the hospital, with the taxi in tow.

The mechanic returns. He found a part and managed to get a bite to eat (the reason he was contemplating leaving in the first place) during the time he was gone. Some minor grinding to make old parts fit onto new parts and a lengthy testing process to ensure I hadn't done major damage to the engine took us to almost dark, too late to start the drive back to Zihua. He charged me another 500 pesos for his time, gasoline and, I presume, lunch. I was happy to pay such a minor cost (about $90usd) for such a major job.

The Holiday Inn was just down the road, so we pulled in just as the sun was setting, got two rooms for the night, and hit the restaurant for some much needed food and drink.