If any of you are planning a trip to Michoacan this winter and are planning on being in the Morelia, Patzcuaro, Santa Clara del Cobre area, Jose Luis Alvarez cordially invites you to visit Hacienda La Cruz. It will be an opportunity to learn more about reforestation in the monarch overwintering areas and the La Cruz Habitat Protection Project. It will also be an opportunity to meet Jose Luis and his family as well as to see this 400 year old hacienda that Jose has rehabilitated.

It is possible to take a bus from Morelia to Patzcuaro. For those of you that have not been there, Patzcuaro is well worth a visit. It has a truly Mexican atmosphere. There are excellent hotels and good restaurants. There are also buses from Patzcuaro to Santa Clara del Cobre which is also worth a visit. There are some really fine pieces of copper work in Santa Clara that the local artisans have made.

If you think you might be able to pay a visit, contact either Jose Luis or Ed and let them know when you might be able to come. The e-mail address is erashin@ibm.net. The telephone in Santa Clara del Cobre is (434) 3-02-70. There is an answering machine. If you are able to call a couple of days in advance, either Jose or Ed can make arrangements to meet you in Santa Clara del Cobre and bring you the 5 kilometers from Santa Clara to Hacienda La Cruz. In some instances they can pick you up in Patzcuaro.

If the timing of your visit is good, you might want to spend some time working with Jose and Ed. With prior arrangments, it will be possible to stay overnight at Hacienda La Cruz. It is a special place.