notes and reflections

The city of Uruapan in the state of Michoacan is famous for its abundance of water which in turn makes possible the area`s fertile agricultural production, particularly the cultivation of avacados and grapefruit.  The major source of this water is the river Cupatitzio which flows through the city creating the Eduardo Ruiz National Park, a rich, dense, sprawling tropical garden of bubbling rapids, waterfall-fed pools and spectacular fountains.

The source of the river and its pure, drinkable water, is an underground spring located just inside the entrance to the park. According to legend, the site for this spring was once a dry, stone-enclosed basin presided over by the devil himself whose main preoccupation at the the time wasn`t to gather souls for hell but to prevent the underground spring from emerging.  Perhaps sensing the lurking power of the river, entreaties were made and a priest came and blessed the spot, causing the river to burst forth and ousting the devil in the process.  As he fled, probably cursing all priests and this one in particular, the devil tripped and skinned his knee on trhe rocky shelf of the basin and hence its name, La Rodilla de Diablo, the devil`s knee.

In case there is any doubt about the veracity of the legend, a small, white arrow is painted on the rocks to indicate exactly where the devil slipped. There is nothing in the legend to indicate anyone offered him a bandaid.