Reader Barbara commented on my impressions of Erongarícuaro, which I posted on Saturday. She writes:

"One of the most well known "high-end" custom furniture manufacturing companies in Mexico is in that town. They manufacture for Disney and other high-end users. The Rosenthals', who own MFA Eronga are responsible for the redevelopment in this area of the carved, highly painted furniture industry. There are many articles about them."

My friend Clint had told me about the Rosenthals' factory. He gave me explicit instructions for finding it. "When you get to the top of the hill looking down onto the plaza, turn right and that's where it is."

Well, I did that. The narrow street ran only for a block and dead-ended. I had to back out to the main road. No sign of any factory.

Clint probably told me the place didn't have any signs indicating its presence, but I didn't remember that. I just figured I was lost and wasn't going to get to visit the place. When I talked to him later, he said: "You mean you went all the way to Erongarícuaro and didn't see the furniture factory?" Well. Uh... No.

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I also mentioned on Saturday the bizarre sign in the Erongarícuaro churchyard telling people not to defecate in the churchyard. In another churchyard on the other side of Lake Pátzcuaro, in Tzintzuntzan, I found another sign.

"The person caught 'making the bath' in this area will be fined $500 pesos."

What's going on here? I'm getting the impression that there is a runaway problem with churchyard pooping in the Lake Pátzcuaro area.

This has gotta be more than a simple problem of incontinence. Perhaps people are making some sort of political statement? Are these signs evidence of government trampling the people's rights of free expression?

I also note that the cost of relieving oneself in the Tzintzuntzan churchyard is only half of that in Erongarícuaro.