Morelos

The state of Morelos is like a little heart, beating in the center of Mexico. It is fitting that it was named after José María Morelos y Pavon who took over leadership of the revolution after Miguel Hidalgo was killed . Another important leader in the Mexican revolution, Emiliano Zapata was born in Anenecuilco, Morelos in 1879 and the State of Morelos formed the heart of his ideological andphysical fight.
The Facts on Morelos
The state seal of Morelos reads, "La tierra volvera a quienes la trabajan con sus manos / tierra y libertad" (The land will return to those who work it with their hands / land and liberty). "Tierra y libertad" was Zapata's slogan.
Before Zapata and before being named after José María Morelos, the state was inhabited by Nahuatl-speaking, Tlahuica people . They "wereorganized into about 50 small city-states… each ruled by a hereditary king," the largest of which were Cuauhnahuac (modern Cuernavaca) and Huaxtepec (modern Oaxtepec) . In 2000 the population of Nahua speakers in Morelos was estimated at 18,656.
Visitors to Morelos can enjoy exploring many different archaeological sites left by these people, such as Teopanzolco, Xochicalco (founded by Mayantraders known as the Olmeca-Xicallanca, and later inhabited by the Tlahuica), andTepozteco. Another attraction for visitors of the State of Morelos are the many ex-haciendas in the area such as the Hacienda de Cortes and Santa Catarina, as well as ex-convents such as Santo Domingo (Cuautla and Oaxtepec) and San Juan Bautista (Yecapixtla). Visitors can also enjoy tourist attractions such as water parks,spas and restaurants.
Morelos "has an area of about 4,941 km², making it the second smallest of the country's states…. In 2003 the estimated population was 1,616,900 people." Cuernavaca, located 90 kilometers (52 miles) south of Mexico City, is the capital; famous as La Ciudad de la Eterna Primavera (The City of Eternal Spring) .
Tour by Mexico.com reports that Morelos has an elevation rangingbetween 1,000 and 3,300 meters (2,900-9,800 ft) above sea level and that Cuernavaca "has an elevation of 1,500 meters (5,000 ft.) above sea level with a climate ranging from moderate to semitropical. The State of Morelos has a year round temperature of approximately 25ºC (77ºF) with low humidity and a raining (sic.) season from the end of May until September."
An American Expatriate Perspective onMorelos
As an American Expatriate living in Morelos, I've experienced both the beauty and challenges of the state. Sometimes I feel that Morelos is living on borrowed time based on its fame as a clean, green, and fun place to visit; a fame that was earned and deserved in years gone by.
The truth is that Morelos faces some of the same challenges faced by other states in Mexico. For example, thepopulation of Cuernavaca is growing by leaps and bounds as people from Mexico City try to escape the traffic and crime. Cuernavaca seems ill-equipped to handle this growth and little evidence of city planning is apparent. Some band-aid traffic engineering projects have been completed, but often with less than satisfactory results.
Towns outside of the Cuenavaca Municipal Area receive little to noinvestment and people survive on subsistence farming. In the cities, a huge percentage of the population works six days a week, receiving weekly wages of 500 to 700 pesos - that's equivalent to $46 to $65 U.S - yet the cost of living is high due to the number of rich Mexicans from Mexico City who own homes in Cuernavaca. (In other cities in the state, such as Cuautla, wages are also low but they do goa little farther than in Cuernavaca due to a lower cost of living.)
Corruption seems to be feeding Morelos' problems and sometimes it is hard to imagine the state ever "pulling out" of this quagmire into an honest and healthy future, yet that is what it is doing, step by step.
One of the things that makes Morelos's heart tick is education and it is known as a center of learning, second to Mexico...