It is 534 km (332 miles) from San Carlos to Tucson and usually takes about 6 hours of driving. It can be much longer than that if you run into issues crossing the border, which, as it turns out, we did. More on that later.
A nice change of pace for breakfast- fresh fruit and freshly made cinnamon rolls.
The pool right outside the hotel lobby.
Remember the picture Barry took of the flowering cactus at night? The is what the cactus looked like during the day.
This sure looked like a cinder cone left by ancient volcanoes.
An abandoned church.
For the most part we had good internet service throughout the trip.
Lunch was in the town of Hermosillo. Uncommon Journeys did a good job of breaking up these long days with adequate stops to use the bathroom, stretch our legs and eat!
Last chance for authentic Mexican cuisine. I had tortilla soup.
Mexican diet cola.
In Santa Ana we made a switch of both driver and vehicle for the last leg back to the US. We said our goodbyes to our driver, Abraham, and I had to laugh because we were transferred from our 17 passenger van to another 50 passenger bus for the rest of the trip. Everyone had multiple rows of seats to choose from.
Our 50 passenger bus for the last leg home.
Normally the border crossing goes very quickly (less the one hour). Today Murphy, of Murphy’s Law fame showed up! It took us THREE hours to clear the border. And at the border we had to get off the bus with our luggage, which had to go through an X-ray machine before we were allowed to reboard the bus and continuing our journey. It became obvious that we would not reach our Tucson hotel until after 9PM so the planned farewell dinner at a local restaurant was now out of the question. Christopher asked if we would be willing to simply stop at a fast food stop along the way to eat because we were not sure what might be open by the time we got to our hotel. We readily agreed and soon pulled into a Wendy’s where we were told to order whatever we wanted! Surprisingly everyone was happy and after all our rich food/big meals these past 10 days those fries, burgers and a Frosty tasted really good.
Need some decoration for your garden?
Outskirts of Nogales.
As we approached the border we saw a lot of these very large lots full of trucks as this is a major transit point between Mexico and the US.
We also saw many currency exchange shops.
Waiting to cross the border!
The time we waited to get to the border crossing!
Our farewell dinner at Wendy’s.
Indeed it was close to 10 PM before we arrived at our hotel for the night. We hastily bid farewell to Christopher and our fellow travelers as the tour which covered over 1200 miles of driving, was now officially over!
Epilogue
– Photographs cannot do justice to show the beauty and scope of Copper Canyon. It must be seen in person to appreciate what Mother Nature had created there.
– Friends questioned whether it was safe to travel to Mexico. We never felt any concern for our safety. We occasionally saw roaming trucks of police in some of the larger cities but that was it. We were probably safer there than in some of our own US cities.
– There were no health concerns with food. Of course, that is a good reason to travel with a reputable tour company as they guided us to “safe” food establishments.
– I was surprised that we were not bothered by any bugs (mosquitoes, flies, etc.) during the trip. I had expected them to be a nuisance.
-Because of the location of the canyon there was a lot of driving/dead time in simply reaching that area of Mexico. On the positive side, however, you got to experience other areas and sights along the way. It is, indeed, a very big world we occupy.
Parting Comment: “Life is short and the world is wide.” – Unknown
November 16, 2023: Exploring Guaymas and San Carlos
After breakfast at the hotel we ventured forth to see some of the local sights. The first stop was at a viewpoint park in Guaymas, overlooking the Sea of Cortez where we had a chance to take in the great views of the coastline and the Sea of Cortez.
Not all the homes are small in this area!
The Sea of Cortez.
The views of the Sea of Cortez in Guaymas.
There were many of these decorated fish art pieces in the area, each uniquely painted.
Scenery at the viewpoint park in Guaymas.
It is now warm enough for shorts!
One of many very small beach communities on the Sea of Cortez.
Local produce for sale on the roadside.
High rise condo under construction. This area is close enough to USA that a lot of Americans own property here.
Local artwork.
Some of new modern homes being built. My guess they are for Americans who want to “winter” here.
From there we went to the saguaro and pipe organ cactus forest where a fairly large group of these two types of cactus exist. A bit of education for those who are not savvy about saguaro cactus. They only grow in certain parts of Arizona, limited California locations and here in Mexico. They resemble a tree with branches but what is fascinating about them is that they do not grow the first “arm” (as it is called) until they are 75-100 years old! They are slow growing cactus, a ten year old plant might only be 15 inches tall. However, they can grow to be over forty feet tall and live more than 150 years. End of horticulture lesson.
The cactus forest, but it is all fenced in.
The “cactus forest”.
Obviously this is a fairly old saguaro cactus as it already has many arms.
These are called organ pipe cactus.
A barrel cactus, appropriately named.
Rock formations in the area are unique.
The visit to the mabe pearl farm was interesting as although it is a private company, it works in close cooperation with a local university. What is a mabe pearl you ask? I did not know either. The pearls I am familiar with are spherical in shape. Mabe pearls are not spherical as they grow on the surface of the host shell and are cut out when harvested. As such they are more like 1/2 of a sphere. They are then mounted onto jewelry. Surprisingly there are only two places in Mexico where mabe pearls are grown- here and on the Baja peninsula. What was a bit shocking to me was the price they wanted for these pearls. Luckily Yvonne has all the pearls she every needed or wanted so we looked but did not buy. Some of our travel partners did make an investment in a trip memento.
Home of the mabe pearl facility. It is part of the local university.
Our salesman and story teller.
Whale bones on display.
Watching a video about how the mabe pearls are grown.
What a mabe pearl is.
How and where a mabe pearl grows.
Did not verify if this is really true. Sounds plausible to me.
How the oysters are grown in the waters of the complex.
Where the mabe pearls are grown. It takes 2-3 years to create a decent sized pearl.
On the way back to the hotel for lunch we stopped at the local church. After lunch we had the afternoon to ourselves. I wandered over to the beach club with Barry & JoAnn and added to my seashell collection while Yvonne relaxed back at the hotel. On the way back to the hotel we discovered an local ice cream shop which we chose to support!
The Church of Saint Charles Borromeo.
Inside the fairly modern chruch.
Statue on the grounds of the church.
View of the marina area from the hotel deck.
Another marina area view. This pool is part of the condo complex located next door.
Statue of an indigenous native in the hotel.
The restaurant at the hotel where we had our meals.
More artwork in the hotel restaurant.
This is called the “crown of thorns” plant.
Finally, a tasty salad.
The BEST gazpacho soup we have ever had! Loaded with shrimp.
Walkway from the hotel complex to the beach club, a distance of about 2 blocks.
Entrance to the hotel beach club. It was bigger and more elegant than I had expected.
Hot tub overlooking the beach at the beach club.
The beach area at the hotel beach club. It was good for beachcombers like me to find small seashells.
A big pool at the beach club. Must be off season already.
A pod of pelicans on the breakwater.
Local pelicans.
Sort of a Kodak moment.
Not sure if this is two different bougainvillea plants growing together or simply a hybrid of some sort.
Barry captured a picture of a cactus that only blooms at night. I missed seeing it.
Our last dinner in Mexico was held at the hotel but Abraham arranged for a special fajita platter served family style. It was tasty and quite good.
Had to laugh as whenever we are on vacation we seem to run into either a wedding or special event, like this one!
A marvelous fajita platter with sausage, pork, carne asada, chicken and fried vegetables. It was delightful!
Followed by a very good dessert.
Wine with dinner-no longer locally made!
We were told you had to visit the men’s bathroom. This is what you see! Not sure what the women’s restroom looks like!
A bit more about El Fuerte before we leave. It was established in 1563 by a Spanish conquistador, Francisco de Ibarra, the first European explorer of the nearby Sierra Madre mountains. The city was an important gateway for travelers to what we now know as Arizona and California. It also served as the chief trading post for silver and gold miners. End of history lesson.
After breakfast we reboarded our van to travel to the Sea of Cortez area. As we left town we visited a local fort built by the Spaniards in the 17th century. Most of the trip was through the rich farmland of Sinaloa where the saying is: “ The soil is so rich they plant one peso and one dollar comes out”. Main crops are potatoes, marigolds for chicken feed, tomatoes, corn and even sugar cane.
Breakfast omelet bar.
A pigeon condo!
A farewell to El Zorro.
Heading to our van once again.
A quick visit to the nearby fort built in 1610 by the Spanish to protect the city from the local native tribes.
The Fuerte River which flows through this area and was used to move the silver from the mountains to the sea.
Statue to honor teachers located outside the fort.
City streets were often paved with cobble stones like these.
There were many of these roadside “pop up” restaurants along streets and even highways.
The mountains in the distance is where we came from.
Every sizable town has these colorful signs. This one was unique because of the statues of the horses.
This statue honors Cajemé, a Yaqui leader. It was at least 30 feet high.
We stopped for lunch in the town of Obregon at a place called “Tips” which is a local hamburger place! Needless to say almost everyone in our group ordered burgers and fries!
Eating hamburgers at “Tips” , a roadside diner. Note jalapeños are included.
It took most of the day to reach our destination, the seaside town of San Carlos where we checked into the Marina Terra hotel, located in the marina area. After checking out the place we gathered at the hotel dining room for dinner, but on the way there we found ourselves listening to a local mariachi group entertaining another tour group staying at the hotel so we joined them. They were good!
Checking in at the Marina Terra hotel in San Carlos.
Interesting background at the front desk made of small blocks of wood.
Because the hotel is on the Sea of Cortez their lobby display is about the sea.
Our room was large with plenty of seating.
We are right on the marina. Note the name of the boat on the left.
The promenade outside the hotel along the marina waterfront.
Mariachi entertainers outside the hotel restaurant.
Chicken with vegetables.
Saguaro cactus.
Tomorrow we will be doing some local sightseeing, including a visit to the Ocean Mabe pearl farm to learn how they are grown and obviously peruse the shopping.
Today we take the longer 3.5 hour train ride, exiting the Copper Canyon area and heading to the Sea of Cortez. Supposedly we will have been through 86 tunnels and crossed 39 bridges during our two train rides.
Our luggage being taken from the hotel hopefully to the train station.
Waiting for the train once again. Will it be on time?
I was impressed with the uniformity of the logs.
Here comes El Chepe!
We knew the routine this time and there were fewer people trying to board.
We were again in a partially filled Executive Class coach so everyone could spread out and have a window seat if they desired. Uncommon Journeys arranged for us to have a sit-down lunch on the train which turned out to be exceptional in my opinion. Amtrak could learn a bit on how to run a railroad by visiting this one!
Scenery along the way as we head out of the mountain area.
One of several bridges we crossed on our 3.5 hour trip.
A salmon entree which was excellent! And they served a good wine with it.
The afternoon passed by with ample opportunity to watch the world go by and even take a nap as we headed back to sea level and the colonial town of El Fuerte where we will be spending the night.
I always wonder what is the story behind abandoned buildings like this one. Who lived here? Why did they leave?
Meditating for a short while.
Reversing direction to the other side of the canyon.
One of several rivers we crossed.
Another river crossing.
Suddenly we start seeing catcus.
Our final stop at el Fuerte. Our train ride is over.
Back to lower elevations.
El Fuerte is a small town (population of ~13,000) in the state of Sinaloa. The hotel we will be staying at- Posada Hidalgo is famous as it was supposedly the birthplace of Don Diego de La Vega, known as “El Zorro (the fox)”, who was sort of the Robin Hood for common and indigenous people in California in the 19th century. It turned out that the hotel and surrounding property were gorgeous and a place where one might want to spend more than one night! Unfortunately we were only here for one night.
Our hotel in el Fuerte is Hotel Posada del Hidalgo.
Unusual entrance to our hotel.
This property is supposedly the home where el Zorro was born!
The pool and bar area.
The dining area.
One of several courtyards in the hotel complex.
Another courtyard.
Amazing that these trees manage to survive.
Artifacts from the area on display.
Modern bath in our room.
Walkway outside our room.
More wandering roots. It reminded me of Angkor Wat.
Pool, anyone?
Not sure where this staircase leads to.
Artwork on display.
A religious shrine tucked in the wall.
The former resident of this home-Zorro!
Before dinner I did a quick walk around the area where the hotel is located to take a few pictures.
Parroquia del Sagrado Corazón de Jesús. Church in the town plaza next to the hotel.
This is arid cactus country.
Government building on the plaza.
Lots of bougainvillea in bloom.
Christopher and Abraham arranged for a light dinner served next to the pool where we had front row seats to a “show” that featured an appearance by El Zorro himself, along with “Mrs. Zorro” and a small Mexican band who provided songs and some dancing involving guests! Yvonne and I were strategically seated to avoid becoming part of the show!
Trying something new: This is a “chelada”, a light beer mixed with fresh lime juice and served in a salt rimmed glass.
A marvelous sangria.
El Zorro picking a fight with one of the guests!
Zorro asking Barry if his sword is sharp enough.
Barry & JoAnn were sitting in the wrong place and ended up having to dance with Zorro and his wife!
An excellent flan!
Tomorrow we revert back to travel by van as we head to our last stop on the Sea of Cortez.
November 13, 2023: Exploring the Rest of Copper Canyon
Although we were disappointed in the accommodations at the Paraiso del Oso hotel the owner and his staff were very pleasant and treated us well during our stay. And the food they served was very good.
Novel way to insure you would not leave with the room key still in your pocket.
A door in Mexico.
Fresh fruit-watermelon and mango.
Their beans taste so much better than those we get in USA.
The only internet signal available was in the hotel lobby. Some last minute checking before moving on.
This morning we were scheduled to be taken to see the deepest part of Copper Canyon, with a depth exceeding 6,200 feet. We will visit the Gallego lookout point where we will be able to look down into the canyon at the small village of Urique. The road to the lookout was not paved and we quickly learned how to distinguish real time from Mexican time. When we asked how far it is to the viewpoint we were told it was “about 20 minutes”- not bad given the bumpy road we were on. However, having been fooled before I started my stopwatch and subsequently learned that you need to multiply their time estimate by 2.5-3 times, as it took that long to reach the lookout!
The dirt road leading to the canyon viewpoint.
Yvonne is not fond of heights, especially when there are huge drop offs next to the road.
Once a cave home, now a small gift shop on the way to the canyon viewpoint.
A flowing fresh water spring next to the road.
Along the way we passed a road sign showing the cutoff to reach the village where the Caballo Blanco ultramarathon is held yearly in March. I was excited at being that close to this famous story, relayed to me by Bruce Bender in Denver. Caballo Blanco (the white horse) is the nickname for a now famous US long distance runner named Micah True (well, that is the name he selected later in life. He was born Michael Randall Hickman). Micah was sort of a hippy who ventured to the bottom of this canyon in the 1980s to interact with the Tarahumara/Raramuri runners and ultimately created an ultramarathon, 50 mile race that is still held. As I mentioned earlier the Tarahumara people do not walk/stroll to get anywhere; they run. It is not uncommon for them to run 50-70 miles in a day. There is an excellent 2015 documentary called “Run Free-The True Story of Caballo Blanco” that is worth watching, even if you are like me and not into running. There is also a 2011 book called “Born to Run: A Hidden Tribe, Superathletes, and the Greatest Race the World Has Never Seen” about the Tarahumara Indians.
Where the now famous ultramarathon is held each year.
We spent about 1/2 hour at the viewpoint, taking it all in before heading back to civilization; the return drive thankfully seemed to go faster! Maybe because it was downhill.
The signs says something like : The canyon at Urique.
Elevation at the viewpoint.
Picture of canyon taken by Yvonne.
Panorama of deepest part of Copper Canyon.
The winding road would take you to the village of Urique below- in another hour of driving!
Scene looking out from the canyon viewpoint.
Heading to the canyon overhang, shown in the circle.
The walk out overlook. The small glass panels allow you to see down into the canyon. It was not all that impressive.
There were vendors even at this remote location.
Shawls for sale.
We went directly to the Hotel Mision in the village of Cerocahui where we originally was supposed to stay for two nights. We will at least get to experience it for one night. As soon as we drove up we knew that this was more like it! It turned out to be very charming. The hotel (yes, it is spelled with only one “s”) was named in honor of an impressive 300-year-old Jesuit Mission that happens to be right across the street. The hotel only has 41 rooms that are nestled around a small vineyard.
Not a fancy entrance to the small Hotel Mision.
The hotel is across the street from the mission church it is named after.
Lobby fireplace.
Artwork on wall of hotel lobby.
Cozy, welcoming bar area.
The small dining room at the hotel.
Well stocked wine cellar with locally made mission wine.
Their most popular red wines.
Walkway to our hotel room.
An old church bell.
The hotel rooms are scattered throughout the small vineyard.
Our room at Hotel Mision.
Small swimming pool at the hotel. We were too busy to use it!
After lunch at the hotel we again had a free afternoon to see the mission church, wander around the small town or even walk through the nearby vineyards. I did two of the three, skipping the walk through the vineyards as it was well past the harvest season and the leaves were already turning.
Seafood lunch which was surprisingly tasty and fresh.
This elderly cowboy enjoyed sitting outside the hotel and visiting with people who happen by.
Local kids coming home after a hard day in school!
Mission church San Jose de Cerocahui, founded by the Jesuits in 1680.
Inside the mission church of Cerocahui.
Main altar with stained glass windows.
The plaza in the center of Cerocahui, population 600.
The vineyards near the hotel.
Cocktails and dinner finished out the day.
Barry and JoAnnn play a lot of rummy
Change of pace : Gin and tonic
Finally a salad! Not often seen on their menus.
Also a nice change of pace: bolognese sauce and spaghetti.
Tomorrow we reboard the el Chepe train for the final 3.5 hour trip out of the canyon.
The Chepe Express train, commonly called “el Chepe “ is considered one of the great train rides in the world! Uncommon Journeys, with whom we are traveling, prides itself by offering tours that include a train ride sometime during its tour. That is why we chose to travel with them. The total Chepe Express route covers 350 km (220 miles) and can take over 9 hours to complete. However, it is common for people to break up the trip, giving them time to explore the Copper Canyon area. This is what most visitors do. Today we taking the first phase the trip; one that will last about 1.5 hours.
After breakfast at the hotel we were taken by hotel vans (along with many other hotel guests) to the train station in Divisadero where the train was expected “around 9:30” but we were warned that can be late! As it turned out we were lucky today as the train showed up at 9:32 AM. It was a bit chaotic getting on board as there were probably 100 people boarding this day. Luckily with the excellent leadership of Christopher and Abraham we were told where to stand on the platform before the train arrived and once the train arrived they led us to the proper coach where reserved seats would be waiting for us.
A partially cloudy morning today, giving the canyon a totally different look and feel.
Pottery made by local Indians.
Caught the rays of the sun peaking through.
Morning in the canyon.
Walking through the town market to get to the train station. We were told we had no time to shop!
Lined up at the station platform, waiting for the train to arrive.
At 9:32 the Chepe Express arrived. This guy was warning people to step back from the tracks.
The famous Chepe Express.
Before boarding I was apprehensive about the train and the seating. Having ridden Amtrak trains in the US I was not overly optimistic. I was encouraged as we worked our way to our assigned coach that had a sign hanging on the side that said “executive class” coach. YES! And once we boarded I was really impressed: wide comfortable seats, lots of legroom, and even TVs at the end of the coach showing scenes of the area. And once we left the station I was impressed with how quiet was the ride. We were told there was a restaurant car and bar located a few cars away if we were so inclined. By 9:47AM we were on our way. Time passed quickly and by 11:22AM we had arrived at our destination for this part of the trip-Bahuichivo.
They were not overly careful with names when issuing our tickets. Luckily the train personnel only looked at the last name.
We had seats in the “executive class” car!
What the executive class car looked like.
Abraham making sure we were all seated and comfortable. Note the TVs on the end of the car.
Comfortable reclining seats with tables and lots of leg room.
Christopher checking to see we were all settled.
Pulling away from the station at 9:47!
Vendors selling along the tracks where we made a quick stop.
Landscape along the train route.
Lots of green trees.
This solitary peak seemed out of place here.
By 11:22 we were leaving the train.
Working our way to our hotel transport van.
The elevation at the station where we left the train. We have descended from the higher elevation of the previous days.
We had been expecting to be taken to another hotel in the Balderrama chain. Given how much we loved the Mirador we just stayed at, we were looking forward to staying at their hotel “Mision” here. Instead we were confused when we arrived at a small hotel called “Hotel Paraiso del Oso”. It got its name from a nearby mountain that looks like Yogi Bear! Most named rock formations need a lot of imagination to see why it is named as it is. There was no problem agreeing that this mountain, indeed, does look like Yogi Bear.
The hotel we were taken to- Hotel Paraiso del Oso. We were supposed to be staying at Hotel Mision.
How this location got its name.
When we were shown our spartan rooms there was a pretty collective “this is not what we were promised and paid for”. Abraham explained that the request for rooms at Hotel Mision came too late and this hotel had been substituted. Even Christopher was surprised at the unexpected change. To his credit he immediately instructed Abraham to go to the Mision Hotel and “plead, if necessary” for rooms for the second night of our planned stay in the area.
Our spartan room. No TV or phone. And the only Internet was in the hotel lobby.
The only source of heat in the room was a wood burning stove.
Tapestry hanging in our room.
Courtyard of the hotel. Rooms were lined up around this central courtyard.
A small fountain in the courtyard.
The dining room in the hotel. It had the feeling of being in someone’s home. All the furniture had etchings of Yogi Bear carved in it.
The cocktail lounge adjacent to the dining area.
As he went off we were treated to a very nice, tasty home-made lunch and a sample of local tequila. We all accepted a sample of the tequila, but were somewhat taken aback when the owner showed us the tequila bottle which happened to contain the carcass of a poisonous (?) snake! It adds flavor and complexity to the tequila, he said! The good news is no one had any lingering effects from trying it!
A tasty lunch made by three ladies in the kitchen.
A homemade lemon/banana dessert. It was quite tasty.
Toasts with a sample of the local tequila.
The local tequila we tried, BEFORE we knew what was in the bottle!
Abraham arrived shortly after lunch and told us he was only able to secure four rooms at Mision for the next night- not enough for everyone in our group. Christopher and Abraham said they would stay here and Henry, our single gentleman, kindly offered to also stay. Kudos to Uncommon Journeys for handling the situation quickly and properly.
We were free to hike in the area the rest of the afternoon or simply relax. I am pretty sure everyone took naps, read books or played cards in the “funky” bar area, which reminded me of an old-time western saloon. The only lighting was with kerosene lanterns! The host provided popcorn later that afternoon and made some pretty good margaritas. Dinner was also made by their local staff and again it was tasty and good.
The bar area with all sorts of memorabilia on the walls.
A well stocked bar.
Lots of choices of different tequilas. They even had bourbon but we did not try to have them make Manhattans.
Abraham offering some local popular bar snacks.
Barry and JoAnn Flynn getting ready to play cards with us.
The bar area late in the day. Note the lanterns had already been lit as there were no lights in the area.
Another grilled steak with an old fashioned baked potatoe for dinner.
Local wine poured freely at dinner.
After dinner Christopher invited those who were interested to join him outdoors where a bon fire was underway and he proceeded to hand out marshmallows for us to toast. We were joined by a family of five people from Germany who were hiking in the area and were also staying at the hotel. We had a pleasant time telling them about our American tradition of roasting marshmallows and hearing of their adventures visiting this area.
Christopher passing out marshmallows for us to roast. Unfortunately they did not have the rest of the makings for s’mores.
A German family joined us and we taught them how to properly roast marshmallows.
Because the rooms had no heating other than a wood burning stove, the staff started a small fire in each of our rooms to stave off the night time cold. It worked and we slept soundly.
Tomorrow there will be more sightseeing in this area of the canyon.
Copper Canyon is actually a group of six adjoining canyons covering 25,000 square miles located in the Sierra Madre mountians. It is over 6,000 feet deep in some places. Its name comes from the copper/green color of the canyon walls. Climate conditions vary greatly in the canyon. At the canyon bottom it is warm and humid all year long while at the top there might be snow. It is the home of the the Tarahumara Indigenous people, also known as the “Raramuri” (means runners on foot or those who run fast), famed long distance runners. There are estimated to be 50-70,000 Tarahumara people living in the canyon area.
Welcoming dawn!
Barry Flynn took this picture and shared it with me. A great shot!
Morning sun in the canyon.
A tree similar to the madrona trees that grow in our area.
The dining room had family style tables but there was an area reserved for our group.
Excellent buffet with machaca( dried beef) and blue corn tortillas.
The deck off the hotel lobby where we often gather.
Tarahumara Indian painting in lobby.
At work making baskets early in the morning.
Where we are headed this morning.
Today’s agenda finds us exploring the canyon area near our hotel, highlighted by taking the cable car down into the canyon. The cable car is actually part of an attraction called Adventure Park where, beside the cable car, there is a zip line (one of longest in the world), a via ferrata course (rock climbing), concert stage, aerial walkway, climbing wall, miniature golf, hiking/cycling trails, and even a restaurant overlooking the canyon. Oh, there are also multiple shopping opportunities!
Group picture at a canyon viewpoint.
The canyon in early morning.
Multiple opportunities for “fun” at the park.
Venue for concerts.
Family here for a day of fun. People living in the canyon valleys can use the cable car for free to get to the nearby towns.
Local version of a Big Mac??
The cable car here at Copper Canyon.
The cable car upper boarding station. Normally cable cars go up, this one goes down.
Waiting for our ride.
Picture showing a cable car and lower landing station.
Our ride arrives.
Heading down into the canyon.
I knew we were going to ride the cable car but I also considered doing the zip line UNTIL I heard it reached speeds of 68 mph as it traverses its 2,545 meter (8,350 ft) length, and then you had a 800 meter uphill climb to get to the cable car which is the only way back. With age comes wisdom!
Thanks, but no thanks!
Crazy zipline rider!
The uphill path from the end of the zipline back to the cable car,
marked by painted rocks
We spent about 30 minutes at the lower cable car station where there was ample opportunity to take pictures, shop at multiple vendor stands for locally made art/crafts and even listen to a local musician playing a guitar.
The view as we descend into the canyon.
Looking back at our hotel as we descend into the canyon.
Nearing the half way point-where the two cable cars meet, going in opposite directions.
Small farms in the valley of the canyon.
Scenery as we head down into the canyon.
Scenery viewed from the lower cable station.
Shopping area at the lower cable station.
A unique rock formation at the lower station.
More craft booths. Some people also sell minerals/rocks from the area.
High tech (solar) meets low tech crafts.
I watched this lady weave a basket and then I bought one from her.
Children playing while their parents sell crafts.
A local musician entertains people waiting for the cable car.
The famous Raramuri running shoes.
Returning to the upper station we gathered for a group lunch in the restaurant before returning to the hotel for the rest of the afternoon for more relaxation. For the more adventurous there were a series of local hikes in the area. We chose relaxation! There was another set group dinner at the hotel that evening.
Lunch overlooking the canyon.
Lunch were sopes on blue corn shells.
Negotiations with this young boy.
Sue Bishop made this “cheat sheet” for peso conversion. Vendors readily accepted US dollars.
We are a long way from a lot of places!
It was cool enough to warrant wearing a shawl.
Where tequila comes from.
This “cutie” was about 2 years old!
Apples and crafts for sale. Last chance before we board our van.
Small home located in the canyon below our hotel.
Picture at 5PM
Same picture at 5:30 PM
Walkway from our rooms to the hotel lobby.
Old mining cars on display.
Still making those popular baskets!
They color the reeds used in the baskets using natural coloring.
Watching sunset from the crowded hotel patio.
The setting sun reflecting on canyon walls.
They know how to make memorable margaritas in Mexico.
Hotel patio was packed for sunset. It was a cool evening and coats were needed.
A local family sitting at the edge of the canyon during sunset.
Liquor was inexpensive, by Seattle standards. Margarita was $9.31.
Gerry, an accomplished musician, testing a local guitar.
Steak!
Tomorrow we are to take the first of two train rides through the Copper Canyon region.
It was foggy this morning as we left Creel. Our first stop was to see a cave home that was still occupied by a local Tarahumara Indian. She was not there but her son had opened the “home” so we could see it. It was indeed a cave that has been used as a home for who knows how long. There is no electricity and heat/cooking was from a wood burning stove. In this day and age it was a real eye opener.
A foggy morning as we left Creel. This is a statue of a Tarahumara Indian at the roundabout at the edge of town.
The path to the cave home of a local Tarahumara.
Approaching the home located in a rock cave. That is the access door.
We were welcome to enter the home. It was spartan.
The son of the home owner was selling locally made items outside the cave.
Leaving there we soon found ourselves on a dirt road heading to a site Christopher and Abraham wanted us to see. Because of the fog the scenery around us was a bit eerie as we passed fenced fields. We soon arrived at a very old chapel, seemingly in the middle of nowhere. It is the mission church of San Ignacio de Arareco, built by the Jesuits in the 18th century to serve the nearby small Tarahumara village. There are no pews in the church, only benches on each wall; men sat on one side, women on the other.
Traversing a dirt road lined with fences like these- made with tree branches.
The Jesuit mission church of San Ignacio de Arareco, built in the 18th century.
No pews inside the church, only benches against the side walls.
Locally made ladders.
An elderly Tarahumara woman sitting outside the church.
An eerie graveyard located across from the church.
Nearby are a series of rock formations that seemed out of place given what the rest of the area looked like. One is famously known as the “frog”; I had to agree with its name.
Translation says “Valley of Frogs”.
Why this area is called the valley of frogs.
My Kodak moment for the day.
More rock formations in this area.
There were a scattering of homes in the area.
We saw miles and miles of the fences throughout our journey so far.
More rock formations.
A scene I liked.
A balancing rock formation.
The next stop was at a nearby pristine lake, Lake Arareko, for some picture taking. Since it is a common stop there were some local Tarahumara ladies selling their wares to those who stop to admire the scenery.
The fog was gone by the time we left the mission church area.
We saw many people walking along the train tracks. There are only a few trains so it is relatively safe.
Lake Arareco with a lovely reflection on the still waters.
Tarahumara ladies set up booths to sell local art & crafts wherever they expect people to stop.
Business was slow this morning so she was grabbing a quick snooze in the warm sun.
Then it was on to our final stop for the day, the Hotel Mirador, overlooking Copper Canyon. We had no warning what to expect until we arrived at the hotel and stepped out onto the deck overlooking the canyon. It was truly an “OMG” moment; it is simply a breathtaking vista. This is why we came! It was certainly worth the 469 miles that took 11.5 hours of driving time to reach this location. And the good news was we would be spending two nights here, sightseeing in the area before moving deeper into the canyon complex by train.
Translation: Copper Canyon!
This is why we came! Our first view of Copper Canyon.
Vendors outside the hotel lobby. They are there every morning to greet incoming guests. They leave when the guests leave.
We made it to Copper Canyon.
Literally dozens of hummingbirds feeding outside the hotel patio.
Marvelous carved door at the hotel.
Surprisingly the internet here was great! Gerry doing some last minute work.
Pre lunch cocktail on the hotel deck.
The perfunctory soup at lunch!
Chicken mole enchilada.
More carved doors at the banquet room.
Artwork in the hotel lobby.
After lunch at the hotel we were free to roam the property or simply sit on the balcony of our rooms in rocking chairs and take in the vistas before us. It was simply marvelous!
Elevation at Hotel Mirador in Copper Canyon.
Our room was tastefully decorated.
Ultra modern bath.
Our hotel room with the “drop dead” balcony view.
Relaxing on our balcony with my feet up! What a view!
The view keeps changing as the sun moves across the sky.
Using a telephoto lens to capture a native woman returning with material to weave baskets.
Late afternoon shadows on the canyon walls.
Sunset at the canyon
A Tarahumara family watching the sunset from a distant ledge.
Another sunset view.. The sun was behind us so the views changed quickly.
A set dinner was held at the hotel but we gathered ahead of time for a sampling of local wines, which turned out to be pretty darn good!
The day started with a bit of excitement! As we were getting ready to head down for breakfast the power went out in the hotel! I mean everywhere- except for a few emergency lights in the hallways. It immediately posed the following questions. We were on the third floor. How do we get our luggage downstairs as elevators were not working? Would there be breakfast? And most important how would Yvonne dry her hair? As it turned out the power did return in about 20 minutes and all went well. Yvonne got her hair dried, the elevator got our luggage to the lobby and we even had time for breakfast before departing for Creel.
But before leaving Chihuahua we went to the city center to briefly visit the Government Palace building and the nearby Cultural Museum.
Chihuahua is hilly and has a population of over a million people.
The central plaza in Chihuahua.
Ornate bench in a city park.
The government palace building in Chihuahua.
Inside the government palace building in Chihuahua.
Murals depicting the history of Mexico adorn the walls inside the government building.
Looking across the mall to the historical cultural museum.
Practicing…..
What a well dressed military man wore in the 19th century.
The colorful clothing of the local Indian tribes.
The church of St. Francis which dates back to the early 18th century.
Statue dedicated to the Tarahumara Indians..
A mansion turned into a museum .
Today’s route would take us through an area of Mexico noted for farming and the home of a fairly large Mennonite community who first migrated from Canada to Mexico in the 1920s. Today there are around 75,000 Mennonites living in Mexico (50,000 in the area where we are), mostly in the state of Chihuahua. Christopher and Abraham arranged for a tour of Mennonite cultural museum near the city of Cuauhtemoc, which was about two hours from Chihuahua so it made for a good break before lunch. The tour, led by a young Mennonite woman, was fascinating! The museum is laid out in a series of rooms that are staged to show various aspects of their lives. There were displays of farming equipment, the kitchen of a Mennonite home, the dining area, the bedroom arrangement, laundry/ironing area and the main meeting room of the home. The guide described their lifestyle, eating and clothing protocols and cultural aspect of being a Mennonite. As a culture they are not as strict as the Amish, as they use modern machinery and technology. They are very strict if you stray from the norm you can be “shunned” and basically excommunicated. In fact our guide experienced that when she became what she referred to as a “modern (i.e. liberal)” Mennonite, which now makes up about 20% of the people. After seeing and hearing the stories of their lives I am intrigued enough to want to read more about the culture and values.
A museum dedicated to describing how Mennonites live.
The Mennonite cultural Museum located in the Mennonite community near Cuauhtemoc
A very old farm implement.
Farm equipment.
A VERY early riding lawn mower.
Our lady guide. She is a “modern” Mennonite which means she was disowned by the traditional followers. Even her parents disowned her.
A dining room setting. Boys sit on the bench while girls sit in chairs across from them. There is a strict protocol followed.
A well stocked pantry.
The original mangle iron!
The formal meeting room with access controlled by the head of the family.
What every Mennonite boy wears.
What Mennonite women wear.
The Mennonite community is known for its cheese making skills.
Lunch was at a locally owned Mennonite pizza parlor which uses their renowned cheese. It was a nice change of pace and we downed more than our share of pizza!
The local Mennonite pizza chain.
Pizza at a Mennonite pizza parlor, made with their famous cheese. It was delicious.
We arrived in the delightful town of Creel late in the afternoon. Our hotel there was charming. It has that definite Western theme from the spacious rooms, the hotel lobby with a huge stone fireplace, animal heads mounted on the walls, and a charming cocktail lounge/restaurant. There was even a brewery attached to the hotel.
Landscape near Creel.
Could not help but notice the driver had a rosary on board to keep us safe!
Some fall color showing up as we approached Creel.
One of the very few rivers we have passed so far. There is not much water in these parts.
Our hotel in downtown Creel.
A very young girl sweeping up the leaves on the hotel grounds.
There were four large western decor rooms in each building on the hotel grounds. Each even had a porch swing.
Inside our rustic (but modern) hotel room at the Lodge.
The lobby of the Lodge.
There is an active brewery attached to the hotel restaurant.
Amazing chandelier in the hotel dining area.
Chair made from a tree trunk covered in cow hide. Almost impossible to get out of it when seated!
We had time to wander in the downtown area before dinner and several of us went “shopping”. Creel has the feel of a small US western town.
Every town seems to have one of these colorful signs announcing who they are.
The Main Street of Creel, mostly restaurants and souvenir shops.
A Tarahumara Indian and her child. I love the colorful clothes they wear.
Local artwork on the Main Street.
Young girl selling trinkets.
Christ the King Church in Creel.
The footwear worn by the Tarahumara Indians. These days the sole is from car tires.
Locally made sandals for,sale.
There are dogs everywhere! They will follow you but never seem to bark at anyone.
Colorful clothing on every women and child.
A practical way to carry goods and/or a child.
Dinner was at the hotel and Christopher treated us to a sample of the local version of tequila called “Sotol”, made from a desert plant called “desert spoon”, rather than from the agave plant used to make the tequila we are most familiar with. It has the same kick as tequila but has a different feel, described as “bright and grassy, strongly bearing an earthy flavor with musky, vegetal highlights. My opinion is that it is “an acquired taste”.
Christopher Tidmore, our tour manager, sharing some of the local tequila, made from the sotol plant rather than agave.
A tequila made from the sotol plant. They call it a more earthy cousin of the agave tequila.
Group dinner ar the lodge.
Great tortilla soup with fresh avocado. The Mexicans have soup with most meals.
We had a choice of fish or carne asada. We chose the carne.
Day two was now complete.
November 8, 2023: Starting Our Copper Canyon Adventure.
Copper Canyon? Never heard of it, you say. Well, neither did I not long ago. What and where is it, and why should anyone want to visit it? Copper Canyon lies in north central Mexico in the state of Chihuahua. It is actually a series of six connected canyons which collectively are FOUR times the size of the Grand Canyon. It is even deeper than the Grand Canyon, 6,000 feet deep in places! So having visited Grand Canyon several times I was simply eager to see this canyon system and compare it to our canyon. It is not easy to get there as there are not many towns in the area big enough to have any airport of substantial size so you must drive there. The other really intriguing aspect of the trip is that one usually visits the canyon system by riding a fairly famous train,The El Chepe Express, through it.
Copper Canyon is located in northern Mexico in the state of Chihuahua.
We first heard about the Copper Canyon trip when we took another trip with Uncommon Journeys in 2021. I was intrigued and we signed up for this 12 day trip. It starts on El Paso, TX with travel to central Mexico where we catch the train through Copper Canyon. After exploring the canyon area we again revert to travel by van to the Sea of Cortez and ultimately back to the US, arriving in Tucson, AZ.
We went to El Paso one day early and met our fellow travel companions and tour manager (Christopher Tidmore) when we gathered for an introductory dinner on November 7. It turned out to be a fairly small group of 9, plus our tour manager, Christopher. Several couples had to cancel at the last minute, including our friends from Colorado. Beside my brother and wife, shirt tail relatives of Yvonne (Barry & Joann Flynn/Joganic) made up our group of 6. A single fellow from San Francisco and a woman from Kansas with her mother-in-law made up the rest of our small travel group.
We left El Paso the morning on November 8, headed to Chihuahua, Mexico, our first stop. The plan was to cross the border where we would transfer to another vehicle and pick up our local Mexican tour guide and driver( Abraham). The border crossing went fairly smoothly although we were required to remove all the luggage from the bus, then reload it into the same bus before proceeding. We met our smaller, 17 passenger van on the city streets of Juarez.
The Radsisson hotel in El Paso where we met our tour leader and other members of our group.
A bit of overkill to carry the 9 of us across the border to Mexico.
Approaching the Mexico border at El Paso.
We had to exit the bus, where they offloaded our luggage from the bus, then reloaded it. We had to fill out immigration forms before proceeding on our trip.
Elevation of Juárez, Mexico.
We transferred to a 17 passenger van once we got into Mexico.
Many small shops in Juarez. There were many dental clinics, popular with US residents.
We passed many large junk yards. They must have a lot of accidents in these parts!
The landscape once we left Juarez.
The company does a good job of stopping on a regular basis for restrooms, stretching our legs and picking up snacks. They provided bottled water as needed. Because of the small group we were able to stretch out in the van and everyone could have their own window! Lunch was at a local restaurant where we had the first of many future Mexican meals (Alert: meals during the trip ended up more varied than I expected).
Our first lunch in Mexico. We could order what we wanted off the menu.
Prices were inexpensive. There are about 17 pesos to the US dollar.
Lunch enchiladas with verde salsa, which was hotter than I expected. And the beans were tastier than we get in the USA.
Rest stop for restrooms, stretching our legs and snacks.
A Bishop tradition- magnum ice cream bars when on a trip!
We arrived in Chihuahua late in the afternoon and stopped to visit the former home and museum of Pancho Villa, the hero of the Mexican 1910 revolution.
Passing a lot of small towns as we headed to Chihuahua, our first destination.
Entrance to the home and museum of Pancho Villa.
Courtyard in the home of Pancho Villa, now a museum dedicated to his memory.
Bedroom of Pancho Villa.
A fairly large bathroom in the home.
One of his saddles.
A recruitment poster for riding with Pancho Villa.
A mean looking sword used by Pancho.
A hat and chaps belonging to Pancho Villa.
Pancho Villa, a Mexican folk hero.
One of Pancho Villa’s pistols.
Machine gun used during Mexican revolution, lasting from 1910-1920.
Another interior courtyard in Pancho Villa’s home and museum.
Novel way of transporting weapons during the revolution.
Field artillery from the Mexican revolution.
My brother Gerry’s look alike mustache.
The type of picture we are used to seeing of Pancho Villa.
We also visited the nearby cathedral and had dinner at a local restaurant before going to our surprisingly big and modern Sheraton hotel in Chihuahua.
The Day of the Dead was celebrated only a few days ago.
Cathedral of Chihuahua, built from 1725-1792.
Side door to the cathedral.
Interior of the Cathedral.
The main altar in the cathedral.
View of the organ and entrance of the cathedral.
Magnificent carved door in the cathedral.
An ancient door in Chihuahua.
First communion and baptism dresses for sale for little girls in a store near the cathedral. Mexicans are traditionally Catholic.
We would be seeing these large bowls of fresh limes wherever we went in Mexico. No wonder their margaritas taste so good!
The first of many margaritas on this trip!
Carne Asada tacos.
The lobby of the Sheraton in Chihuahua. Its size and modern look surprised me.
