Copper Canyon

Railway station some 15 mins drive outside the town and the train was late so fair amount of hanging around but eventually it arrived and the porter showed me to my seat.

 A very slow journey ensued, fairly dreary scenery to begin with and train used by locals as well as tourists. However gradually we rolled through more majestic scenery a little bit like the trans-alpine in New Zealand but make-up of mountains different and no glacial action here.

Most homes are small and many fairly delapidated, the indigenous population struggle to survive with rather thin animals and scrubby fields.

The journey was somewhat enlivened by two machine gun toting guards for what purpose I'm not sure!

Finally arrived in El Divisidero at about 3pm having boarded at 8.40am or so about half an hour late. Path from station lined by stalls selling baskets,jewellery, t-shirts etc. nothing very exciting but felt sorry for the people who work hard with little prospect of return by what I could see. Path very uneven and with quite a few steps not geared to roller suitcase.

Checked in only person who did so and then struggled to room more steps and no porter! However the view from the room more or less made up for it.

Part of the deal with the hotel meant that I have two guided walks and the first set off at 4pm to see some caves in the walls of the canyon which house wild and human animals.

 Some were in fairly inaccessible places and with thousands of feet drop not my favourite activity but I have some pictures to prove I did it.

Supper in the bar as only person staying real mexican food and beer. Barmaid hoping to go to New Zealand to work and had visited the North Island last year like Marian on my trip last year. Very cold in the evening and layering up to keep warm not helped by the wind although out of it and in the sun quite pleasant. Second trip started at 9am the next day heading along the the top of the canyon for some distance, the picture below shows the hotel in the middle from only part of the way.

We passed a number of lookout stops including one which has a rock which moves and no I decided it was too windy to test, well that's my excuse but no one else doing it either so.....

Eventually reached the new attraction of a cable car across part of the canyon and took a ride which gets you much nearer the bottom. It is amazing how many people live in quite lonely places where reaching anyone else must take hours and no motorised transport can get there.

 More views but nothing else allowed 20mins and returned where could see the ladder ways that some of the cliff dwellers use.

Walking through a forest area noticed a striking red barked tree which apparently has some medicinal purpose in the treatment of diabetes.

Unfortunately the rest of the trees were fairly uninteresting and as the wind was getting up glad to be back by lunchtime. Went for a walk myself in the afternoon and found a spot to take a photo of the train that I shall catch tomorrow. Still no more guests I wonder why they keep open in what is clearly low season for the area.

Journey downrather less interesting landscape, passed through a town called Creel, with a hotel which sums the place up.

lengthy journey starting at just before 3pm and ending at 9.30 in Chihuahua, more of which later.