Some pics of Chihuahua from yesterday.  It is low rise, and dry. 

Today we went on a tour of Chihuahua.  Some pics from the day.....

A street scene

The cathedral

Yes, they have bells! European style.

Inside

Always a box with a slot - diezmo means "tithe".

Baptismal font made from carrerra marble from Italy.

A chapel....

I had to google to find out about this chapel.  Wikipedia entry here.  Apparently he was Chihuahua's first saint - canonised quite recently as he died in 1937.

Our guide explaining the history of Mexico, as depicted in murals in the Town Hall. Mexico has a long and complicated history of revolutions, shifting loyalties as individuals, and the church,  vied for power, as well as a war with America.  It is a history of which I know very little. 

 

Chihuahua

Tonight we are in the Sheraton (whoopee!) hotel in Chihuahua for two nights.  Such a relief after the past 6 nights.  The hotels were good, but the weather was tough.  Altitude, dryness plus cold days made it  strenuous.  The degree of cold was unexpected, and I used my thermal top and long-johns which I had tossed in at the last minute, not really expecting to use them.

Now we are a the comparatively benign 1,141 metres.  

We stopped in a Mennonite village on the way, then visited a Mennonite household for lunch.  .Think Amish, but I gather the Mennonites are more flexible and also quite well-off.

We drove through much flatter land.  Chihuahua is a large city, about a million, and the capital of the state. 

If internet improves tomorrow, will post some pics.  

 

Tarahumara

The Tarahumara are one of the largest indigenous tribes in Mexico, and live in the Chihuahua and Copper Canyon area.  To pronounce it, think Turramurra with a "hu" in the middle.  We are still getting our heads around the history.

 

Cave dwelling.  The lady who lived here has died, but her home remains for tourists to see how she lived.

And some school children.  I was fascinated by the skirts the women wore. 

Creel

Hardly any pics today.  We travelled, by bus, to Creel.  It is a small town, and very touristy, Mexican style.  After dinner, we went for a walk down the main street.

and there was a lot of noise!  Shops have loudspeakers outside 

and there are cars that also go down the street, with loudspeakers at full volume. Was a bit late getting my camera out for this one!  Some cars look home-made.  And it was only Tuesday night!

It was cold. 

 

 

Views of Copper Canyon

I didn't go with the group today  it is so cold - -1 to max of about 11 - and  fortunately tossed a thermal,  scarf etc into my suitcase, not really expecting to need them.  But the cold still took its toll.  I went for a walk, and had a look around our hotel, and got some pics of the Copper Canyon.

 And the zoom-ed images came out well.

 

There were paths around the hotel.  I would say this one is blocked!

And a real closeup of the sloping sides!

 

 

El Chepe train - folk live here!

 

El Chepe - train through Copper Canyon.

El Chepe is a tourist train.  We boarded at El Fuerte.

Train approaching the station.

 

And inside

Random pics along the way

 

At the viewing platform at the back of the train - in a tunnel. One of many!

Reflections in the tunnel

 

Bridge coming up

and front of our train on it!

Getting off at Divisadero

 And the view from our hotel room!

 

Mayo not Mayan. And things that make a noise!

The indigenous people of Sinaloha are Mayo.  This is not the same as the Mayans who live in another part of Mexico.

We went to see a Mayo village, saw a dance, and tried freshly made tortilla.

Making the tortillas...

A bit dry and floury - needs the sauces.

The experienced dancer.  He is 76 years old.

The deer dance - wearing a deer head.  He said he spent time, as a young boy, studying the behaviour of the deer.  The things below his knees are silk-worm cocoons, which are gathered up, filled with small stones and sewn on to whatever they are sewn on to!  They rattle!

Close up pic:

 

And there are bells in the hotel - Mexican style I presume.