Jan 30 Day 9
We boarded the train on a very crisp, partly cloudy morning. The train is very nice with large windows for viewing and a club car and dining car where we will be eating lunch. We traveled 215 miles along the 300 mile route. The complete route has 36 major bridges and 87 tunnels and rises from sea level at Los Mochis to 8000 feet before descending in to Chihuahua. The track makes several loops and in one place actually crosses over itself. Some of the route is very scenic and other parts are desert like. Along the way are several small Indian villages many which seem to have sparse living conditions. At one stop we made, children rushed out with baskets and other items they and their families have made to sell. We noticed the children had sandals made of tire tread and leather ties. Their eyes were begging for someone to buy from them. We ate lunch on the train: corn soup which seems to always be served with a Mexican dinner, chicken quesadilla, rice and beans and Mexican cake. Mmmm good. Mexican is our favorite ethnic food so we are enjoying the meals here in Mexico. Our hotel in Copper Canyon, Hotel Mirador, was near the rim and we had a beautiful view of the canyon. By the time we arrived it was much cooler and looked like rain. We got settled into our rooms and were served a “welcome drink”. Then we got our first look at how the Tarahuamara Indians live. We walked down the canyon some ways to a spot on the side of the hill where 2 families of Indians are living. By now it is misting and some are hurrying back to the nice warm hotel….but not the Indians. This is their way of life and they are very happy. They had houses made of adobe which looked more like a crude shed to us. They washed clothes outside using a large tub and a rock to scrub them on and hung them on lines tied to most anything. They are willing to have us here so that we can see and buy the items they have made. These same people come to the hotel and sit on the floor to make baskets and sell their products. They are not happy to have their pictures taken unless tourists are willing to pay them. The Tarahuamara Indians will not look us in the eye and appear to be sad but we are told they are just very shy. A tour guide told us one young man decided to leave the mountains and in a very short time returned because he felt life was better for him here, as it was with his family. All our meals while at the hotel were very good and we were able to eat many different Mexican foods. Dinner this night was: Lentil Soup, Carne Asada which is roasted beef, green beans, mashed potatoes and cinnamon cake. We went to be early as we did most nights, tired and awed by this Mexican culture.