First Day at Copper Canyon

I wrote this post in longhand after we had spent our first day in the area.  Here it is:

10-13-11
This is a handwritten post that is being transcribed after the fact.  I don't have internet here in Mission Cerocahui, which is our first stop on our Copper Canyon trip.

By the way, the place was not named for its copper.  When the Spanish arrived, they thought the green lichen on the rocks looked like the green patina of copper.

Today we got up at 5:15 am and took the train here from Los Mochis, which is about 20 minutes from Topolobampo.  That was a 16 peso bus ride.  We spent the night in Los Mochis yesterday, and took the train today past unbelievably beautiful terrain.  Here is a picture from the train.  The place looks like the Grand Canyon but with more greenery and trees.

There are some differences between here and the Grand Canyon. The system of canyons that form Copper Canyon are longer and deeper, but the Grand Canyon is more extensive than any of the individual canyons in this system. I have been to both and it is apples and oranges - they are both spectacular and different. There are steep canyon walls, rivers that meander all over the place, all sorts of plant life that changes as you change altitude (which happens pretty fast), and the odd little ranch settlements scattered all over the area.

The place we are staying is on the site of a 1500s era Jesuit mission, that is now a church and boarding school for indigenous girls from ages 4 to 14. It is run by four nuns. The kids come from the area's poorest families, where they only get one meal per day, while at the school they eat regularly. Most of them become nurses or teachers if they continue their education, and most of them remain in the area. The kids wear traditional Indian dress - long multi-colored skirts with smock-like jackets, and sandals that are leather soles attached to the feet with leather thongs like ballet toe shoes.  I felt sort of intrusive touring the place, but the kids seemed to be used to seeing people and also appeared to be happy and healthy.  Since the tour was conducted in Spanish, I was never clear on exactly how often they went home to their families - either every weekend or every 14 days.

The hotel here is fabulous - it is on a vineyard.  I bought some of their vino tinto - red table wine - and it is delicious.  There are fruit trees everywhere, and only two other guests besides the four of us.  There are wildflowers blooming.  The place is adobe covered with plaster, open beamed ceilings with heavy dark wood beams, and mission style furniture.  There is a lot of tile everywhere, and if I ever have a house again, I'd like it to be like this.  It is a beautiful oasis in the middle of nowhere.

So far it has been a wonderful trip - and there is more tomorrow.  It is a wonderful vacation from the vacation that is really my whole life now.  What a wonderful day!