Day 13

Today we had to leave the beautiful Margarita's Hotel. It was such a peaceful place at night, just great for sleeping. The only sound that could be heard was the stream across the road from the hotel. It was a great river at one time and probably still could be if it would rain.

           

The peacefulness ended at 5:00 AM when a truck could be heard in the distance, gradually getting closer until it passed by on the road below our balcony and then fading away on its way to Batopilas. Another vehicle at 5:35, then the rush hour between 6:00 and 7:00 when a car and 3 trucks with the beds loaded with workers all headed to Batopilas.         

 

After a hearty breakfast of pancakes, bacon and eggs we loaded into our two vans and headed out through the Batopilas Canyon. I always thought that the Copper Canyon was one huge canyon but I have since learned that the Copper Canyon is an area consisting of a series of canyons, the largest being Urique Canyon. The other large ones are Batopilas, Labuffa and Divisadaro.



The road out of Batopilas Canyon

As we climbed through the various mountain switchbacks in the morning the sun gave us a different perspective than when we went down. There were more opportunities for photo stops as we went from Batopilas Canyon through Labuffa Canyon. Climbing through one of the turns we noticed some military vehicles on the road above us. We found a space large enough for the two vans to pull safely to the side and waited for the convoy to pass. As the first truck rounded the blind curve the driver must have spotted us and stopped. They were probably assessing the situation, decided we were harmless tourists and continued past us. Some of them had cell phones and were obviously taking pictures of us as they went by. There were five vehicles loaded with soldiers and from the size of the guns they were carrying they weren't on vacation. 

Waiting for the convoy to pass





We stopped at a Tarahumara Mission hospital parking lot and had a picnic lunch that the hotel staff had prepared for us. They had said we were going to have ham sandwiches and I pictured a chunk of ham thrown between two pieces of white bread but that certainly was not what we received. The sandwiches looked like hamburger buns and actually had ham and other condiments which made them absolutely delicious. While we were there an elderly Tarahumara lady approached our group to sell some wares. Sergio Gonzales, our guide, spoke to her and learned that she was 104 years of age.

           

We eventually reached Creel and had some free time for more shopping. Happy hour, as usual, was at 5:00 PM but this evening we had a very pleasant surprise. Denisse Gonzales, our guide from a few days ago, brought her mother to visit with us. Her mother is Margarita Quintero, the owner of the Margarita's hotels that we have been staying in. Margarita and Denisse told us how they had started in the hotel business at first with one small guest house or bed and breakfast as we now know them. When Denisse was about seven years of age she would walk to the train station and take the tourists by the hand and lead them to their guest house as she couldn't speak English. At other times her and her brothers were awaken at night and moved out of their beds as Margarita had rented the beds to tourists. Margarita purchased an old building and made it into a hotel, the present Margarita's in Creel. Denisse spent time in Michigan, USA and learned to speak English fluently then when she returned home she would go to the train station and talk people into staying at the new hotel. The Batopilas property was nothing but a ruin when Margarita purchased it in 1988. It is simply amazing how she transformed it into the present hotel.



Margarita, her son Sergio, daughter Denisse and granddaughter

Donna & Paul

Another excellent meal then off to bed for another early start in the morning.