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Marvelous Trip to Costa Rica

Jason:

I want to thank you and California Native for arranging our recent trip to Costa Rica. The itinerary was perfect for us. We particularly liked Tortuguero, seeing the diverse range of birds and animals during our exploration by boat along the canals and the long boat trip out of the national park, when we briefly entered Nicaragua. Monteverde was wonderful too; we even saw the elusive quetzal and a green toucan in the rain forest. The white water rafting trip on the Pacaure River was terrific and we loved the overnight stay at the rustic lodge on the river. I’m so glad we did a two day trip on the Pacaure River, it was a little bit of paradise. In San Jose we attended a performance by the National Orchestra of Costa Rica at the grand old National Theatre, which was a fitting finale to our visit.

Congratulations to California Native for having such impressive local contacts. Our guides were expert and friendly.

We had a marvellous trip and thank you for your efforts in arranging it on our behalf.

Chris Grenning and Jim Dickson
New York, NY

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Another Happy Copper Canyon Traveler

My friend and I went to Copper Canyon on February 24, 2009.  Only now do I find the time to tell you what a wonderful this trip was. For us this was the ideal way to travel. You made all the arrangements and we did the rest. The organization was absolutely flawless. The hotels were great, especially the Torres del Fuerte and, of course, the Hotel Mirador in Divisadero.  You encouraged us to take 2 days there, and what a great idea that was. Even though we were late arriving in Los Mochis, our taxi was waiting to drive us to to El Fuerte. My thought was, “this is the one thing I did not want to do, drive in the dark in Mexico.” It turned out that the taxi driver was cautious and competent and put us both at ease. I think our favorite town was El Fuerte. It was great that we had 2 nights in several locations. It made for relaxed traveling and a chance to really walk around. The voucher system worked very well.  We could chose wherever we wanted to eat and had the chance to sample several restaurants.

A real treat is the fact that there were no TVs in all the hotels, except for one. That was the Best Western in Creel. We turned on the news and  turned it off fairly quickly. We were on vacation!

The train ride was all we were hoping for. Since we were only 2 people, we stayed most of the time in the bar car of the train, talked to many people and looked out of the big, clean windows. We had a ball. We took the train to Divisadero, stayed there for 2 nights and went to Creel. The ride from Creel to El Fuerte was just right. I was glad we did not stay on the train any longer.

I have read letters from your clients and all the good things they said about you were true for us. It helps to speak Spanish when you are on your own, but you made it very easy to get around. In Batopilas we ate at Mika’s. Great stuff! Our driver Arturo told us colorful stories about this magic town and made us feel less like tourists.

We thank you very much and hope to hook up with you again. Thanks for all your help.

Ingrid Lewin
San Diego, CA

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Costa Rica: The Easy Way

For 26 years, The California Native has been leading travelers to destinations all over the world, but may be best known as the foremost authority on tours of Mexico’s Copper Canyon. But did you know that we have also been arranging and leading trips to Costa Rica? In the following letter, travelers Christine Grenning and James Dickson take a moment to comment on visiting this natural paradise.

I want to thank you for arranging our recent trip to Costa Rica. The itinerary was perfect for us.  We particularly liked Tortuguero, seeing the diverse range of birds and animals during our exploration by boat along the canals and the long boat trip out of the national park, when we briefly entered Nicaragua.  Monteverde was wonderful too; we even saw the elusive quetzal and a green toucan in the rain forest. The white water rafting trip on the Pacaure River was terrific and we loved the overnight stay at the rustic lodge on the river. I’m so glad we did a two day trip on the Pacaure River, it was a little bit of paradise. In San Jose we attended a performance by the National Orchestra of Costa Rica at the grand old National Theatre, which was a fitting finale to our visit.

Congratulations to The California Native for having such impressive local contacts. Our guides were expert and friendly.

We had a marvellous trip and thank you for your efforts in arranging it on our behalf.

We at California Native love to hear from our travelers. Please send us your stories and comments.

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My Copper Canyon Adventure — Day 11

Saying Goodbye to Copper Canyon

The following story was submitted to us by Kay Gilliland who describes her experience traveling with friends through Mexico’s Copper Canyon during the Christmas holidays. Today, Kay and her friends travel from Chihuahua City to El Paso for their flights home.

The California Native is always thrilled to have groups of friends join our trips to this charming region of Mexico. We appreciate it when our guests share their stories with us and we like to add them to our blog for everyone to see. We hope you have enjoyed reading about Kay’s 11-day Copper Canyon Adventure.

January 2, Friday

We were up early the next day for cereal and huevos rancheros, then off to the border. We stopped twice, once at Ahumada and again farther on. Jenny bought dolce de leche and shared it with us. It had a good, sweet taste. We drove about 230 miles to Ciudad Juarez and waited in line for an hour and a half before we were able to cross the Ysleta Bridge into El Paso. During the wait, people were in the middle of the street with carts selling food, baskets, trinkets, copper goods, watches, hats, everything they could think of and carry. We had a bit of time at the airport together.

We said goodbye to Jessica and then to Sally and Bill. Jenny, Laurie and I boarded the plane, straight through with a stop in Las Vegas. Lori and Rhea picked us up at the Oakland Airport and we were soon at home with dreams of our experiences in the Copper Canyon.

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My Copper Canyon Adventure — Day 10

Arriving at Chihuahua City


The following story was submitted to us by Kay Gilliland who describes her experience traveling with friends through Mexico’s Copper Canyon during the Christmas holidays. Today, Kay and her friends journey from Creel to Chihuahua City and learn more about the birthplace of the Mexican Revolution.

The California Native is always thrilled to have groups of friends join our trips to this charming region of Mexico. We appreciate it when our guests share their stories with us and we like to add them to our blog for everyone to enjoy. Excerpts from her journal will be posted regularly, so check back often to learn more about Kay’s 11-day Copper Canyon Adventure.

January 1, 2009, Thursday, New Year’s Day

Breakfast was delicious with juice, fruit (papaya, watermelon and, for the first time, apple), eggs, beans and a cinnamon drink called “café.”

We said goodbye to Sol and climbed into our vehicle. Antonio headed out onto “Ruta 2010” named in honor of the succeeding hundred-year events in Mexican history. Jessica pointed out the major change in our surroundings; we were traversing the chaparo: wheat fields, cattle, large land holdings. We stopped at Ahumada and again at La Posta for snacks and el baño. Jenny bought dolce de leche to share with us. We passed a place where lead and zinc ore from Urique is processed. We drove into a Mennonite town looking for “Campo 2B, Casa 46.” The houses were well-built and prosperous-looking but drab in color by comparison to houses we had been seeing in Batopilas, Creel and San Juanito. Jessica described the Mennonites as industrious and homespun, who made everything themselves, especially foods—cheese, butter, bread, jam—and clothing, potholders, and tablecloths. We stopped at the home of Lisa (I asked for her last name but never got it), who had prepared coffee/tea, cookies, meat, cheese, jams and home-baked bread for us. Her sister Emma had just had a baby and Lisa showed us the camera with a picture. Everything tasted really good and Jessica noticed a type of cookie she had not seen before, so she commented that it was new and asked how Lisa made it. Lisa went into the kitchen and brought out a package of Duncan Hines mix to show us.

We walked around the Mennonite farm looking at the Chihuahua puppies, the goats, cows, pigs, geese and farm machinery. Lisa belongs to a family of Old Colony Mennonites who live in a more conservative way than some others of their group.

Back on the road we passed ocotillo, but not in bloom, and lots of apple orchards. We saw smudge pots and furled nets ready to combat frost and save the apple crops. The apple boxes we had seen at the lumberyard were also in readiness for this vast apple-growing operation. Even the local baseball team gets a piece of the action; they are the Manzaneros. Spring will bring a fragrant show of blossoms and fall will be bright with red apples, but we were driving through in winter.

Jessica gave us maps and told us the name Chihuahua is translated as “Sandy Place” or “Place Between Two Rivers.” The city of Chihuahua is the state capital of the Mexican state of Chihuahua. Here, our local guide, Jesus, spoke Spanish and Jessica did an admirable job of translating. For two hundred years Chihuahua was a place of wars between the Apaches and the Comanches. It was the place where Hidalgo, hero of the Mexican Revolution was imprisoned and executed in 1811. We stopped to see a palacial home, Quinta Manuel Gameros, built 1907-1910. The “Quinta” refers to the size of the property: 1/5 of a hectare. A hectare is almost 2.5 acres, so these homes were well situated.

We toured the Pancho Villa Museum and were especially interested in a powerful mural by Felipe Castellanos Centurión.  Afterward we went into the Cathedral and then walked around the Plaza de Armas to the various booths set up to sell food and gifts. At one I finally saw the tire sandals for sale.  Jessica bought Natas to share with us; they were delicious. Jesus pointed out the Dancing Fountains near the Palacio de Gobierno  and we drove back to the Chihuahua City Holiday Inn Suites. California Native provided free Margaritas for us and we were given a ride to a delightful dinner in a very quiet newly-opened restaurant.  Back at our lodging we were soon asleep.

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My Copper Canyon Adventure — Day 8

Leaving Batopilas in Search of Cusarare Falls

The following story was submitted to us by Kay Gilliland who describes her experience traveling with friends through Mexico’s Copper Canyon during the Christmas holidays. Today, the group leaves Batopilas and makes a stop at the majestic Cusarare Falls before returning to Creel.

The California Native is always thrilled to have groups of friends join our trips to this charming region of Mexico. We appreciate it when our guests share their stories with us and we like to add them to our blog for everyone to enjoy. Excerpts from her journal will be posted regularly, so check back often to learn more about Kay’s 11-day Copper Canyon Adventure.

December 30, Tuesday

Bags out early. Seven-thirty at Carolina’s for breakfast. There was good bread made by the proprietor of the General Store, eggs, freshly squeezed orange juice, and great fruit. We returned to Juanita’s Place, said goodbye, before Jenny and I started walking. We went into the church and a store and took pictures of people on the street.

Jessica caught up with us and we continued to the bridge.  It was decided the tire needed air so Antonio took care of the vehicle in Batopilas while we walked on along the road. Antonio picked us up after having to take the tire off to check for leaks. It is 20 kilometers (more than 12 miles) uphill to La Buta and Jessica did that with a bicycle recently. Along that rutted, desolate-looking road, a man stood with his dog selling oranges.

We stopped at La Bufa and ate some of the oranges Jessica had purchased from the man at the side of the road.

We drove past the “U” in the road where I had walked on Sunday, gazed out at the curtain of rock and the “yurt” rock. We looked down to see the dirt road winding its way back to Batopilas.

We crossed a bridge where we looked down to see burros resting in the warm sand by the river. Next came Humira Point where we looked out at the canyon and bought things from local vendors. Much later we came to the paved road and clapped happily for Antonio who had maneuvered the long dirt road so capably.  Little did we know there was more rough road to come.

Antonio soon turned onto on a dirt road and we were headed for Cascada Cusarare. Antonio crossed the boulder-filled stream five times. Jenny, Jessica and I got out to walk along the pine needle strewn trail, finally joining the others along the last half-mile of the trail to the cascade. We are such a disparate group that Jessica was running back and forth making sure each of us was okay, happy, and on the right path. All along the trail were Tarahumara families in beautiful, bright traditional clothing selling baskets, figurines, shawls, and other lovely things they had made. At the top of Cascada Cusarare the water fell in ribbons down to the stream far below.

When we reached the top Jenny had already hiked to the bottom of the falls 98 feet below so we took pictures of her down there. After walking back down the trail and buying a “snake” made from a root, I rode back out with Sally, Bill, Laurie, and Antonio.

Jenny and Jessica walked and we met them back at the paved road; they made it before we did. Soon we were back in Creel. Both museums were closed but the mission store was open, so, of course, we bought more mementos. I bought an offprint from the Annals of Sports Medicine entitled Rarajipari: The Kick-Ball Race of the Tarahumara Indians. At first I thought everything was very expensive, then I realized the prices were in pesos. Jessica explained that a share of the profits from the mission store goes to the Clinic of Santa Teresita, started by Jesuit priest Luis Verplancken in the 1950’s in an effort to improve the health the Tarahumara children.  The clinic depends upon volunteers and provides services and medicines free to the Tarahumara and other people who need them. We walked across the street to supper—another delicious Mexican meal with Hibiscus juice and rice pudding for dessert. Back at The Lodge at Creel we were soon asleep.

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My Copper Canyon Adventure — Day 7

On a Stroll to Satevo


The following story was submitted to us by Kay Gilliland who describes her experience traveling with friends through Mexico’s Copper Canyon during the Christmas holidays.  Here, Kay and her traveling companions explore the village of Batopilas and the mysterious “Lost Cathedral” at Satevo.

The California Native is always thrilled to have groups of friends join our trips to this charming region of Mexico. We appreciate it when our guests share their stories with us and we like to add them to our blog for everyone to enjoy. Excerpts from her journal will be posted regularly, so check back often to learn more about Kay’s 11-day Copper Canyon Adventure.

December 29, Monday

In the morning, we walked to Carolina’s Restaurant in the Plaza Constitución for breakfast. We saw the sandal maker’s shop and his stack of tires. We enjoyed a wonderful breakfast, then got ready for the walk to Satevo. One of the local dogs, Perucho, joined us for the whole walk. Along the way Jenny found a sack of cheese and Perucho devoured it. I stopped to tie my boot lace and Perucho stayed with me. All of a sudden he looked up to find Jenny far ahead. Perucho ran as fast as his legs would carry him and caught up with her.

Up ahead, we heard a lot of animal snufflings which proved to be coming from one tiny piglet. I couldn’t believe that little thing was making all that noise.

We arrived at the “Lost Cathedral” of Satevo. A woman sitting in the gazebo of the plaza was making embroidered napkins. We sat down while Jessica told us about the Cathedral. It was built in the early 1600s or maybe the 1760s but the records were lost through fire. Another name for it is “Iglesias San Miguel de Satevo” but so little is known about who built it that the name “Lost Cathedral” has stayed with it. Piled around inside the cathedral were statues, basins, and other church paraphernalia.  The walls are being restored (with government money) as near to the original as possible. The Christmas manger had many additions including a giraffe. Jenny climbed the ladder into the tower of the church and out onto the roof while we took pictures.

Jessica, Jenny, Sally, Laurie and I climbed into the truck for a ride back from Satevo. At the top of the hill Jessica and Jenny got out to walk, expecting Perucho to accompany them. Perucho would have none of it. He wanted to ride all the way back. He was finally pulled out of the truck and walked the rest of the way with Jenny and Jessica.

After a shower we walked over to Doña Mica’s for lunch. This restaurant is built onto her home and she cooks everything on an old-fashioned wood-fire stove.

A young woman came to the door of the restaurant with a basket full of something in red cellophane wrappers. Jessica bought some and introduced us to a sweet candy made of Cameron. After a refreshing lunch we walked to the General Store for chocolate covered frozen bananas and cups of frozen mango.

Back at Juanita’s Place I watched life on the Rio Batopilas: women washing clothes, children playing, teens swimming and teasing each other, cattle coming for a drink, and a truck driving down through the middle of it all. Sally crossed the swaying footbridge and returned saying there were many missing and broken slats. Bill pointed out the enormous bougainvillea tree and we talked about how it could exist when we knew the plant only as a slender vine.

We walked toward the Hacienda de San Miguel. I went the long way, getting a ride from Antonio for part of it, but everyone else crossed the river on a very narrow makeshift “bridge” with lots of help from Jessica. When asked if she felt like turning back, Sally said she was determined to make it because Laurie was making it. They did make it, but it was a “one-way bridge” because Jessica did not offer to take us back that way.

The ruins were quite impressive. Jessica explained that Alexander Shepherd administered his silver empire from this site.  He decided the silver mines could be profitable if the silver was processed into ingots rather than trying to ship raw ore out of remote Batopilas, and those mines made him very rich. We walked around the ruins of stamp mills, an assay office, refectory, boardinghouse, corral and stables, machine shop, iron foundry, ingot mill, and other buildings and sheds.  At one time an aerial tram linked canyon slopes on both sides of the river. Several large fig trees grow on the compound walls and the tallest building is overgrown with a huge bougainvillea; Jessica said the bougainvillea is considered the largest in the world.

We came back from our walk to find the museum as well as the craft store closed. We hung out in the Main Plaza watching the kids play ball. As we walked to supper Jessica saw Señora Montes and asked her to open the store after we had dinner. She said she would be there. We ate a wonderful supper at Patio Cinco Restaurante. The tostadas of avocado and of chicken tasted especially good. Jessica took glasses from the restaurant and walked across the street to get them filled at a place with a license. When we walked back the light was on in Señora Montes’ store and she greeted us at the door. We bought butterfly rattles, drums, baskets. Jennie bought a magnificent big drum for Lori.

We returned to Hotel Juanita’s and went star gazing on the roof. We found Orion, Auriga, Canis Major with Sirius the Dog Star, the Pleiades, the Great Square of Pegasus, Cassiopea, and the Milky Way but we never saw the Big Dipper, North Star or the Little Dipper.  We went back down to our room and were soon asleep.

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My Copper Canyon Adventure — Day 5

Canyon Sunrise, Then on to Creel

The following story was submitted to us by Kay Gililand who describes her experience traveling with friends through Mexico’s Copper Canyon during the Christmas holidays. On this day, Kay and her traveling companions watch the sunrise over the canyon, visit a Tarahumara family, and ride the rails higher into the Sierras until they reach the town of Creel.

The California Native is always thrilled to have groups of friends join our trips to this charming region of Mexico. We appreciate it when our guests share their stories with us and we like to add them to our blog for everyone to enjoy. Excerpts from her journal will be posted regularly, so check back often to learn more about Kay’s 11-day Copper Canyon Adventure.

December 27, Saturday

A knock on the door got us up for a walk to the canyon rim to watch the sunrise. Laurie, Jenny and I bundled up against the cold and walked along the uneven path in the dark to a perfect spot to see a layer of red and gold in the sky. Clouds drifted along the cliffs making the cliffs themselves appear to move. The clouds kept moving and obscured the actual sunrise but the sky brightened with long sun rays highlighting the ridges.

We took tea to our room and sat on our porch watching the canyon colors change. Mexican eggs for breakfast, a shower, and then off for a walk along the canyon rim on ground strewn with long pine needles and oak leaves. We came to a cabin built for mining and railroad construction. We followed a large rock wall past a water supply to a big dog lying on a warm rock in the sun. A girl, Alicia, came from her house to greet us and was soon joined by her younger sister, Ypoli. They led us around the side of the dwelling—quite large for a cabin—and inside where we saw old furnishings, a victrola, hanging fixtures for candles, an old grinder, and other cabin necessities.

We walked with Alicia to their adobe house where we saw seven tiny puppies. Alicia said they were about one month old. Ypoli brought her little sister out and the girls played with the puppies and smiled at us. We left a bit regretfully; we had enjoyed the girls, the puppies and the setting.

Jenny had gone on a horseback ride and returned saying that she had a great time. Showers, lunch, and a short bus ride brought us to the train station. As usual the best place for sight-seeing was between train cars where Jenny and I rode the entire time and Sally part of the time. Jessica pointed out the Weeping Pine and explained there were more varieties of pines and oaks in the Tarahumara area than in any other region of similar size in the world.

On the train, we passed the highest point on the rail line (Los Ojitos at nearly 8000 feet) before we arrived at Creel.

Jessica gave us maps of Creel, the second-largest town in the municipality of Bocoyna, state of Chihuahua, and we boarded a big yellow school bus for a short ride to The Lodge at Creel. In our room, we lit the gas heater made to look like a little wood stove. Jenny and I walked to the museum to learn more about the Tarahumara people.  Afterwards, we walked back and met the others for a complementary margarita provided by The California Native. Later, we walked to Veronica’s Restaurant for excellent guacamole and delicious vegetable soup.

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My Copper Canyon Adventure — Day 4

Next Stop: Divisadero

The following story was submitted to us by Kay Gilliland who describes her experience traveling with friends through Mexico’s Copper Canyon during the Christmas holidays. Breathtaking is the word quite often associated with someone’s first view of the Copper Canyon at the area around Divisadero. Below Kay offers us a similar response.

The California Native is always thrilled to have groups of friends join our trips to this charming region of Mexico. We appreciate it when our guests share their stories with us and we like to add them to our blog for everyone to enjoy. Excerpts from her journal will be posted regularly, so check back often to learn more about Kay’s 11-day Copper Canyon Adventure.

December 26, Friday

Jenny made a fire in the neat little stove. We took pictures of the room and the rock high on the cliffs that resembled Yogi Bear.

Breakfast included eggs, cheese and mild chili sauce, all on a taco.  We watched our cook make tortillas de aveno, then packed and thanked our hosts. Sally, Laurie and I went off for a hike with Jessica while Jenny went horseback riding. The hikers crossed an open area near lava- and tuff-layered cliffs, then up the arroyo to a small dam. Laurie decided to sit on a rock by the water. Sally and I followed Jessica upstream where she showed us an arrowhead. I asked if I could keep it and she said, “Oh, no. I always place it back under this leaf and rock so I can find it again for the next group. It is not considered to be of local origin, probably obtained in trade.” We continued upstream to the Cave of the Crosses. Fifty-three white crosses were painted on the black wall of the cave and there were human bones on the rocks. It is believed that the people died here of disease sometime around 1890 to 1900. There was possibly a storage area against the wall and there were several examples of the mano metate used for grinding corn. We hiked back down passing many kinds of oak and pine. Jessica pointed out the Alligator Juniper—it gets its name from the bark. I had seen a flock of little birds and a large bird like a woodpecker, but we did not see them again. We continued on to where Laurie was waiting and all four of us returned to the lodge in time to see Jenny coming in on her horse.

Jessica helped hoist our bags into the van and we all piled in for a ride to the train station. We talked with various people at the station. I rode between the cars in the open window. The canyons are very deep, 6135 feet in the case of the Urique (compare that to 6030 for the deepest part of the Grand Canyon in the United States). We passed the place where three canyons came together: Tararequa, Urique, and Copper. As before, many tunnels and bridges. The train stopped at San Rafael, a very colorful spot, where I bought my fourth basket.

Jessica explained that the pink-flowered trees were called Amapa and those trees came in yellow also. The beautiful fig type trees with yellow trunks and branches were Tescalame, one of the fig tree types. We got off at Divisidero for a van ride to the Mirador Hotel. We had a little porch outside our room with a fantastic view. Every room has a similar opportunity for its occupants to marvel at the canyon.

I saw a woman weaving a beautiful basket and wanted a picture. I bought my fifth basket so I could take a picture of her working on the basket.

The Mirador Hotel knows how to take full advantage of the reason for being on the rim of the Copper Canyon area. Jessica pointed out the place where the three canyons converge, only one of which is the Copper Canyon proper. Jenny’s and I sat on our porch filling our souls with the magnificence around us.

As we entered the lodge, Felipe gave us sombreros and began to play his guitar—lots of great songs. The Hat Dance brought a few people up to dance and more joined in as other tunes were played. Dinner of chicken, mashed potatoes and carrots (standing up like sentinels in the mashed potatoes) was followed by tea and cheesecake. Another wonderful day and off to bed.

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My Copper Canyon Adventure — Day 3

Cerocahui Christmas Morning, Urique Canyon Christmas Day


The following story was submitted to us by Kay Gililand who describes her experience traveling with friends through Mexico’s Copper Canyon during the Christmas holidays. In this entry, Kay learns how Christmas cheer spreads from the lodge in  Cerocahui to the village of Urique, deep in the valley below.

The California Native is always thrilled to have groups of friends join our trips to this charming region of Mexico. We appreciate it when our guests share their stories with us and we like to add them to our blog for everyone to enjoy. Excerpts from her journal will be posted regularly, so check back often to learn more about Kay’s 11-day Copper Canyon Adventure.

December 25, Thursday, Christmas Day

Jenny brought coffee from the lodge and made a fire. I wrote in my journal. The shower was nice and hot, breakfast was delicious including the bañuelos.  I turned them over and filled all the little spaces with cinnamon and sugar: delicious.  Laurie and Jenny helped stuff candy into a piñata. Children and parents began arriving and soon the piñata was swinging from a rope held by a boy on the roof. Diego started each child off and soon the piñata was broken and candy scattered out over a pile of children diving for it. Afterward Anna María handed out toys and toothbrushes and the children were delighted. The stuffed toys became prized possessions for each child and especially among the older girls.

We had a few minutes to get ready for a van ride to Urique Canyon. Along the way Diego picked up a man walking. We stopped at lookouts and then at a cave along the road. Diego Rhodes said at one time a family lived there, two parents and ten children. Now it is their shop and we bought baskets from a young girl inside the cave. It was my first basket purchase. The basket is made from the leaves of an agave plant and pine needles. We stopped at Mirador Cerro de Gallego, bought baskets, my second, and watched a family preparing and cooking goat meat. Later we visited that family in their home. From the lookout we could see our dirt road far below us with winding switchbacks clear to the bottom of the Urique Canyon.

As we approached the town we stopped to see a cemetery and then walked to Tortillerî Paulina Restaurant Plaza for a delicious lunch in an outdoor patio surrounded by flowers, other plants, and joyfully drunk people. We walked down the main street of town where trucks full of families lumbered toward an area near the Urique River. We turned back because of the dust and walked back up the main street. Young boys were driving four-wheelers up and down the street. By the time we got back toward town, people had cordoned off the central part of the street for a celebration. Diego drove back up the dirt road picking up those who were walking—a man, a family, some children—and dropping them off wherever they wanted at seemingly desolate places with no building in sight.

We stopped at the house of a Tarahumara family whom we had met at the lookout, Paula and Fabian. We saw their grain storage, the house, the fields of corn, some beans and melon, some apple trees, and the new room they had just built.

Back at the lodge, we had time to rest and write until 7:00 P. M. The five of us had a margarita together and then dinner: turkey and apple dressing. Off to bed afterwards, Jenny and I talked until late that night.