The Copper Canyon is deeper than the Grand Canyon and is very remote. Parts of it and the surounding area are still being explored. It is the dry season at the moment so the colours are all dried grass yellow, with flashes of green where the native pine trees cover the barren rocky earth. In some valleys the rocks form magical shapes.
Rivers slash the surrounding canyons
Log cabins are scattered around the countryside.
The typical woodland is pine forrest.
Wherever one stops there are local people selliing their wares, and always children having a good look at us.
or strapped to their Mother!
Every country has its phallic symbol and Mexico is no exception!
Walking along the railway line we thought some repair work was needed!
The Copper Canyon is impressive.
A cable car has recently opened.
Very impressive machinery,
Swing one across the valley to the very edge of the Canyon.
Indigenous Mexicans still live in the valleys.
And up to the other side.
To walk back it would take a fit young person six hours, but the locals said it took them two hours!
Maybe a pole would be needed!
Way down in the bottom of the Canyon, the river trickled.
On the fence was a leaf insect. We were warned not to touch it as it was poisonous. not only poisonous but leathal - it's sting could kill you! It is only found in this area.
Back we swung passing the other car on the way.
And into the main terminal.
Looking down through the floor one marvelled at the terrific engineering feat. It was built buy an Swiss/Austrian company.
We walked a bit admiring the sheer grandure of it.
Then back to the road to see where the three Canyons meet.
And Tony walked across the suspension bridge!
The train stops here for a while for people to get off and see the Canyon, consequently there were lots of people making baskets.
And lots of good things to eat, we stopped to have lunch too.
After lunch we returned to Creel and drove out on a different road to visit the
The home of the indigenous Tarahumara Mexicans.
When we arrived we were quite chocked to see how they lived.
In caves.
A family lived here.
The kitchen behind this wall.
Goods stored in plastic bags.
And precious things locked away.
There were no men around, they drink tequila in the mornings and sleep in the afternoon. It would appear that the women do most of the work.
But seem very detached and although they don't mind being photographed do not react at all.
The children have the same expression as well.
As a means of income they sell their baskets to the visiting tourists.
Chickens live en famille.
Wood is stored in a small cave.
And to us it all looks a mess.
Our guide, who was half told us that the Government has tried to persuade them to change their way of life, there is a new school where the children form outlying villages stay the week.They had a four hour walk to the school. But the older generation will not change their ways, they have lived like this for centuries and see no reason to change.
The rest of the village was a series of wooden and adobe cabins.
Animal fodder was stored in the trees to stop wild animals eating it.
We drove on down the valley and visited a couple more villages, admring the shapes of the rocks.
The mushroom
and the frog were my favourites!
The ancient adobe church stood alone in the centre of the valley with the brand new school next door.
No pews inside the church as the people prefer to sit on the floor.
The bell looked as though it was about to fall out of the bell tower.
After leaving the villages we drove to what should have been a spectacular water fall!
But it was the dry season! Anyway one could imagine it to be a minature Niagra Falls.
We were leaving the next morning on the bus for several more days of long bus journeys. It took us two and half hours to fly up to this area it was going to take us three days in a bus to get back!
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