Day 10 – To El Paso

3/27/2006 – Day 10 – To El Paso

We are on the highway heading back the El Paso.  We are seeing many Mexican Federal Police on the road, like these trucks waiting for something to happen or call comes through.

We have been driving for a little while and we come to this business.  There are many food carts set up at this place, but the title on the building translates to “Chihuahuan Transport”.  It almost looks like they are all waiting for people to stop by for lunch.  Even this one man that seems to be flagging the bus down.  I wonder how good the Quesadillas are? 

Smokie alert!!  Further down the road the Federal Police had someone pulled over and was searching through the car.  It is interesting that the car they pulled over is coming into Mexico and not leaving.  I wonder if they are expecting illegal purchases from the U.S. and not paying tax to Mexico.

We are not at the border yet and already people are being pulled over to have their cars searched.  I wonder if they inspect all cars heading north?  We however, continue on our way without harassment; for now anyway.

We are at the border and in line to pass through immigration.  Just in case you might have missed something you wanted to buy you get one last chance.  There is everything along the side of the road from drinks, CDs, pottery, jewelry further up the road, not counting the people roaming the street.

Coming into the U.S. was a different experience then when we came into Mexico.  With the bus directed to a bus parking area everyone had to exit the bus.  The luggage storage doors were opened and U. S. border guards along with dogs entered the bus and luggage area I presume sniffing for drugs.  We had to walk into the immigration checkpoint single file and get processed individually.  What a big difference from our entry into Mexico.  After passing through we cross over the bridge from Mexico to the U. S.

Our journey through Copper Canyon was an interesting trip through in Mexico.  The Copper Canyon train ride itself was remarkable, the scenery amazing, and the whole experience will become a lifetime memory. 

We end the blog here and thank you for following us on our trip through Copper Canyon.  Remember, this blog will always show the last entry first and the first entry last.  You can navigate the travel blog days using the archive on the left just under the photo gallery. 

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Day 9 – Chihuahua

3/26/2006 – Day 9 – Chihuahua

Since I took a picture from the room last night, I decided to take a daylight picture before heading to breakfast.  This way you can see the city.  

We are touring the city of Chihuahua and are seeing the mix of architectural styles, both Spanish and European.  Some ornately carved tike this one.  The columns are very Romanesque. 

We visit the Government building.  We go up to the second floor so we can have a full view of the building.  The large courtyard in the center of the building has one single column in the center.

Located in the Chihuahua Plaza Angel is the Angel of Liberty statue, which commemorates freedom for all Mexicans. 

A short walk along a pedestrian street and located just across from the Plaza de Armas is the Metropolitan Cathedral Church of the Holy Cross.  It is said to be the finest example of colonial architecture in northern Mexico and built between 1725 and 1792.

Here are a couple of the statues on the front face of the Cathedral.  Notice the fencing over the statues and spikes at their base.  These are to keep the birds off the statues to better preserve them. 

We make a quick trip inside since our time at this location is running out.  Check out the elaborate chandeliers.  The ornately carved wall behind the dais serves to impress even more.

In one of the alcoves was this graphic depiction of Jesus’ crucifixion.  Notice the amount of blood that shows on the statue.

As we are walking around the Cathedral, I see a number of pieces of cloth tied to the fence.  There is also this woman leaning on the fence apparently saying a prayer.

Walking along the pedestrian road, we have seen a few  policemen.  Then all of a sudden we notice these police all at one corner.  One even had a muzzled dog.  There was another group of four policemen these had m16 rifles.  

Finally some flowers.  I haven't seen very many flowers while in in Chihuahua, at least I can be near to take picture of.  This flowering tree was in one of the plazas during our walking portion of the tour.

The city was founded on October 12, 1709, by Blas Cano de los Rios and Antonio Deza y Ulloa, a Spanish explorer.  This is a statue of Antonio Deza y Ulloa.  The town’s name was San Felipe el Real de Chihuahua, which was shortened in 1823 to just Chihuahua.

Our next stop on the bus is a visit to the Pancho Villa museum.  On one of the walls is this mural with General Francisco (Pancho) Villa in the front.

On Friday, 20 July 1923, Villa was killed in his car while visiting the town of Parral.  He usually traveled with a large contingent of bodyguards, but on this day only had three and two ranch hands.  Seven riflemen attacked his car killing Pancho Villa and several others.  Notice the bullet holes in the back of the 1922 Dodge car.

Continuing around town we go by the Trinity Methodist Temple. 

This is the San Francisco Temple and is one of just a handful of monuments in Chihuahua still standing since colonial times.  Construction started in 1717 and completed in 1789.  The church was established by the Franciscan order and with its plain whitewashed walls it has the no-frills style associated with the Franciscans.

After our city tour is done, we head to a Mexican restaurant for dinner, wait they are all Mexican restaurants here.  Anyway, we are at our farewell dinner and again enjoy being entertained by a Mariachi band. 

We are almost at the end of our trip and there is nothing like a farewell meal, cigar, guitar, and tequila to end it all.  I wonder where I can get a sombrero like his?

Tomorrow we head back to El Paso in the U. S. where we started this trip.  We are leaving early, at 8:00am so we need to be up by 6 to have our bags ready by 7.