Sunday, 31 March 2019
Posada Barrancas, Mexico
Hotel is only a block away from the main square. Can hear the concert until the early hours. They’re actually not that bad. And. Can. Hear. Every. Word. Until. 2.30am.
Not good when the alarm goes off at 0600hrs. Taking the train to the Copper Canyon. Rail station is a few miles out of town and dropped off at 0730hrs for a train that isn’t due until 0820hrs. Normally don’t arrive at rail stations until about 5 minutes before departure. But then that wouldn’t give me time to buy all the souvenirs that are on offer from the souvenir sellers. I say souvenirs, what I actually mean are fridge magnets with the ‘Chepe Train’ (Chihuahua to Pacific rail line) pictured. Variety is non existent. Meet up with a German fraulein. We’re the only Europeans. She works for the German Embassy in Mexico City and having a few days off.
We’ll meet again.
Don’t worry.
Am on the local regional train. Rather than the First Class express train with bar car, observation deck and restaurant. There’ll be a rumpus with travel agent over that, as that’s what I had paid for.
Fortunately, local regional train has a Business class section for tourists. Try and walk down the train to the end which necessitates passing through the local ‘economy’ carriages.
However.
Prevented from doing so by armed police. Soon realise there’s about half a dozen of them occupying a carriage on their own. This is a buffer zone between the business class tourist carriages and the local economy carriages. Ask why I can’t go any further. “NO!” is the reply. Know better than to argue with men with guns. And return to seat.
Pleasant and relaxing 6hr rail journey which starts on the flat plane before the line starts to climb up to about 7,000ft at Posada Barrancas, the highest point on the line. Stunning blue sky really sets off the scenery of mountains, coloured trees and the river gorge.
Arrive at Posada Barrancas and check in to the hotel Posada Barrancas Mirador (https://www.hotelmirador.mx/home). Having travelled along the river gorge all morning, had assumed that was the Copper Canyon.
Oh no.
That was just an amuse bouche, dear reader.
The view from hotel is magnificent. THIS is the Copper Canyon. See the photo below.
For those that have been fortunate enough to visit the Grand Canyon in the USA, it’s like that. Hotel is built on the rim of a ‘tributary’ of the canyon.
Staggeringly beautiful views to admire from the balcony of one’s room.
