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Post by mary on Sept 17, 2014 2:22:10 GMT
Day 1 - September 6, 2014 - I'm off to Mexico!
I set my alarm for 3:45 a.m. and was up. I spent some time ensuring the house was closed appropriately. I had arranged for airport transportation to pick me up at 4:45 a.m. At 5:00 a.m. I was in the vehicle and on my way to the airport.
I arrived at the airport and dropped my bag off curbside at United Airlines. I checked my bag to Phoenix, Arizona which would be my destination today. I breezed through security as I am TSA Precheck and was able to bypass the regular screening line. I purchased a bagel for breakfast at the Great American Bagel Factory and headed to my gate. The plane was scheduled to depart at 6:28 a.m. and was soon in the air and headed to Houston (IAH). The flight was uneventful and I was glad I had Economy Plus seats for this trip. I was seated next to two women who were headed to Las Vegas for several days and they were extremely animated and excited about their trip throughout the flight.
After landing in Houston, I followed the signs to my next gate and after a short train ride in the terminal, located my departure gate to Phoenix. The plane departed at 9:15 a.m. (CDT) and arrived in Phoenix at 10:00 a.m. (MST). I collected my bag and called the Marriott Courtyard Phoenix Airport Hotel to pick me up per the instructions in my tour documents. This hotel was the starting point for my tour to the Copper Canyon in Mexico with Trafalgar Tours and a solo adventure for me. I checked into the hotel and received my Welcome Letter from the tour with instructions to meet at 6:00 p.m. in Meeting Room B for a pre-departure meeting with the Tour Director.
After settling into my room, I walked next door to the Hilton for lunch. This Marriott Courtyard serves breakfast and dinner in their small Bistro Restaurant, but not lunch and the shuttle driver had suggested the Hilton for lunch. The Hilton's lunch was being served in their sports bar which suited me just fine as they had several large screens with college football games on. I ordered sliders and a diet coke and watched one of the games for awhile, before returning to my room. I freshened up from the flight, took a nap, watched more football and then headed to the 6:00 p.m. meeting.
I arrived at the meeting and received a 20 page booklet with the itinerary and my name tag. This was just a meeting and not a reception with food and drink. Trafalgar Tours had subcontracted this tour to their partner in Mexico, A Closer Look Tours and this was the most detailed itinerary for a tour that I have seen. There were 34 travelers on this tour comprised of people from the U.S., Canada, Australia, New Zealand and the U.K.(currently living in Spain). There were eight solo travelers, including me - 7 women and 1 gentleman - and two sets of women who were traveling together (one set had opted for separate rooms). The single supplement for this tour was only $350. We met a representative from the tour company who gave a brief overview of the tour and also met our Tour Director, Sergio Garcia, and our coach driver, Arturo. Sergio told us that sometimes travelers in Mexico become unwell because of the change of foods they are eating and not necessarily because of sanitation. He stressed that all of the hotels we were staying in had purified water. Hmmmm....I've traveled multiple times in other parts of Mexico and know the drill on what to avoid, but more on that later.
We were advised to leave our luggage inside our room at 6:30 a.m. for pick-up and that breakfast would begin at 6:00 a.m. Departure time on Sunday would be at 7:00 a.m.
I had packed a swimsuit and had planned on going for a swim after the meeting, but a dust storm had kicked up while I was at the meeting. I watched the dust storm for awhile from the hotel lobby as I had never seen one and then went to my room. My room was a standard hotel room that one would expect of a mid-level U.S. airport hotel with the standard amenities and had a king bed. I read and then went to bed early as my body clock was still 3 hours ahead of the time in Phoenix.
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Post by mary on Sept 17, 2014 2:43:34 GMT
Day 2 - September 7, 2014 - From the Desert to the Sea
I was up at 5:00 a.m. today. It sounds early, but as I had not yet adjusted to the time change it felt like 8:00 a.m. I left my bag inside the door and went to breakfast at 6:00 a.m. Sergio Garcia, our Tour Director, had told us the night before to have a substantial breakfast as we would not be stopping for lunch until we crossed the border into Mexico. There was a beautiful breakfast buffet set up for our group in the hallway outside Meeting Room B. I had breakfast with some of the tour group and then went back to my room to ensure I did not leave anything behind.
At 7:00 a.m. we were all on the coach and headed toward Mexico. The coach was very comfortable and all the solo travelers were able to be accommodated with a window seat and the seat next to it for the duration without having to share with another member of the group. We started our journey on I-10. Today we would be covering 451 miles. I didn't mind as the topography of the U.S. and Mexico in this part of North America is quite different from where I live and I enjoy a scenic drive. There was bad weather predicted for Phoenix today and we were out of the city before the rain.
Our first stop was Tuscon, Arizona at a Courtyard Marriott to pick up two more travelers for the tour. The tour has an option to be picked up in Tuscon on Day 2.
We next stopped at San Xavier Del Bac Mission. Pedro Kino, a Jesuit, founded the mission on the banks of the Santa Cruz River. He was born in northern Italy and was a great scholar who became seriously ill while attending college and attributed his recovery to the intervention of St. Francis. He dedicated his life to missionary work and joined the Jesuit Society and was known as "the padre on horseback". This, of course, was part of Mexico at the time and the building, known as "The White Dove of the Desert" is a blend of Baroque, Moorish and Byzantine architecture. Its construction began in 1783 and finished 14 years later.
It was Sunday and Mass was being celebrated when we arrived, but I had an opportunity to go inside briefly after Mass concluded. I strolled around the grounds admiring the cacti and then went to the gift shop and purchased an Arizona pin for my collection.
We proceeded towards the border crossing at Nogales, Arizona which is the second busiest border crossing into Mexico. Upon arriving at the border, a U.S. Border Patrol official boarded the coach, took a look at us, and we were on our way in approximately 5 minutes.
We then entered Mexico. We were all required to exit the coach with our passports and report to the immigration office with our passports and our completed tourist cards that we had been provided at our pre-departure meeting. Our luggage was taken off the coach and we had to identify our luggage and report to customs. We stood in line and when we reached the front of the line, we were required to push a button. If the button was red, the luggage was searched. If it was green, you were able to proceed without a search. I had green and continued through customs. The formalities at the border in Mexico took approximately an hour before we were cleared to proceed.
Mexico is divided into 31 states and a Federal District (Mexico City). We were now in the State of Sonora with a population of 2.2 million. After leaving Nogales, Mexico we entered the Sonoran Desert and traveled on Highway 15. We were now on some long stretches of road which at times seemed desolate and there was not much traffic. It's not recommended that one drives these roads alone or at night and there are limited stopping points between towns and cities.
We stopped for lunch in Santa Ana at a restaurant, Elba, where we had a choice of entrees, including enchiladas, tacos, beef and more. As we were traveling in more remote areas of Mexico, this tour was all inclusive as there were very limited places to eat. The restaurant was ready for us and was crowded with locals. The Mexican people, particularly those in the hospitality industry, really bend over backwards to ensure that you are having a good experience and we were warmly welcomed at this restaurant.
We continued on to the Great Plain which is flat and featureless until we reached Hermosillo. Hermosillo is a city of 850,000 and has the largest Ford manufacturing plant in Mexico. The city was named after Jose' Maria Gonzalez Hermosillo, a hero from the Mexican War of Independence from Spain. We visited the Plaza Zaragoza, the heart of Hermosillo since 1865. It features an elegant kiosk built in Florence, Italy in the early 1900's. On one end of the plaza is the Palacio del Gobierno originally constructed by Yaqui Indian labor using stone in a Neo-Classic structure. On the other end of the plaza is the Cathedral of the Asuncion. It was finished in 1912 and is also Neo-Classic architecture. I really liked Hermosillo. It was very clean and parts of the city were very modern.
After 83 more miles, we finally reached our destination for the evening, beautiful San Carlos, Mexico on the Sea of Cortez. Our hotel was Marinaterra Hotel & Spa and my room was spacious with a balcony overlooking the marina and the swimming pool.
We had a Welcome Reception Dinner which included two drinks. I bypassed the Margaritas as I don't like tequila and avoid icy drinks in Mexico. I had two glasses of red wine, one before and one with dinner. There was a choice of entrees and I had vegetable soup, grilled chicken, baked potato, vegetables and flan for dessert. I was careful to watch what I ate and drank to avoid feeling unwell.
Some in our group were going for a swim after dinner, but I was tired and went to my room and sat on the balcony for awhile and then to bed. Breakfast tomorrow would be at 7:00 a.m. with luggage outside the door no later than 7:30 a.m.
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Post by mary on Sept 17, 2014 2:43:50 GMT
Day 3 - September 8, 2014 - San Carlos and the Sea of Cortez
I was up at 6:00 a.m. By now, many of us had heard that there had been torrential rains and flooding in Phoenix and we apparently had stayed one step ahead of the bad weather. We had a boat trip scheduled for this morning on the Sea of Cortez and Sergio, our Tour Director, had rearranged the boat trip to be first this morning in case the rains came. So far, the weather and the view from my room was just gorgeous.
I left my luggage outside my door and went to breakfast at 7:00 a.m. We had a breakfast buffet with several Mexican offerings including chorizo, beans and scrambled eggs with red and green peppers and onions, sautéed mushrooms and of course, salsa as a condiment. Lots of breads and pastries, too.
We boarded the coach at 8:00 a.m. for the short drive to the boat. Sergio had told us there would be a seat rotation on our tour, which is typical of most tours, so that we would all have an opportunity to be seated in various parts of the coach. Yesterday, he had us write our names on a card and today he had rotated our seats by taping the card with our name on it above our seat. This seat rotation worked very well for the remainder of the trip with no issues.
We arrived at the area where we would be boarding our boat. The owner of the company was an expat from the U.S. named Gary and he greeted us. We boarded and there were soft drinks, water and ice on board for the trip. Gary left us with his crew and we headed out to the Sea of Cortez. I could see some dark clouds in the distance, but it was sunny throughout our trip. There was commentary from one of the crew who provided information about the sea and he pointed out a variety of birds, including a blue-footed booby, landmarks and formations. At one point, the captain began creating a wake with the boat which attracted a number of dolphins which followed us, including a mother and baby. The trip was 90 minutes and one of the highlights of my holiday.
Our next stop in San Carlos was a beautiful cacti garden which was at the entrance to another hotel property where we had our group photo. Some of the cacti take as long as 200 + years to reach their large size with their multiple arms. Woodpeckers make holes in the cacti where they nest and once they leave, other small birds utilize them.
We then visited the first cultured pearl farm in the Americas, Granjas de Perla. There was a lecture from one of the owners of the pearl farm. It is an extremely labor intensive process. There was an opportunity to view some Mexican artisans' pearl jewelry and purchase a piece if you desired. These pieces were professionally designed jewelry and not street trinkets. While some of the pieces were outside my budget, there were some to choose from in the $90 - $200 range and I regret now that I did not purchase a piece.
We returned to the hotel for lunch outside on a terrace overlooking the pool and marina. There was a choice of shrimp cocktail, marlin tacos or a cheeseburger with a soft drink. I'm not a fan of seafood, so I had a plain hamburger and a Coca-Cola Light with no ice. I skipped the lettuce, tomato and onion on the burger and added mustard. Fries were included. My lunch could have been one served back in the U.S.
The hotel was the first opportunity to access an ATM on this trip for pesos. It was in the hotel lobby. We did not stop at a bank or any currency exchange on this trip. I obtained $100 of pesos in the Houston airport en route to Phoenix. A solo traveler could probably get by with less than that on this trip as many places accept U.S. currency. I do recommend that if you travel in this part of Mexico you have some pesos with you going into the country as ATM access is not good.
There was free Wi-Fi in the rooms and common areas of this hotel.
The tour in 2015 has added an extra night in San Carlos which will allow more time to enjoy the hotel, spa and marina amenities.
We boarded the coach and had 162 miles to our destination for the evening, Alamos, Mexico. One nice amenity on the coach was free Wi-Fi which was available when we were traveling in Mexico (but not in Arizona). One could check email or read a newspaper online while on the coach. There were a few times when we had no service, but we were traveling in relatively remote areas of the country. Additionally, the coach traveled with cold bottled purified water and it was available at all times.
Sergio announced that we were going to stop in Obregon at a Wal-Mart. Obregon is an agricultural boom town of 500,000. This was an opportunity to buy anything we forget to bring on the trip. Sergio also stated that we were going to visit a Tarahumara Indian school in the Copper Canyon. He told us he was going to buy a large piñata in Alamos for a piñata party at the school when we visited and if we wanted to buy candy for the piñata or school supplies for the children, we could do so here and he would collect the candy and school supplies. I purchased a bag of candy, a notebook and some pens. Wal-Mart only accepts pesos, so I paid with some of my pesos. Some of the Australians in the group mentioned it was their first time in a Wal-Mart. I don't think they were too impressed. Wal-Mart has apparently not expanded its reach to Australia.
We continued onward, encountering some rain which only lasted approximately 15 minutes, and reached our destination of Alamos. Our group was to be housed in three hotels in close proximity, Casa de los Tesoros, Casa Encantada and La Mansion. My room was in Casa de los Tesoros. This hotel was a very traditional Mexican hotel and was a former convent. All of the rooms were quite unique in decor and some were huge. After checking in, those of us assigned to this hotel went from room to room viewing others' rooms. One solo female in our group had a suite with chandeliers! My room was average size, but tucked nicely in a quiet corner with a small adjacent courtyard. There was no television, phone or hairdryers in the rooms (yes, I looked in the drawers - horror!). There was free Wi-Fi in the lobby/main courtyard area, but not in the rooms. The doors were wooden and mine was a bit warped from the heat. I had to kick it with my foot to get it open after I unlocked it. Oddly, on the interior of the door, there was no handle and the door had to be opened by pulling on the inside lock. I was somewhat concerned I was going to somehow get stuck in my room and not be able to get out and with no phone in the room, I could not call the front desk! I tested it several times, but half jokingly told a few others if they did not see me at breakfast to assume I was trapped in my room!
Dinner for our group was at Casa de los Tesoros in the main dining room. We were provided strawberry Margaritas at dinner which I did not drink and I gave mine to another person in our group who wanted another. I ordered a glass of red wine which was not included, paid in pesos and received change in U.S. dollars. There were Mexican gentlemen who played guitar and sang for us during dinner and took requests. Two in our group were celebrating birthdays and Sergio arranged for a cake with candles and we all sang "Happy Birthday" and each had a piece of cake for dessert.
After dinner, Sergio told us to meet in the courtyard for entertainment and that this would be the "Hidden Treasure" of the tour. We had a group of 'estudiantiles' who performed for us. They were students from Alamos and Sergio said they had performed in other parts of Mexico. They were dressed in Mexican colonial attire. I made the mistake of sitting in the front row and was selected to dance with one of the performers. I don't like to be selected to be 'on stage' with a performer, but I was a good sport and actually later received complements from others on my "performance". I was asked again to come forward for a second time with another woman which ended up being a conga line with half of the group participating and half having no part of it. The entertainment was one hour.
Most everyone headed back to their rooms, myself included, as it was the end of another busy day. I washed my hair so it would be dry by morning and read for awhile.
Tomorrow breakfast would be at Casa de los Tesoros in the dining room at 7:30 a.m. followed by a walking tour of the town at 8:30 a.m.
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Post by mary on Sept 17, 2014 2:44:02 GMT
Day 4 - September 9, 2014 - Colonial Mexico
I was up at 6:30 a.m. and at breakfast in the dining room at 7:30 a.m. and luggage out.
We met in the lobby for our 8:30 a.m. walking tour of Alamos with a local guide. Sergio, our Tour Director, stated he had arranged a car tour for anyone who felt they could not do a walking tour. We had two people who were using canes on the tour, the solo gentleman and a woman who was traveling with a female friend. The three opted for the car tour. We left the hotel and the car was actually a decorated tourist trolley. Upon seeing this, two couples decided they wanted to go on the riding tour and joined the other three.
Alamos, by act of the Mexican Government, is now a national monument. The Jesuits built a mission here in the 1600's and when silver mines were discovered in 1683, the population began to rise. Silver production reached its peak at the end of the18th century and Alamos was the world's greatest producer. By 1909, the silver mines had closed and Alamos became a ghost town. By 1940, families began to renovate the dormant mansions that had been built during silver's heyday. Our guide told us that in the 1970's, U.S. citizens, mostly retired, began coming to Alamos, buying property and renovating homes and other structures in the town. He said they provided a much needed infusion of money into the economy of the town and it experienced a revival. These U.S. citizens who came to Alamos in the 1970's are referred to by the locals as "the pioneers". Alamos has approximately 300 U.S. citizens who own homes in the town and spend their winters there.
Mexican Independence Day is September 16th and each city or town that we visited was in preparation by decorating with banners, flags and other patriotic items and Alamos was no different.
Our local guide had arranged for us to visit a Mayan woman in her home who makes pottery. She has her own store where she sells her pottery, but there was no time to browse or buy.
Where the mission that the Jesuits built now stands a church, Inglesia de la Purisma Concepcion, the largest structure on the main plaza. Also on the plaza was the Municipal Palace which was decorated for the upcoming holiday. Alamos has a population of only 13,000 and its charm lies in the colonial architecture that has been preserved throughout the town and we saw numerous examples. We also visited an old printing press that was still in use today and walked through an area where some vendors were selling trinkets. The walking tour lasted approximately 2 1/2 hours and then we had some free time before lunch at 11:30 a.m. The temperature was in the 90's and some in the group had dropped out of the walking tour before it concluded due to the heat. We were provided cold bottled water during our walking tour.
I returned to my room when I arrived back to the hotel to rest a bit and cool down. Lunch was soup and cheese quesadillas with beans. Right before and at lunch, I learned that some people were starting to not feel well, one due to the heat and a few others due to what they ate or drank. I thought uh, oh. Throughout the rest of the trip, it seemed like a few people each day became ill. I don't know what they ate or drank as I only minded my own diet; however, I remained perfectly healthy throughout the trip with no issues.
We departed the hotel for El Fuerte, a distance of 173 miles. We stopped at an OXXO store on the way, which is comparable to a Circle K in the U.S., for a rest break, snacks and to buy some insect repellent which Sergio said we would need because this evening's entertainment would be outdoors.
We arrived in El Fuerte at approximately 5:30 p.m. Our hotel was Torres del Fuerte. This was the most rustic of the hotels that we stayed in and the rooms, like our hotel in Alamos, were all uniquely decorated.The doors to the rooms were wooden and very old and were locked on the outside by a padlock and key. Inside was an iron bolt that dropped down to secure the inside of the door. There was no television, phone or Wi-Fi in the rooms. There was free Wi-Fi in the lobby. My room was very dimly lit and as the décor was all black, it made the room seem darker. I was not fond of my room in this hotel at all and therefore, would not recommend it.
Dinner was served at 6:30 p.m. There was a choice of Black Sea Bass or Grilled Chicken. I had the chicken which was served with rice and steamed vegetables. There was ice cream for dessert. The restaurant on the property was very modern and had an upscale look to it. There was a bar on the hotel property next to the restaurant, also quite nice with a large veranda with seating outside. I had ordered a glass of red wine from the bar before dinner and tried to pay with pesos, but the bartender said he had no change. Really? No change in the bar? We finally agreed that I would pay $5.00 in U.S. currency for the wine. It must have been a slow night in the bar.
Our entertainment for the evening was a performance of traditional Spanish and native dances which took place outside. They were local performers and it was quite colorful and good. We did need insect repellent which kept the bugs and mosquitoes away. The performance ended at 8:30 p.m. and everyone headed to their rooms for the evening. Tomorrow luggage was to be outside our doors between 6:00 a.m. and 6:30 a.m. with breakfast at 6:30 a.m. We would be boarding our train for the Copper Canyon in the morning.
Around 10:30 p.m. I heard loud banging and shouting in Spanish outside my bathroom window. This racket continued and at 11:00 a.m. I decided to open my door to see if I could determine what was going on. I opened my door, peered out and a black bat flew by. I quickly shut the door and did not open it again the rest of the night as I did not want to contend with a bat possibly getting into my room. The racket continued until 11:30 p.m. I did not sleep well that night. I learned the next morning a few in our group had no power or air conditioning in their rooms for a few hours and the noise was coming from the repairmen. I think we were all glad to leave that hotel the next day.
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Post by mary on Sept 17, 2014 2:44:13 GMT
Day 5 -September 10, 2014 - All Aboard!
I was awake at 5:30 a.m. and had my luggage outside at 6:00 a.m. I went to breakfast at 6:30 a.m. which was a buffet set up outside. Seating for breakfast was inside the restaurant.
We left the hotel at 7:30 a.m. for the train station. El Fuerte was founded in 1564 by the Spanish and was a key trading base for the abundant gold and silver from the nearby mines. It took its name for a fort built here in 1610 to guard against the Mayo Indians. Population is 12,500 and we were now in the state of Sinaloa. We drove through the town on our way to the train station. Our stay in El Fuerte was basically a jumping off point for our train ride on "El Chepe".
We arrived at the train station in El Fuerte. It's very small. Sergio told us to stay on the coach until 15 minutes before it arrived as it was extremely hot again and we would be waiting outside.
The Chihuahua al Pacifico Railway - "El Chepe" - is one of the most scenic railroads in the world. It took 89 years from concept to final spike. The railroad was planned in 1872 by Albert Owen, whose hope was to connect the mid-western states of the U.S. with the Bay of Topolobampo as a short cut to the Orient. Many bankruptcies, the Depression and the Mexican Revolution prevented the accomplishment. The Mexican Government bought the railroad and in 1961, tourist access became available to an area previously inhabited only by the Tarahumara people.
We boarded "El Chepe" and had half of one railway car designated for our group. I took a seat by a window for the six hour train ride. All I can say is WOW, what a beautiful and relaxing train ride. I took several pictures and they do not reflect the true beauty of this area. We went over multiple bridges and through several tunnels. I was surprised how green and lush this area seemed and Sergio explained that this area of the country had alot of rain lately.
We had a reservation in the dining car for our group at lunch, which was included, and there were several choices, including a dessert.
I want to mention that Mexico takes the security of its tourists very seriously and there were federal police at the train station as well as on the train for security. This is a remote area of Mexico and I did not at any time during my trip feel unsafe. Tourism has dropped off in this area in recent years due to reported issues between drug cartels. It's like any place you may travel, you don't take certain risks and wander into certain areas, particularly as a solo traveler. The tour company took very good care of me.
The train ride took us to almost 8,000 ft. I was concerned about the altitude as I live at sea level. Our arrival station was Posada Barrancas and when we arrived at 2:00 p.m., I could tell that the air was thinner and my heart started to beat faster. We were picked up by our hotel, Hotel Posada Mirador, in a converted school bus and transported to our hotel. The driver of our coach left us in El Fuerte at the train station and would be picking us up on September 12th.
Our hotel was perched on the rim of the Copper Canyon. We checked in and Sergio invited us to step out onto the large veranda and our jaws dropped at the sweeping vista of the canyon. The air was so fresh and my heart was no longer beating fast. This was what we came to see.
We checked into our rooms which all had balconies overlooking the canyon. Sergio had announced that he was going to lead a hike down the canyon to a Tarahumara Indian village at 4:00 p.m. for anyone that wanted to participate. Dinner was to be at 7:00 p.m.
I went to my room, settled in and spent time sitting on my balcony taking in the view. This hotel was a 5 star property in my opinion. There were no televisions in the rooms or Wi-Fi in the hotel or cellular phone service. My room had a working fireplace and it was extremely comfortable.
I had packed my hiking boots and put them on to go downstairs for the hike, along with my rain jacket. It seemed in doubt as an afternoon rain was now moving in. I met those in the group who planned to hike and Sergio said he thought it was too slippery and dangerous to hike. I was disappointed. The rain let up after about 15 minutes and Sergio said we could try it and if it proved too slippery, we could turn around. I walked out of the front of the hotel and it was still sprinkling, but it was also now lightning and the lightning was quite close. I have a lot of respect for lightning and I, along with a couple others, decided not to join the hike due to the lightning. I take responsibility for myself and own my decisions when I travel and thought it in my best interest not to go out. I joined several others at the large bar area which overlooked the Copper Canyon and had a glass of wine. There were televisions in the bar which over the course of two days had sporting events, CNN and other programs on at the bartenders discretion. They also serve free fresh popcorn.
The hiking group made it down to the Tarahumara Indian Village and back with no issues.
I went back to my room and watched the sunset on my balcony before dinner.
I went down for dinner at 7:00 p.m. and had another glass of red wine. Some in our group at dinner stated they had a headache from the altitude. After dinner, I stayed to chat with a few people and then went to my room.
We could sleep in tomorrow morning as we were not leaving until 9:00 a.m. and would be staying a second night at the hotel. Breakfast was to be at 8:00 a.m.
I kept the sliding glass door to my balcony open while I slept for the fresh air. I fell asleep listening to all of the sounds in the canyon.
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Post by mary on Sept 17, 2014 2:44:24 GMT
Day 6 - September 11, 2014 - Copper Canyon
I awoke at 6:30 a.m. to be able to see the sunrise over the Copper Canyon. There was a beautiful breakfast buffet this morning at 8:00 a.m.and from the dining room I was able to see the vista of the canyon.
At 9:00 a.m. we boarded the hotel bus and our first stop this morning was at a Tarahumara Indian school. The Tarahumara people are the second largest indigenous group in North America. Even though the Spanish influence with mining and missions was very strong in the past, 60,000 Tarahumara still remain, many living as their ancestors lived. The canyons have sheltered them from conquest and assimilation. Some still live in caves, although most live in wooden cabins. Their diet comes from what they grow: corn, beans and squash. Corn is their principal source of food. The Tarahumara are extremely self-sufficient and barter for most of their other needs. They are known for long distance running and their indigenous name is "Raramuri", meaning the foot runners. A popular game among the Tarahumara is to race through the steep canyons kicking a wooden ball for as long as several days.
We received a warm welcome from the principal of the school when our bus pulled up. We had the piñata Sergio, our Tour Director, had purchased, as well as the candy for the piñata and school supplies for the children our group had purchased earlier at the Wal-Mart stop in Obregon.This visit was not on the itinerary of the tour. Sergio has established a relationship with this school and its' staff from coming to this area for many years .
Several teachers came to greet us and we were invited to visit a 4th grade classroom. The teacher had the classroom cheerfully decorated and the students, although shy, were excited about our visit. Who wouldn't be excited about a piñata party? The principal and the 4th grade teacher told us about the school and the education of the Tarahumara. School is not mandatory in all parts of Mexico and it is not mandatory in this area of the country. The school the students attend is grades 1-6 and it is funded by the Mexican government. The children that are attending this school are there because their parents are permitting them to attend. Some of the students walk one hour to arrive at the school, while others are picked up and returned home by the teachers. The Mexican government provides textbooks, a "brunch" which is served to all students at 11:00 a.m. and some supplies. The children were all clean, neat, well-mannered and wore uniforms which the parents had to purchase. The teachers and the principal are all Tarahumara and have received degrees and training to teach and/or be an administrator of a school. It is their hope that some of the children from this school will someday enter a university. The school for secondary education is 20 miles away and the likelihood that all of the children will attain a secondary education is not great and some of the children's education will conclude with the 6th grade. The children enter school speaking their indigenous language and are taught to read and write in Spanish. We were allowed to interact with the children and as I speak Spanish, several of the children wanted to share with me their school assignments and one asked me when the piñata party was going to begin.
With Mexican Independence Day approaching, the school was preparing for the celebration. The children had been practicing dances and exhibitions to perform on the upcoming holiday and it was a real honor for us to see them perform.
The piñata was hung and excitement built as several children tried to break it. Finally, success! The candy came down and the children rushed to grab it. We held back some candy we bought in case a child was not able to get to the candy when the piñata broke. Everyone received candy and pens, pencils, erasers and other small items. Notebooks, backpacks, and other school supplies were left with the teachers to use for their classrooms.
There was more music and impromptu dancing by the students. Some in our group danced with the students. Sadly, it came time to say good-bye. Each one of us was given a note, a drawing or a poem from one of the students. We boarded the hotel bus and waved goodbye.
Our next stop was to meet a Tarahumara Shaman at her home. In simplistic terms, Shamanism is an ancient healing tradition. There's much that can be stated about it and I'm not qualified to do so. I was particularly interested in this as I attend guided meditation classes on Saturday mornings led by a Native American Shaman. The Tarahumara Shaman I met also serves as a mid-wife for the local Tarahumara. The Shaman had begun tutelage in healing and divination from her grandmother at a young age. She conducted a 'cleansing' where through divination she would determine our health issues and then 'cleanse' us. The 'cleansing' proceeded with 4 volunteers. I raised my hand to volunteer, but was not selected. By looking at a raw egg in a glass she explained to each person their health issues she could determine and then, by rubbing a hard boiled egg over the clothes on their body, she 'cleansed' them of their ailments. Again, my description is very simplistic and without a good understanding of divination, healing and Shamanism. The Shaman explained that it generally takes more than one session for healing to take place. She said she uses a variety of herbs and plants for healing, including peyote. The Tarahumara in this region of Mexico rely on the Shaman for most of their health care.
We boarded the hotel bus again and headed to another rim of the Copper Canyon. The Copper Canyon is a national park in Mexico and is one of the highest and most rugged sections of the Sierra Madre Occidental. More than 90 million years ago, during the Tertiary age, the northwest of present day Mexico suffered intense volcanic activity. Thousands of volcanoes rose up everywhere and covered an extensive area with their lava spills and volcanic ash. These deposits formed great plateaus, some of which reached more than 9,000 feet above sea level. Volcanic activity, which is always associated with tectonic activity and movement, gave rise to the great geological faults which in turn provided fractures on the earth's crust creating deep cracks, some 5,900 feet deep. With the passage of time, and the action of rain water and subterranean currents, rivers appeared and flowed at the base of the canyons, eroding their beds. The result of these millions of years of evolution is the Copper Canyon. Copper Canyon is a translation of the Spanish "Barrancas del Cobre" which refers to the color of the canyon walls.
After having an opportunity to walk along the rim of this part of the canyon, we boarded a gondola for a ride across part of the canyon to a lookout point. The gondola is a recent addition to the canyon as an attraction along with a zip line which is not for the faint of heart. Sergio told us that if anyone was interested in the zip line, the hotel would be happy to bring us back later this afternoon. The end of the zip line requires a hike of approximately a mile with no guide up to the top of a lookout point to take the gondola back to the other side. A few in the group discussed it, but ultimately, there were no takers. We were all still adjusting to the altitude and no one wanted to hike up to the steep lookout point solo.
The view from the gondola was amazing and again, none of the pictures I took reflect its true beauty. We were able to stay at the lookout point for 20 minutes which was plenty of time and then returned on the next gondola. Some of the Tarahumara were selling their goods at the lookout point. The return ride was just breathtaking and all too quickly over. There was a large restaurant next to the Gondola as well as restroom facilities and a market where some Tarahumara were selling their wares.
On the way back to the hotel, we stopped at another market near the train station where we had arrived. This was more commercial and with booths like at a flea market. The sellers were more sophisticated and felt free to call out to you. I recommend that you not purchase any goods at the train station market, rather buy them at the Gondola market or on the lookout point, or outside the hotel where they permit a Tarahumara woman to display her goods. There is also 'street food' for sale at the train station market which I recommend be avoided - just say no to 'street food' - although the solo gentleman in our group did purchase and eat from a street vendor. I don't know how that worked out for him, but better to be safe and stay healthy.
We returned to the hotel at 2:00 p.m. for lunch and the rest of the afternoon was free until dinner at 7:00 p.m. The hotel offered horseback riding in the canyon and one woman from our group went with a guide. A hike was offered at 4:00 p.m., but I wanted to hike down the canyon to the Tarahumara village that I had decided not to go on yesterday due to rain and lightning. I recruited another woman to hike with me. It was an enjoyable hike on the way down the canyon. We wandered through the small Tarahumara village. They are used to hikers and welcome them. At this point, I felt I had acclimatized to the altitude, but I guess I was not, as going back up was more difficult as I could sense the thin air and had to stop a few times.
I returned to my room, deposited my hiking boots, freshened up and joined some of the group in the bar area for drinks and the free popcorn.
I watched the sunset outside and joined the group for dinner at 7:00 p.m. After dinner, I went to my room to get ready for tomorrow's departure at 8:30 a.m. Our luggage was to be out no later than 7:30 a.m. with breakfast at that time.
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Post by mary on Sept 17, 2014 2:44:34 GMT
Day 7 - September 12, 2014 - Mexico's Frontier
I awoke at 6:30 a.m. to see the sunrise over the Copper Canyon. It's been a special place and I know I'll always remember it.
I put my luggage out and went down to another buffet breakfast at 7:30 a.m. At 8:30 a.m., the hotel bus took us to the coach, where Arturo, our driver, was waiting for us. Our final destination today would be Casas Grandes, a distance of 281 miles. We enjoyed a scenic drive with an unexpected pull over stop as one of our group became ill. This part of the journey includes many switchbacks, parts of the road are not paved, and the motion of the coach had become unsettling to her. We crossed the Continental Divide at 8,000 feet and soon arrived in Creel.
Creel is a village of 3,000 residents, a frontier town dependent on logging and is a gateway to the Copper Canyon. It was named for Enrique Creel, a railroad tycoon. Despite its small size, I noticed a Best Western here as well as a company that was offering day trips into the canyon. We stopped here for approximately an hour and I took the time to explore the village. I liked this village and found it charming; however, there are many souvenir shops which sell cheap goods like toothpick holders, coffee cups and the like. Browse, but don't anything here.
We continued on past field mustard and then apple orchards, until we reached Guerrero for lunch. It is believed that this city is the birth place of the Mexican Revolution. Wealthy land owners in this area inspired men like Francisco "Pancho" Villa to join the revolutionary forces of Francisco I. Madero in 1910.
Guerrero was our lunch stop and a special "Be My Guest" lunch at a local restaurant, La Cava, awaited us. The owners, Alma Casavantes, and her husband, Paco Cabrera, welcomed us. When I walked in, I knew it would be something special. White tablecloths, beautiful table settings and a lovely and elegant atmosphere. I had a glass of red wine at lunch which was included. Bread, a yummy vegetable soup and then the entrée - chile rellenos - so well prepared and such a beautiful presentation. And I didn't take a picture! Dessert was the best apple pie I have ever eaten, likely because this area of Mexico is known for its apple orchards. Alma gave a poetry reading in English, having translated some Mexican poems for us. She has a gift for this. This was probably the best meal I had on the trip.
We had time for a brief stroll in the town and then were back on the coach. We traveled through the plains where agriculture and cattle are the main activities. In 1922, President Alvaro Obregon allowed 8,000 Mennonites to migrate from Canada to Mexico and exempted them from military duty and swearing allegiance to the country. Today, they number 50,000 in this area of the country, speak a low German dialect and maintain a strict adherence to their faith.
We stopped in Namiquipa for a refreshment and comfort break. What made this stop interesting is there is an adjoining bar to the restaurant where one sits on a saddle instead of a barstool at the bar.
We arrived in Casas Grandes around 6:00 p.m. Our hotel was the Hotel Hacienda. It was actually a motel that reminded me of a Days Inn or any other budget motel. My room was tiled and had a tv, phone, hairdryer and Wi-Fi in the room. It was adequate and I was comfortable there for the night. The hotel also has a swimming pool that is in dire need of resurfacing. We stayed there as it was very close to the UNESCO World Heritage site we planned to visit tomorrow. We had an hour to relax and then we were off to a pottery demonstration and dinner at 7:00 p.m.
There are a number of artisans with studios in this region of Mexico who make pottery, the most sought after which is Matas Ortiz. This pottery is sought by collectors and museums, depending on the artisan. We had seen a film on the coach about this pottery and had an opportunity tonight to see some pottery fired.
The restaurant tonight was a restored mansion. The owner and chef was a Belgian gentleman who had moved here after meeting and marrying a woman from this city. It was an elegant and unique atmosphere and was our Farewell Dinner for the tour. After dinner, three items of pottery were offered for auction. There was a reserve on each. The three went for $60 to slightly over $100. I could tell these were high quality pieces. This was a steal as the next day we had an opportunity to go to a pottery store and the prices were much higher.
We returned to our motel and I went to my room. It was a Friday night and I could hear loud music. Breakfast tomorrow and luggage out at 7:30 a.m. and departure at 8:30 a.m.
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Post by mary on Sept 17, 2014 2:44:45 GMT
Day 8 - September 13, 2014 - UNESCO World Heritage Site
I awoke at 6:00 a.m. and had my luggage out at 7:30 a.m. and went to breakfast. Breakfast was another buffet, but there were not as many offerings as some of the other breakfast buffets. We departed for Paquime, a UNESCO World Heritage Site, at 8:30 a.m.
Casas Grandes is a city of approximately 100,000 people. Groups of Mormon immigrants settled around the area from 1885 to 1912 to avoid a U.S. ban on multiple marriages. Former U.S. Presidential Candidate Mitt Romney's grandfather immigrated to Mexico in this region. There were political arguments during the campaign that the family had moved to the region to avoid anti-polygamy laws as well as other arguments that the family had sought new economic opportunities in the region. Sergio, our Tour Director, told us whatever one chose to believe, that the Romney family had brought new economic development to this area.
Long before the Mormons arrived in the Casas Grandes River area, an ancient Amerindian culture built a large adobe city called Paquime. It was once a thriving community with more than 3,000 inhabitants and was probably a trading base. The city reached its peak between 1210 and 1261. Its commercial influence is said to have reached from Colorado in the north to Mexico City. The ruins of the multi-story pueblo became known as "Casas Grandes". The artifacts and architecture at Paquime exhibit a blend of Pueblo Indian and Mesoamerican characteristics.This is a UNESCO World Heritage Site.
A major hallmark of Casas Grandes culture was a sophisticated ceramic tradition, that I described yesterday, that produced delicate, multicolored pots made without a potter's wheel. The pots are collectors items and the pots that are most highly prized come from the village of Matas Ortiz.
Sergio was our guide at Paquime. Today, the site is well maintained, although few buildings are more than one floor high. The niches that held the beams of the upper floors are still visible in some structures. A water system carried hot water from thermal springs in the north and acted as drainage. One can see a ball court and various plazas.
It was quite chilly this morning and I had a jacket on. It was threatening rain and sprinkled a bit, but quickly stopped.
There is a cultural center on site, Centro Cultural Paquime. We had time to visit the cultural center at our own pace and it was very worthwhile as it houses many artifacts from the archaeological site. Do not miss spending time here. There is also a small store that sells high quality pottery from the region. If you are interested in buying, they will also ship it home for you. I did not buy any pottery, but there were many beautiful pieces.
Sergio had left something back at the hotel, so after we left Paquime, we went back to the hotel which was only a short distance away. The Tour Director for the next tour had met us at the hotel yesterday and was riding with us to Phoenix. Sergio would be going back to Mexico with the next tour group and would be dropped off in Nogales. Sergio told us he leads approximately15 of these tours a year as well as tours in the Yucatan. He was an excellent and knowledgeable Tour Director with a great sense of humor and you will be fortunate to have him as your Tour Director should you decide to take this trip.
We had to make a stop at a small immigration checkpoint as we were getting closer to the border. There are a number of these checkpoints as you are heading in and out of Mexico before and after the border. Some are looking for fruits and plants, drugs, checking passports, etc. Sometimes they waive you on, other times you have to stop. At this checkpoint, we were told to stop and the official had Arturo, our driver, and Sergio, step off the coach. They opened up the luggage area of the coach and the official took a cursory look. The official boarded the coach alone and was friendly and polite and went down the aisle, stating Buenos Dias to each person and asked in Spanish where people were from. Some in the group didn't know what he was asking and just looked at him. I finally said, "He's asking where you are from". He didn't take any passports and we were soon off again.
We made a stop for a picturesque view where we could see into New Mexico. As we continued on, I could see the fence separating the border between Mexico and the United States. It went on for miles and this area on both the Mexico and U.S. sides are very isolated with rugged terrain and are at the foothills of the Sierra Madres.
We stopped for lunch at a lovely restaurant in a hotel in Agua Prieta, which means black water in Spanish. We had a choice of fish, beef fajitas and chicken fajitas. I had the chicken fajitas, a drink and there was cake for dessert. It was our last meal together as a group.
Sergio had collected our passports before lunch as this was our border crossing and took a taxi to the border while we were eating to have them scanned in advance of our arrival to save time. He arrived at the restaurant and had a quick lunch and we were off again.
We arrived at the border on the Mexican side and Sergio warned us to not take any pictures as he did not want a reason for the Mexican immigration officials to delay us. We drove right through and then had to stop for U.S. immigration. We were required to get off the coach for U.S. immigration. They collected our passports to scan and searched the coach, took out our luggage from underneath the coach and briefly brought out narcotic detection dogs. They were very professional and polite. There were vending machines available for a soft drink while we waited. A U.S. immigration official then called out each of our names and returned our passports and we could then board the coach. The formalities on the U.S. side took approximately an hour.
The U.S. side of this border crossing is Douglas, Arizona. We continued on to Tombstone, Arizona where we had a brief drive through the town. It's an old frontier town in Arizona that attracts visitors and I was disappointed this was not a stop. There was an old west shootout in the town center when we drove through. I think it would be a fun place to spend a day.
We made a stop at a large gas station and convenience store complex for a comfort break. I purchased a snack to eat on the way back to Phoenix.
We then stopped in Tuscon and dropped off the couple we had picked up at the Marriott Courtyard.
We arrived in Phoenix about 6:30 p.m. Everybody said their good-byes and gave Sergio and Arturo their tips for the trip. Sergio gave everyone a voucher for breakfast in the morning. There would be no group breakfast as everyone was leaving at different times.
Another solo woman in the group and I decided to meet at 7:00 p.m. and go to the sports bar in the Hilton next door for dinner. I immediately went to check in for my flight which had to be completed by the front desk for me as Delta Airlines' software was not compatible with the hotel's computer. There was a sign regarding this at the business center and I didn't spend any time inquiring why.
It was a nice dinner at the Hilton and then we went back to the hotel around 8:30 p.m. I said good-bye and went to my room for the evening. My flight was not until 12:50 p.m. the next day, so I did not have to get up early. I spent the evening relaxing and reorganized my luggage for the flight home.
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Post by mary on Sept 17, 2014 2:44:56 GMT
Day 9 - September 14, 2014 - A Great Trip
I was able to sleep in this morning and went down to breakfast at 9:00 a.m. I used the breakfast voucher to order some scrambled eggs. The breakfast area is off of the lobby so I saw a few in our group departing for the airport. I was the only one having breakfast at that time, although a few more from the group arrived as I was getting ready to leave.
I had time to go to the room and relax a bit and then took the 10:30 a.m. hotel shuttle to the airport. I wanted to arrive early to see if I could upgrade my seat to Economy Comfort for the flight to Atlanta. I was able to upgrade on both legs of my flights. The flight left on time at 12:50 p.m. and arrived in Atlanta at 7:00 p.m. I was on a 9:55 p.m. flight home from Atlanta and landed at 11:30 p.m. After collecting my luggage, I obtained airport transportation and was walking through my front door at home at 12:15 a.m.
This was a great trip and I loved experiencing a part of Mexico I had not seen previously. It's off the beaten path. History, culture and seeing the majestic Copper Canyon is what this trip was all about. It's not the margaritas and mojitos Mexico, but an opportunity to see a relatively remote part of this country. I hope you, too, can experience this part of Mexico - put it on your travel list - ole'!
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Post by mary on Sept 17, 2014 2:45:10 GMT
Final Thoughts:
I recommend this tour - Trafalgar Tours Copper Canyon Tour. All meals are included on this tour while you are traveling in Mexico and there are no optionals offered, other than what was available through the hotel at the Copper Canyon (horseback riding, zip lining and hiking). You are traveling and staying in some remote areas of Mexico and there are not the choices available that you would have on other tours. If you enjoy history, culture, and a little adventure, this tour is for you. I had a fantastic time!
The above is our group photo. I am in the back, third from the right, in a blue shirt. It was over 90 degrees out there!
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Post by californian on Sept 21, 2014 14:26:13 GMT
I haven't read yet, getting my coffee ready..., thank you Mary. I am posting here to see if your tale shows up first.
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Post by mary on Sept 24, 2014 2:56:18 GMT
I've had to work alot the past few days and will be back to post the rest of my travel tale later this week/weekend.
Mary
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Post by californian on Sept 24, 2014 22:08:00 GMT
Thank you Mary, I googled the hotel, breathtaking! wow, I am not too familiar with this part of Mexico, but getting very interested now, would love to stay at that hotel for a couple of days...looking forward to the rest.
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Post by mary on Sept 28, 2014 22:13:59 GMT
Day 6 is now up!
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Post by mary on Sept 29, 2014 4:07:55 GMT
Day 7 is now up!
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Post by chech on Oct 1, 2014 15:01:55 GMT
Cool! The school visit sounds like a lot of fun!
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Post by tiffany on Oct 3, 2014 12:00:58 GMT
I’m looking forward to reading your tour tale Mary. I’ve been to Mexico twice, and even though I stayed at a resort both times, I have been to Chichen Itza, Coba, Tulum, Xel Ha, and a few other places. I’ve never been outside the main tourist sights though, so I’m looking forward to reading about all of the places you visited on this tour.
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Post by mary on Oct 3, 2014 19:12:12 GMT
Day 8 is now up!
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Post by chech on Oct 3, 2014 19:33:54 GMT
Great tale. Hopefully you can add a few photos if you get the chance.
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Post by mary on Oct 3, 2014 20:00:37 GMT
Day 9 is up! I will be adding some information under Final Thoughts and some pictures.
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Post by mary on Oct 3, 2014 20:13:30 GMT
Ok, I was testing with a picture of my luggage how to post a picture and it's huge! What do I do to make it smaller??
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Post by mary on Oct 3, 2014 20:16:35 GMT
I deleted it and have to figure out how to resize it.
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Post by chech on Oct 3, 2014 20:26:50 GMT
Did you use Add Attachment or did you copy/paste it?
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Post by mary on Oct 3, 2014 21:05:04 GMT
I used add attachment.
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Post by chech on Oct 3, 2014 22:23:45 GMT
You can resize them at ribbet.com - an online photo editing site that does all the basic stuff. It's a great site.
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Post by mary on Oct 3, 2014 22:58:24 GMT
Thanks, Chech, I'll try it.
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Post by mary on Oct 3, 2014 23:43:58 GMT
Chech, it worked with my suitcase test photo on Day 1.
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Post by chech on Oct 4, 2014 1:03:25 GMT
That's strange. It should show a larger photo when I click on it. Like this one. This is the thumbnail and if you click on it, it shows the full sized photo. Try inserting 1024 as the first number when you resize. The program will insert the second number automatically. It usually ends up being something like 1024x560 ... give or take.
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Post by mary on Oct 4, 2014 12:03:48 GMT
Thanks, Chech, with that advice I'll try inserting some pictures later today.
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Post by mary on Oct 5, 2014 1:58:17 GMT
I actually have a few photos up now with my tale. Thanks, Chech, for your assistance. I don't think I sized them all correctly, though.
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