Tuesday, February 13, 2007

Real de Catorce

I went for about a week of being the only traveller around, with locals trying to convince me I'm crazy for travelling alone and quote-unquote, "Someone could rob you because your are very linda." (???). I started to lie that I have friends but they are working/I'm going to meet them/etc. Then I arrived to Zacatecas, a gorgeous colonial town with a wonderful hostel---full of travellers what a relief! I befriended one of the hostal owners who took me and another girl into a local cantina where women usually aren't allowed---didn't even have a ladies room! Then I also befriended a group of fun vegetarians who have kidnapped me and wisked me off to Real de Catorce.

It usually takes 8 hours to get here. You take a bus, then another bus, then a 25km (about 15 mile) long cobblestone road, then another bus through a creepy one-car tunnel into a mountain valley. Real de Catorce was a rich silver mining town in the 1800's but nearly turned into a ghost town when the price of silver decreased. If you've seen The Mexican with Brad Pitt and Julia Roberts, it was apparently filmed here. It is a magical place with half empty stone buildings and little colonial restaurants and cafes. I've been hiking and cooking with my friends, staying in a really nice cheap apartment with a HEATER and balcony with a great view and loving every day of it.

I'll put up more pics soon, I promise!
25km cobblestone road
One car tunnel
Ghost town
My hotel

6 comments:

Moe said...

That's so awesome! I'm glad you met some fellow travelers there. So what did you do at the Cantina without any women's room? Did you just hold it? These are the questions I need answered man!

Good to hear you're doing well, can't wait for the new pictures.

Shannen said...

*Moe*

Hey Cuz! Nice to hear from you! I had to walk all the way back to the hotel and back just to pee! There were nudie posters of women on all the walls, too! I don't actually know why he thought to take us there, I think he was trying to show us a nice "Mexican" experience.
You SURE you don't want to quit your job and come join me here for awhile??? Come on...!

Anonymous said...

Mmm...Who to dare to rob You? Remember....KARATE or like The Mariachi hehehe; tell him: I have a big gun in my bag, take easy man.
Nice pictures!!! The place is very Colonial, many cactus; They make Tequila there? I think that is not good idea to go in the night to Ghost Town; maybe if I am drunk could to go.:-o

Shannen said...

*Ravioli*

I don't know if they make tequila in Real de Catorce, but I definately drank too much tequila the other night! ugh! It was mixed in limonadas (lemonade with fresh squeezed lemons, YUM!!!)

Anonymous said...

The reason those Shaman's were acting silly along with the rituals was the result of the peyote.

Glad that you hooked up with some fellow travellers. I hear that Americans are starting to retire in Mexico due to the low cost of living. They just need to learn Spanish.

I've heard that Linda phrase somewhere before. I think it means young female (possibly blonde).

Shannen said...

*Anonymous*
(Or AnĂ²nimo, as this computer has you)

I'm not actually sure who you are...but I think I know. hee hee

They say the Huicholes are jokers when they're not doing peyote, too. Yep, linda means pretty girl. I mostly get called "guera" (sp?) which means white girl. ugh