Plazuela Machado
Centro Historico
Our overnighter to Altata, a small town located within a 50-kilomter-long estuary, and famous for its fleet of shrimpers had been pleasant and uneventful. We had been warned that the approach might be challenging and we hadn’t actually met anybody who had made the trip.
We arrived in the early morning hours after a 20-hour sail, greeted by numerous fishing vessels and incoming fog. The clouds lifted after two hours and we spotted a beautiful, long stretched sandbar in shallow waters with huge waves crashing across these shoal areas; it almost seemed the entire ocean wanted to cross the bar into Bahia Altata, and we felt very small and vulnerable amongst those breakers. We couldn’t locate a clear entrance or any marker buoys and, after a quick discussion, decided that Altata had to be visited another time.
A bit tired and disappointed, we moved on and sailed for another 30 hours to Topolobampo. What started out as a smooth cruising day, turned into rough seas at the beginning of the evening. Sleep was a luxury that night.
We arrived the next afternoon. Tired and happy we docked the boat in Marina Palmira, our home for the next three weeks. Topo is an excellent location to leave your boat for a train ride into Copper Canyon.
Fog moving in
Sleeping Beauty
The Morning After
Colourful Topolobampo
With extra time on our hands due to our missed Altata excursion, we decided on the spur of the moment that we would book a flight to Mexico City to explore the magnificent capital.
Our little hotel right at the Zocalo in the historic center provided the ideal starting point to explore this vibrant city with its population of over 22 million. We walked almost 40 km, spent another 90 km on the subway, and rode the marvelous cable bus for hours, gliding above densely packed neighborhoods in the outskirts.
Temple Mayor, Plaza Garibaldi, Torre Latinoamericana, Palacio de Bellas Artes, Museo de Antropologia, Coyoacan, Palacio Postal, Polanco – to name just a few stops on our short, four-days visit. The highlight of every day was a cool beverage of choice in one of the exquisite rooftop bars, watching the sun waving good-bye. Eventually it was our turn to say Adios to this magical, colonial city with its thriving cosmopolitan vibe. I’ll be back!
El Zocalo/Plaza de la Constitucion
Torre Latinoamericana in the back
Gran Hotel Ciudad de Mexico (James Bond, Spectre)
James Bond Elevator (Spectre & Licence to Kill)
National Museum of Anthropology
Touch the Sky
Fortitude X was waiting for us in Topo. With barely enough time to catch up on marina gossip and get our laundry done, we departed on the El Chepe train to Divisadero a few days later. I didn’t expect to enjoy traveling by train that much. It’s such a relaxed way of transportation. You sit down and watch the world go by, splendid!
Barranca del Cobre, or Copper Canyon is nestled in the Sierra Madre Range and comprises several large canyons, combined four times larger than the Grand Canyon, although different in nature; narrower and deeper.
Train Ride
El Chepe
Lunch on Board
Copper Canyon
Copper Canyon
Leaving the mountains, we enjoyed two nights in El Fuerte, hometown of Zorro, so they say. We loved it. With no major attractions to showcase, the town is built around its main square where locals sit on benches and talk while kids are playing and music is playing everywhere until late at night.
El Fuerte
Zorro
After 20 days on the docks, it was time to move one – the ocean was calling! Next stop San Carlos!
6 Comments
Marianne
Ihr Lieben,
wie schön, von Euch und Euren Exkursionen an Land zu lesen. Eure Kondition auf See und an Land scheint grenzenlos zu sein.
Ich wünsche Euch weiterhin katastrophenfreie Zeit, wo immer Ihr unterwegs seid.
Ganz liebe Grüße aus Berlin
Marianne (mir geht es einigermaßen gut!)
Stefanie Schulz
Glaub mir Marianne: meine Kondition ist endlich. Wir konzentrieren uns auf das Wesentliche und lassen alle Nebengeräusche links liegen. Freuen uns riesig dass es Dir einigermaßen ok geht. Du warst – und bist eine Inspiration!
Kathy Reeves
It looks like you are having such an amazing time. You two inspire me to do more, see more, live more!
Stefanie Schulz
I remember you saying „ Adventure before Dementia“; just taking it to heart.
Maggie and Duncan
Looks like an awful lot of fun you folks are having, great photos
Stefanie Schulz
One day at a time; seeing the beauty in the little things. Hope to catch up when we are visiting AB in September. Stay well!