Nicole and Ingrid are recovering from a heavy tour through the land of the
light-footed, the so-called Tarahumar Indians. They live in the Copper Canyon
and wrap themselves in silence. They live in caves, high up in the mountains.
They hardly speak. Our globe-trotters had to cycle hundreds of kilometers up and
down the hills, mostly on sandy paths.
'We very well understand why the Tarahumara have been given their nickname
Light-footed. While we were heaving difficulties of getting up the slopes on our
mountain-bikes, an old wrinkled Indian passed us effortlessly. He seemed to
hover comparing to us ! Every now and then we marched next to our bike,
stumbling in the loose sand. We felt heavy-footed compared to him.
The male Indians were very sexy : they wear a very short skirt, their upper body
hardly covered, at best a red or green shirt. Female Indians are completely
wrapped, wearing luminous stockings, bright red crinolines and blue jumpers.
From the Copper Canyon we went to the old silver village Batopilas. We had to
descend from 2.300 meters to 450 meters .... over a distance of barely 75
kilometers. Very creepy !
Batopilas was a revelation ! Most of the silver was found here in 1880. It is
back to time when you are in Batopilas. Hotels are made from the ancient palaces
which belonged to the rich silver barons. We had an antique, ancient room with
oak-tree furniture. Very bombastic, but very beautiful. Our beds creaked
terribly !
You will find no restaurants in the village : you just knock on people's door.
We went knocking on Carolina's door and for a few dollars she prepared us a nice
meal with the typical caramel dessert.