| Author | Content |
pajaritomt
Los Alamos, NM (Zone 5a)
November 13, 2006 1:46 AM Post #2908645
| Just returned from a delightful trip to Chihuahua, Mexico. The city of Chihuahua was having a contest to paint the Chihuahua dogs. I have seen this done with Cows in Chicago and Ponies in Santa Fe, NM. There were many different kinds and colors of Chihuahuas in the downtown area. 
Click the image for an enlarged view.
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pajaritomt
Los Alamos, NM (Zone 5a)
November 13, 2006 1:49 AM Post #2908650
| Another Chihuahua in Chihuahua. This one is called Mathematica and is painted with numbers.
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pajaritomt
Los Alamos, NM (Zone 5a)
November 13, 2006 2:04 AM Post #2908682
| Copper Canyon, Chihuahua 
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pajaritomt
Los Alamos, NM (Zone 5a)
November 13, 2006 2:04 AM Post #2908683
| Copper Canyon, Chihuahua Train |
pajaritomt
Los Alamos, NM (Zone 5a)
November 13, 2006 2:08 AM Post #2908693
| Copper Canyon, Chihuahua Train, this time with photo. We are on the train taking photo. 
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pajaritomt
Los Alamos, NM (Zone 5a)
November 13, 2006 2:10 AM Post #2908694
| Tarahumara Indian Ladies Selling Baskets to people on Copper Canyon Train Train, el Chepe. 
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pajaritomt
Los Alamos, NM (Zone 5a)
November 13, 2006 2:14 AM Post #2908746
| Baskets and crafts of Tarahumara Indians for sale in Copper Canyon. 
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pajaritomt
Los Alamos, NM (Zone 5a)
November 13, 2006 2:41 PM Post #2909609
| Las Guyamacas, the B&B where we stayed in Casas Grandes. 
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pajaritomt
Los Alamos, NM (Zone 5a)
November 13, 2006 2:43 PM Post #2909616
| Exquisite modern pottery from the town of Mata Ortiz. 
Click the image for an enlarged view.
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pajaritomt
Los Alamos, NM (Zone 5a)
November 13, 2006 2:49 PM Post #2909637
| Home of the originator of Mata Ortiz pottery in Mata Ortiz. Now there are several hundred potters there doing outstanding work. Juan Quesada originated the style, taught his children and they taught others. A community of potters was born in a previously poor village. 
Click the image for an enlarged view.
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pajaritomt
Los Alamos, NM (Zone 5a)
November 13, 2006 2:58 PM Post #2909665
| Another magnificent modern Mata Ortiz pot, sitting on fireplace mantel 
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pajaritomt
Los Alamos, NM (Zone 5a)
November 13, 2006 3:03 PM Post #2909676
| Ruins of Paquime neare Casas Grandes. It is believed that buildings in this town were up to 6 stories high. It was famous for fine pottery, and for raising turkeys and mackaws and for trade in all of the above. Mata Ortiz learned pottery by copying what was unearthed at Paquime. Then they branched out into their own styles. Pots are often huge and exquisitely made. They are made of local clay. Pots are painted with ground local rock then fired.
Oops! See photo below!
This message was edited Nov 13, 2006 9:09 AM |
pajaritomt
Los Alamos, NM (Zone 5a)
November 13, 2006 3:06 PM Post #2909682
| Red billed hummingbird at El Fuerte, Sinaloa. There were multitudes of hummingbirds throught he whole Copper Canyon trip. We saw many other interesting birds at El Fuerte along the river, Caracara, Ospreys, Cormorants, Vultures and many others.
Oops see photo of hummingbird below!
This message was edited Nov 13, 2006 9:09 AM
Click the image for an enlarged view.
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pajaritomt
Los Alamos, NM (Zone 5a)
November 13, 2006 3:08 PM Post #2909687
| Oops! Here are the Paquime Ruins 
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pajaritomt
Los Alamos, NM (Zone 5a)
November 13, 2006 3:11 PM Post #2909691
| Now the red billed hummingbird. 
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pajaritomt
Los Alamos, NM (Zone 5a)
November 13, 2006 3:18 PM Post #2909709
| Students from the local University performing traditional Mexican dances at El Fuerte, Sinaloa. 
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pajaritomt
Los Alamos, NM (Zone 5a)
November 13, 2006 3:21 PM Post #2909718
| Pinata and candy shop in Chichuahua, Chihuahua. 
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pepper23
KC Metro area, MO (Zone 6a)
November 14, 2006 12:02 AM Post #2911054
| Neat!! Love the pottery!! |
pajaritomt
Los Alamos, NM (Zone 5a)
November 14, 2006 12:04 AM Post #2911061
| Thanks! The people of Mata Ortiz are incredibly skilled potters. |
rutholive
Tonasket, WA (Zone 5a)
November 16, 2006 1:37 PM Post #2918833
| I do envy you that great trip. Thanks for taking photos and posting so we can all enjoy. Would have loved to take the train ride and to see the wonderful pottery.
Donna |
pajaritomt
Los Alamos, NM (Zone 5a)
November 16, 2006 7:06 PM Post #2919683
| I will post some pictures of the pottery as soon as I photograph what I brought home. |
Lilypon
Moose Jaw, SK (Zone 3b)
November 17, 2006 4:09 AM Post #2921203
| What a wonderful place to visit Betty! Ü The vista is gorgeous, the local crafts show lovely detailed work and I'm looking forward to seeing what you purchased. The Paquime Ruins really captured my imagination...I love watching the Discovery Channels documentaries on ancient habitations like the one shown above.
This message was edited Nov 16, 2006 11:11 PM |
pajaritomt
Los Alamos, NM (Zone 5a)
November 17, 2006 2:45 PM Post #2921950
| More coming soon. Betty |
ginger749
January 18, 2007 4:46 PM Post #3096849
| Nice Pics.there pajaritomt
Thanks for the Trip. Kell. |
pajaritomt
Los Alamos, NM (Zone 5a)
January 19, 2007 1:21 AM Post #3098429
| Glad you enjoyed the pictures. I guess I never did post any more. Maybe I will do that while I am waiting out the snow storm that is supposed to start tomorrow. Brought home lots of food for the duration in case the trucks can't get in. |
ginger749
January 19, 2007 1:31 AM Post #3098463
| I Had a slightly similar experience on this thread
http://davesgarden.com/forums/t/682657/
Lots of comments at the start.
Then nothing , so I stopped posting the original Pics.
Now It`s a free for all . [Off topic stuff.]
If a bit of interest was shown it would be Fun to go on.
I really like your tour because I have never been to USA.
Thank you for listening. Kell
And please show some more. |
pajaritomt
Los Alamos, NM (Zone 5a)
January 19, 2007 1:51 AM Post #3098527
| I will show more, but probably not until tomorrow. Chihuahua is in Mexico, but not far from the US, in fact it borders the US. The city of Chihuahua is a few hundred miles from the border but the. Mexico is a really beautiful country and much more relaxed than the US, but improving economically all the time. |
pepper23
KC Metro area, MO (Zone 6a)
January 19, 2007 1:51 AM Post #3098529
| Great link Kell! Or should I say great tour? LOL.
Paj, post the pics please. And soon!! |
ginger749
January 19, 2007 2:08 AM Post #3098580
| Oops My mistake.
I Thought it was called north & south America.
I would like to take the free tour.
Hey Pep, do you get paid to cruize DG ??? |
pepper23
KC Metro area, MO (Zone 6a)
January 19, 2007 11:12 AM Post #3099326
| LOL. No I only do it when the forums I'm watching are quiet. |
pajaritomt
Los Alamos, NM (Zone 5a)
January 19, 2007 3:01 PM Post #3099843
| Okay, I will add a few more pictures from Copper Canyon ( Barranca de Cobre) in Mexico. This one is a picture of the plaza in Creel where we got on the train. Unlike most of Chihuahua which is dry and desert like, Creel is in the mountains at a very high altitude and has a chilly climate. Houses tend to be log cabins or adobe which is an excellent insulator. Note that people are dressed warmly. Coats aren't required in much of Mexico, ever.
The ladies selling here are Tarahumara indians who mostly live in the bottoms and sides of the canyons in the Copper Canyon area. They have a very different lifestyle from their Latino neighbors and tend to keep to themselves. The bright calico clothes are typical of their women's dress.
Click the image for an enlarged view.
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pajaritomt
Los Alamos, NM (Zone 5a)
January 19, 2007 3:07 PM Post #3099861
| This is a picture of the train we took, El Chepe. Chepe is an abbreviation of its full name the Chihuahua-Pacific. This train is an engineering marvel and was only completed in the '60s. It is a very nice train with lots of windows for sight seeing. We met tourists from all over the world on it. 
Click the image for an enlarged view.
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ginger749
January 19, 2007 3:29 PM Post #3099908
| Thanks for continuing paj.
I like train journeys.
Hard to imagine it would be cold there. |
pajaritomt
Los Alamos, NM (Zone 5a)
January 19, 2007 3:33 PM Post #3099923
| This is market day in El Fuerte, the town near the Pacific Coast where we stayed. The vendors are selling flowers and candles by the case because it was Dia de Los Muertos ( Day of the Dead) At night everyone goes to the cemetery and puts out candles flowers and food on the graves of their loved ones. They bring the favorite foods and even cigarettes and booze that the loved on liked and sometimes the tools of their trade. It is not a sad holiday, but rather a celebration of those who have passed on.
Each home and many places of business build a Dia de Los Muertos Altar for the loved one in their homes as well. They sell little candies in the shape of skulls.
People come from all over the country to be with their loved ones. It is quite a different and festive view of death -kind of a family get together including the dead.
The cemeteries are all aglow at night that night. Some people pitch tents and camp there for days. We could see the tents in the grave yards from the train.
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pajaritomt
Los Alamos, NM (Zone 5a)
January 19, 2007 3:35 PM Post #3099925
| Oops, now the picture.
Inside the market ( the building behind the vendors) we saw heaps of dried rattlesnake for sale and lots of chile tepin, the hottest pepper they grow. They had them fresh or preserved in jars. I decided to skip it. We had wonderful chile all over Mexico, especially for breakfast.
This message was edited Jan 19, 2007 9:38 AM
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pajaritomt
Los Alamos, NM (Zone 5a)
January 19, 2007 3:42 PM Post #3099940
| The municipal building in El Fuerte. We spent a day in this little town which was once a major regional capitol in Mexico. It is quiet now but picturesque. 
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ginger749
January 19, 2007 3:45 PM Post #3099949
| By the look of the bars on the windows,
They take security seriously.
Is it a trouble spot ? |
pajaritomt
Los Alamos, NM (Zone 5a)
January 19, 2007 4:07 PM Post #3100027
| Typical Buildings in El Fuerte, from its days as a regional capital. Oops forgot picture! See next.
This message was edited Jan 19, 2007 10:09 AM |
pajaritomt
Los Alamos, NM (Zone 5a)
January 19, 2007 4:08 PM Post #3100029
| Typical Buildings in El Fuerte, from its days as a regional capital. 
Click the image for an enlarged view.
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pajaritomt
Los Alamos, NM (Zone 5a)
January 19, 2007 4:16 PM Post #3100045
| El Fuerte isn't particularly a trouble spot except the guide said that they don't respect pedestrians. He always told us which towns respected pedestrians and which ones didn't.
Wrought iron gratings on windows are typical of Spanish architecture and are all over Mexico and even into Southwestern US. Of course, sometimes they are in troubled areas, but other times they are just for decoration. I suspect when these old buildings were built, El Fuerte was quite a wild place right on the verge of Indian country and full of none too savory folk who often hang out on frontiers.
Mexico is very poor though and I am sure people have to protect themselves from thieves.
This picture is from a float trip we took near El Fuerte. We saw lots of birds, not usually seen in the US such as whole trees full of vultures, ospreys, herons of various kinds, caracaras, and more. El Fuerte means The Fort. In this picture you see the fort the town was named after.
This message was edited Jan 19, 2007 10:31 AM
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pajaritomt
Los Alamos, NM (Zone 5a)
January 19, 2007 4:36 PM Post #3100110
| More of float trip. This river is full of bass. They serve delicious fresh bass in all of the restaurants around there. 
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pajaritomt
Los Alamos, NM (Zone 5a)
January 19, 2007 4:44 PM Post #3100138
| We are now back at 8,400 ft. at the cliffside town of Divisidero. This is the balcony of our room there. All rooms face the canyon. We watched both sunrise and sunset there. 
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pajaritomt
Los Alamos, NM (Zone 5a)
January 19, 2007 4:49 PM Post #3100157
| Now we are in the capital city of the State of Chihuahua. This is an old government building there. Father Hidalgo, the priest who declared Mexico's independence from Spain, was jailed there and then executed in this building in 18ll. He was and is much loved.
As you can see there are murals all around the building under the portal. These are not by Rivera or Orozco but a local Chihuahuan muralist of the time whose name I don't remember. They are typical of the work of some of the more famous muralists though.
This message was edited Jan 19, 2007 10:51 AM
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pajaritomt
Los Alamos, NM (Zone 5a)
January 19, 2007 4:54 PM Post #3100181
| Part of the mural. This is Father Hidalgo. 
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pajaritomt
Los Alamos, NM (Zone 5a)
January 19, 2007 5:15 PM Post #3100280
| This is a detail of the mural representing Benito Juarez, the first Indian president of Mexico. The city of Juarez on the border with the US, a major industrial city in Mexico is named after him. He was a very progressive president, bringing education and many other social benefits to the people of Mexico. Again, he was a much loved president. Notice Abraham Lincoln on the left, and I think the guy on the right was Lafayette, but I can't remember for sure. Lots of other fathers of freedom are painted behind him.
This message was edited Jan 19, 2007 11:16 AM
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pajaritomt
Los Alamos, NM (Zone 5a)
January 19, 2007 5:26 PM Post #3100330
| And no description of this mural or of Chichuahua would be complete without this guy, Pancho Villa, the wild and woolly revolutionary who actually lived in Chihuahua. We saw his home, nice, but modest considering his fame. In the patio is the car he was assassinated in, still full of bullet holes.
Chihuahua is a very modern city and very well off compared to the rest of the country we saw. They have many maquiladoras ( factories ) such as from Ford, Digital, Levi-Strauss and many others. These factories have permitted many Mexicans to lead a middle class life, such as was not possible in the past. The town is modern and beautifully landscaped. It also has lots of old buildings from the 19th century that are very elegant. 
Click the image for an enlarged view.
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pajaritomt
Los Alamos, NM (Zone 5a)
January 19, 2007 6:15 PM Post #3100521
| Mata Ortiz pot by Juan Quesada's son, perhaps also named Juan. It is around 15 inches high. These pots are hand built from local clays, fired in an open fire with a large flower pot over the top or perhaps a wash tub. Then they are painted by hand with paints made out of ground local rock. My husband snuck this one back from Mexico and gave it to me for Christmas. 
Click the image for an enlarged view.
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pajaritomt
Los Alamos, NM (Zone 5a)
January 19, 2007 6:19 PM Post #3100538
| The pot on the left is from Mata Ortiz. It was made by Olga Quesada, sister of Juan who started the whole pottery business in Mata Ortiz. Everything on it is hand built. It is about 9 inches high. The pot next to it is a Native American pot from Santa Clara which is very near to where I live. I bought it about 34 years ago. I think it looks nice with the Mexican pots. They have a certain flavor in common. 
Click the image for an enlarged view.
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pajaritomt
Los Alamos, NM (Zone 5a)
January 19, 2007 6:23 PM Post #3100552
| This pot is also from my trip to Mata Ortiz. It is about 18 inches or more tall and totally hand made like the others. It is very poorly displayed here. I have been looking for an appropriate stand. It is currently sitting in a Pyrex Bowl. I would like to have a lexan cylinder made to hold it. That is what it was displayed in, in the gallery but the owner refused to sell the holder because she says she can no longer get them. I am looking for either that or an iron three legged stand. When it is more secure, I will post a better picture of it. |
pajaritomt
Los Alamos, NM (Zone 5a)
January 19, 2007 6:23 PM Post #3100557
| Oops! forgot the picture again! |
pajaritomt
Los Alamos, NM (Zone 5a)
January 19, 2007 6:28 PM Post #3100570
| Hopefully this time the picture will come through. 
Click the image for an enlarged view.
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mulchmania
Ennis, MT (Zone 4a)
January 19, 2007 11:33 PM Post #3101518
| I love the pottery, and the Tarahuamara Indian work. The whole set of pics has been most fun to view! |
pajaritomt
Los Alamos, NM (Zone 5a)
January 19, 2007 11:36 PM Post #3101528
| Mulch,
Maybe they would give you a Chihuahua to paint flowers on? Just a thought. |
pepper23
KC Metro area, MO (Zone 6a)
January 20, 2007 12:53 AM Post #3101775
| Paj, love the pics!! Especially the murals. Those are gorgeous!! |
rutholive
Tonasket, WA (Zone 5a)
January 20, 2007 1:49 AM Post #3101932
| Paj, I have thoroughly enjoy your pictures. I hope sometime to be able to see some of the Copper Canyon area. the pottery is beautiful. I have a small coll. of pottery from different areas, some from New Mexico. If you have more pictures and time I would love to see more. Thankyou for taking the time to post so we can all see some of your wonderful trip.
Donna |
pajaritomt
Los Alamos, NM (Zone 5a)
January 20, 2007 7:08 PM Post #3103863
| I do have more pictures, and will try to get around to posting some more. I have just posted the highlights here.
Betty |
