At the airport

Hello family

This morning is interesting!

Fernando took us to the airport at 0200 and then we sat around til 3:30 at which time we checked in with Air Canada. What a smart move to do a web check-in as the our line-up to complete the bag check was exactly 2 people long whereas those who waiting in line for an airport check-in was probably 50 long. We were through security in no time and then used my "Priority Pass" to get into a lounge (first time ever in an airport lounge-Wow, nice). This place is awesome! We started with coffee/hot chocolate and at 0430 we had breakfast. Now Caro is sleeping in a comfortable chair until we leave here about 5:20 for our 5:30 boarding time.

I think my Priority Pass came with my ATB mastercard but I don't remember exactly. Caro and I can use it once per year without cost.

Tuesday August 22 Mexico City

Hello Family

Today was a quiet one. Caro's plans were to see her sisters Vicky and Mary (and her family) and I was going to a museum with Fernando that has paintings I really like.

Plans changed when Fernando and Edu had to deal with a credit card phishing event so they needed to go to their bank ASAP. I initially went with Caro to meet Vicky nearby (I haven't seen her in about 4 years). After a few minutes of conversation I realized that it was not going to be a great day for either Caro or I if I stayed with her because this was to be her time to visit with her sisters, and not be be worried about me (if I was bored etc.  and yes I was pretty sure it was going to be a dreadful day!)

We phoned Fernando and caught them just as they were leaving to the bank  so I was able to get back to their place and I caught up on Utube videos. When Fernando and Edu came home we went to Toks restaurant for a great meal then drove over to a nice park for a look. It was nice driving past the apartment where Caro and I first lived after we were married.

Caro got back in early evening and after some catch up conversation we packed our bags and printed off our boarding passes for tomorrow's return flights home.

Monday Aug 21st/2017

Hello family

Fernando,Edu,Caro and I met Tete and Ruben at a toll booth on the highway to Cuernavaca. Tete and I switched vehicles and I went with Ruben and both cars headed down the highway about an hour to a small town called Tepoztlan. It is a town with a beautiful sharp cliffs in the mountainsides. The main attraction is a pyramid built on top of one of the cliffs. We climbed part way up the mountain path but the trail was too rocky and it was too far to go for the majority of us so we went back down after going about half way up.

Today was the day of the eclipse of the sun so there were many young people climbing to the pyramid but the sky was overcast and the eclipse was not very significant in this area so why they were climbing, I don't know.

I pointed the camera up towards the sun to get this photo during the eclipse

Nice church

We went to a beautiful restaurant in the town and then came back to Mexico City. One of the main roads in the city has been doubled by building a second level above the original roads. The road is super fast and if time is important and you have about $30 for the toll it is a good way to get across a major part of the city.

Caro had a couple of appointments tonight and now we are just sitting around.

Sunday in Mexico City

Hello Family

Today was a day of seeing family

Ruben, Tete,Vanessa,Lorena, Joachin,Lorenita and Mary Fer joined Fernando,Edu,Caro and me for a great lunch and a later walk at the Coyoacan zocalo.

As we haven't seen Lorena and her family for many years it was very nice to catch up on all the news. It is 25 years ago this past June when we said good bye to Lorena after she had lived with us in Elk Point for almost a year.

Saturday-back in Mexico City

This morning we were on our way to the airport at 0700. We checked in with Interjet and then went for breakfast.

Our flight here was very interesting because the plane had a forward facing camera and so we watched the takeoff and then 2 hours later ,the landing. Really neat! Interjet is a budget airline and instead of going to a gate at the terminal they stopped at their hanger location at a distant part of the airport and bused us around to terminal one where we waited a short while for our bags to arrive (our bags are no longer "OK" for carry on due to recent purchases).

She who buys souvenir gifts!

Fernando and Edu picked us up and we went to their place for a bit before leaving again and meeting Ruben and Tete in a very popular seafood taco restaurant for an early supper. After another drive to a coffee place for dessert we said our "good byes" to Ruben and Tete and went back to Fernando and Edu's house to wind down.

Friday in Chihuahua

Hello family

After a great sleep we were up and eating breakfast by about 8 AM.

The hotel is located in the centre of town right behind the cathedral and the breakfast room is located on the 4th floor (5th really) with the option to eat inside or out. Naturally we ate outside!

We found a 2 hour city tour leaving at 10 AM so we bought tickets and walked around until it was time to get on the tourist bus. The tour was in Spanish and the guide was super funny (to all those who have a good grasp of Spanish-not me!). We stopped at the only place in Chihuahua that I wanted to see. Pancho Villa's mansion. The house contains many of his personal effects as well as the car he was riding in when he was shot to death.

The rest of the tour included a stop in a beautiful French style house that was built in the early 1900's.

In the afternoon we walked around, and tonight we went to a recommended restaurant which was essentially a steak place. It was great. This city has a very clean central area with many streets for walking only. There weren't as many restaurants as had expected and as 8 PM came many of the stores were closing. There were always street musicians playing so the entertainment was wonderful.

Tomorrow we are back in Mexico City

Thursday-El Chepe

Hello Family

This morning we walked downtown and watched the train coming westward from Chihuahua on its way to Los Mochis. The poor people getting on and off had to do scurry into the station or get drenched. We were just watching so stayed under cover. I got video of the train arriving and leaving again.

After checking out and having a last great meal at the hotel restaurant (Caro told the cook that the smells were just like her home when growing up) we got a ride to the train station to catch the train going eastward to our destination. While waiting we were talking to our shuttle driver and he had a photo of a train derailment. This had happened on the tracks we had come over earlier on Monday when our train ride was shortened. We had heard on Tuesday morning that both directions were closed due to problems caused by heavy rains. We were going through heavy rain on Monday before we were bused to Creel. I think there is a good chance that it was the train that dropped us off and had to reverse its direction back to Los Mochis with the people bused in from Chihuahua that derailed. Those people will have stories!

Photo of a photo of train derailment

The trains started running after two complete days of cancellations on the very day we were scheduled to leave. Talk about lucky. Four hours into our run we stopped in the middle of no where because the tracks were getting emergency repairs again in the same location that forced the people on Monday to get bused.

We made it to our hotel by 11 PM and I hit the sack immediately.