Woke up this morning at the crack of dawn, actually the clock on the microwave said 7.45am. But the crack of dawn has a more dramatic ring to it. Of course I don’t have to tell you it was a lovely clear, sunny and warm morning. This was going to be either a spectacular day or a big bust I will let you decide at the end.
My last full day here and my guide book very briefly mentions the Barranca de Oblatos (canyon). It is a 2000 feet deep gorge cut by the two rivers Santiago and Verde. The canyon is situated about 6 miles north of the city and I am on the south side of the city so the challenge was to see if I could get there. I set off at 8.30am with a back pack full of sandwiches, snacks, drinks, insect repellent, candy for kids, change for the buses and maps and an open mind.
I first had to take the same bus I took 2 days ago into the centre of the city, then walk 2 blocks behind the Mercado and get another bus to the canyon. Now this where it gets a little confusing. The second bus that I got on took me to the Parque Huentitan el Alto Mirador lookout at the top of the gorge. Now I didn’t know this and I thought this was the entrance to get to the canyon floor. All the photos on Part 1 are taken here. I took the nice cobbled path down for about 3kms and came to the waterfall, this reminded me of the beautiful waterfall in the back yard of the house I was staying at in Costa Rica . There are no signs of any kind and lots of different paths. I eventually found myself at a dead end with a great view of the waterfall and the polluted waters below. Here were many abandoned homes on the sides of the river and I would love to know the history of what happened here. I was still thinking that I could hike down to the canyon floor from here and tried one path but it was obvious this was not right.
I stopped and had a sandwich and heard the bells ringing and after a few minutes the herd of goats came by and I was fascinated to see that they were not herded by a person but by a big goat at the rear with a bell on his neck, what a neat view to have whilst gobbling a sandwich. On the way back to where I started I came upon the R.C.M.P. Mexican version and we talked in Spanglish and I surmised that I was at the lookout and not the entrance to the Gorge.
Back where I started I walked a little and stopped a taxi and again asked for the entrance and he knew the location and took me there for 20 pesos
This is the part where Part 2 kicks in
WARNING PART 2 CONTAINS SCENES OF PARTIAL NUDITY AND PARENTAL DISCREATION IS ADVISED AND SUGGESTED THAT ANY FEMALES VIEWING THIS SHOULD BE SEATED WITH A COLD GLASS OF WATER CLOSE BY!!!!!!!!

I had now located the right entrance and found this church just down a short distance, it was a beautiful building, but I don’t know anything about it again there were no signs anywhere. The trail down is listed as 5kms and it is switchbacks and very uneven cobbles. A short way down came across this senior Mexican and his donkey I think he was collecting garbage. A little further down two more donkeys and I took one look at the wooden saddle and immediately my eyes began to tear and my rear end had flash backs of the last horse ride I took in Costa Rica!!
I noticed along part of the trail was a single rail line travelling all the way almost vertical to the bottom of the canyon, it looked interesting.
This was a very hard trail to walk down the cobbles were so uneven and my knees, ankles, feet, back, neck in fact everywhere was telling me so. I stopped at the look out for a water break and had a man who was passing by take those X rated photos!!!!
I haven’t worn my watch since I left Nanaimo on 23rd November so I don’t know how long it took me to get to the floor of the canyon, but it was a long time. The rivers were very dark and I believe polluted. It was incredible to think I had come all the way down into this gorge and looking up into the canyon walls. To think this beautiful place is only a few miles outside of the city where it is hustle and bustle and noisy and here so serene and peaceful.
Again no signs and the path came to a T junction I turned right and after about a mile I came to the little collection of houses and the orange cable car. This is the cable car that I had been told brings workers down to the canyon to work. I was now quite tired and sat on the steps by the cable car and had some more food and drink and my companion, Major, the name I gave the black dog, had what I would imagine his very first egg sandwich!!
I found out it was 3pm and was thinking I should get going because I knew the climb up was going to be a tough haul. There was a house close by selling drinks and I bought one and asked about the cable car and I think he told me it leaves at 3.40pm and it would take me up, THANK YOU LORD!!!
I think I snoozed on the steps and the next thing I know this man is telling me to get on, so I jumped on the orange car and climbed into the back and had what can only be described as the ride of my life.
I have no idea how the car worked obviously it was a cable being winched up but the operator had a wooden pole in his hand and attached to the end of the wooden pole was a metal strip and he kept touching the wire at the outside of the car running all the way up.
Well this was a journey I shall never forget, up we went 2000 feet and at times almost vertical that I had to hold on with both hands to avoid falling out the back. The views were so great and at the top I offered to pay but the offer was refused so the operator is now the proud owner of a Canadian key ring.
I walked back to the entrance to the canyon got on a bus that took me back downtown and then another bus back to the RV Park. The soccer field was in use in again this time a pick up game so I stopped and after a few minutes I was asked if I wanted to join in. I would have loved to but I was so tired from the hike and I knew that if I started to play I was risking the chance of pulling a muscle so thanked them and said no.
Came back to Ramona at 6.30pm and I must admit this was really one of those wonderful days that will linger in my memory for years. The whole cost for the day for buses, 5 in total, 1 taxi ride, 1 drink was 45 pesos and as the Visa commercial states the memory priceless. Sorry for the long post.
I have looked back through the blog and it appears 4 pictures didn’t turn out I will see if I can re-post those. Pura Vida…