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Published: June 26th 2009
Our Home
One last look at our Mexican Home!We drive about 5 hours to real de Catorce. The drive was very easy all on a major cuota. Let me just start by saying this: Oh My Gosh, Real de Catorce is flat out amazing. Of all the cities we have visited none were more amazing. It is almost surreal. Real de Catorce is another example of the boom to bust towns of the silver mining era in Mexico. It is located at an altitude of over 9,000 feet, in the dry mountains of north-western San Luis Potosi. A spectacular view awaits. Silver was discovered in the mountains in 1722 and by 1779 the village was on it’s way!
Unfortunately, it’s colonial style buildings, and scenic surroundings have attracted tourists. But, it’s remote location have kept away the tour buses. It is a town that is mostly visited by the backpacker group and adventurous traveler seeking something off the beaten track.
It is located some 120 miles northwest of San Luis Potosi, close to Matehuala. Access to the town is via a cobblestone road which is over 10 miles long. Moreover, I am not certain a tour bus could get there. Almost 2 miles of the drive
Departure
We are loaded and ready to go. Happy but also very sad. is through the Ogarrio Tunnel, which is very narrow, and permits only alternating, one way traffic. The tunnel is linked at opposite ends by phone operators who inform each other when a vehicle is about to cross it. When you depart the tunnel, you enter a side street to the city. Our car was swarmed by young boys; literally swarmed. They begged to be our “tour guide.” After a great deal of discussion they were finally convinced that we did not need a tour guide. So, if you drive, be prepared for a “welcoming party.”
Several artisans sell goods in the city central. Most of the shops are actually owned by the artisan and the leather and jewelry was of a quality normally only found in cities like Taxco. The grocery store in the heart of the city was a real treat. It had a wooden floor, wooden bins and an old world feel to it. We only had a few hours in Real de Catorce. I wish we could have spent a night in the city. Real de Catorce is a very unique place. I will let the pictures speak for themselves.
We stayed at a hotel
outside the city. We really wanted to stay in the city, but with the Mountaineer packed with most of our treasured goods from Mexico and the rest of our “stuff,” we felt like we needed a Hotel with a secured parking lot. We found one on the road leading to Matehuala. That night I drove into Matehuala and went to a small restaurant and ordered a mixture of sandwiches (beef, pork and chicken) and brought them back to the Hotel. They were very yummy. The first day of travel done and our new Mexican dog Bella could not have been a better traveler!!
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