We set off toward three small colonial towns, first threading our way through the narrow streets of Malpica. While it hardly seems populated, there are some 650 hardy souls calling it home.
Along the way, we stopped at a small pottery and furniture maker. We watched a molcajete being made from clay trucked down from the mountains; the artisan kneaded it and patted out a thick round, then formed it over a mold. After a good deal of tamping down and trimming the excess from the edges, he removed the bowl from the mold and applied a rope of clay to form a foot for the piece to stand on. It will dry in the reliable sun and then be decorated and fired before being ready for sale.
This stop also offered fine views of the local iguanas!
This "cotton tree" sported white bolls that actually can be spun into thread which is woven into cloth. The tree looks like it might have been caught in a popcorn storm!
Enroute, we passed Elephant Mountain, a distinctive land form that has been used for centuries as a landmark to find promising areas for mining, both silver and other minerals.
Shortly after seeing the Elephant (see its trunk on the left and its big ear!), we passed a mine entrance on the other side of the road -- just a door-sized hole in the mountain, with miners on break outside in the sunshine.
The area is also a major producer of Roma tomatoes and various chiles -- this field seemed to be jalapenos, many red and ripe for the picking.
Concordia's town square features its stone church ... the single tower indicates that it was founded by the Jesuits. If the Franciscans had founded it they would have constructed two towers. This church also hides a lengthy tunnel running all the way to the Sierra Madre mountains in the distance, which enabled the faithful to avoid slaughter during an attack.
Across from the church was the center of the town square, featuring a gazebo,
a giant rocking chair (in homage to the local furniture artisans),
an ore car, and our little touring van.
A short hop to the commercial street, where we visited a fine jewelry store (where prices were nice due to low rent and no taxes!). Then we walked around the corner to a tile-maker's studio. He coats a mold with an oil and dabs some pigment into it, then fills it with cement and creates a marbled pattern with his Very Special Instrument -- the eraser end of a pencil! No two are alike, and the color palettes were very attractive. But at some 3# per tile, we knew we would be way over the luggage weight limit if we took one home.
The final stop in Concordia was a bakery, where we tried our hand with the big clay-and-brick oven. We also picked up a variety of pastries for breakfast ... gotta make that sourdough last one more day!
These fearsome trees are very spiny all around their trunks and branches, and the story goes that children who misbehaved were required to climb up them, to their great sorrow. Beyond that, the fruits at the ends of the branches are poisonous -- best to avoid this plant altogether, we felt.
Another drive up twisty mountain roads and then DOWN a precipitous dirt-and-gravel passage, and we arrived in Copala. Here we were introduced to a nice restaurant down a steep slope, with an extensive veranda where we enjoyed a good lunch of carne asada (with, of course, rice & beans and a bit of lettuce & tomato) and "Jamaica water" flavored with hibiscus flowers. A sprint back up to the square level brought us to a small art gallery run by the restaurant's owner (who also had a shingle out as a Realtor). The featured items were Carneval masks, fantastical representations in painted leather. We were trailed by several schoolboys who hoped we'd buy some carved wood pieces from them to help support their school, and many of our group did help out.
This town square's center featured a low concrete wall which kept several hens and roosters safely corralled. We were most impressed with the alpha rooster--he looked like a force to be reckoned with!
This church has some interesting features included in its architecture. High over the front door is a sort of a gargoyle figure, a man in a hat looking down on those entering. Legend has it that he spits on unrepentant sinners and on impure young ladies not yet married. Our group felt a measure of safety from his judgement, but we kept a weather eye out anyway.
As we went up the stairs, our guide invited us to pick up three small stones from the gravel in the area, and we went around to the left side of the building. There, there was a very well-worn devil's head protruding from the wall. We were to cast our stones at the devil, and if anyone hit the head, their sins would be forgiven -- otherwise, off to confession with you!
We marveled at the ancient architecture and ornate decorations inside the church, which also houses a museum of sacred artifacts. It's not open to the public, but the door is well-marked just inside the main entryway.The views of the distant mountains from the walkway surrounding the church were indeed beautiful, as was the remarkably blue sky.
Not surprising to find ebullient flowering shrubs and vines, but very definitely enjoyable. This one is a bougainvillaea.
The town, founded in 1565, erected an historical plaque celebrating its roots in agriculture, mining, faith and the Church.
After leaving Copala, we were whisked back to the hotel where we freshened up before meeting Martha, Alicia, and Silvia for dinner at F.I.S.H.
Our orders included a variety of tacos ...
a salmon "po boy" sandwich with those dangerous wedge fries, and ...
a fabulous shrimp plate.
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| Claudette, Linda, Carolyn, Martha, Alicia, & Silvia |
Here we are, discussing TOMORROW's dinner, which will be a buffet including chicken in green pepita sauce, pork tinga, achiote & garlic pork tacos, zucchini tinga, and of course a side of beans. That's from the Mazatlan contingent.
The Tepic ladies have contributed two types of tamales and a big bucket of beans as well -- no one will be going home hungry from THIS party!
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