Having left the desert on a typical warm sunny day and knowing our destination was an even warmer Copala and a still warmer Mazatlán, we had not packed quite enough warm clothes to ward off the frosty chill of Mexiquillo. Even a brisk walk through the woods didn’t do the job.
However, after a trip to the local "super," we had the ingredients for a hot soup and Stanley made quick work of starting a fire. In the nick of time, we held frostbite at bay, but it was a close call.
We enjoyed our days in Copala: a lunch with Luis, dinner with our friends Russell and Barb and Barb’s mom, beer at one café, banana cream pie at another, supper at still another.
A niece of Luis was in town visiting and when we went to Mazatlán, we took her along. She was a delight. As always, being with Luis and Rossana was like good medicine. You feel better just being there.
However, after a trip to the local "super," we had the ingredients for a hot soup and Stanley made quick work of starting a fire. In the nick of time, we held frostbite at bay, but it was a close call.
Getting out of bed the next morning was not an easy thing to do. It would have been much easier to stay under the covers until spring, but Copala was calling. We stopped in El Salto to buy a supply of tomato stakes. They come in handy for so many things in the garden and vineyard and knowing that we planned to put in another 100 or so vines in 2010, we loaded up. Then lunch and on up the road.
We stopped at the Devil’s Backbone rest area for a snack and a look at the canyon then on to Potrerillos to buy calla lilies for my old lady friends in Copala.
Last point of interest before we reach Copala: the tunnels which will cut hours off the time between Durango and Mazatlan. They are so huge they take my breath away.
Copala just doesn’t change. People move in. People move out. Someone paints. Someone digs up an aggressive bougainvillea. Someone plants roses. The essence of the town remains unchanged. I do not regret that we moved to Parras, but I will always treasure the days we spent in Copala. Walking down those ancient streets, heat radiating from adobe walls, I can feel my whole mind and body slowing down.
Bad news was waiting for us. Our very good friend Daniel was very ill. He and his wife Bertha were with his sister in California. Lupita was still there. Still the same. Still very much in charge!
We enjoyed our days in Copala: a lunch with Luis, dinner with our friends Russell and Barb and Barb’s mom, beer at one café, banana cream pie at another, supper at still another.
A niece of Luis was in town visiting and when we went to Mazatlán, we took her along. She was a delight. As always, being with Luis and Rossana was like good medicine. You feel better just being there.
The boys were great. We had reading, science experiments, a fabulous dinner and bird watching.
The hummingbird was nesting in a tree right outside the dining room window.
The hummingbird was nesting in a tree right outside the dining room window. We also took in a book fair, wine in Machado Plaza and a walk along the malecón. Too soon it was time to leave. We had other fish to fry.
