Wandering around town, and a hike to a canyon

We found a much better place to park, right in the town of Pinal de Amoles. It's just a parking lot, but it's only 30 pesos for 24 hours, and they even have bathrooms and water available for another 10 pesos. 

So essentially, 50 pesos ($3.50 CAD, $2.50 USD) for overnight parking if we both use the facilities. Not bad!

So we got ourselves parked up and went in to explore the town.

Traffic circle statue.

This stand was selling some kind of specialty bread.

Scenery in town.

Murals.

Old doors.

Painted steps.

Typical houses.

Another mural.

Scenery along the way.

The town church.

Day of the dead bus mural.

We wandered over to the central plaza.

Lots of fresh flowers in the church.

Wheelbarrow.

We went to a street food stand selling delicious gorditas. We each had two, although I ate some of Ruth's because they were quite filling. And did I mention delicious! We shared a drink, and the bill was 100 pesos ($7 CAD, $5 USD) for the two of us including the drink. We walked away full for $3.50 CAD each!

Then it was haircut time for me. Found a girl running a barbershop and got my haircut for 100 pesos, tip included!

We stopped and did some grocery shopping at a little a little shop, and the guy was so friendly, asking where we were from, etc. In fact, everyone in this town seems really friendly.

We stopped and got some fresh tortillas.

Fresh tortillas all wrapped for sale.

We paid 10 pesos for a 1/2 kilo.

After lunch, we went for a hike down to Gotera Canyon. It was 3.5 kms one way, which is nothing if it's flat ground. However this was 3.5 kms downhill, and then 3.5 kms uphill to get back to town. It was about 365 meters (1,200') elevation difference. And relatively steep in places.

Heading down into the canyon.

Me, on the trail.

Our guess is that this trail has existed as the main route between villages for hundreds of years.

Ruth on the trail.

Me, leading the way.

Still going downhill.

This was about when the really scenic part began.

We can't figure out what these two "things" are way up on the canyon wall.

You can click the photo to make it full screen, then click again to zoom in.

Some kind of wasp nest? using Ruth's little binoculars, we couldn't see anything flying around them.

Oh, a cave!

It was a bit tough to get up there, but I love exploring a cave!

Can you see our trail down below?

Of course there has to be a shrine along the way.

Canyon walls.

We have arrived at the middle of the canyon.

Can you see Ruth?

One of the walls looks like it should be inside a cave!

At the end of the canyon, looking out the other side.

If we had done more planning, we could have continued on down another 2.5 kms to the next village and tried to get a ride back to Pinal de Amoles. But it was already 3:30pm, and we knew that it was at least an hour and a half to climb back out. We didn't want to risk not being able to get a ride.

Lichen on a rock.

Coming back up out of the canyon.

The trail ahead.

Ruth coming up behind.

Almost there. Horses in a field.

It was a pretty tough climb out. We haven't done one like that for a while!

Slept great last night. Today we finally have a clear blue sky! Doing a hike to a waterfall today. really enjoying this area!

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