Mexico 2007 - Day 4 - Cerro Potosi & Real de Catorce
After staying in the city of Saltillo the night before we headed south toward the town of Real de Catorce.

Along the way we made a sidetrip to Cerro Potosi, the tallest mountain in North-East Mexico (12,181 ft).

As we climbed into the mountains the desert turned to forest.
Passing through the town of Galeana on the way to Cerro Potosi.
The base of Cerro Potosi.

The peak, which can be covered in snow during the winter, was obscured by clouds.

Unfortunately for us, the road up to the mountain was a 4-wheel drive track, something we couldn't tackle with our Volkswagon rental car.


After lunch in Galeana we headed towards Real de Catorce.

The town is off the beaten track and we had to take this cobblestone road up to it.

The final mile or two into the town itself requires a drive through the mountain via the Oggario Tunnel.
Real de Catorce is a former spanish colonial town that became one of the wealthiest cities in the world through silver mining in the 1600's.

Located high in the mountains at 9000 ft elevation, Real de Catorce is much cooler than the surrounding desert.

When the spanish arrived the surrounding hills were covered with forests. The mining operations took their toll and now the hills surrounding the town are bare.

By the early 1900's Real de Catorce was nearly a ghost town, with just a few hundred inhabitants.

Recently, the town has been rediscovered by Gringo's and well to do Mexicans and has come alive again over the last few years.


Walking through the streets here is like travelling back in time.
The town is built on the side of the mountain, so the streets can be very steep and can put you out of breath if you're not used to the altitude.

Kerry and I were wandering through these streets one day and came across Pascal doing a fast jog through the town - something I wouldn't recommend doing.

Evidently, he had caught a mild form of Montezuma's Revenge and was hightailing it back to the hotel bathroom.
We woke up early the first morning in town and started heading up towards Pueblo Fantasmo, a real ghost town.
An old mineshaft in the ghost town.
Pueblo Fantasmo.
Day 5 - Pueblo Fantasmo
Real de Catorce from above
The view back down to Real de Catorce, sitting above the clouds.
Our hotel lobby.
In the afternoon Kerry and I walked over to the other side of town, while Gabriel and Pascal took pictures of the locals.
Along the trail we saw a mineshaft and decided to explore it. As I recall we only had Kerry's small LED flashlight, which didn't give off much light so we couldnt see very well.

After about 10 yards in the cave Kerry said, "Something just flew by my head"

There was a really bad smell and after some time we reached the end of the shaft where there lay a dead donkey covered in flys.

To say the least, we didn't linger.
Gabriel caught Kerry and Pascal zonked out while I drove.

Pascal, Kerry and Gabriel heading down.