Dunas de Bilbao & Celebrating Benito Juarez Day!

While we are surrounded by desert here in Torreon the Dunas of Bilbao are more sand than is normal to this area. Today we visited the Dunes with our friends Rodolfo, Coco & their daughter Natalia. Dunas de Bilbao is impressive with fine desert sand, a product of the erosion of the natural elements by the passage of time, you could almost be in the Sahara Desert. It seems endless at first glance but is really only a few kilometers long & there is not much else in the area surrounding the Dunas. For that reason the area has been chosen by different directors to be used in their movies, most notably Dune. There were people using 4 wheel vehicles on the dunes & boards to sled down the dunes. It was very cool to see the dunes but a bit unsettling to read about desert vipers living in the dunes...once we were back home! We saw some large holes in the dunes that we assumed were from small mammels, I'm not so certain now?? And me in my new sandals.....






Near Matamoros we enjoyed visiting an important historical site in Coahuila, La Cueva del Tabaco (the Tobacco Cave). In 1864 Mexican President, Don Benito Juarez, hid the general archives of the nation in this cave from the French Army. Many people sacrificed their lives & freedom so the documents that are still used for the Mexican constitution could remain safe. Today was Benito Juarez Day, so it seemed like a well timed visit to this important historical site. Although, like many historical sites it is visited by many but kept up by few. The inside of the cave was less exciting & seemed like bats had been the most recent guardians of history!



No trip to a small town is complete without a quick tour through one of the local churches. In Matamoros we visited Iglesia de Sra. del Refugio. The church took 80 years to complete (1920-2000)& the sanctuary was decorated with colorful stained glass windows, beautiful marble flooring. Matamoros & other little burgs we drive through on the way to somewhere else have surprising little jewels in store when we need a break on a long drive. I am almost certain we have driven through other little cultural wide spots in the road.

Our Lady of Refuge, Matomoros, Coahuila

Regardless of why we had our holiday today in Mexico, a great day was had by all!! Sun & Sand in Northern Mexico, who knew?