Watch the video on Youtube: Mexico 1989: The journey begins. Mexicali to Mexico City.

After three days and 1,600 miles on the Ferrocarriles Nationales De Mexico, we boarded a second train for the 250 westward leg to Uruapan in the state of Michiocan. Leaving the train station in Mexico City, we encountered about a dozen taxi drivers rushing forward to offer a ride in their ready-taxis. We stayed in the Zona Rosa district and headed back to the train station the next morning. This time we afforded a sleeping cabin that offered a lot of jostling and a few winks sleep. In the morning, we entered Uruapan.

According to my chronological order of photographs our initial sightseeing adventure was to the Parque National Uruapan where I had a postcard of young men diving into the water. In Uruapan we took taxis. This part of Mexico is popular with tourist, not international tourists, but Mexican tourists. The park was busy. We wondered down crowded and lush paths to the water. On the way we watched a family sitting on a ledge at the foot of a man-made fountain. The smiles on their faces told us that they were sitting where the water is rushing by; they were getting soaked sitting there for this picture.

At the river we witnessed the young men dive into the water, roughly 25 to 40 feet if memory serves me. The area is heavily vegitated with tropical plants. Crowds witnessed from all around, watching the boy’s dangerous dive into the chasm. We learned that they would dive if you through in a coin. I tossed a coin and snapped a shot.

It’s interesting that as we were walking a familiar face appeared. A couple we had traveled with from Mexicali to Mexico City were there. They recognized us and we briefly greeted. How amazing that strangers traveling through a vast country would meet up again 250 miles from where they parted. It’s like traveling to California and meeting the same people in Yosemite.