To the Sierra Madre Mountains !
Travelling to Pachuca then on to Real Del Monte very high up – at 10,000 feet reputed to be the highest town in Mexico. Its less than 2 hours by bus from Mexico City, but a different world. Real Del Monte has an alpine feel – surrounded by forest and high peaks and houses with sloping roofs (unusual for Mexico and a legacy of the Cornish.) I’m delighted to see lots of corrugated iron-one of my favourite materials-everywhere, and used in sections, almost like tiling.The topography is really interesting – buildings perched on the edge of precipitous drops, a very raw, very rich and visual place with brightly coloured houses everywhere. I’ve spotted several mines sticking out of the landscape.
Today I have been all day with the Redruth Delegation at the opening ceremonies of the Paste (Pasty) Festival, a huge cultural and culinary event with lots of speeches -a very solemn and dignified event. I presented prints I have made as gifts to the Mexican partners, based on the work I’ve created working with Cornish mining sites.
