We spent February 2, 2016, through February 7, 2016, sightseeing in Durango (in the state of Durango, Mexico) while there was a break in the Great Mazatlan Stern-pulpit Refit action. Mr. Pickup Truck handled the new (well, just 3 years old) Durango-Mazatlan highway 40D just fine.
Climbing up this highway from the coastal lowlands over the backbone of the Sierra Madre mountain range is spectacular. We traveled through a number of tunnels and across high suspension bridges over narrow, deep gorges. The view is so scenic that many locals stop their cars in the highway lanes in the middle of the highest bridge, Puente Baluarte, and climb out to take pictures. [Photo on left, courtesy of The Tequila Files.]
However, in January 2018 one of the freeway's other suspension bridges - the El Carrizo - was so badly damaged it had to be closed (tanker truck full of diesel fuel overturned, caught fire, burned for 5 hours, melted bridge). We hear that as of today (June 26, 2018) the bridge may still be under repair; people can still use the freeway but the detour around the bridge repairs may be a gnarly one. Protip: find out the status of the bridge repairs or any other road hazards before you head to Durango from Mazatlan any time soon.
We rolled in to the historic downtown of Durango, checked into Hostal de la Monja, and proceeded to enjoy being a couple of spoiled tourists out of steamy Mazatlan, now in the higher, cooler elevations. Saw the downtown sights. Dined well, in every place we tried. Good cheeses, and beef dishes are two of Durango's signature offerings, as is "ate" (a firm paste made from any one of a variety of fruits - guava or quince seem to be the most common ones we saw). We spent as much time in one of Durango's fancy food markets as we did in the museums and churches. Bottom line: just like in all the rest of Mexico, no tourist goes hungry.
One final must-see destination in Durango is the Museo Francisco Villa, dedicated to the history of the state of Durango and to the life and times of the man Americans know as Pancho Villa. This museum is very well-curated, its docents are well-informed, and its interpretation of Villa's life presents an interesting and very refreshing contrast to those of the museums north of the border. One might even say, there is so much we Americans are not told.
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