From The California Native Newsletter:
From the archives of The California Native Newsletter, we’ve reprinted
some of our most popular articles dealing with Mexico’s
Copper Canyon, the Yucatan & Chiapas areas, Costa
Rica, Peru, The Galapagos, Venezuela, Bhutan, Ireland, Southeast
Asia, Patagonia and other
- Caring and Sharing in Copper Canyon
For decades The California Native has been working with the Tarahumara community.
- Copper Canyon's Lost Treasures
Buried treasures of silver and gold are more than just tall tales
in Mexico's Copper Canyon.
- The Lady of Guadalupe
Throughout Mexico, in churches, roadside shrines, restaurants, and
automobile decals, the Virgin of Guadalupe is a sacred icon for both
Catholic faith and nationalism.
- Copper Canyon Trips Featured in
National Geographic Book
A new book, published by National Geographic, features The California
Native’s tours through Mexico’s Copper Canyon.
- Copper Canyon's Jesuit Legacy
Jesuit missionaries first encountered the Tarahumara in the early
17th century, and the results of their relationship can
be witnessed to this day.
- A Place Above the Clouds
The Norítari Lodge greets visitors to Copper Canyon with
authentic Mexican décor, fine dining and inimitable charm.
- Copper Canyon's Custom Cobbler
In the village of Batopilas, an old-world craftsman creates some
unique footwear—the huaraches of the Tarahumara Indians.
- Twenty-five years in Copper Canyon
Four times the size of the Grand Canyon and almost 300 feet deeper,
Mexico's Copper Canyon has been a favorite destination of the California
Native for over 25 years.
- Surviving and Thriving in Copper Canyon
Anthropologist Carl Lumholtz predicted that Mexico’s Tarahumara
Indians would disappear within a century. One hundred years later they
continue to be the largest indigenous group in northern Mexico.
- The Spirit of Christmas
A snow storm in the canyons forces a California Native group to
spend a wonderful Christmas with Tarahumara children at the Paraiso
Del Oso Lodge.
- ¡Ay Chihuahua!
From the home of Pancho Villa to the murals in the Government Palace,
Chihuahua City, capital of Mexico’s largest state, has much to
offer the Copper Canyon visitor.
- Topolobampo or Bust
Albert Kimsey Owen founded a utopian community at Mexico’s
Topolobambo Bay, gateway to Copper Canyon, and created the spectacular
Copper Canyon Railroad.
- El Fuerte—The Fort
Now the gateway to Copper Canyon, the 16th-century town of El Fuerte
was named for the 17th-century fort built to defend the town against
attacks by the neighboring Indian tribes.
- A visit with Mrs. Pancho Villa
California Native guide Don Fuchik interviews Luz Corral de Villa,
widow of Pancho Villa, at her home in Chihuahua, Mexico.
- The Lodge at the Edge of Nowhere
Looking like a lost flying saucer, the luxurious Tejaban Lodge perches
on the edge of a cliff, thousands of feet above the Urique River, in
an almost inaccessible corner of Copper Canyon.
- Welcome to The Bear’s Paradise
Located in a valley surrounded by rock formations, one of which
resembles Yogi Bear, nearby the remote village of Cerocahui, the wonderfully
hospitable Paraiso del Oso Lodge is the creation of Ohio-born rancher
- The Silver King of Batopilas
Alexander Robey “Boss” Shepherd, the last territorial
governor of Washington D.C., developed the remote village of Batopilas
into one of the richest silver mining towns in the world.
- Batopilas—The Town Where Time Stands Still
Located at the bottom of Copper Canyon, Batopilas is a sleepy little
village, but it was once one of the richest silver mining areas in
- Working on the Railroad
The Chihuahua al Pacifico “Copper Canyon” railroad was
first conceived by two nineteenth-century American visionaries, Albert
Kinsey Owen and Arthur Edward Stilwell.
The Chihuahua al Pacifico Railroad runs 406 miles from Los Mochis
to the City of Chihuahua, passing through 86 tunnels and crossing 37
bridges on one of the most spectacular train rides in the Western Hemisphere.
- The Little Village of Cerocahui
Nestled in a picturesque valley surrounded by Mexico’s magnificent
Sierra Madre Mountains lies Cerocahui, the most beautiful of all the
mountain villages of southwestern Chihuahua State.
- The Clinic of Santa Teresita
Deep in the heart of Mexico’s Sierra Madres, in the town of
Creel, the clinic of Santa Teresita has saved the lives of thousands
of Tarahumara Indian children because of the dreams and dedication
of one man, Father Luis Verplancken.
- The Way to Santa Fe
The Santa Fe Trail was part of a much longer route, the Camino Real,
which ran from Santa Fe, New Mexico, to the cities of Chihuahua and
- What is Cinco de Mayo?
While most Americans think Cinco de Mayo celebrates Mexican Independence
Day, it actually celebrates Mexico’s 1862 victory over French
troops at the Battle of Puebla.
- Copper Canyon Crafts
A wide variety of folk art can be found in Mexico’s Copper
Canyon, including baskets, belts, dolls, pottery and musical instruments.
- Easter In Copper Canyon
In 1602, the Jesuits brought Catholicism to the Tarahumara Indians,
who then mixed it with their own traditional beliefs to come up with
a totally unique religion.
- The Father of Mexico
Father Miguel Hidalgo was a 57-year-old priest when, in 1810, he
set off the Mexican War of Independence with his speech “The
Cry of Dolores.”
- The Mennonites of Chihuahua
In 1922, 20,000 Mennonites came to Mexico from Canada to settle
on 247,000 acres of land near Mexico’s Copper Canyon.
- Who Are the Tarahumara?
They call themselves the Rarámuri, the Runners, and they
inhabit the rugged and remote area of mountains and canyons in Mexico
known as Copper Canyon. Among the peoples of North America, they are
considered to be the most primitive and the least touched by modern
- Star Gazing in Copper Canyon
Far from the lights of cities, the night sky above Mexico’s
Copper Canyon is clear and dark, affording wonderful opportunities
for viewing the heavens’ most spectacular exhibitions.
- Who Was Pancho Villa?
Pancho Villa, so the saying goes, was “hated by thousands
and loved by millions.” He was a Robin Hood to many and a cruel,
cold-blooded killer to others.
- The Best Violin Maker in Copper Canyon
His name is Patracinio. He is a Tarahumara Indian with a pretty
wife, three kids, three burros, 30 to 40 goats and the reputation of
being the best violin maker in Mexico’s Copper Canyon.
- Copper Canyon is for the Birds
Mexico’s Copper Canyon has some of the most varied habitats
in North America, giving birding enthusiasts a chance to view more
than 270 species, many of which cannot be found in the United States.
- Henry Creel Builds an Empire
Henry Creel was one of the most influential figures in Mexico’s
history. A businessman, politician and opportunist, his legacy includes
the Chihuahua al Pacifico Railroad and the mountain town that bears
- Conquest of Campeche
Born from warfare and piracy, Campeche's history is rich with tales of Mayans, pirates and riches. Oh my!
- Tell Them to “Go to Xibalba”
It is the darkest place in Mayan lore, the underworld, the Place
of Fear. It is ruled by the spirits of disease and death. And archaeologists
believe that it actually existed in a series of underground chambers
- Take Me Out the Ballgame
The Meso-American Ballgame, played by the Mayan and Olmec Civilizations,
is considered to be the oldest team sport. The stakes were high for
the players, as winning was literally a matter of life or death.
- Rapid Transit: Costa Rica Style
Costa Rica is home to a variety of whitewater rivers. From mild
to wild, Costa Rica has options for beginner and advanced paddlers.
- Just Because They're Macaws
Macaws, the largest members of the parrot family found in Latin
American rainforests, can live for up to 100 years. From their unique
appearence to their ability to eat with their feet, macaws truly are
- The Saga of William Walker
William Walker, a nineteenth-century doctor, lawyer, writer and
filibuster, went on a crusade of conquest, invading Mexico, Nicaragua,
Honduras and Costa Rica.
- Lizards That Walk on Water
Basilisks, also known as “Jesus Christ Lizards,” are
abundant in Costa Rica.
- Costa Rica’s Mountains of Fire
A visit to an active volcano is always a highlight on our Costa
- The “Place of Turtles”
Surrounded by rain forest on one side and Caribbean beach on the
other, Costa Rica’s Tortuguero National Park is the main nesting
area for Green Turtles in the Caribbean.
- In the Clouds at Monteverde
First settled in the 1950’s by a group of Quakers from Alabama
and located high up in the mountains on Costa Rica’s continental
divide, Monteverde is best known for its world famous cloud forests.
- Costa Rica’s Mysterious Spheres
Archaeologists puzzle over the mystery of Costa Rica’s strange
spheres, ancient stone balls which vary in size from that of an orange
to enormous spheres measuring more than six feet in diameter and weighing
- Going Bananas in Costa Rica
In 1516, Friar Tomas de Berlanga planted the first bananas in the
Caribbean. Today, almost five hundred years later, Costa Rica produces
bananas, bananas and more bananas.
- Monkeying Around In Costa Rica
Costa Rica is a great place for “monkey watching.” On
our California Native trips we watch howler monkeys, spider monkeys,
squirrel monkeys and capuchin monkeys, while they in turn watch us.
- “Easy Does It” For the 2-Toed Sloth
Hanging upside-down from the branches of trees in Costa Rica’s
lush rain forests sleep the two-toed sloths. The Spanish word for sloth
is “perezoso,” meaning “lazy,” and the sloths,
who sleep around eighteen hours a day, live up to their reputation.
- Wan’na Buy an Oxcart?
Located in the Central Mountain Range, not far from Costa Rica’s
capital city of San Jóse, the town of Sarchí is the center
of Costa Rica’s painted oxcart industry.
- Coffee—A Costa Rican Love Story
The coffee plant is inextricably woven into the history and culture
of Costa Rica. The country's “coffee democracy” produces
some of the finest berries on the market, something to ponder over
your next cup of "josé."
- What’s a Tico?
What in the world is a Tico? It’s not one of those little
biting pests that you find in tropical places but the name commonly
used to refer to the native inhabitants of Costa Rica.
- Bird Watcher’s Paradise
Costa Rica is probably the best place on earth for birdwatching.
There are more types of birds in Costa Rica than in all of North America.
- Butterflies Brighten the Day
One of the best places to watch butterflies is Costa Rica, which
boasts over 1000 butterfly species, more than the entire continent
- The Most Beautiful Bird in the World
With it’s shimmering emerald green body, red belly and blue
back, the splended Quetzal is considered by many to be the most beautiful
bird in the world.
- Orchids—The Manly Flowers
Orchids are the largest family of flowering plants in the world.
More than 1,200 species flourish in the rain forests of Costa Rica,
which has made this diverse and beautiful plant its national flower.
- Marenco: A Jungle Retreat
The Marenco Biological Reserve is an exotic, remote starting point
for exploring the diverse flora and fauna of Costa Rica.
- Creating Costa Rica
The history of the peaceful country of Costa Rica shows that building
a successful nation in Central America is no easy task.
- From the People Who Brought You the Potato
The Inca Empire covered as much territory as the Roman Empire and
introduced many items which we take for granted today, including the
- Guarding the Sacred Valley
The fortress of Ollantaytambo protected the heart of the Incan empire
until it was finally defeated by the Spanish after two bloody battles.
- Hiking the Inca Trail
One of the most beautiful trails in the world, the Inca Trail follows
the route of the ancient Incas over high Andean passes to the “lost
city” of Machu Picchu.
- Francisco Pizarro, A Head of His Time
The mummy believed to be that of Francisco Pizarro, displayed prominently
in Lima Peru for almost a century, is now out of a job.
- Mystery of the Nazca Lines
Created thousands of years ago, giant mysterious drawings cover
Peru’s Nazca Plain.
- The Legacy of Chan Chan
The capital of the Chimus, Chan Chan dominated over 600 miles of
Peru’s Pacific coastline before the Inca empire. The Chimu civilization
lasted for almost 500 years.
- Pisco ¡Salud!
The “war” goes on between Peru and Chile over which
country can rightfully claim pisco as its national drink.
- Chuggin’ Chicha
Brewed since the time of the Incan Empire, chicha remains a favorite
drink in the rural areas of Peru.
- Things Go Better With Coca
The Incas of the Peruvian Andes have known for centuries that the
coca plant is good for what ails ya.
- The Missing Soldiers of Albermarle Island
“The day was overpoweringly hot, and the lake looked clear
and blue; I hurried down the cindery slope, and choked with dust, eagerly
tasted the water but, to my sorrow, I found it salt as brine.” So
wrote Charles Darwin in The Voyage of the Beagle. Sixty-five years
later, in 1904, eleven soldiers disappeared in the unforgiving landscape
of Albermarle (Isabella) Island, the largest island in the Galapagos
- Ghosts of the Galapagos
In 1932, the mysterious Baroness Eloisa von Wagner Bosquet disembarked
on the Island of Floreana and declared herself “Empress of the
- Islands of the Giant Tortoises
It is believed that the tortoises, who can float on the sea for
several days, came to Galapagos from the South American mainland.
- The Plight of the Flightless Cormorant
The largest of the cormorant species and the only ones who can’t
fly, these fascinating birds are found only on the Galapagos islands
of Isabela and Fernandina.
- Darwin Visits the Galapagos
When Charles Darwin visited the Galapagos Islands in 1835, the unique
species of each island led him to develop his Theory of Evolution.
- Journey to The Lost World
The setting for Sir Arthur Conan Doyle's “The Lost World,” Roraima
is the highest of Venezuela’s mysterious tepuys—ancient
table-top mesas, atop which are unique plants and animals, strange
rock formations and valleys of crystals.
- Landing on a Dime—The Quest of Jimmy
Jimmy Angel’s meeting with an old prospector in a Panamanian
bar in 1921 led to a amazing hunt for a mountain of gold and the discovery
of the world’s highest waterfall.
One of the largest parks in the world, Venezuela’s Canaima
National Park, with its tropical jungle, rivers and savannah, is one
of the most beautiful places in Venezuela.
- The Bowmen From Bhutan
Dancing about and shouting sexual insults at the opposing team,
Bhutanese sports fans enjoy their favorite pastime, which is, of all
- Land of the Thunder Dragon
Nestled in the Himalayas between China and India, the little kingdom
of Bhutan makes it a national priority to maintain its traditional
- The Divine Madman
In the far-off Himalayas, Lama Drukpa Kunley had a most unusual
way of teaching.
- We’ve Yet to Meet a Yeti
The yeti, “Abominable Snowman,” or mirgu, as
it’s called in Bhutan, has been a legend throughout the Himalayas
- Flying the Dragon
Diving down from the sky into the valleys of the Himalayan Kingdom
of Bhutan, Druk Air offers one of the world’s most spectacular
- Lore of the Leprechaun
Dating back to the lore of the ancient Celts, stories of leprechauns
continue to enchant us and tempt us to follow rainbows in search of
these little people’s hidden pots of gold.
- Patrick and the Pirates
Around the year 400, a group of Irish pirates raided a Roman colony
in Scotland, kidnapped a 14-year-old boy and made him a slave. He survived,
escaped and became the patron saint of Ireland.
- There's More to China Than Beijing
China hosted the 2008 Olympics and the city of Beijing gained a
great deal of exposure, but this vast country is also home to much
- The "Ancient Musicians"
The venerable musicians of the Naxi Orchestra perform for a standing-room-only
crowd. Led by Xuan Ke, these musicians went to great lengths to protect
their instruments and musical traditions from the Red Army.
- When They Began in Bagan
One of the two most preeminent ancient sites in Southeast Asia,
along with Angkor Wat in Cambodia, Myanmar’s Bagan is a fantastic
sight. More than 2000 pagodas and temples, built almost 1000 years
ago, spread out over forty square miles plains.
- What’s in a Name?
Since the government of Myanmar changed the country’s name
from Burma to Myanmar in 1989, there has been much debate as to which
name is correct.
- Monkey Business
Educated monkeys pick coconuts for farmers in Thailand’s forests.
- The Bridge on the River Kwai
More than 16,000 Allied POW's and 75,000 Asian laborers died constructing
the "Death Railway," made famous by the 1957 film.
- The Leg Rowers of Inle Lake
The fishermen of the Intha tribe propel themselves across the surface
of Inle Lake, Myanmar, using an ancient and curious technique.
- The White Elephant
A symbol of wealth and prosperity, the sacred white elephant, now
virtually nonexistent, holds a special place in Southeast Asian lore.
- Doing What Comes ‘Nat’-urally
High atop Mt. Popa in Myanmar is a shrine dedicated to Nats, the
spirits of the earth, wind, rain and sky. Personified in statues, they
reward those who please them and cause trouble for those who don’t.
- On the Road to Mandalay
The road to Mandalay beckons travelers with a journey into the spiritual
and cultural heart of Myanmar.
- Cruising the Mekong
A cruise on the German-Laotian riverboat Mekong Sun is the
perfect way to explore life along the mighy Mekong river in Laos.
- The Train at the End of the World
The Ferrocarril Austral Fueguino in Ushuaia, Argentina, takes travelers
back in time to the days of Argentina's first penal colony.
- Keeping Up With the Times
The California Native now has more ways for you to stay on top of
the latest in travel news.
- Traveling Smart and Easy
Don't let traveling take you to a town somewhere between frustrated
and fed up. These tips will help even the most novice navigator look
like a seasoned pro.
- Our 20th Anniversary
Back in 1983, after climbing Ayer’s Rock in the Australian
outback, Lee Klein founded The California Native to offer high quality
trips at reasonable prices to thousands of people.
- Having a Whale of a Time in Baja!
On our Whale Watching trips along Baja California’s Pacific
coast, we can sometimes get close enough to touch the California Gray
Whales as they make their annual migration from the arctic to these
- Gearing Up for Travel
New “high-tech” materials and gadgets make traveling
- What is Ecotourism?
John Muir practiced ecotourism, Theodore Roosevelt practiced ecotourism
and today many travelers are also practicing ecotourism. But what the
heck is ecotourism?
- Lori’s Tips For Trips: Proper Packing
For many people the most difficult part of going on a trip is packing.
California Native guide Lori Klein compiled this list of hints to make
packing less painful.
- Lori’s Tips For Trips: Traveling in Latin
Since many of California Native’s most popular destinations
are in Latin America, guide Lori Klein has put together a list of techniques
that can make your travels south of the border easier and more fun.
- The California Native Announces Merger
In true California Native fashion, owner Lee Klein and Ellen Gordon
tie the knot high atop a Los Angeles mountain.
- The California Native Home Page