Most visitors to the Central North region of Mexico drive right through on the way to other destination. The region includes most of the state of Chihuahua, all of the state of Durango, and a tiny part of the state of Coahuila.. There is a lot in the region to make it worth a stop on a journey. The northern desert landscapes and the Sierra Madre Occidental mountains blend into a relatively temperant environment that begins just outside of the city of Durango, the capital of the state..
The area includes the ruins of the settlements of northern Mexico´s indigenous people. Each town has its point of pride: Parral with Pancho Villa, Chihuahua and its railroads, Nuevo Casas Grandes boast of its pottery, and Durango natives, of course, are scorpion-mad.
North Central Mexico is not a big tourist draw, thankfully. This sleepy region hums with Cowboys, business people, and just regular folks going about their business quietly. From my short visit so far, I have found that this makes for great interactions with warm, hospitable people.
Plenty of the Mexican Revolution was fought in the North. Pancho Villa´s División del Norte consisted of thousands of followers. Villa conquered Juerez a couple times, once even toppling the dictator Porfirio Díaz. Although considered a revolutionary, and held even above heroe status in this region, Villa spent much of his life as a murderer, thief, and womanizer. He was also a leader of one of only a few forces that every invaded the United States. Ironically, Pancho hated the drink. That left more Tequila for his beloved countrymen.
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