Dear Journey North children,
It has only been a few days since the miners of Chile were rescued. Because Angangueo was a mining town for many years, we are all very impressed with what happened in Chile.

We went with Jaime and Yahir (ages 7 and 8) to visit their grandfather, Mr. Berrios, who is a retired mining engineer. Besides being a highly respected and esteemed person in Angangueo, Mr. Berrios had a brilliant 45-year career in mining. While sitting at the sunny terrace of their house, Yahir asked him:

Yahir: "Grandpa, what did you say was a big similarity between the mine in Chile were workers were just rescued and the mine in Angangueo?"

Grandfather: "They are both copper and silver mines."

Jaime: "Could a similar accident to that in Chile could have happened to the miners under your charge in that time?"

Grandfather: "Indeed, and we were under much more risk because our mine was different from that in Chile. Our mine was in extremely wet conditions so there was a high risk of subterranean land-slides at all times."

Yahir: "Would there have been similar technology to rescue them then or even now in case it happened"?

Grandfather: "It would have been extremely expensive. There was a mortal accident here in 1953 in which 53 miners died. The disaster was 1,300 meters underground and was caused by an electrical fire. The only way to rescue the miners then would have been to take the necessary equipment up to the peak of the mountains, and that would have been extremely expensive."

Jaime: "Did miners work with the necessary safety conditions to prevent accidents?"

Grandfather: "All the necessary ones. The 1953 disaster was the only terrible mining accident we can remember in Angangueo. The miners worked safely until the late 1980´s. One of the main purposes of Angangueo's mining company was to give a job to every family in town who needed one."

Last Jaime and Yahir showed us a hand-painted mural in downtown Angangueo. The mural illustrates the fatal mining accident of 1953 that covered our town in deep grief.

No Monarchs Yet!
To our disappointment, Monarchs have still not arrived home in Angangueo!!! Are they hiding somewhere nearby and rejoicing at our desperation to see them? On Sunday for the first time, the heroic tube-car belonging to the Romero family, took us all up to El Cerrito! It was buried for days in the mud at home after last February's floods. However, not even our big sound and presence of our fearful, attractive car seemed to attract them. Ufff, what a high-nosed butterfly we have!!!

On the way back on Sunday, we came across some children to whom we asked about any Monarch seen in the area. "No," they firmly answered. We also saw children buying some ice cream along the road.

Until next week,
Maria Estela Romero, friends, and family

We went with Jaime and Yahir to visit their grandfather, Mr. Berrios, who is a retired mining engineer.

The mural illustrates the fatal mining accident of 1953 that covered our town in deep grief.

Laura Emilia shows you one of the still-open entrances to the mine in Angangueo.

No Monarchs Yet!

To our disappointment, monarchs have still not arrived home in Angangueo!

On Sunday for the first time, the hero tube-car belonging to the Romero family, took us all up to El Cerrito!

We also saw children buying some ice cream along the road.