SteemitPhotoChallenge - Real De Catorce, Mexico

I visited Real De Catorce last year, and had a great time haunting around shooting photos.

Real De Catorce is a beautifully surreal little village on a mountain in Mexico. The only way into the town is through a 2 km one-way tunnel.

It was formerly a silver mining settlement. The church, dedicated to St. Francis, began construction in 1775.

The folklore of the town is replete with legends of miraculous events attributed to St. Francis.

Wonky old gravestones are clustered around the entrance.
Above the mountain behind the church, UFO activity is known to be a regular occurrence.

Services are still held in the church, which is adorned with beautiful (and also kind of creepy) artwork. 

Behind the church, there is a narrow passageway where locals would entrust the local priest to store their valuables when they traveled.
Apparently that didn't go well. But the hallway is striking. 

Real De Catorce is also an ancient pilgrimage site for Huichol who gather Peyote, or Hikuri - which grows in abundance there.

Below, in the valley there is a picturesque old aqueduct, which is still in use (and it's fun/scary to climb on).

Gorgeous views in every direction. Even the old slag heaps told a story and were kind of cool.
Mostly it was very quiet, except for the wind. 

Hope you enjoyed it! Real is definitely worth a visit.