From El Norte to Real de Catorce (and back)

For all of my adult life, when choosing a vacation destination, I have been drawn to places that are 'off the radar' of most travelers. My recent trip to explore Taxco in the state of Guerrero, Mexico, was a good example. When I've told friends who asked where I'd been, most of them had never heard of that city, and without exception, the next question I was asked was "Were you not scared to travel in Mexico?" My usual reply has been "There are parts of San Antonio that would make me far more nervous, particularly after dark".
Fifteen years ago, if anyone had said to me "In 2013 you will have been living in San Antonio Texas for a decade, and developed a fascination with Mexico, it's people, history, and it's culture.", I would have questioned their sanity. However, life sometimes takes unexpected pathways, and that has been exactly what transpired. My life as a sailor visiting exotic ports around the world has morphed into something quite different and wholly unexpected. On my return to San Antonio, I began searching for my next destination in Mexico. The small mining town of Real de Catorce caught my eye. It sits at 9000 feet above sea level on the side of a mountain.