A Day spent in Alamos

It’s Tuesday morning and another very foggy day. Can’t even see the water. Even the birds are no where in sight.

On Sunday we drove to Alamos to spend the day. Alamos is only 64 miles inland and up the mountains from here in Huatabampito. But… it took us 76 miles and a toll booth to get there. Why? Well we turned right when we should have turned left. Leaving town on a new ring road at the “T” the Driver turned left (heading east as that was the eventual direction we would be going.) I kind of mumbled, “I think we should have turned right.” No reaction from Driver. How wrong could we be? – In a couple of miles we ended up almost where we had started and on the road towards the main highway 15D – no problem once there we just hang a left and we’d be fine. In fact we were on the road that we will eventually take in Jennie when we travel to our next stop.
It is kind of narrow with lots and lots of unmarked topes and goes through lots of farms. We almost had a cowlision! We saw the two black cows in the road

End run behind truck

and the cowboy he herded them off to the side.

Frustrated cowboy

What we didn’t see was one of them run behind the truck coming towards us and right out in front of us. Abrupt stop. Missed cow. Cowboy runs out and takes a swing at the cow who is very unimpressed and slowly makes way across road.
Made it to 15D without further incidents turned towards Alamos and came to a toll booth. No toll booths the other road. Oh Well. We came back that way.
The road to Alamos has been completely redone in the past few years so it is really nice – except when you pass the pig farms and the wind is blowing the wrong way. Phew – takes a few miles to get rid of that perfume. As we climbed further up into the mountains the warmer it got – 87 degrees by midday.

The new big green arch across the road is completed and the old run down one is gone. There are a lot of arches in Mexico.

Brand new Arch and Landscaping

We drove down the road and past one of the plazas and main shopping district in search of the church plaza. 

Lots of small businesses



The businesses are usually no wider than at the most 15 to 20 feet - most smaller. But you can find almost anything you need. The one with the Hielo (ice) machine is a supermarket. There are hardware stores, cell phone stores, electronics, tortillas, meat markets etc.



High sidewalks

 The sidewalks are several steps up from the street as the rainy season brings mighty floods.
You don’t want to make any wrong turns here or you might be stuck going the wrong way on a way too narrow street

The red truck is waiting for us to go through

We missed the turn to the church plaza as a couple of the roads were blocked off – so went the long way around passing these buildings. One is restored the other waiting for a new owner.

Loveingly restored - and not.

This home is beautiful – love the white with the flowers.

And this one really needs help.

Lot of work to do here

Finally with a little help from a friendly policewoman (more and more police are women here) we managed to get where we wanted to go and find a place to park.

The Church Plaza – Church was built in the 1500s. Alamos was one of the original Spanish silver mining towns.

Getting set up Fiesta of Virgin of Guadalupe that evening

Just a couple of views of the church – the bell tower -same picture I take every year.

Bell Tower

And one of the side doors.

All the intricate work that was done many years ago

Imagine setting all those rocks and mixing all that mortor in the 15/1600s.

In the courtyard of the church was this guy with his drums and speakers. When the service was over and everyone was coming out he was drumming to prerecorded music.

The young girls were enjoying the music - the older people not so sure

 Some very old steps leading up to the sidewalk around the plaza.

High sidewalks leading up to some businesses.

There is a hotel with a restaurant on this part of the sidewalk. We ate lunch there while watching the activity in the plaza. I had wonderful quesadilla with fresh made guacmole and Bill had a huge club sandwich. Plus cokes for 160 Pesos. US$13 - both of us were stuffed. I guess I should mention I don't like Mexican food - so mostly I'll be eating quesdillas. Don't care much for shell fish, refried beans, cilantro or spicey stuff. But yes, I do eat well. Really like chicken and fish empaniazado (breaded and fried) and of course the rice and salads.
There was a stage set up in one corner and this is part of the wiring for the lights and speakers

Wires, wires every where

and for the kids rides. One of about six rides. Very colorful. Wires running everywhere!

TeaCup

Ali made me think of you and your husband - imagine being here.

Getting ready for the fiesta - food stands along the curb

There were also a couple of rides that take people around the town. One was a fire engine (didn’t get a picture of it) and the other was this. Cost 10 Pesos for a ride. A different slant on a horse and carriage ride. It was fun watching the kids come up and touch the horses as if they were alive.

We ate in the restaurant right behind it.

After eating and walking around some more we headed back. This is one of the first corners we had to turn into. Sometimes I am amazed we can make it without making a couple of tries to do it. Anything much bigger than Willie would have a hard time.

Very sharp turn

Stopped in the main section of town to check out another farmer’s market – but it was too late in the day most everyone was packing up. We talked to this guy and told him we’d buy some of his oranges when we came back to get in the car. When we came back a few minutes later – he was gone.

1 Peso per Kilo  1 Kilo is appx 4 oranges  1 Peso = appx 8cents US

 On the way back we passed this old church in Minas Nuevoa

We passed the guy selling fruit in the black truck on the road. The Driver honked at him and tried to get him to pull over but he just sped up. Probably though we were nuts.
Then back through the city of Navojoa and the short way home –  12 miles less and no toll booth. No cows.
Just street vendors selling snacks

and the delightful smell of chicken on outside grills.
End of a delightful day.