Our caravan left Nogales, Arizona the morning of February 17th. Our first stopover was the historic harbor of Guaymas, Son., Mexico about 300 miles south of the border. The city was founded in 1769 by Jesuit missioners. Guaymas provided us with a blend of old (traditional Spanish influence) and new (a bustling deep-sea port) and gave us an opportunity to shop for gems, handicrafts and trinkets made by the locals.
As Jimmy Buffet says..."Oh Mexico!...Sounds so simple, I just gotta go!"
We visited the pearl factory and gift shop located in the Bahia de Bacochiampo Bay where pearl oysters are cultivated and harvested right in the bay. (It generally takes four years to develop one pearl.) Bacochiampo Bay is the only place in the world where the native Sea of Cortez oyster pearls produce unusual black, blue, green, purple and rainbow pearls.
We enjoyed Carnival at Guaymas which is considered the oldest carnival in Mexico. It was imported from Italy in 1888. Thousands enjoyed
a week of parades and festivities culminating with the big parade on Fat Tuesday.
The caravan traveled further south to Las Alamos. At this point we were required to obtain a visa because we were beyond the designated
free zone of Sonora. In the 17th century Las Alamos was a flourishing city who's major resource was silver. After the silver mines
were ravished the town turned to
ruin. Around 1940 an American began to re-store mansions and opened a beautiful hotel
on the plaza. As more mansions were restored
Las Alamos soon regained its original beauty. (We visited a villa formerly owned by Carroll O'Connor)
