Sunday, December 26, 2010

New Blog

We got back together, hopefully will live happily ever after, and have a new blog:

http://melcarllivinginmexico.blogspot.com/

Cheers!!

Sunday, April 11, 2010

4 Amigos travel to Alamos

Wayne and Jennifer Hudson came down here on March 29th. We had a wonderful time! The first few days we showed them around and Jen spent a significant amount of time in the hammock. We had some great meals both at home and out at restaurants. Both of them are wonderful cooks, and we miss the meals we used to have at their place in Calgary. Ottawa doesn't know how lucky it is!

Sunday April 4th we drove down to Alamos. It's an old colonial silver mining town. We didn't know how far it would be, but I had estimated 10 hours. It was 800 km, and we drove it in 9 hours. The last three or four hours were in 38 degree heat, and our AC ran out of juice. Warm!

Needless to say we were happy to arrive, and the B&B Jen had arranged was beautiful! We were informed by the owner Teri that we were their last guests. After 20 years, they were shutting it down. So we had the place all to ourselves, what a treat!

Breakfasts were:
1/2 cinnamon bun, poached pear
An interesting concoction of corn, eggs, cheese, and other ingredients in a green sauce. Pretty. not our favorite.

scones and figs with crema
An avocado and cheese omelet with home fries and homemade bread, toasted. Heavenly.

scones and fresh cantaloupe with crema
An asparagus fritatta with a potato patty and toasted homemade bread. Also very very good.

We ate around town, imbibed many beers and a few margaritas, and generally had a wonderful time. Meanwhile, back home, they had an earthquake. The stories are many, but there was little to no damage in Puerto PeƱasco. Here are the pictures:

The place was full, and I mean FULL, of chotchkies. This was the coolest pot.


The grounds were beautiful, it's much more lush down there.



We went to a few curio and craft shops.
Hey, MOE!

C'mon, that really looks like Moe from the 3 Stooges.

We were thinking of buying this one for the guest room. Carol, any thoughts?


We drove up an atrocious road to Aduana, only to find out that the guide book was old, and there was a perfect paved road there. It was where the actual silver mining took place, and now there's a little square where they have a couple of arts and crafts stores and a restaurant.


Houses where the residents..well, reside.



on the other side of Aduana (I made a little joke- let's drive up that road again..."I DUANNA!"

I think this is maybe where the mining supervisor lived. Nicest place in the village by far.


This amazing tree grew its roots down the wall.


Smokestack.



The view


Hudson was on edge.


The mine itself. The entrance is blocked off but still creeped me out.


That tree again!


Back at the B&B. This little gato was in our room.


I'm telling you, chotchkie heaven!



There was also a lot of very eclectic art.


Rooster lamp- we wanted it.





The milk pitcher on our breakfast table. Cute!


Not so cute, in the living area.


There were twin grey cats living there. This is only one of them.


Into the old town. We walked for quite a while and took a tour with "Candy Joe".


Nice door!


Candy Joe his own self.


Honeysuckle

Coming down from the jail.


Snooping


more old town



The printing shop from the 1600's, still in use.







Candy Joe said that all the buildings here were pretty much in this kind of repair, when people bought them they spent a ton of dough bringing them back to their former splendor.


Closed museum.


Church tower. The tower is inset with Limoge plates. The story as I understand it is, on the last night (of what? I don't know), the owners (of what? I don't know) fed the workers on these Limoge plates, then the next morning the workers set them into the tower. When the revolution came, a lot of the plates got shot down.


Joe took us into a residence, these are shots of that wonderful place.

courtyard



Shelves are carved into the walls, which are very thick adobe. It really does keep the heat down!


Kitchen


More nice doors


garden


Hmm.. Carl seems more interested in the books than the tour...


About to enter. I guess these are out of order.


Joe showed us all the good places to take shots of that church tower.

Just a street.


There's a river here in the rainy season.


A cute guy on the bridge





City Hall door. Inside is an old stage, circa 1670, with a stone floor with a natural rake. Cool!


More city hall



Cool chimneys or what?


Coming down into town. It took us a few hours to get our bearings, so we came down the hard way.



At the top of the hill, the jail, used until 2002. (!!)








Back at the B&B, more art. I like this gal, she presided over our breakfasts.


So did he!



Down the hill from us.



I really wanted this piece. I want something bright for our place.


Chotckies.


Out back in the garden.









Just lounging by the pool.


in a corner of our room.



Look how thick the walls are!




Our bed.

Back home, Jen grabs some more hammock time.


Thanks, Wayne and Jen, that was a wonderful vacation!!