ALAMOS--UN PUEBLO MAGICO!

 
In late February 2015, at the end of our 2015 Escapees Chapter 8 Mexican Connection Rally in Bahía de Kino, we and two other Rally couples drove about 275 miles southeast to the northernmost Spanish Colonial city of Mexico—Alamos, Sonora.  Lin first came here in the 1960s when his parents used to visit for a week or two in winter.  He's still hooked on Alamos and has shared that magnetic attraction with Maryke with 4-5 visits over our 38 years of marriage.

The attraction of Alamos is easy to understand—the town is exceedingly beautiful!!  Then there are the friendly easy going people of Alamos and their pride in their town, the incredible history back to the 16^th Century when the first Spanish expeditions of discovery passed through and eventually discovered the vast richness of silver in the hills, the wonderful architecture of the old mansions, the expats who have lovingly restored these beautiful old ruins, the beauty of the surrounding mountains, the glorious pink flowers of the amapa tree, all the colors of the rainbow in bougainvillea seen everywhere in town, the classic Plaza de Armas and its beautiful church.   And if that's not enough, consider the high status of Alamos as a Sonora Colonial Monument, a Mexican National Monument and its prestigious designation in 2005 as a Pueblo Mágico (Magical Town) joining 35 other historic or architecturally significant towns in Mexico like San Miguel, Guanajuato, Todos Santos and many other famous towns!  185 buildings in Alamos are listed as historic monuments!

Alamos is a town of about 13,000 inhabitants with about 30,000 people in the municipality.  It is the northernmost federally declared colonial city in northern Mexico.  About 350 Americans and Canadians live in Alamos in winter with about 100 remaining during summer or year round. Alamo was founded in 1684.  Its economy is based on mining, cattle ranching, agriculture, construction and tourism.  It is the ecological meeting place for desert, Sinaloan thorn forest and tropical deciduous forest, leading to an annual count of over 400 bird species.  Alamos is at 1460 feet elevation and its namesake mountain, Mount Alamos is 5700 feet high.  The name Alamos comes from the cottonwood tree native to this area.  The rainy season here is July- September.  Alamos is known as “La Ciudad de los Portales” or the City of Portals or arched building entry structures.  There are many, many arches in the historic center of Alamos.  Alamos is also known as the “Jumping Bean Capital of the World” since the brincadoras seed found in the hills contains a moth larvae that jump when warmed by the sun or in your hand!  They are harvested and shipped worldwide!  You can buy them on the plaza for 1 peso per bean!

As you drive toward Alamos from Navojoa, your first vision of the colonial city to come are the huge colonial-style entry arches several miles from town.  Driving on, you pass through an area of hotels, small shops and larger businesses, the Mercado de Artesanias selling crafts from all of Mexico, the Hospital and sports facilities.   Dolisa RV Park is on the left which was our Alamos headquarters.  In about another kilometer of homes and small shops, you'll see the Banorte bank and the Casa de Cambio for money exchange. Across the street is our favorite restaurant, Las Palmeras, with excellent food, atmosphere and reasonable prices.

You then reach a fork in the road. To the left is the Alameda, the main commercial part of town, containing the Mercado Municipal, the 1892 public market, a tortilla factory, many small taquerías and small refreshment stands, several small supermercados, a large plaza, the bus terminal and much more.  The right fork leads down a narrow old one way street, Francisco Madero,  that leads to the Plaza de Armas, the old Spanish military plaza, with the church on one side, formerly grand homes on the other 3 sides, now hotels or shops and the park in the center with its tall palms and the beautiful kiosk or bandstand. Come at night to see a warm, colorful view of the kiosk as well as the whole Plaza!  Lay your camera down (gently) on the floor of the kiosk with lens up in the exact center and gently push the shutter button to photograph the complete circle of art over your head.  

Most Plaza buildings were constructed during the late 1700s-early 1800s. 

The Museo de Costumbrista featuring the history, people and customs of Alamos and Sonora, including mining, is on the far side as you enter with the Tourist Office to its right.  The Tourist Office, beyond a map and brochures, is the place to find a licensed guide. We chose Emiliano Grajeda for both a City Walking Tour with lots of history and later, a Mayo Indian Village Tour that was a great day out in the country seeing many interesting people and places at reasonable cost.  The Amigos de Educación de Alamos runs a Home and Garden Walking Tour going to 3 restored Alamos homes on Saturday morning 9:30AM at the Museum on the Plaza for $10US.  Proceeds go to scholarships for needy Alamos high school students.  Many curio stands are to the left and several refreshment stands operate around the plaza.  Several guided tour vehicles operate from the Plaza: The Red Train, a motorized (fake) horse carriage, and a large 1920s style car.   

Most hotels are within a block or two of the Plaza de Armas.  

The Palacio Municipal is to the right of the church just off the plaza and contains the city offices, the municipal offices and post office.  A large stage in the Palacio is used for many public performances including the annual January Tirado Music Festival.  The Palacio Municipal is impressively lit at night with LED lights in the front in the Mexican flag colors of red, white and green! 

Outside lights and inside court of Palacio del Gobierno

The church on the Plaza de Armas, officially Iglesia Parroquía de Nuestra Señora de la Concepción, the parish church of Our Lady of the Immaculate Conception, replaced an old adobe church on the site, when construction began in 1786.  

The church is still in daily use, the church bells ring for mass, deaths, funerals or extraordinary happenings in town.  The clock is an unusual church feature and was brought from Rome and is very old.  Currently it is keeping very accurate time! Before the Mexican Revolución, the church was more ornate inside and outside with gold plated statues in the facade niches and seals of the Spanish King which were obliterated.  Many churches were looted during those years, but Alamos was fortunate in suffering minimal damage.  Be sure to walk completely around the church seeing the dome, the large tower with the bells, the cross and weathervane on top and the flying buttresses.  The inside is very impressive also.  

The church would have become a cathedral but Bishop Reyes died before the church was completed and a new bishop was never appointed!  Come back at night to see the lighted church, the lighted gazebo and most of the Plaza de Armas. 

Little girl hanging out at the Gazebo and Mexican Fashion photography on the Plaza

While we were in Alamos this trip, a 5K run, a political candidate rally, and a classic car show all occurred in the Plaza de Armas.  One of the features of the run is everyone got a small bag of color chalk dust to throw on other runners or to color the streets and the plaza---lots of green and purple people later!  The next day a city crew was out, pressure washing the streets!  Alamos has many events and celebrations throughout the year and most happen in the Plaza de Armas.  

Alamos is very clean and also very safe, day or night!

Get a map from the Tourist Office and just walk and enjoy the great architecture, the colors and the friendly Buenos Días or Buenos Tarde you'll want to exchange with the Alamos locals.  The town is organized into 16 or more barrios or neighborhoods and it is fun to walk along the streets and peer into open doors and gates to see beautiful patios, landscaping, shrines and restored old homes. 

Emiliano, our guide and the "Kissing Alley"

All the Spanish explorer heavy hitters seem to have had a part in the history of Alamos!  Alamos history begins in 1533 when Diego de Guzmán was the first European to pass through Alamos. Next in 1540 Vasquez de Coronado passed Alamos while exploring northern Mexico. Alvaro Nuñez Cabeza de Vaca explored here traveling from the North.  In 1683, the richest find of silver in Mexico was discovered in La Aduana and European settlement followed. 1684 saw the founding of the city of Alamos.  1687 Padre Kino came to Alamos seeking funds for a chain of missions in northern Sonora, Arizona and California.  The 1700s saw prosperity in Alamos from the mines, cattle ranching and agriculture. 1750 the Spanish Surveyor General was sent to Alamos by the King of Spain to lay out the city streets.  A Royal Treasury was established in 1769 in Alamos to collect “el quinto real” the royal fifth of the gross output of the silver mines for the King of Spain.  In 1776, Captain Juan Bautista de Anza with 177 settlers from Alamos led a colonizing expedition to San Francisco, California!  1780s Alamos is the richest city of Sonora and population reaches 30,000!  An expedition to settle Los Angeles leaves in 1781 with 44 people from Alamos!  1786 Bishop Reyes begins building the present church which is finished in 1803.  1828-1832 Alamos becomes the capital of Occidente, the combined area of Sinaloa and Sonora!  1864 The Mint is established in Alamos.  1865-66 Emperor Maximillian's French troops take control of Alamos until Mexican forces regain control.  1886 Telegraph service begins.  1907 The train line comes into Alamos.  1910-20 the Mexican Revolución closes the mines.  Pancho Villa's troops enter Alamos in 1915 with minor destruction noted.  1946 to present—Americans come to Alamos, open first hotels and restore many of the old houses.  1951 Highway 15 from the U.S. border completed to Navojoa. 1958 First bank opens and telephone service begins.
(Timeline facts from"The Alamos Guidebook" 2009 4th edition)

Miscellaneous Local Color Department

El Mirador--The best view of Alamos is from the Mirador, a hill about 200 feet high with a 360 degree view.  You can easily see where you've been and where you want to go next from the Mirador.  We traced the foot route to the Panteón or cemetery and took the long hike there the next day. 

Amapa Trees--We visited Alamos at the end of February 2015 and because of earlier rain, the extremely colorful pink (and rarer yellow) amapa trees were in full bloom all over the hills and mountains. The Mirador viewpoint allows you to see many of these trees. 

Bougainvillea--The other color to be seen everywhere in every barrio or up at the Mirador is bougainvillea in a kaleidoscope of colors all over Alamos! 

Bakery Sales Kids--The local bakery, Panadería Moderna, across the arroyo, sends out kids all over town with tables carried on their heads, containing sweet rolls hot from the oven for sale!  The photograph of 2 kids with tables shown here has water mist in the background from the city crew pressure washing the Plaza!!

Phariseos/Fariseos--Since we visited Alamos at the beginning of Lent, we had several encounters with Pharisees on the street. These are groups of 3-5 Mayo or Yaqui men selected by village elders. They vow to be mute, abstain from sex, not wash their clothes and walk a route in silence selected by the elders for the 40 days of Lent. They wear a costume and masks around towns, move to a drumbeat and hold out a can for donations.  A donation cleanses you of sins!  We have seen them in several towns and been amply cleansed!

Religious Shrines—Shrines to Our Lady of Guadalupe large and small, grand or poor, they are everywhere in Alamos, on houses, buildings, at street corners and many other locations.
 

Hummingbirds—With so many blooming plants all over Alamos, many with trumpet flowers, there are definitely hummingbirds here!  In RV Park Dolisa, where we stayed fo 6 nights, Lin discovered a  Broad billed Hummingbird  coming back and forth to a tree 25 feet in front of our RV.  In the tree's lower branch about 7 feet high was a tiny woven nest of a Costa hummingbird sitting on her eggs!  Incidentally, lesson learned, don't park under a mango tree, because it drops large quantities of debris and some kind of “juice” that sticks to the windshield!  

La Estudiantinas---formal name La Estudiantina Dr. Alfonso Ortiz Tirado, founded in 1989, with its first      performance at the 1989 Tirado Music Festival.  10-20 young men dressed in 13^th Century Spanish costumes perform with string and percussion instruments and a small accordion. They dance and sing, as a group or singly with Spanish songs.  Many of their songs praise feminine beauty or are comical.  At the performance we attended at Casa de los Tesoros Hotel on 2/24/15 at the suggestion of our guide Emiliano, about half of the group of 10 Estudiantina came out in the audience of a large American Trafalgar tour group and danced with women individually and then formed a conga line with many of the tour group that went around the large patio several times.  We have seen them twice before and really enjoyed them again!

Alamos is a wonderful Mexican town to visit with much to do and almost everything is in easy walking distance.  History comes alive here as you walk the cobblestones!

DOORS OF ALAMOS