12
Jan

The Town Time Almost Forgot – Alamos, Sonora, Mexico

Posted on January 12th, 2010 :: Posted in Accommodation, Church, Mexico

After driving across the Copper Canyon and resting up at Torres del Fuerte hotel in El Fuerte we veered off the pavement once again and hit the back roads headed for Alamos. Sure you can get there on the highway but there’s also a network of good dirt roads that connect El Fuerte and Alamos on a route that takes you through the Sonoran desert and past a few isolated villages often on stretches of the original Camino Real.

The trick is knowing which way to go. It seemed like everyone suggested a slightly different route (frustrating) but we headed out anyway and only ended up making one wrong turn.

Cathedral Nuestra Señora de la Concepción in Alamos' Plaza de Armas.

Cathedral Nuestra Señora de la Concepción in Alamos' tranquil Plaza de Armas.

Alamos is an official Pueblo Magico and also a national historic site but it almost ended up as nothing more than a collection of ruins. In 1540 Alamos was the encampment of Francisco Vasquez de Coronado, in town as part of Spain’s efforts to turn the whole region into Nuevo Galicia. In 1683 silver was discovered in Alamos which was invaded again, this time by prospectors.

Town boomed to more than 30,000 people, then busted just as fast when the deposits became harder to mine. During the revolution in the 19th century Alamos was invaded many more times and by the 1920s most people had left and most buildings were in terrible shape.

Enter a new invader, this time a gringo, one William Levant Alcorn of Pennsylvania who arrived in the 1940s, saw potential in the ruins and decided to resurrect Alamos one building at a time, buying them up for $50 or $100 a piece. Alcorn eventually made a killing by publicizing Alamos and selling real estate in the town and there are still a number of streets and buildings that bear his name.

Wonderful architecture and pretty lanes abound in this Pueblo Magico.

Today real estate agents still make a killing in Alamos which is a charming network of bright white buildings, cobblestone streets and lots and lots of Americans and Canadians who (thankfully) seem to have as much pride in the town itself as they do in their lovely winter homes. By all accounts the expats here devote a lot of time, energy and money to the local community providing funds and materials for everything from school tuition to costumes for local fiestas like the Revolution Day parade we watched as it snaked its way through town I (don’t miss the pictures, below).

Despite the growing number of expats and artists and a mish-mash of B-list celebrities and socialites (including the late actor Carroll O’Connor, still-living actor Rip Torn and an heiress to the Pabst Blue Ribbon fortune) who call Alamos home for at least part of the year, Alamos somehow manages to avoid feeling gringo-fied. Unlike other expat towns like San Miguel de Allende, the Americans and Canadians in Alamos seem genuinely invested in their Mexican neighbors and genuinely friendly to visitors just passing through, like us. (Thanks, again, for dinner Elizabeth! We had a blast!)

The entrance to Hacienda de los Santos Resort & Spa.

Another Alamos miracle? The Hacienda de los Santos Resort & Spa (a member of Mexico Boutique Hotels) which we check into for three blissful days. The Hacienda is not so much a hotel as a personal dare owners Jim and Nancy Swickard imposed upon themselves back in late ’80s when they retired and bought not but three neighboring haciendas and an 18th century sugar mill and set about renovating, connecting and decorating them.

The result is a seamless melding of the once separate buildings thanks in large part to the Swickard’s incredible attention to detail and stubborn insistence on perfection and the fact that the hotel has remained in the family’s hands (daughter Jamie is now heavily involved too). From the collection of Spanish Colonial art and antiques to the four (count ‘em) pools to the lush gardens and private 75 seat movie theater and small putting green there are marvels at every turn.

The Swickards recently completed a new creation, opening the more affordable (and kid and pet friendly) Posada Tacubaya B&B right around the corner in December of 2009.

One of four swimming pools at Hacienda de los Santos Resort & Spa.

We celebrated Eric’s birthday with a wonderful rooftop dinner at Hacienda de los Santos serenaded by the Los Haceandados, the resort’s house band which features Jamie Swickard’s husband, Ramon, on guitar and vocals.

The Hacienda's wanderful bar, Cantina Zapata has more than xxx different tequilas.

The Hacienda's wonderful bar, Cantina Zapata, has more than 500 different tequilas plus an impressive collection of saddles, spurs and sombreros.

Just a selection of the xxx tequilas in Hacienda de los Santos Cantina Zapata.

Just a portion of the more than 500 different tequilas on offer in Cantina Zapata at Hacienda de los Santos Resort & Spa, even though owner Jim Swickard doesn't drink.

Pool in the main courtyard of the Hacienda de los Santos at night.

The pool in the main courtyard of the Hacienda de los Santos Resort & Spa--one of four pools at the hotel.

Children dess up in period costume at Alamos' Revolution Day parade.

Children dressed up in period costumes as part of Alamos' Revolution Day parade.

Pancho Villa wanna'bes at Alamos' Revolution Day parade.

Pancho Villa wannabes in Alamos' Revolution Day parade.

Cool old truck turned food cart in Alamos' Plaza Alameda

This cool old truck has been turned into a food cart and now sells snacks in Alamos' Plaza Alameda.

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10
Dec

You Can Get There From Here – Copper Canyon, Chihuahua, Mexico (Part 8)

Posted on December 10th, 2009 :: Posted in Canyon, Drive, Mexico, Mountains, SPOT map, Town

We’d taken the el CHEPE Copper Canyon train. We’d used our feet. We’d even conquered two of the most dramatic driving roads into and out of individual canyons in order to visit the towns of Batopilas and Urique. All that was left was to drive from one end of the Copper Canyon region to the other.

Many locals had assured us that it was possible to drive across the Copper Canyon region from Creel to El Fuerte (even though the region looked completely roadless on every map we looked at) and that the previous rainy season hadn’t done too much damage to the area’s network of dirt roads. Feeling encouraged, we left Creel bound for Cerocahui and the first leg of our intra-canyon road trip.

Driving across the Copper Canyon most of the roads, nearly 10 hours worth, were simple dirt roads which weren't even on our detailed road atlas. One of the many switchback roads up, down, over and around the mpountains can be seen in the background.

The "roads" that traverse the Copper Canyon region of the Sierra Madre mountains are simple dirt tracks. You can see one switch-backing up, down, over and around the mountains in the background.

We left the pavement behind in San Rafael, not long after leaving Creel. Many of the simple dirt roads that eventually took us all the way to El Fuerte were built to give access to the mines in the region and most were not on the detailed maps in our Gia Roji road atlas. The locals and the mine employees all know exactly where they’re going so no one ever bothered putting up any signs either.

The ever present Virgen de Guadalupe watches over the roads through the mountains.

The ever-present Virgin of Guadalupe watches over the roads--and the drivers--throughout the mountains.

The route that first day was pretty straight forward, however, and we found our way to Cerocahui via surprisingly smooth dirt roads that followed lazy streams and passed small fields of corn and beans.

After passing Cuiteco the scenery got particularly gorgeous as we drove through pine and oak forests. We were almost sorry when we reached our final destination but we cheered up knowing that we would have the chance to see Alberto and Francia at Hotel Centro Jade in Cerocahui for the night.

Unlike this doomed truck we were heading out of the Sierra Madre mountains down to the Rio Fuerte.

The second day of our intra-canyon road trip got a bit more challenging. The road itself remained in remarkably good shape (though there was still no sign of signs). However, they roads became so narrow in places and the mines create so much big truck traffic that it was slow going. It doesn’t help that the Copper Canyon is a network of different canyons, not just one big canyon, which makes it necessary to drive way up to peaks and passes, then way back down to riverbeds over and over again to get across different canyons. We averaged less than 15mph.

Panorama from the bridge over the Rio Fuerte. At this point we thought we were done with the mountains, but there was still a bit more to go on the remaining three hours to El Fuerte.

As we crossed over the Rio Fuerte we thought we were done with the mountains but there were still more ups and downs ahead of us before we reached El Fuerte. (Click image for full size panorama)

Road along the Rio Fuerte heading out of the Sierra Madre mountains and the Copper Casnyon region, heading down to El Fuerte.

That faint ribbon of road visible to the right o the bank above the Rio Fuerte is what took us out of the Copper Canyon region toward El Fuerte.

The road followed the river for some time. Here an old church lays in ruins.

The road followed the Rio Fuerte for quite a while but we passed very few villages. This one was dominated by the picturesque ruins of an old church.

All told it took almost 12 hours over two days to drive less than 135 miles (more than 100 of them unpaved) from Creel to El Fuerte through mountains, valleys and many different environments and climates–when we left Cerocahui it was 60 degrees and forested and when we arrived in El Fuerte it was nearing 90 and desert-like.

Despite the heat shock, El Fuerte charmed us. It’s the most recently anointed of Mexico’s 35 Pueblos Magicos, honored as havens of traditional architecture and religious signifigance.

The picturesque colonial town of El Fuerte.

The colonial town of El Fuerte was recently designated one of Mexico's Pueblos Magicos.

The church on the plaza in El Fuerte.

All of El Fuerte’s central buildings are freshly painted, very well kept and traditional and food stalls in the market serve a mean birria and delicious tacos. When we were in El Fuerte it seemed like half the town was out scraping old paint off the iron benches and metal work in the town plaza as part of one big proud community beautification project as well.

For reasons we're still puzzling over almost all of the lamp fixtures on the outside of buildings in El Fuerte had this same gargoyle design.

El Fuerte also has a fancy Balderama Hotel which has a huge statue of Zoro who, according to a half-hearted local legend, came from El Fuerte. However, we agree with Lonely Planet on this one: a better bet is to check into the Torres Del Fuerte Hotel.

You’ll be greeted by Jesus, who was actually born in what is now room #2 in this eclectically-restored hacienda just a couple of blocks off the plaza. Jesus is dapper and charming and, along with his wife and son, has brought his family’s former home back from the brink of ruin and opened the hotel.

Parts of the property are 350 years old and by the time Jesus started the hotel project it was in pretty bad shape and most of the original furniture and fixtures were beyond help. Out of necessity, Jesus has amassed a collection of period replacements–from antique wood doors and cast iron railings to furniture and tile work–from around Mexico and the US. Jesus’ wife then placed each piece, adding modern touches (sinks carved from solid stone, plenty of sex appeal (massive candles and plushly upholstered couches) and a little bit of whimsy (bright colors and a leopard-print wool rug) as she went.

Add in a sprawling lush garden, an on-site bar and restaurant (that’s a shocking bargain) and, of course, Jesus and we were tempted to spend an extra day in El Fuerte.

The sexy and eclectic open-air lobby of the Torres Del Fuerte hotel.

The Rio Fuerte.

El Fuerte is also known as a haven for more than 60 species of bird and for its bass fishing. We don’t fish but we did take a morning ride in a rowboat down the Rio Fuerte with local guide Chico who was quick to point out osprey, herons and kara karas (which are scavengers like buzzards, but much prettier).

Chico, a guide in El Fuerte, took us on a birdwatching boat trip on the Rio Fuerte.

We stopped along the way for a quick stroll to a collection of rocks covered in petroglyphs. Once located on the top of the highest point in the area, an earthquake knocked the rocks down and they now lie in jumbled piles not far above the riverbank.

Cerro de la Mascara (Mask Hill), near El Fuerte has many Nahuatl petroglyphs.

We were also thrilled when Chico’s son, Sergio, took us on a tour of the Rancho Chinobampo organic farm where he oversees the organic fish project. The farm also currently grows mangos, basil (some of which ends up in Whole Foods), medicinal herbs and lots of experimental plots of staples like jalapenos and cucumbers.

Rancho Chinobampo is one of just a handful of officially certified organic farms in Mexico and it’s taken a unique approach even among that rarified group. The family that owns the farm also owns successful zeolite mines and they’ve chosen to combine the two ventures by using zeolite (a natural substance commonly used in gardening but rarely on this scale) to supplement or even replace soil. Bat guano, harvested by hand, is mixed with it for nutrients. They spray an all-natural garlic mixture instead of pesticide. They also get help from the University of Havana.

Coming soon to a Whole Foods near you! Basil growing in a mixture of zeolite and bat guano at Rancho Chinobampo organic farm.

Drive Across the Copper Canyon, Mexico from Creel to El Fuerte

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2
Dec

Camping and Hiking at Basaseachi Falls – Copper Canyon, Chihuahua, Mexico (Part 7)

Posted on December 2nd, 2009 :: Posted in Camping, Canyon, Hike, Mexico, National Park, Outdoor, video, waterfall

Basaseachi Falls is not technically inside the official boundaries of the Copper Canyon Natural Park (Parque Natural Barranca del Cobre) but it’s close enough for us. Actually the 812 foot cascade–which is the second highest waterfall in Mexico and/or the highest year-round waterfall in Mexico (depending on who you ask) and the 28th highest in the world–is the center piece of its own park, the Basaseachi Falls National Park. And rightly so. This gorgeous unbroken ribbon of water that made us think of Yosemite Falls, the seventh highest waterfall in the world, more than once.

The CHEPE Copper Canyon train doesn’t go to Basaseachi Falls so we drove there taking highway 16 which was marked as a major highway and looked pretty straight in our Gia Roji Mexican road atlas but turned out to a narrow winding road full of 18 wheelers. At one point we watched in horror as the pickup truck in front of us nearly got wiped out by an oncoming big rig which has taken a corner way too wide.

A view of Basaseachi Falls from high above on the rim trail.

Basaseachi Falls and the Candemeña Canyon from high above on the rim trail.

Around 5 pm we finally pulled off treacherous highway 16, reached the town of Basaseachi safe and sound and found our way out to the Basaseachi Falls National Park. Happily, the park gates hadn’t been closed yet. We’re not exactly sure there are any actual park gates, come to think of it, and we never passed a ticket booth or an entrance station either.

Anyway, with the light fading we hurried to find a spot in the park’s campground where we had our pick since we were the only ones there. The campground is rocky but each of the vaguely demarcated sites has a spot that’s smooth and flat enough for a tent. Some also have solid metal park benches bolted into place. We picked a particularly grassy site on a bluff above a river and spent a good part of the night wondering who okay’d the budget to install a half dozen huge fancy metal street lamps throughout the campground instead of improving the mostly-not-working bathrooms. And where do they get a budget anyway if there’s no entrance station or fee collection?

We're not sure what this sign is supposed to be warning us of (falling Gorillas?), but it doesn't look good.

We're not sure what this trail sign is supposed to be warning us about (falling gorillas?) but whatever it is, it doesn't look good.

The next morning we hit the trail headed for the bottom of the waterfall and what we believed would be a stiff two hours or so down a couple thousand feet then back up again. We didn’t even bother with hiking boots or our Mountainsmith day packs–just one liter of water and our sneakers.

We reached the top of the falls in less than 10 minutes but you can’t actually see the falls from there since the cascade is directly under the viewpoint so we started down the trail into the canyon. Then we came to an unexpected fork in the trail.

Of course we took the fork and ended up hiking way back up to the opposite canyon rim until we were substantially higher than the top of the falls where we’d started. This delivered us to a group of three overlooks including San Lorenzo. They were spectacular vantage points on the full face of the waterfall but we’d unexpectedly added a couple of hours and a couple thousand feet of climbing and descending to what was supposed to be a moderate hike.

Weirdly, long sections of the trail on this side of the canyon have recently been widened and paved with large flat stones and concrete–most likely because you can just drive to this chain of overlooks and the tempting trails are meant to entice people to stroll from point to point.

Basaseachi Falls from the San Lorenzo viewpoint.

We, however, hiked on. After getting our fill of the hard-earned view we descended back down to the fork in the trail, then continued on our original route to the bottom of the waterfall. This trail was steep and exposed and hot but spectacular and heading back up proved to be a long hard slog (did we mention that we’d run out of water by this point?) made only vaguely easier by the promise of a sandwich once we got back to our campsite.