Yaqui Indian Dancers | San Carlos | Mexico

 

I volunteer for a thrift store in San Carlos called Rescate, which means rescue.  Whatever income that is realized from the thrift store benefits the ambulance service in our little town.  This winter season, they added the "Marketplace", where local vendors brought in colorful things for sale as well as multiple forms of art, jewelry, food and other items.  On some occasions, we have been treated to live music.  A few weeks ago, there was a dance troupe from the Yaqui tribe that put on a very nice show.

 



 

These children performed quite a few dance routines, with multiple costume changes.

 

This was an interesting dance - the men all had costumes that included shakers that had been wrapped around their calves, adding to the music.  They looked like they were crafted from aluminum cans with possibly seeds inside.

This one had a small head of a deer, and his character was hunted by some coyotes, who finally took him down.

 

This young man was in the background tapping a gourd floating in a pan of water, which made a thumping sound - keeping time to the music.

 

 

Others had gourds on which they leaned a stick containing notches.  They had another stick they moved up and down to create a rhythm that the gourds amplified.  

 

In another routine, dancers twirled their long skirts.

 

These kids put on a great show and hopefully we will see more entertainment in the future.

 

 

 

 

A Day in the Desert | San Carlos | Mexico

The desert is quite interesting - around here we sometimes have horses roaming free as well as cows, along with the regular desert critters like coyotes, snakes and other wildlife.  Luckily, in all my desert wanderings, I have not yet seen a snake.  I have heard coyotes, and in Tucson, I have seen them multiple times trotting down the street an RV park during the day.

One of the more interesting things I have seen in the desert, is the photo below.  The Mexican Marines (not really like the U. S. Marines) were target shooting.  If we had gotten closer, we would have been stopped and questioned.  The long lens on my camera got me this close.   I got a grand tour this day from a friend who took me to some ranches, and the critters were both free range and in corrals, and this just happened to be the first thing we happened to see. 

This horse was a cutie and got a carrot reward for posing.

 

These cows didn't get any reward, but I don't think they cared.

Fences at this ranch are all like this, and they looked pretty much bullet-proof if an animal decided to start kicking.

This building has intrigued me since I came down here 3 years ago.  It is being built for monks, but construction has been stopped since they need to do work in another area.  The first photo on this page was taken from the top floor.

I have been told that they will be starting construction again soon. 

 

This is the outside chapel.

Interesting plants are all around the grounds.   These are called "Mother of  Thousands".

And this is Thai Basil.

Papayas!

On one floor of the building, we found this homemade wooden cross.

  

This young horse is free range, along with the mom a couple of others.

More cows!  Sonoran Beef is said to be the best in the country, and this is some of it.

We found some interesting trees, this one has a branch on the left that follows the line of the Tetakawi and another peak in the distance.

  

Greenery is growing from all the branches and limbs of this tree.

This Jito tree (pronounced hee-toe) is all gnarled.  When they're healthy, they have nice greenery, but when you look closer, they have sharp little points on the ends of the leaves.

Another ranch has this saddle on the fence.

The grounds here are beautiful.

Eucalyptus tree.

Thanks to my tour guide, Jan, who has been coming to San Carlos for decades.  She knew all about the plants, trees, rocks and other things in the desert.

Hotel Playa de Cortez | Guaymas | Sonora | Mexico

 

A few of us went to this hotel one day for lunch since we were in the neighborhood.  It's a grand old hotel and impressive in it's own way.  This is in no way an advertisement for this place, but rather an interesting building from an era long gone.

 

One large room had chandeliers made from colored glass, with a stained glass wall around a fireplace at one end.

 

 

The lobby.

Multiple carved wood plaques were on the wall in the dining room.

We elected to have our lunch outside by the fountain.

 

Way to cool at this time of the year, but a beautiful pool was available.

Some antiques that may have been used in the hotel's history.

This is the back yard, which I'm sure has seen many parties throughout the years.

The hotel was built right on the water, so this is the view.

 

They even have a crested Saguaro, which is rare.  Typically, the Saguaro cactus has a rounded top.