Summer visit to the interior of Mexico
In the year 1998 I travelled to Mexico. My dad, along with my stepmother and my two little sisters, was living in a sort of townhouse villa in Hermosillo. Not exactly a tourist destination, the city is located in Sonora province, a relatively arid region in the country’s northwest.
My dad had set up a small office where he worked over a couple of years for a mining company.
Dr. R. H. Morse at work in his office. Hermosillo, Mexico. 1998
The local area was interesting to explore, with numerous outdoor murals. The quiet bustle of a working class city in the dusty summer heat. I recall a busy market with a mountain of raw tripe. We were serenaded by a mariachi band while having dinner out.
It was a one-hour drive westward to the ocean. The seaside town of Bahía Kino has a lovely sand beach, which we had mostly to ourselves. A delicious meal of fresh fish was served in a small restaurant next to the beach.
Heading in the opposite direction from Hermosillo leads into the mountains. We were invited by Marta, the family’s housekeeper, to spend the weekend with her niece and her family in the village of Bacanora. We were greeted with generous hospitality after a long drive.
I explored on foot before returning to the house for a home cooked feast. We were treated to a locally made liqueur similar to Tequila. It was stored in a glass Coke bottle sealed with plastic wrap. I asked what it was called and was told simply ‘Bacanora’.
Many locals gathered in the village square that evening. Conversation was easy considering the language barrier. One jovial fellow (pictured left) was curious how attractive we thought Monica Lewinsky was.
Back in the city were a few prominent sites. Old churches. The governor’s palace. A type of souvenir shop where I bought a scary looking handmade mask that was ‘medio animal, medio diablo’, according to the shopkeeper, as well as a hand carved figurine of an indigenous dancer with antler headdress and maracas. The former is kept safely in storage, the latter has since been smashed to pieces by a mischievous cat.
The opportunity to live alongside the inhabitants in a distant land is tremendous experience. There is no better way to travel, in my view. Having someone on the inside sharing their perspective makes a huge difference, whether or not you speak the local language. It was a true privilege to have been on this trip. Looking back, this was the moment I learned how great it is to travel as a guest sometimes vs. being strictly a tourist.
