Alamos Sonora Mexico

Summer 2016 Hacienda de los Santos Update

Summer is a season when the air breathes. Photo: Tomas Escalante

Here is a neat photo a guest took last week about five miles west of Alamos.  
The picture explains exactly why summer is my favorite time of year in the
Sierra Madre and Alamos.   Yes, there are Boas in ‘them thar hills’, and
every kind of cat imaginable.  Fortunately they don’t visit the Hacienda.

Our renovation project at Casa Amor, a wing in the Hacienda de los Santos
Resort, was completed this week and that wing has now been reopened after
a two month closure.  A completely new portal (porch) has been built with
more attractive beams, a little more width for seating for our weddings
(civil ceremonies), and now everything matches the Presidential suite
wing which was completed in 1999.

What a wonderful way to travel from Tucson to Álamos, Sonora, Mexico.

In the Fall we will have air charter service available from Tucson
International Airport to Alamos with just a single stop at Cd. Obregon
to clear Customs and Immigration.  In the past we have used various services
and we believe this company to most ideally meet the needs of our guests
traveling between the US and Mexico.   The owners of the company have just
purchased a King Air 90 which is ideal for this 300 nautical mile flight.  
Time between Tucson and Cd. Obregon will be about one hour in a very comfortable
air conditioned aircraft that, under certain conditions, seat as many as eight.

We will have an announcement no later than September on the rates for
the Tucson-Alamos flight.  If you anticipate needing a charter from
other locations in the US to Alamos please contact me at jnswick@aol.com
and I will forward the request to the charter company.  We are very excited
about having this quality option available for both guests of Hacienda de los
Santos as well as our local residents in the village.  In an effort to have
the rates be the most competitive possible we will not be taking, nor will
travel agents, a commission for arranging booking on the flights…
Jim Swickard

Summer 2015 Hacienda de los Santos Update

The hurricane is missing us by more than two hundred miles, however we
are hoping for some rain. It’s the pre-monsoon season here and a little
overcast today which I prefer for walking Cholula our ‘Puggle’. Election
day in Mexico, with the required ‘dry’ weekend, so the village is uncannily
quiet, however they will make up for it next weekend. ( The PRI party
won both the gubernatorial seat and locally the same. It’s beautiful here
today since we had our first monsoonal rain last night, 6-7-15.  With any
luck more rain this evening. )

The Hacienda goes back into a construction mode in July with some remodeling
work on the sugar mill property to create a true, and long awaited, gift
shop adjacent to the Cafe Agave. A new Spa will be ready to open in the Fall
and the present spa. We hope to have three totally new Master Suites for next
season, plus two inner connecting Hacienda Guest Rooms for families. Our total
room and suite count will be 32 for next season. We will have some exciting
news this summer about some international recognition
for Hacienda de los Santos…
Jim Swickard

Just another old world day in Álamos, Sonora, Mexico. Photo: Javier Martinez

The sounds of countryside and village blend into a leisurely symphony
The photo is of an old mill site just a block from the Hacienda. Horses take
care of the mowing. The photo was taken from the city street with the graceful
‘Mars’ (Candy family) mansion’ in back of the photographer. It was restored by
them in the 50’s, built by an 18th century silver baron and ironically, now owned
again by the owner of the huge new silver mine which produces more than 100 million
dollars in silver annually. They are from B.C., Canada. Photo, possibly, by
unknown Hacienda de los Santos guest.

Listen closely and one may hear the past come alive in their imaginations.

If you are in the moment this could be the center of the universe
This is the largest fountain which was originally the sugar mill’s ‘Mill’. It had
oxen and a stone wheel to crush the sugar cane. The operation went into bankruptcy
in 1710 and we are the second owner’s of record.
Photo by local photographer Tomas Escalante.

A landmark of another era and today and tomorrow.

Miners and merchants came from around the world in search of silver
I took this photo from my T206H airplane a few years ago and it’s a view of
Mt. Cacharamba (Mayo for ‘hole in the ear’ due to a hole in one part of the
flat topped mountain). All of the original Spanish mines are below it and
slightly to the left. Coronado was within 10 miles of it in about 1540,
however it was not found until about 150 years later. It’s visible from a
hill top a block from the Hacienda. Photo by Jim Swickard.

Macoyahui mission, early 1600’s, built by Mayo Indians with master mason’s guidance.

Off the beaten path
I ventured up to the Macohayui mission two weeks ago for the first time.  I
have flown over it more than a dozen times.  Visiting the mission was a real
treat and visiting with a man gathering firewood added to the experience.  
There’s a home very near the mission which impressed me greatly and I should
have taken pictures.  According to the man it dates to the missions beginning
which makes the home over 400 years. It’s in good condition, considering, however
won’t be for long since the owner died last year and no subsequent generation to
live there.  I plan to return.

As the crow flies the mission is only about 15 miles from Alamos.  Due to its
location on the west bank of the Mayo River one has to drive about 40 miles to
get to it. If the river is at its lowest of the year one can get there nearly
direct but there are are dozens of turns on a goat trail and it’s really necessary
to make one trip from the north to know where its located. Photo by Jim Swickard

To see it as it is today visit Hacienda de los Santos Resort and Spa.

To see the Hacienda in 1993

Álamos residents share Álamos Today in words and photos.

Bishop Reyes Cathedral

Bishop Reyes’ Cathedral takes up the entire southern side of the Plaza de las
Armas in Álamos, Sonora, Mexico. Its three tiered belfry towers above town and
touches low passing clouds. Along with multiple daily services the church is
also a religious classroom. Religion speaks of yesterdays, todays, and tomorrows.
It speaks of better days and better places. Religious followers are asked to
endure and conceptually, eventually, benefit from their days of survival and
struggle on this small planet.
Photos and editing by Anders Tomlinson.
Music from “Camino Songs” by SonicAtomics.

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©2015 Jim Swickard, Casa de los Santos and Anders Tomlinson, all rights reserved.