Three long days of driving brought me from Oregon to the city of Hermosillo, the capital of the state of Sonora, Mexico.
When traveling, I usually prefer camping in Rusty, my Volkswagon Westfalia, but I opted for a hotel for the night. While by no means deluxe, Hotel San Alberto was clean, inexpensive, and conveniently located just three blocks from the main plaza in the historic city center.
Like most cities in Mexico, Hermosillo has a large plaza in the historic central district. The gleaming white Palacio Gobierno fronts Plaza Zaragoza on the east side. On the west side is Catedral Metropolitana de Nuestra Seńora de la Asunción (aka Catedral Hermosillo).
A block or two from the cathedral, I found Plaza Londres, a complex of cafés around a tree-shaded patio. At Fauna Hermosillo, a microbrew tasting room, the menu included Tiradito Atun. Google Translate couldn’t define Tiradito, but I love sashimi-style tuna. The waiter assured me that it was not too picante. The tuna was delicious, but sprinkled with red pepper and surrounded by chiles and onions, it was at my maximum comfort level for spice.
One of the things I love about Mexico is visiting the town plazas in the evening. There are always families, teens, and elders walking, talking, playing, or just sitting, enjoying the end of the day. Christmas holiday lights were still up in Plaza Zaragoza, adding a festive look to the kiosko, and the calls of hundreds, if not thousands, of birds roosting in the trees added to the experience.
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Greg you do make a trip through Mexico sound generous, easygoing, bright and quietly beautiful. It s these qualities that would make me feel safe while visiting museums and art galleries. (I think I’ve probably told you about my stay in Guadalajara for month in summer 1969. Packed with adventure… Pretty long hair made me noticeable, but learning about the house’s peculiar history with the police heightened my senses.
Looks so great! And the tuna looks so delicious!