A magical Mexican town I couldn't get enough of

I've been to Mexico quite a few times. So many times, in fact, that I've lost count even though I think the number is in the low 20s. Needless to say, I love Mexico and have often felt I was born with half a Hispanic heart. I love the food, the culture, the bright colors, the people, and the language.

This last trip down south was a new adventure since we went to a place we'd never been before.

As of right now Mexico has 36 Magic Towns (Pueblos Mágicos) that range from tiny, almost undiscovered villages on the coast to sizable inland cities. What they all have in common is that they have some truly special cultural, historic or social importance.

Álamos, Sonora is one of those undiscovered villages and makes the list of Mexico's magic towns.



I can see why.

After two long bus rides to get there from San Carlos (if you look at the map above you can see the US-Mexico border at the top of the picture and the small block box at the bottom of the picture representing the location of Alamos), we arrived on a hot spring day last week. It only took us a couple minutes and a short walk around the plaza to get to our hotel, a renovated mansion that was built several hundred years ago. The man in charge took us to our room and I was surprised to find that it was a large family room with high ceilings and five individual beds. The tile floor looked old and I loved the turquoise painted walls in the bathroom. There is something magical about turquoise paint. It was extremely quaint, old-feeling, and intimate. The front of the hotel was lined with bougainvillea, my dad's favorite flowering bush, and an ornate gate allowing customers onto the premises.



We definitely took a nap since the ordeal of just getting to Alamos was exhausting, and after waking refreshed we decided to hit the village in search of some tacos. We didn't have to go far. The plaza was lined with vendors, their little spots erected with grills, tents, and benches.

Either we were all starving or those tacos were out of this world, but I'm not sure anything has tasted better. We each ate several tacos made with corn tortillas, carne asada, cabbage, fresh homemade salsas, and lime. Oh how glorious limes are to me. I also got homemade horchata in a water bottle and sitting there in the evening sun, drinking my creamy horchata and chowing down on savory tacos, well, I couldn't have been any happier. Pure bliss.




Alamos is not a big place and after we finished our dinner we took a stroll around. The reason why Alamos is considered a magic town is because of its historic colonial architecture. The beautiful streets with high cement sidewalks, gorgeous old doors, unique iron railings, bright funky colors on buildings, beautiful trees and bushes, cobblestone walkways, and stunning Catholics cathedrals.







It was magical to me.

We ended up just sitting on a bench, all five of us, at one of the plazas and watching people till it was dark. It was a perfect spring evening, warm and comfortable. We watched the lovers strolling hand in hand, the families with the children all dressed up and running around, the older folks watching the young play. It was serene. I didn't want the sunlight to slip away. I could have sat there and enjoyed that evening for an eternity. I bought more homemade horchata from an older woman for 7 pesos. It was even better than the horchata I had at dinner.

Our last stop of the night was a hotel hidden down a side street. When my dad told us this hotel, La Hacienda de los Santos, was one of the nicest and most expensive boutique hotels in the world I didn't want to believe him. Come on, there we were in this quaint old village. There's no way one of the most exclusive hotels could be stationed there as well, right?

Wrong.

Even though we were Americans and can normally do just about anything we want in Mexico because our nationality, at this hotel we were only allowed into the front porch/foyer. A nice woman greeted us and gave us a brief explanation of the five properties included within the hotel, the prices (the rooms start at $250/night for the cheapest during the off season and only go up from there), and all the amenities. To me, that place sounded like the celestial kingdom and officially became my dream honeymoon spot. (Guys, remember that okay?)





I know that a lot of people think we're absolutely crazy for going to Mexico all the time especially when we drive there ourselves, walk the streets at night, and don't carry weapons with us. Most people listen to the news and think Mexico is extremely dangerous with drug traffickers haunting the streets just looking for any American to kill. Well that may be true in some respects, I mean, if you go looking for trouble you're going to find it, but for me I've never felt in danger within Mexico. We're smart, stay in groups, walk with a purpose, don't carry a lot of money on us, and genuinely love the people we come into contact with. In my view it isn't any more dangerous than Los Angeles, Chicago, or NYC. You just have to be safe about it. I feel bad for people who are too afraid to visit and who prematurely judge all of Mexico's citizens as criminals and murderers. The Mexican people are so extremely kind, generous, and humble. You just have to try and they'll love you back forever and give you the shirt off their back.

Our one and only night in Alamos was truly a special night. I was sad we didn't reserve more time to spend there. I definitely want to go back someday and experience it in all its splendor. I want to walk the streets with my own lover, buy cold creamy horchata, sit in a plaza and enjoy my surroundings.

I love magical places, and this was one of them.