Hermosillo

January 20, 2017 was a special day for the United States.  It's the Inauguration for a certain person.  Since the last election in November 2016, I have not gotten over the fact that this unqualified, racist, misogynist, cynical buffoon is going to be president for the next four years.  I wanted to get out of the country so that I don't have to watch or listen to the news about the inauguration.  The closest is Mexico, a country that this idiot has criticized and derided for no reason.

The last time I was in Hermosillo was in 1978, almost 40 years ago.  I remember it as a small traditional Mexican town, unspoiled by all the American influences.  Although not very far away, I had to decide how to get there:  drive, fly or by bus.  I found a couple of bus companies that go there.  One is called Tufesa, which also go to many places in Mexico.  I rode there in a luxury coach but had to come back on the regular coach because the luxury coach was leaving Hermosillo at 5 am.  The round-trip ticket costs $98.  The ride there was very comfortable.  There were maybe 24 seats on the bus with a lot of space to stretch out.  The bus stopped in Tucson, then Nogales, before heading straight to Hermosillo.  We left at about 11 am from the bus terminal at 27th Avenue and McDowell Road in Phoenix, and arrived in Hermosillo at about 7pm.  However, it took a little longer coming back because we had to go through a slow line of cars to the border, then through US Immigration.  We left at about 2 pm and arrived back in Phoenix at almost 10 pm.

Tufesa Bus Terminal in Phoenix

I did not have an agenda in Hermosillo.  I stayed at a Hampton Inn.  On the bus I met an engineer who lives in Hermosillo and he gave me a lot of tips.  Marco's wife and two sons were picking him up at the bus station and they gave me a ride to the hotel.  On Sunday they took me around town and even to his parents' house to meet them.  What a nice gesture!

The first day I was there, I took an Uber ride to the Cathedral.  It was a 15 minute ride and the Uber ride costs only about $1.50.  Like many old Mexican towns (and even in Europe), everything revolves around the church.  The inside of the church was quite ordinary but the outside is beautiful.

Inside the Cathedral

Beautiful Cathedral located in a park

Vendor selling fruits in front of the Cathedral

After hanging around the Cathedral area for about an hour, I walked towards the downtown area.  Marco had drove me through the area on the way to the hotel the night before.  He said there is a lot of activities going on the downtown area during the day, especially in the morning.  He was absolutely right.  The place was bustling, with people shopping, food trucks on the side of the street, people hanging out in the plaza, etc.  I found my way to the Municipal Market or Mercado Municipal.  I walked in and that place was humming:  cafes, taquerias, vegetable stands, butcher shops, etc.  I love visiting markets anywhere I go because that's where you actually see what the local people do, buy and eat.

Cafe Elvira, just at the entrance to the Mercado

A restaurant

A Taco Shop

A fruit and vegetable stand

Butchers' Alley

Cinco Amigos, hanging out outside the Mercado

Outside the market, are some interesting shops and food trucks.  Again, my favorite thing to do when traveling is eating street food.  Fortunately, I have a tough stomach.  I can eat almost any kind of street food anywhere in the world.  They are what the locals eat and they are usually the cheapest and the best!  Here's a sampling:

Mixed fruits:  coconut, watermelon, pineapple, etc

Roasted jalapeños

Preparing tortillas for tacos and quesadillas

Tacos and quesadillas for 60 pesos or less than $3

Sonoran hot-dog, a local specialty

All kinds of snacks in the evening around the cathedral

There is not much else to do in Hermosillo.  Many tourists use this place as a jumping point to nearby tourist spots like Guaymas, San Carlos, etc.  One of the highlights is going up the mountain in the middle of town and have a panoramic view of the city.

Panoramic view of the city from Cerro de la Campana

Marco, his wife and two sons

Cathedral is beautifully lit at night, with lots of activities going on around it