Thursday, April 11, 2019
Last Friday I boarded a bus with archaeologists, a conservator, and some other folks and headed to Mexico to go see Catholic missions founded by Father Eusebio Kino, a Jesuit priest who served in Baja California and then Sonora. We headed south, passed through the border (NO CRISIS), got our visas stamped at Kilometer 21, and went to Imuris, where we picked up a dozen Mexican archaeologists, conservators, and historians.
The first stop was the Mission of Cocospera. The structure is in bad shape, no roof and exposed to the elements. A scaffolding keeps the front of the building from collapsing. The INAH people stated that there is a limited budget to spend on these monuments, and they have to pick and choose what to do.
Scenery.
We went next to Pitiquito. Back in 1966 they discovered painting that were covered up by lime plaster and paint. They exposed some back them, and more were uncovered recently.
San Ignacio Mission.
The first stop was the Mission of Cocospera. The structure is in bad shape, no roof and exposed to the elements. A scaffolding keeps the front of the building from collapsing. The INAH people stated that there is a limited budget to spend on these monuments, and they have to pick and choose what to do.
Cocospera.
Behind the church is a cemetery that is still in use.
I really liked this fence.
Afterward we went to Magdalena and looked at the supposed grave of Father Kino (the Mexican archaeologist doesn't think so). Then on to Caborca where we had margaritas and I had a delightful salad. Mexican food is very meat, bean, lard, and tortilla (lard!) focused and that makes things a little difficult for vegetarian.
The next morning we headed first to San Antonio de Oquitoa. The church there was really charming, with a flat roof and corbeled beams. Nice plaza out front. This building was in great shape.
San Antonio de Oquitoa.
The cemetery was fabulous, lots of ornate architecture. I checked Findagrave and was surprised at how few Sonoran cemeteries have any graves listed. That is a future project.
The beautiful cemetery.
We went next to Atil, where the church is basically an adobe ruin. Then on to Tubutama. The church there is in fairly good shape, with a few beautiful paintings. We had lunch there, where I enjoyed some snacks, and gave half of my snacks to a charming dog who was starving.
As we drove around the scenery was beautiful. The heavy rains have made for lush landscapes, with many wildflowers blooming. The cattle and horses we saw seemed sleek and well fed. Large areas have little evidence for human activity, at least from the bus window.
We went next to Pitiquito. Back in 1966 they discovered painting that were covered up by lime plaster and paint. They exposed some back them, and more were uncovered recently.
Skeleton, fairly anatomically correct.
Lucifer holding a snake.
Bull.
We returned and I enjoyed salad for supper again.
There are a lot of stray dogs wandering around. On Sunday morning I got up and there was a little black puppy at the base of the stairs. So friendly. I went back and got half of a bagel, which I broke in little pieces and fed it to her. I went and had breakfast and came back and left my door open . I went down to the bus and for some reason went back to the room and discovered the puppy was inside the room hiding. I carried her out and she sat on my lap for a while before we boarded the bus. If I could have, I would have brought her home to be friends with Ruby (the vaccination rules require 28 days after being vaccinated before you can bring them over the border).
Little puppy.
We headed out to the Caborca Mission, part of which had fallen into the adjacent river a long time ago. Some painted areas have been exposed and a few elements have survived elsewhere.
Caborca Mission.
Inside Caborca Mission.
Outside, the palo verde and ocotillo were blooming, as we were driving around some of the palo verde trees were enormous.
Palo verde.
The last mission we went to was at San Ignacio. I liked this one because it had the most artifacts from the Mission period.
Religious artifacts.
Lunch was snacks again. Then we said goodbye to the Mexican travelers and headed north. At the border we saw a group of refugees awaiting a medical place open, but not the enormous hordes that the Orange Thing is blabbering about. It took us 1.75 hours to get across, including getting off the bus and having our bags x-rayed. I would like to go back soon.
