We assemble for the short drive from our RV Park into the
town of San Ignacio and dutifully follow along until we park in the shade of
large trees in the main square. The mission is one of the finer ones in Baja
California, and with a similar history as others we have visited; started by
Jesuits, then Franciscans and finally Dominicans who completed the building in
1786.
It is an appealing church, with a carefully restored altar screen covered
with gold leaf.
A garden on the church grounds includes many cactus that I have
been trying to identify, and each one neatly labeled in Spanish and English, as
well as the botanical name. This is wonderful, and I take pictures of each,
including the label.
Then we head to the small museum behind the church. This
mostly concerns the local rock art from the Sierra de San Francisco. Ken and
Carole have looked into the possibility of us doing an extra excursion to see
these cave paintings. But it is a two hour drive each way on a rough unpaved
road, and the group declined this in favor of just studying the photographs and
recreation of the major scenes in the museum.
Felix and I decide to attempt the short hike to the top of
the nearest mesa that is mentioned in our Baja guide. It is a dusty scramble up
a steep path, aided by a local lady who points out the correct path from among
several. At the top, it is clear why San Ignacio is an oasis. It is surrounded
by mesas of basalt, just like the one we are standing on. The landlocked
depression includes the town of San Ignacio and thousands of date palms filling
the valley. Many of the cactus from the church garden are represented on the
mesa top, and we spend a few minutes walking around.
Back down in the town square, we are both in need of
sustenance after our scramble up the mesa. We walk almost right around the
square until Felix stops at a tiny ice cream place. He gets a pina colada ice
cream and I a cappuccino. Oh joy! This one is as good as the one in Mazatlan.
It’s probably made entirely with full cream milk, but just delicious. Felix
enjoys his ice cream while I am persuaded to buy a small, carved whale pendant.
On the way back to the rig, we stop at the Mercado for a few
groceries. Ken said this was the best place in town, but it is a
disappointment. Most of the veggies are wilted and shriveled, so we come away
with the minimum to last until the next town.
I make hot cheese dip for the evening social. It is a simple
recipe out of the ancient and tattered
cookbook that came with the microwave oven in our rig. But it is a success.
When I want to give the leftovers to the local dog who has been doing the
rounds looking for handouts or dropped scraps, I am requested to leave it for
the remaining partygoers.
Felix and Rose |
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