The first stop on our Northern Mexico tour was at the Mission San Javier de Bac, just outside of Tuscon. Though it is now more than 300 years old, the Mission is still actively serving the local San Xavier Indian Community. It sits on the land of the Tohono O’odham Indians who have protected the mission for hundreds of years.
When we got to the border at Nogales we saw hundreds of trucks stopped, waiting to go across into the USA. This view is just a few of the trucks. There were several more check points along the highway for us going into Mexico. Also we saw a beautiful tree, so we had to take a photo. We think it is a purple Jacaranda tree.
 
 San Carlos Area
We spent 3 nights in a hotel in San Carlos on a beautiful beach. The view from our room was marvelous. Our hotel is the one far away on the beach in the picture on the right.

The beach was lovely looking both ways.
   

Even the grounds and parking lot were beautiful.
 
Cactus gardens nearby. Many birds live in the cactus, including a Hooded Oriole.
We visited a pearl farm in Guaymas, the only one outside of Japan. Here the director is showing the different colors of shells that influence the pearl colors that are produced. Eduardo is showing us a shell he is taking to his wife to show that pearls grown in some oysters aren't round, but flat on one side.
 
Booze-cruise on the San Carlos bay area. There are many lovely, expensive homes in the area, which is not nearly as developed as other resorts in Mexico, and is therefore more charming. Marguaritas were abundant!
 
We took a jeep tour of the area around San Carlos, which included many more cactus varieties, some of which were HUGE. There were many scenic views of the area, and a visit to an oasis.
Giant organ pipe cactus below and right

Oasis with giant fig tree
Senita cactus (old man cactus)
Spider cactus
 
Eduardo entertaining us at the hotel. Lalo sings very well, and even sings to himself when he's not talking to us! On the bus, he is telling us about what we are going to see. On the right is a fisherman statue in Guaymas honoring the fishing tradition there. In Guaymas there is a plaza honoring 3 native sons who were presidents of Mexico.
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