As I share my travels with you I know I sound like every day is a great day and that life is really good for me, this is true but today was the first day since I left where I felt pangs of loneliness and a little sadness. I am not sharing this to receive an outburst of sympathy but simply sharing. As I walked into the hills above this beautiful town and looked down at the church and houses I wished that I were with someone to share the views and experiences. The feeling stayed with me most of the day but now at 9pm I am getting ready to walk into town to attend the 10pm mass, I feel Ok. I know Christmas is such a time of mixed emotions and feelings and hope you don’t mind me sharing mine with you
There is a lovely Canadian couple in the next spot to Ramona, very friendly and they have been to Alamos and many other places and have a whole network of places to go and see. They have been very helpful to me in showing me things and telling me about hikes and places to see..
Took a long hike above the town today and finished up at a look out post way above town where the views were quite magnificent.
This is really a very beautiful town it is an old mining town and many of the homes have been restored to their former beauty. It is nice not to be in a touristy place, the men all wear cowboy hats and blast music from their car stereos. Everyone is friendly and speaks to you. It is very safe and walking the streets and the squares is such fun watching the old people, the children and everywhere are Christmas lights and trees lit up and fire works going off, just a very pleasant atmosphere..
Please just enjoy all the photos of children, men and women at work, incredible windows, doors, and alleys. The inside of the church, one of the local bakeries, check out his out door oven and all the pastries for a fiesta tonight, the cows, no problem parking this horse, the paths up to the look out. The day was sunny and hot and now I look forward to the mass, won’t understand very much of it but will be happy to partake in the festivities.
It is now 11pm and I have just got back from the service and I feel like my old self again, the church was packed and I was sitting next to a lady whose photo I wish I could have taken, she was a princess, about 80 years with a face full of wrinkles dressed in Joseph’s Technicolor shawl, scarf, running shoes and a smile that would melt chocolate. One of the customs, which I didn’t know about, is many times through the mass, people around you give you a candy and a hand shake, so every time I got a candy I gave it to her and I got a smile in return. This is the first time I have been to a service in Mexico where they had a translator who at times spoke in English saying what the priest had said. It was a wonderful time and I felt blessed and happy.

I want to take this opportunity to wish each and every one of you the very best of this holiday season, filled with health, happiness, peace and joy, Merry Christmas, Les