Our first morning in Banámichi started with a hearty breakfast consisting of fresh fruits (mangoes, cantaloupes, and watermelons), scrambled eggs, beans, flour tortillas, orange juice, coffee, and tea. We did a bit of work post-breakfast and then our host, Tom, took us to the home of a couple, Stevan and Lucia, who are committed to sustainable living.
Phil wanted to take the bike, but I wanted a break from the devil’s gift to mankind (also known as the helmet) so we ended up going in Tom’s truck. The route we took had unpaved roads and we had to cross the Rio Sonora, which was around 10 meters wide and 30 centimeters deep. Despite not being too deep, the water had some current so I think Phil wasn’t too bummed about not getting to ride. Talk about a win-win situation 🙂
Stevan wasn’t home, but we did have the pleasure of meeting Lucia. She gave us a tour of her home and garden, and explained how they built everything and manage day-to-day tasks. They are both qualified architects and natural builders, and have built their home largely from the materials gleaned from the surrounding area.
They grow their own fruits and vegetables (mulberries, grapes, avocados, corn, and tomatoes – to name a few), and even purify their own water. You can find them and see more pictures of their home and harvests on their Facebook page.
Interior shot taken from the front door
Interior shot taken from in front of the closet
Exterior of the adobe house
Lucia, Tom, and Phil in the outdoor kitchen
Solar Oven
Fruit and Vegetable Garden
Sun-dried Corn
Rain Meter
We took a different route back to avoid the river. The roads were still unpaved, but we did make a few stops to take pictures of the vegetation and the beautiful (but hot and oh so humid!) day.
The dirt road that took us back
Blue skies of the day
In the evening, we headed to Huépac, which is about nine miles from Banámichi. There was a little fiesta happening there with a number of stalls for food, beverages, and kitschy objects. It reminded me of the Richmond Night Market that is so popular during Summer back home.
We walked around the complex and then decided to get some food. Phil exercised his Spanish skills and ordered our dinner. What we received was not what we expected as the drink Phil thought he was ordering was a hibiscus flower tea, but we got a milky concoction that we later found out was called horchata. The food remains a mystery, but it tasted good and we didn’t get sick… yet 😛
Phil at the Fiesta
“Eye of newt and toe of frog, wool of bat and tongue of dog” (from Shakespeare’s Macbeth)
We waited around for a little while after we finished dinner as we heard that a band was going to play. The band started at around 10 PM and played some Mexican music. No one was dancing and we were yawning so we called it a night shortly afterwards.
