wendyonwillow

I’ve been here in Santa Rosalia for the past week, and I love it! There is not one tourist-anything to be found here! This is a small working town, the site of a recently retired (1989) copper mine that had been in service since the 1800s. There was all the bad and good that came with that, and the Mexicans finally had control of the mine at the time of closure. Originally owned and operated by the French, and with imported workers, Chinese, there were no safety standards, and the work was incredibly dangerous. Additionally, the workers brought their own indigenous diseases to the area, and the local Mexicans had a very hard time with that. There were many deaths, both local and work related, and the cemetery up on the hill is packed with old gravestones, some marked, some not. The history is incredible, and interesting.

The Dedication Plaque.  Enlarge it if you can.  Pretty Interesting…

Another interesting note, this mission was designed by Gustav Eiffel, of Eiffel Tower fame. I went inside and sat in the cool peace, and it was lovely. The adornments were simple and lovely, and the building is made of tin-metal. The decorations to the outside of the building, like wainscoting, among others, are metal also. Pretty neat. Jesus lies at rest, just after being taken down from the cross, under the main altar. I watched the Faithful come in to worship, and it was humbling. I asked God to watch over them, me, and all who go to sea. And all who fight fires…

Simple, Peaceful Worship…

The harbor here is not clean, romantic, picturesque, or anything like that. But it’s functional in a way that keeps the Pescadores working, and working hard. The ferry from San Carlos sneaks in right behind my slip every other morning, and I’ve not heard it arrive yet. I’ve done some good provisioning, some good cleaning, some EXCELLENT laundry, and a few minor, routine repairs. I’ve met some great people, and really, am having the time of my life, still. I’m so excited and happy to see what comes next…

I should be at Bahia Santo Domingo again for the Fourth, and will celebrate with the revelers at El Burro Cove from a distance. I should be able to see the fireworks! I hope you all have a great and safe Fourth, do good things, and take good care of each other. I’ll be leaving here at midnight to begin the slow sail back to La Paz.  I’ll be there by the first of August.  I’ll write more when I can! I love and miss you all!