Rooms in Quinta Nápoles are for hunters and hunting is a decorative theme of the hacienda. Quail and dove season attract American hunters. The once cattle ranch is now a private reserve.

I pulled the Grand Marquis into Hermosillo, checked into Hotel Gandara with a zillion college kids and ended up with a Fort Lauderdale Party in the next room. Giggles and grunts kept me reading until nearly 3 a.m.

Then when I thought all was quiet, I found that the air conditioner in the room behind my bed whined and vibrated, and my headboard resonated in tune. So I pulled the mattress off the bed and lugged it to the far corner and slept on the floor.

Some phone porn freak called about 2 a.m. I was up reading and not annoyed by the time. But I caught his drift. He was looking for someone to shock. Then darn if the pervert didn't call again at 4 a.m. and give me his "clever" sexual innuendo spiel. In fact, I could hear the phone ring room by room throughout the motel.

So, in the morning, it wasn't hard for me to gather and go.

Hotel San Alberto became my host. Cheaper, older, a little scruffy, but clean sheets and quiet.

My day began with a call to the office of Sergio Casaretti, director of Sonora's Tourism Promotion. After introducing myself to his secretary and explaining that Sergio was expecting me, she informed me that he was having breakfast at the Hotel Gandara with the Arizona Tourist team.

What are the chances? So I tracked down Sergio in the restaurant, that made it simple, and after he's finished with the Arizona group, we talked about my interest in Sonora and its Cowboy and Hacienda Heritage.

Sergio offered ideas and then got on his cell phone. He called Adolfo Salido and told him to drive on over and be my guide to Ures, a town about 40 minutes away, that's famous for its fudge, its cheese and four haciendas.

Adolfo's a great guy, in personality and in physical size. He's got jokes and stories and history and he knows everyone. He played football in the U.S. in the 60s, gave up smoking 13 years ago and now weighs 350 pounds. He's the first person to make my Grand Marquis seem small and he had a difficult time getting in and out. And he was also the hungriest guy I'd ever met. We stopped 3 times for drinks, snacks and a light meal during our 4-hour outing.

Two of the four haciendas in Ures were open to guests. The haciendas once relied on cattle and cows. We stopped first at La Labrador owned and operated by an American couple. But rats, it was under repair. I took a photo of the cactus-lined driveway that leads to the hacienda, but the workman just ignored us as we stood behind locked gates.

We visited the town's plaza, got our second snack and second soda. Adolfo chatted with the waitress who served us and had plenty of time to burn, as we were the only customers. I walked over and took a picture of The Church of St. Michael Archangel, simple facade, recently painted, attractively highlighting its design, but with few embellishments.

We next visited Hacienda Quinta Nápoles. Eight custodians keep up the property. The family-owners visit weekends and they have built, in architectural harmony with the hacienda, a series of rooms, connected by an outdoor open-air breezeway.

These rooms are for hunters and hunting is a decorative theme of the hacienda. Quail and dove season attract American hunters. The once cattle ranch is now a private reserve.

Every room is decorated with Mexican art. There is a touch of the past and the present. Bold colors, bright fabrics, paintings, and religious items are all in harmony and say "Mexico."

The hacienda has a guest bar for hunters with trophies of a wildcat, armadillo, moose, big horn sheep, deer and antelope.

Guests eat with the family at the hacienda and they have both indoor and outdoor cooking. Breakfast, lunch and dinner could be just about anywhere under a ramada -- in the shade of an arch, by the pool or lakeside, in the kitchen or the formal dining room. The family has a billiard table and a tennis court. The grounds are well kept and old farm implements, a tractor, wagons, etc., are used to accent the past.

This story is from my Forty Days in Mexico.
The previous story in the series is Kino Missions Tour.
The next story in the series is An Encounter.