Trish Abramson. Photo by Jose Luis Villarreal (Joey).

I think it was 1991. I had gone to AAA to get a travel book on Mexico mainly for a Baja Trip from the Los Angeles area. After scanning through the book, I found a side trip that sounded way more interesting—the Copper Canyon. I told my friend, Elynn Eiss, about my find to see if she were interested in flying in from Florida and joining me in this adventure. She was! I should have known… she’s up for anything to do with travel! It was to be a driving trip and my research showed me that Alamos was enroute.

My husband at the time, Bernie, said he didn’t think we two “girls” should go alone so he joined us and we were off! (We really had wished to travel without him but we gave in and let him come along.)

On driving into Alamos on the street now known as “No Hay Paso,” we “Oh’d an Ah’d” as we found our way to our reservations at the Tesoros Hotel in rooms by the pool. I don’t even remember what month it was but we certainly loved the fireplace that was lit for us in the evening!

The night showed us a wonderful social happening sitting in the famous leather chairs on the portal. That first night we met so many interesting people. Elizabeth and Pember Nuzum, Gaye Billington… well, I cannot list them all. The Tesoros Hotel turned out to be the gathering place for many expats and locals every night.

After a few long walks and a house tour we three realized we were enchanted not only with the town, but also with the people. THEN when Virginia Cotton, #15 Comerció, showed us her house AND it was up for sale AND it had 13 fireplaces, swimming pool, many arches, beautiful Dolores Hildago tiles, sunken tiled tubs; “My Oh My”, we simply had to make an offer!

We had lived in Hollywood, California, since 1973 and had watched property values go crazy so we were unable to resist the values in Alamos.

Yes, we three finally made it to the Copper Canyon and glad we did, BUT we had left our hearts in Alamos.