Inzared The Fortune Teller

This Post by L.Leander, Author of Fearless Fiction

Everything was bathed in sunshine and the temperature rising when friends picked my husband and me up for a trip to El Quelite a week ago. El Quelite is a sleepy village a few miles outside Mazatlan and one tourists like to visit. We were no exception. Although I’ve been there before, my husband hadn’t had the pleasure and without a car we have to rely on others for transportation to outlying areas.

The first thing we noticed were the beautiful blooming trees. There were jacaranda and bougainvillea stretched over the arid countryside and they stood proud between the cactus and sagebrush that the area is covered in. Mango trees showed off their fruit, which is nearly ripe and is an avocado color with a rosy blush on the skin.

A few farms were scattered along the winding road that leads to the village. We noticed a few herds of cattle grazing on scrub grass and some turkeys in a field.

A few chickens pecked in a yard next to a house that had a corrugated tin flat roof and a couple of outbuildings. The house sat in the middle of nowhere and looked like a bird on a nest with the wispy sage that surrounded it. It was colorful, though, and made you happy just to look at it. Bright blue had been lavishly painted on the sides of the misshapen house and it was cheerfully trimmed in flamingo pink. I love Mexican colors – they make you feel good.

We reached the outskirts of the town and saw more signs of life. A weathered sign said “Bienvenidos a El Quelite” to welcome visitors. A few people waved as we drove by and continued working. Gringos are nothing new to the townspeople.

The first thing we noticed was the church steeple. It towers over the sleepy streets and commands attention. It is in the center of town, as are most Mexican churches. We drove past houses painted salmon and yellow, blue and green, pink and red. Each house has a little garden out front and the flowers are lovely and well tended.

There are two restaurants in the village that the Gringos frequent and the food is Sinaloa at its best. Our friends decided to eat at the more popular one. A doctor owns it and when he’s in the area he regales his guests with wild stories of the past. El Quelite is the cowboy capital of the state of Sinaloa. They have rodeos almost every weekend and many of the participants have gone on to win accolades internationally.

The restaurant has a couple of quirky things that are fun. One is a huge parrot that is free to roam at will. The other is a museum-like setting for guests to enjoy. We were seated outdoors under a palapa made of coconut fronds to keep the sun off. We were immediately given dishes of local cheeses, salsas, dips and tortilla chips with our drinks. Next we were served chorreadas – one of my favorite things here. It’s a thick tortilla browned on the grill with meat, tomatoes and whatever you choose to garnish it with. Over the top is melted queso.

I ordered pork carnitas and the meat fell apart. Half of the plate was filled with meat, along with grilled peppers and onions and of course, frijoles. My husband ordered Liver Ranchero and it was delicious. Our friend (who is Mexican) ordered pigs feet – a local delicacy. Once we finished all of that we were brought bowls of desserts to try. We had everything from rice pudding and custard to sweet potatoes. As full as I was I had to take little bites of each and they were delicious

We walked through the establishment and took pictures of the many artistic designs used for decorating. The restaurant is definitely unique and fun. I especially loved the mujeres bathroom, which used two trumpets for water faucets and old-fashioned keys for handles to turn on the water. Another fun thing was a shelf that held ceramic chickens. My friend, Gaby and I were taking pictures when all of a sudden one of the chickens rose up off her nest and clucked angrily at us to go away. She sat so still we thought she was a ceramic chicken!

My husband couldn’t wait to see a burro and he wasn’t disappointed. There were many on the streets of El Quelite that day and I even took his picture with one. The inhabitants of the village use them for farming and transportation.

As I walked across the street to the church I was reverent. The church is small but commanding. It’s Catholic, of course, and it seems to say “Come in and I will give you rest.” There are many statues and a garden with fountains in the small courtyard. The interior of the church is simple but absolutely beautiful. Antique wooden beams hold up the ceiling and the same type of wood forms rustic pews. Along the ceiling are pictures of the saints and a statue of Mary and Jesus beseech you to come to the front, where the altar is decorated with beautiful fresh flowers. As I stood there I realized it doesn’t matter what your faith is, you can worship God anywhere. I said a prayer and left quietly.

We drove the winding roads back to Mazatlan, full of food and at peace. The people of the town are very accommodating and we took lots of pictures. We went with good friends and enjoyed the time. As we drove home underneath a brilliant sunset across the ocean I realized how thankful I am for good friends and for this culture and country I have come to know well in the eight years I have lived here. Life couldn’t get much better than this!