After some deliberation we decided to stay for the 6 days remaining to us. Juan Carlos in the office let us pick the plates, cups, bowls, cutlery and cookware we thought we could use. We bought some basic items at nearby grocery stores, and soon our little kitchen was set up and ready to go, complete with shelves, drawer, small frig with freezer, and two-burner hotplate. We went to sit outside on our patio, and were greeted by. . . cats. I wasn’t sure if they belonged to the inn or were strays, but we found out from Juan Carlos later that the inn had adopted the entire family, mama and three sons. One had recently fallen ill, and Juan Carlos was nursing him back to health.

Staying here began to feel like home to us after a while. One of the real perks to staying at a place like this is the interesting people you’d probably never meet in fancier places. Our first neighbors were two clean-cut, well-dressed young men who arrived just before dawn. As we were eating brunch on the patio the next day, they left, carrying weapons. Probably undercover federales, we figured. Our next neighbors were a young couple. The young woman, stylish in short shorts and very high heels, explained she was a make-up artist who prepared women’s faces for weddings. Her work done, she and her boyfriend were planning to relax on the beach before heading back to Hermosillo. Another neighbor was Emma from Australia, a fascinating young woman who had been traveling for more than a year. When short on funds she’d work for a while, until she made enough to continue on. She was heading south to meet some surfing friends. Our last neighbors were Bonnie and Larry, who had sailed to Mexico from San Francisco, were now trying to sell their boat, and planned a move to Australia in three weeks!

Posada del Desierto is centrally located in the marina district. Its walls are painted a warm terra cotta and decorated with tiles, a painted iguana, and a laughing clay sun. A profusion of desert and tropical plants grow on the grounds and vine up the walls. Flowering bougainvillea and hibiscus brighten the scene even more. The cobblestone parking lot is fenced in and convenient to the rooms. Each room has its individual covered patio with table and chairs. There is also a common area covered by a large palapa. There are several restaurants nearby, including famous "Tequila’s. On Friday and Saturday, the live music wafting up from that popular spot imparted a festive feeling until late into the night.