CELEBRATING OVER 34 YEARS IN BUSINESSPhone: (520) 398-9705

E-mail: fiestatoursint@gmail.com

2019-2020 SEASONSINCE 1985, our objective has been to offer unique experiences with the opportunity to learn about other people and places on a more personal level than the large tour companies can offer.• Small group sizes• Unique experiences—learning adventures• Quality accommodations• Multiple destinations in Latin America—and around the world!• Regularly scheduled tours and customized tours for your special group• If you wish to travel independently on your own timetable, we can make

those arrangements for you as well.

CATHY HUSTED GIESY and MARSHALL GIESYP.O. Box 2141 • Tubac, Arizona 85646-2141Website: www.fiestatoursint.com

• Enjoy a colorful walking tour of San Miguel’s historic and cultural highlights – visit the most well known artist’s galleries and museums

• Stay seven nights in a delightful B&B within walking distance of many shops and galleries

• Tour “La Canada de la Virgen” archaeological site and learn about the early Otomi inhabitants of the region

• Explore the fascinating historic mining town of Pozos

• Visit the ceramic art centers of Guanajuato, Santa Rosa, and Delores Hidalgo

TOUR DATES: FEBRUARY 11-18, 2020

TOUR COST: $2990.00 per person double occupancy $500 single supplement, plus airfare

PRICE INCLUDES: All tours and transfers from the Leon, Guanajuato, airport, all lodging and taxes, all breakfasts, one dinner, bilingual anthropologist tour escort, entry fees to included tours, donation to the Tubac Center of the Arts, MINIMUM OF 8 PEOPLE, MAXIMUM OF 14.

SAN MIGUEL DE ALLENDEA CUSTOM TOUR SUPPORTING THE TUBAC CENTER OF THE ARTS

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Spring 2019

Dear Fiesta Tours Travelers,Wow! We are about to complete our most successful year in almost 35 years. Thank you for your continued support, and we do appreciate your choosing to travel with us.

Many of our travelers mention all the personal contacts we have at our various destinations that view us as family. The following comment from Anita Tripp hit home:

“...and unlike most tours, Fiesta Tours provided a delightful meaningful opportunity to interact on a personal level with a wide variety of indigenous Mexican people. “

In an unassuming way, our major goal over the years has been to introduce our travelers to the various cultures within Mexico, Central and South America, and offer the chance to get to know and understand different ways of life, belief systems, and find a common thread. The exposure to the rich cultural heritage of all of Latin America gives us a greater understanding of our own way of life, and opens our eyes to the thoughts of other cultures.

Next season is coming up fast! The “Day of the Dead” in Oaxaca was so much fun last year! Many of us painted our faces, wore masks, and “got into the spirit” of the season. We cleaned abandoned graves in the Oaxaca Cemetery, and were welcomed in the procession (comparsa). Luncheons in the homes of a couple of artist friends gave us an opportunity to learn how the “ofrendas” are made and to contribute fruit or bread to the altar.

Several private tours were organized last year – Copper Canyon, Mata Ortiz, Baja Rock Art as well as Baja Whale Watching. It only takes a small group for us to make a tour, and it is a lot of fun to travel with your

friends to share adventures along the way.

We are very fortunate to have obtained a charter for the finest small boat in the Galapagos. The S/S Mary Anne, luxury brigantine, is available exclusively for us in May of 2021. It is

the only true sailboat in the Galapagos – three masts, 216 feet long – looks like something the early maritime explorers used

to sail the world, but is first class smooth sailing.

We have developed a new itinerary to San Miguel with artists, art patrons, and the Tubac Center of the Arts

in mind. An archaeological site recently opened, providing a wonderful opportunity for sketching and photography, as does the abandoned mine site of Pozos. We will check out the latest art galleries, some of which have become great museums housing fascinating collections not only of folk art, but contemporary and modern art as well.

We have learned to love Mexico City – so much going on! For April of 2020 we designed a tour with Dr Alan Garfinkel, Anthropologist, geologist, philosopher, and aficionado of the Virgin of Guadalupe. He will be leading us through Aztec traditions, Spanish Catholic beliefs, and the amazing faith in the Virgin of Guadalupe. A very fascinating tour.

We write this from a perch high in the Andean Mountains of Peru where we can see the great

condors soar in the valley below. Join us for the next adventure!

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BANAMICHIThe beautiful rural village of Banamichi in the Sonora River Valley, throwback to a bygone era, is a wonderful place to experience the true atmosphere of rural Mexico. With the ambience of ancient Mexican traditions from prehistoric times through the colorful epoch of the early Spanish explorers, the miners who came looking for gold and silver, to the missionaries who came to convert the native souls. The true soul of Sonora originated in this valley and remains typical today.

• Stay two nights in the wonderful Posada del Rio Sonora

• Enjoy traditional Sonoran cuisine – learn to make Sonoran tortillas

• Learn about early mission history

• Visit the local craftsmen

• Taste the sweet “bacanora” of the region

• Soak in a local hot springs hidden in the mountains

TOUR DATES: November 12-14, 2019TOUR COST: $695 per person double occupancy $150 single supplement

INCLUDES: All transportation from Tubac, AZ, all lodging and taxes, two lunches, two breakfasts, bilingual anthropologist tour leader.

Sign up now – rooms fill fast for the Dia de Muertos • Visit the villages to see San Martin, Ocotlan, and Coyotepec to explore the artistic

traditions of master wood carvers, famous artists, and black pottery traditions.

• Teotitlan del Valle – visit the home of well-known weaver Porfirio Gutierrez in a remote corner of the village – enjoy a private luncheon with the family

• Zapotec/Mixtec prehistoric ruins of Monte Alban and Mitla• Xoxo Cemeteries –see the candelight vigils and welcome the spirits of the departed.

Learn about the ancient Zapotec traditions of the spirits of the dead and how they blended with Catholicism. Enjoy “comparsa” processions of monsters and spirits in the streets of Oaxaca

• Stay the week in a fabulous B&B only five blocks from the city center

• Savor the great cuisine of Oaxaca at numerous wonderful restaurants

• Meet the “women of the red clay” at the remote village of San Marcos – have a typical Zapotec luncheon in the home of Macrina Mateo, and watch her magic as she builds a red pot.

TOUR DATES: October 27 – November 3, 2019

TOUR COST: $2995.00 per person double occupancy $495 single supplement, plus airfare

INCLUDES: ground transportation from Oaxaca airport, tours as outlined in the itinerary, all lodging and lodging taxes, all breakfasts, most lunches (except on free day), entry fees to included activities, fees and expenses for local guides, escorted by Marshall and Cathy Giesy

Day of the Dead in Oaxaca!

CUSTOM TOURS FOR YOUR SPECIAL GROUPLet us design an itinerary that meets your special interests to

any one of our regular destinations as well as:

• Seri Indians of Kino Bay • Arizona Indian Lands • Guadalajara

• Monarch butterflies in Michoacan • San Carlos, Sonora • Belize • Guatemala

• Panama • Peru • Any of our normally organized tour destinations

Contact us for details – fiestatoursint@gmail.com or 520-398-9705

This is a unique opportunity to experience the beauty of Mexico City with leading scholar Dr. Alan Garfinkel, PhD. Alan’s knowledge and enthusiasm is unsurpassed (not to mention his sense of humor). The focus will be on Mexican history and culture through the “eyes” of the Virgin of Guadalupe, a fascinating phenomenan, truly an integral part of the Mexican psyche. Trace the steps of Juan Diego and learn about the integration of Aztec tradition with Catholicism in this most famous of Mexican stories.

• Stay in a beautiful historic hotel overlooking the Zocalo within walking distance of many restaurants, museums, and shops.

• Visit the ancient basilica and the modern cathedral where the “tilma” of the Virgin of Guadalupe is prominently displayed

• Enjoy lectures by preeminent scholar Dr. Alan Garfinkel

• Explore the world-renowned Museum of Anthropology

• Bask in the ambience of a magical boatride through the ancient Chinampas of Lake Xochimilco

• Visit the home town of Juan Diego, and the nearby

ancient ruins of Tlateloco, walk in the footsteps of Juan Diego along the “Calzada de Guadalupe” that in pre-Columbian days connected the temple of Tonantzin to the Temple Mayor of Tenochtitlan.

TOUR DATES: April 20-27, 2020

TOUR COST: $2995 per person double, $799 single supplement, plus air

INCLUDES: All transportation from the Mexico City Airport Hotel, all lodging, taxes, all breakfasts, all transportation and tours, entry fees to included sites, scholar fees and expenses, escorted by Cathy or Marshall Giesy.

Learn to make pottery in the village!• Stay in the charming village of Mata Ortiz - Visit artists’ homes including the home

of master potter, Juan Quezada

• Observe demonstrations of various stages of pottery making – try your hand at making a pot from digging the clay through forming, sanding, and painting, to the final firing with day by day lessons

• Visit the Cave of the Olla tucked into the Sierra Madre Mountains

• Take an interpretive tour of the Paquime Ruins and museum

• Enjoy a special luncheon at the historic Hacienda San Diego

TOUR DATES: March 23-27, 2020

TOUR COST: $995.00 per person double occupancy, $255.00 single supplement

INCLUDES: all transportation, lodging, meals in Mata Ortiz, visits to potter’s homes, tour guides and escorts.

MEXICO CITY and THE ENCHANTMENT OF THE VIRGIN OF GUADALUPE

MATA ORTIZ AND CASAS GRANDES, CHIHUAHUA

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GRAY WHALE ENCOUNTER IN THE BAJA PENINSULAIn early March, the mother whales are friendly and often bring their babies to the boat to get to know us. We cannot guarantee it, but it is the best chance to get to pet a baby whale! No words can describe the experience – it will forever change your view of how we relate to other species.

• Three opportunities provided to meet with the great grays – Laguna San Ignacio, Ojo de Liebre and Scammon’s Lagoon – get close to the whales in 20 foot pangas

• Stay in comfortable hotels all along the way – terrific fresh seafood daily

• Experience the beautiful wine country of northern Baja – tour the oldest historic winery.

• Learn about colonial history, prehistoric, and natural history in this unique corner of the world

• Fly from Loreto back to the States

• Optional extension to look for “blue” whales from Loreto

TOUR DATES: February 27 - March 5, 2020

TOUR COST: $2795 per person double $550 single supplement, plus one-way air

INCLUDES: Transportation by vehicle from Tucson, pangas and whale watching, all breakfasts, five lunches, all lodging & lodging taxes, entry fees, one wine tasting experience, bilingual guide & driver.

COPPER CANYONCopper Canyon is our longest running tour and one of our favorites!

•Visit the Yaqui and Mayo in their villages in Southern Sonora

•Enjoy the colonial city of El Fuerte•Ride the train into the mountains – overnight on the

canyon rim at Divisadero where three of the canyons meet

•Mingle with the Tarahumara and learn about their customs and culture

•Take one of the most scenic drives in the world to the bottom of Urique Canyon to visit the town that time forgot

•End your tour with a highlight visit to the village of Mata Ortiz to see the potters at work in their own homes

TOUR DATES: January 21-31, 2020

TOUR COST: $2979 per person double occupancy $750 single supplement

INCLUDES: All ground transportation from Tucson, Arizona, accompanied by Marshall and Cathy Giesy, most meals, lodging and taxes. MINIMUM OF 8 PEOPLE, MAXIMUM OF 9.

GALAPAGOS and the Ecuadorian HighlandsSail with us in 2021!!!

We are pulling out all the stops on this one! Eight glorious days on the 216 ft 3-masted brigantine SS MaryAnne! The only true sailing ship in the Galapagos Islands. Feel the wind in your hair! Experience the islands like Darwin did in the 1830’s. The very best guides in the Galapagos will accompany us with a crew of 8 sailors to create a once in a lifetime journey!There are many alternatives for visiting the Galapagos, but to feel the wind in the sails and hear the quiet sluicing of this beautiful ship as she sails through the islands with all the luxuries that accompany the highest of standards is hands down the best Galapagos experience. Combined with the incredible history of Quito and the quaint highland villages, this is an incredible opportunity.

• Four nights in an elegant colonial B&B in the heart of Quito • Tour the fascinating historic district of Quito, stand over the equator – put one foot in each hemisphere• Two nights in an historic hacienda in Otavalo - where Simon Bolivar once slept! • Visit indigenous villages and learn about their ancient ceramic and weaving traditions• Fly to the Galapagos Islands from Quito – transfer to the SS Mary Anne• Trace the footsteps of Charles Darwin in the eastern part of the Archipelago – see the most spectacular

birdlife in the islands. Visit the Charles Darwin Research Center to see the giant tortises in their natural habitat

• A panga will take us from the boat to the islands each day where we take a short hike to visit the endemic wildlife living on each island – experience wildlife unafraid of humans

• A unique snorkeling adventure will be available each day in a spectacular marine environment

• Sea lions, marine and land iguanas, nesting blue-footed boobies, waved albatross, Galapagos penguins – and many more exotic species await us!

Galapagos and the Ecuadorian Highlands 2021 This tour is limited to 14 passengers – (no more and no less) We have an exclusive charter! The whole boat for our group and our group alone. There will be an optional extension of 8 days to continue sailing the western islands on the SS Mary Anne, based on space available. TOUR DATES: May 17-30, 2021TOUR COST: $8960.00 per person double occupancy $900 single supplement, plus airINCLUDES: All meals, all tours, all transfers, all hotels, all guides and boatmen, ground transportation, entry fees to mainland sites, chartered boat costs, escorted by Marshall and Cathy GiesyDOES NOT INCLUDE: domestic or international airfare, Galapagos National Park fee, Ecuadorian tourist card fees, tips to hotels, boatmen, and guides, alcoholic beverages, personal incidentals, exit tax.

MACHU PICCHU and the Sacred Valley April 29 - May 10, 2020 • $3345 ppdo

PRE-INCA PERU • May 12-23, 2020 • $3500 ppdoThe unbelievable foundations of the Inca Empire

Contact us for details!fiestatoursint@gmail.com • 520-398-9705

This was an extraordinary trip. Jim and I have always wanted to go to Mexico City and were thrilled with your choices of places to go. The combination of art and history exceeded our expectations. Every day was interesting and educational. Your recommendations of restaurants were superb. Thank you both again for a wonderful trip.Carol and Jim Swiggett – Tubac AZMexico City 2019, Baja Whale Watching 2009, Guatemala 2011

What a wonderful trip...compact but treasure laden…. a fun and educational three-day trip.Warren Levingston – Tucson AZMata Ortiz 2019

In spite of Mal’s problem with his knee, he tells great stories about the trip. We really enjoyed it....... in particular the depth of knowledge you two have of the Baja. It is travel on a different level than going ashore from a cruise boat. It was great to meet and get to know you. Marilyn and Mal Grant – Hope Valley RIBaja Whale Watching 2019

What a great trip we had!!! Thank you Cathy and Marshall for your outstanding leadership, generosity and good cheer. Thank you. It was such a TERRIFIC time!!!!!!When you travel with the Giesys, you get not only fabulous information and unique experiences, you get to be included in the personal connections they have made with people throughout the region. Amalia Walther - Tucson AZ Copper Canyon 2019

The experience, knowledge, and personal contacts Cathy and Marshall bring to their tours are exceptional. Their flexibility in making adjustments for the vagaries of weather, train schedules, etc makes it relaxing, fun, and enjoyable tour. Don French and Ann Horner – Buena Vista CO and Tubac AZCopper Canyon 2018

I and my sweetie have spent many happy hours in Mexico with Cathy and Marshall, but their trip to Oaxaca for Dia de Los Muertos was the best. We visited many neighboring sites

featuring weaving, archaeology, sculpture, and glorious food. Their choice of local guides, their enthusiasm for out of the ordinary experiences, and their obvious love of the culture make Cathy and Marshall’s Fiesta Tours truly a fiesta.Jessica Harrison and Tim Hanson - Tucson AZOaxaca 2018, Mata Ortiz 2016

Fabulous trip! We highly recommend this Copper Canyon tour! Cathy and Marshall were very knowledgeable about the region and totally fluent in Spanish; and unlike most tours, provided a delightful, meaningful opportunity to interact on a personal level with a variety of indigenous Mexican people. Everything was well-planned, we were well taken care of and had a leisurely, fun trip.Anita Tripp and Brad Bradshaw – Green Valley AZCopper Canyon 2019

Oaxaca was on our to-do list for many years with the anticipation of exploring a new city, geography, and cultures; meeting new people; and being amazed by art, plants, and architecture. Fiesta Tours provided all of that, Whew! A huge thank you to Cathy and Marshall. Allyson and Dale Armstrong – Basalt COOaxaca 2018, Costa Rica 2015, Alamos 1994, Copper Canyon – on one of our early ones 1991!

Our trip to Oaxaca with Cathy and Marshall is one of our most memorable trips. Their knowledge of the area and connections with locals made us feel like so much more than tourists – we were truly immersed in the culture and welcomed wherever we went. Their approach to travel and the small size of the group made it feel as though we were traveling with friends rather than with a tour – but friends who had expertly handled all the logistics for us! We can’t imagine using any other tour operator for our next trip south of the border!Linda and Byron Gricius - Green Valley AZOaxaca 2019

Thanks Cathy to you & Marshall !! Dan & I had a wonderful time; we enjoyed the venues very much as well as our traveling companions.Susan & Dan Kirkham – Tubac AZMexico City 2019, Copper Canyon 2010

General Information and Conditions

RESPONSIBILITY: FIESTA TOURS, TUBAC, ARIZONA, acts only as agents for the various owners and contractors providing means of transportation and/or other services, and all tickets are issued and provided subject to any and all of the terms and conditions under which the same are offered and provided the issuance and acceptance hereof shall be deemed a consent to the further conditions that FIESTA TOURS, TUBAC, ARIZONA, nor any of its officers, agents or employees shall be or become liable or responsible in any manner in connection with such means of transportation and or other services or for any delayed flight or changes of flight schedule due to weather or strikes or any other reason, additional expense, loss or injury, or damage to or in respect of any person, or property howsoever caused or arising, the purchaser releases and absolves FIESTA TOURS, TUBAC, ARIZONA, its officers, agents and employees from any and all liability for property loss or damage, howsoever caused and/or from any and all damages resulting from death or personal injury, including loss of services, which may be sustained on account of, arising out of, or while engaged on said trip, whether due to the vehicle, in common carrier or otherwise, and whether due to its own negligence or otherwise. It is further understood that the transportation ticket or passenger contract when issued shall constitute the sole contract between passenger and the carrier concerned.

Fiesta Tours is an equal opportunity service provider.

FIESTA TOURS, TUBAC, ARIZONA, reserves the right to make such alteration of the itinerary as it may deem necessary for the carrying out of the tour. Right is reserved to decline to accept or retain any person as a member of any of our programs.

RATES quoted as based on tariffs and current exchange at the time or printing and are subject to change without notice.

EXCLUSIONS: Unless otherwise stipulated in the itinerary, meals, except where indicated, gratuities of any nature, personal incidental items, telephone charges, departure tax due upon exit from any airport, and alcoholic beverages.

RESERVATIONS & PAYMENTS: A deposit per person is required at the time of booking, see details of particular tours. The balance is due 60 days prior to departure unless otherwise specified. A cancellation penalty applies. No reservations will be confirmed until deposit or full payment is received by this office unless otherwise stipulated in the itinerary.

CANCELLATIONS: A penalty will normally be assessed for cancellations. Please see details in each tour package.

Testimonials

FIESTA!!!!Posole and Pottery Party

An invitation to a Mata Ortiz pottery show at our home in Tubac

Open House – Friday November 29, 2019, 1 to 5 PMFiring will start at 3:00 PM

Featuring the fine art work of Tavo Silveira and his family, Lidia Quezada and her two excellent artistic children – Pabla and Moronias well as the gregarious family of Gloria Hernandez and Goyo Silveira

(Goyo is Tavo’s uncle)

Watch these fine artists forming, painting and firing pottery! Bring your friends or relatives who are visiting for the Thanksgiving holidays – open to all!

Live music and delicious Chihuahuan posole to make it a great day!

Please let us know if you can come – call or email for directions

Cathy and Marshall Giesy

P.O. Box 2141, Tubac, AZ 85646-2141

First Class Mail – Please Forward

PO Box 2141 Tubac AZ 85646 • (520) 398 9705

fiestatoursint@gmail.com • www.fiestatoursint.com

POSTAGEREQUIRED

Adventure with us!!!