Does this sound like the title of an Aesop's fable? It isn't--just the names of two business establishments in Puerto Penasco that we visited on the same day.

Anyone who has driven out of the Old Port area back to the main part of town can hardly have failed to notice Victoria's Hormiga to the left. It's one of a row of shops painted in bright colors. But as if it's bright orange exterior weren't enough to attract attention, it's decorated with drawings of ants (hormiga is the Spanish word for ant). Ants crawl up from the sidewalk around the door, under the window and back onto the sidewalk where they walk along to the end of the building. One would not think of the ant as a particularly decorative insect, yet Victoria has made it work for her. And one thing about it--it's unique.

Inside the shop Victoria has for sale many distinctive pieces of furniture and accessories. Some look like antiques; others are decorated in different styles. When we entered, the shop attendant gave us a little souvenir--what looked like a tiny dustpan made from a seashell with a diminutive yellow straw brush. The shell was decorated with--what else?--an ant. This was a good example of the exquisite detail with which many of Victoria's works are hand painted.

We were not fortunate enough to meet Victoria, but we hope to some time; she is obviously an original person. Anyone who is looking for a special, unique gift or item of home furnishing, could very well find just the thing at Victoria's Hormiga.

Just up the street from Victoria's is El Delfin Amigable, The Friendly Dolphin. Owned and operated by Gaston Rochin, this restaurant has been a fixture in Puerto Penasco for at least 10 years. Many important people in the arts and government, including Sonora's Governor Beltrones, make it a point to eat here when they're in town.

We had an opportunity to talk with Gaston. It was afternoon, so he wasn't too busy yet and was able to tell us some interesting bits of information about himself and the restuarant. As a local businessman, he takes a great interest in civic affairs; he is an ex-president of the Consejo Municipal de Turismo (municipal council on Tourism).

Gaston told us that when he first opened his business, he had flyers printed up with coupons offering a free beer. Then he himself walked around giving them out in the streets. The combination of this personal advertising with the excellent quality of the food and Gaston's own personality obviously worked.

The Dolphin was recently remodeled, and its decor is striking, both inside and out. The outside is painted dusty pink with bright blue trim. Flowers blooming in pots surround the eating area on the upper deck, which overlooks the harbor below. Around the door and windows are lines of decorative ceramic tile. The front door is hand painted in a style reminiscent of the south of Mexico and the Nahuatl-speaking people that live there. It consists of brightly painted birds and flowers on a background of brilliant turquoise.

Inside, as Gaston told us, the decor aims to capture the eclectic mix of styles that characterizes the rich haciendas of Mexico. The niches and pillars surrounding the bar show French influence, adapted to Mexican architectural styles. The Talavera tiles that decorate different parts of the interior rooms are hand painted; each one is different. But the most striking feature of Gaston's decorating is his large collection of photographs illustrating Mexican history. He himself is a former teacher of history and has collected many authentic photographs by Augustin Casasola who recorded the cultural and social life of Mexico during the Revolution. Anyone who took the time just to walk around and look at Gaston's collection could absorb at least a semester's worth of history from two rooms.

One of the interesting anecdotes Gaston told us was that some of the Indians in Mexico had never seen horses. When they first saw Spanish horsemen, they thought that horse and rider were the same creature--a very strange one, certainly.

We returned later that evening for a meal. The quiet afternoon atmosphere had been replaced by one of lively conviviality. The place was nearly full, and everyone there seemed to be enjoying themselves. Mariachi musicians were playing when we arrived. Later we observed one of the waiters dancing, and our own waiter showed his skill at twirling a tray in the air. From time to time Gaston himself could be heard singing in a fine tenor voice to entertain his customers.

We ate in the large inner room, two sides of which were glass framed with wood. Baskets of plants and copper kitchen utensils hanging from the ceiling provided variety in texture and color. Several pieces of antique furniture along the walls added to the ambiance.

Gaston had recommended a number of specialties of the house, and we tried two of them: Pescado Lafarga, a fish baked with cheese sauce, and Shrimp Shish Kabob. Both were excellent. He mentioned to us that another specialty, Rocky Point Fish, is cooked without fat so is good for those trying to cut down.