Petebar Pix

More Thoughts on San Miguel de Allende

2008-01-26T11:43:00.001-06:00

This was a great & fun visit to San Miguel. Different from the first trip. This time was lacking the wonder of a totally new experience. Now, I arrived and sort of knew my way around. It didn't take long to re-familiarize myself with the town. I still had to use a map, especially when I was in an area I hadn't explored before. Many times I knew the correct route to take. On a couple occasions I even helped other people find their way. NOTE: I thought the best visitor map to use was the one available at the tourist office next to the old municipal building, across from the jardin.

I enjoyed staying at a B&B only four blocks (or so) from the jardin. Other than the climb up Canal to el centro, being close to the center of things was much easier than staying out on the edge of town. Quinta Graciosa, my friends Maggie & Charlie's casa, was a very enjoyable experience last year. However, almost always needing to take the bus or a taxi cut down on casual getting around town. Maggie was right that I would like being close to all that was happening in San Miguel.

Maggie was also right that I would really like stayng at Casa de la O. Lilia is a wonderful, friendly, and welcoming host. The rooms were nice and I felt right at home. Which is only right because it has been Lilia's home for 30-some years. The breakfasts cooked by her staff were delicious and varied. And the conversations around the breakfast table were fab. It seems like everyone became instant friends and all had a good time.

To say the least, the food I ate in San Miguel was terrific. Some meals were better than others, but none disappointed. I'd have to say my favorite restaurants were a tie between Bugamvilia and Pueblo Viejo. If I had stayed longer I don't know if I could have kept up going to great restaurants every night. Next visit I think I'd like to explore some of the more neighborhood-type places.

Both times I've been to San Miguel I have gone on field trips sponsored by Instituto Allende. Not only have they been fun and informative excursions (muchas gracias, Cesar!), but you meet other travelers who become friends during the rest of your stay in town. It's great being in a new place and seeing someone you know walking down the street. Next time, I'd like to go on the overnight trip to Mexico City.

Money exchange is an interesting issue in Mexico. It's pretty easy to keep in mind that it is roughly 10 pesos to the dollar. Actually, it was about 10.7 to 1, but 10 to 1 is easy to compute on the fly. So when you are thinking of buying a beautiful rug for 800 pesos, you think, "Gee, that's not bad for only 80 bucks." On the other hand, when contemplating tipping the band playing at a restaurant, you might think, "I'll give them a twenty." Then you have to remember that a "twenty" in pesos is not even two US dollars. Goes both ways, I guess.

I hope I can get back to San Miguel de Allende sometime soon. Now that I've been there twice in January I'd like to go at a different time of the year. January is rather dry (good for outdoor activities!) but perhaps in the fall after the rainy season would be nice. Maybe in the late spring, or maybe DURING the rainy season. I hear it rains a bit then the sun comes back out. That would be OK. Anyway, sometime soon.

Back Home In Minnesota

2008-01-22T23:17:00.000-06:00

I made it back to Minneapolis yesterday only a little late thanks again to bad weather in Houston. It was a long, lousy day of traveling due to the cold I had acquired. And, my left ear would not "pop" during either landing. No fun. I couldn't hear properly and I was a bit off. It got back to normal sometime during the night, but I can still feel some effect.

So the advice is, don't fly with a cold. Use this as an excuse to stay on vacation a few extra days.

UPDATE: The package I had sent from Mexico on Thursday morning showed up today with UPS. That's pretty fast from any location. It now seems that the reason for the high cost of shipping was I got a service somewhat faster than "ground". DUH! Next time maybe I should just ask about what speed they are quoting and request the slowest one. That's pretty basic, I should know that.

The Last Day in San Miguel (this time)

2008-01-20T22:11:00.001-06:00

And so I hit the last full day in San Miguel de Allende for this trip. Wish I could stay. Wish I didn't have to go back to the frigid cold that Minnesota is experiencing now. But there will be more trips to take.

My cold, thanks for asking, was a little better this morning. The Mexican version of DayQuil seemed to be helping. Still, I didn't feel like being too active.

This morning was a bit cooler than usual here so I waited awhile before walking up to the jardin. I just wanted to read the paper and soak in the jardin vibes, preferably in the sun. I found Diane & Gayla there and we chatted a bit. They said they met a young woman who told them where the Americans will be gathering to watch the Packers game this evening. Oh well, they can't win them all.

I wandered down to Parque Benito Juarez again, and this time there were some people there unlike last Monday. Looks a lot better with people enjoying this beautiful park.

While walking to and from Parque Juarez I took more pictures of doors. I started to look more at some of the details in the doors. So I guess I'll call this section, The Knockers of San Miguel de Allende.

This isn't a knocker, just an interesting face on a door.

When I got back to the jardin, it was hopping. It's a great place to just hang out any time of the day. And you can get your shoes shined, too.

And there was even a "Mini" car show on the street. These are the original Mini Coopers from the early 60s, and maybe the 50s. Some were right-hand and others were left.

As I was leaving the jardin I was able to get a little going away music.

Back at Casa de la O, I started to get organized and pack for the trip home tomorrow morning. But there was one more fun thing to do. Rebecca & Steve, a couple we met on the Pozos bus tour, invited Maria Teresa and I to their house for dinner tonight. We had a delicious meal and great conversation with new friends. They live in San Miguel full time and it was interesting to hear what it's like to leave the states behind, at least for the duration of Steve's work assignment. They have a lovely home and it was very nice of them to have us over. I'm sure we'll stay in touch.

And so, that's it. I've got to get packed and ready to be picked up at 9am. It's been a great visit to San Miguel. I'll be back.

A Colorful Day Despite the Overcast Sky

2008-01-19T21:47:00.000-06:00

Well, I'm sick. No, not THAT kind of sick, fortunately. A thick head, tight chest kind of cold. Kinda takes the edge off the fun. It was still a good day. Chilly but nowhere near what is happening in Minnesota.

First, I'll get to yesterday's purchases. They are both flat enough to go in the suitcase. I'm sure of it. Monarch butterflies are important in Mexico. Their winter migration to the state of Michoacan to protected sanctuaries is a big deal. As far as Old 3-Eye, I'll have to make sure I can't see this at night.

The day began with sending the Oregonites on their way. Nice peeps. Sorry to see them go.

After a bit of reading and hanging out in the B&B courtyard, we went over to the Art Fair at Instituto Allende. They have several of these fairs every year in the Instituto's courtyard. The word is that it has become more commercial in recent years to meet the increased American dollars in San Miguel. I'd say it was a mix of commercial, true craftsmanship, and the same vendors at the Mercado Artesanías.

Commercial or craft, there was a LOT of color at the Instituto Art Fair.

Maria Teresa and I then went over to El Buen Café (recommended by the Kennedy's of Roseville) for lunch. I just had chicken and rice soup, not really photo worthy. The key to this kind of soup here is to squeeze in some lime juice. It really makes the soup. Same thing with some vegetable soup Lilia served at Casa de la O.

We wandered back toward the jardin and found the Casa de la Inquisidor. This is where the official in charge of local Spanish Inquisition matters had his office. Across the street is the building that held the Inquisition jail. It is now a center for handicapped children.

Many of the buildings in San Miguel have devotionals, or what ever is the correct word, on the corners. The different styles are quite interesting. They also sometimes serve as excellent pidgen roosts.

I headed back to the B&B for a little siesta. On the way I stopped in at a farmacia. The woman behind the counter knew what I meant by "DayQuil, non-drowsy". In Mexico, it's Tabcin Active, I hope.

A flower box along the way on Calle Canal.

Later it was time to head out for dinner. Maria Teresa, Diane, Gayla & I went to El Pegaso Café on Calle Corregidora, one block from the jardin. I had the Filet of Red Snapper with garlic butter sauce. Very good. This small café had been recommended on many websites. They were right.

Tomorrow, Sunday, is my last full day in San Miguel de Allende. For this trip, that is.

New Friends in San Miguel

2008-01-18T22:23:00.000-06:00

The day started with preparations for the departure Saturday of the new friends from Oregon. Pictures to be taken, contact info to be shared. This is what makes staying at a B&B so much fun. Sitting around the breakfast table in the morning, or hanging out in the courtyard later in the day. You get to know people.

The Ashland Oregon Quartet has been particularly fun to get to know. Lots of laughter, discussions about serious projects, somehow I don't think it will be just a vacation relationship. I want to be there for opening night when OtherRichard finally begins his stand-up career.

Richard, Joyce, Joanne, OtherRichard

The ORs also wanted a shot of the Minnesota/Canada contingent. We had three cameras pointed at us. Which one should I look at? Just like show biz.

Gayla, Diane, Maria Teresa, Petebar

After showing Diane & Gayla where the money exchange office is, I hung out in the jardin reading the papers. It was somewhat busy. Lots of people.

The jardin has four of these fountains that run even in winter. That couldn't be done in Minnesota right now.

And the balloon vendors were out in force.

At 1pm we met at Rincon de Don Tomas across from the jardine. I had the Mole Poblano. That's an excellent hunk of chicken breast under the tasty mole sauce. Quite good.

After lunch we headed over to the Mercado de Artesanias. I bought a couple of thing and I'll show them later.

D, G,& MT took a cab back to Casa de la O, but I did some more wandering on my way back to the jardin. I can't take enough shots of the doors in San Miguel. These three cover the range.

Of course, the afternoon sun looks good on la parroquia.

When I reached my bench-sitting limit, I went back to the B&B. Later, we took Diane & Gayla over to Bugambilia for dinner. It was a great meal last week, and tonight was no letdown. I had the Tinga con Chorizo, which is pork with Mexican sausage in tomato sauce and a bit of chipotle chile, and with saute potatoes. Lacking Negra Modelo, I had the Bohemia Obscura (dark) cerveza. All was um, um good.

After dinner we took a stroll over to the jardine where we listened to the mariachi band play for a bit. We also saw Steve and Rebecca whom we met on the bus tour. Everyone goes to the jardin on a pleasant evening.

Expensive Lesson, Still A Good Day

2008-01-17T19:17:00.000-06:00

The day started with a fun breakfast with the Oregon group who are all now feeling better. Then I was off to what turned out to be an expensive lesson.

Those of you who have been following along recall that I left some open room in my suitcases for things that I purchase. The two big wood masks exceeded available space, so I had to ship them home. The bill for packing and shipping via UPS of the five masks and the largest rug came to about $200 USD. Ouch. I don't know if that was a competitive amount or not. I didn't do the research. But the shipping alone was $160 USD. Next time I won't buy anything that I can't take on the plane. Still, it will all look good once I put it up on the walls at home.

Today was meant to be an easy day after yesterday's hike up the hill. It's enough of an uphill walk on Calle Canal just to get to the jardin. So I mostly sat on a bench in the jardin and read the paper. After awhile I needed to get up and move around a bit.

Up Calle Coreo a couple blocks then to the right I saw the Calvario Sanctuary chapel that was built starting in the 1730s. The sign said it served a small community of about one hundred people. The door on the left is a veteranerian clinic.

I saw a couple more interesting doors. The doors are (mostly) amazing here, old and new. The spikes at the top of the second one are actually rain spouts. It must be fun to walk on the sidewalk when it rains, even with an umbrella.

Then there's this old gas pump on Juarez. Just kind of sitting there on the edge of the street. I don't know if it's still working. I hope not. It doesn't look too safe. Could the woman standing next to it be the pump jockey?

Late in the afternoon I went over to the San Antonio neighborhood to meet and visit with a blogger I've been reading since my last trip. Billie Mercer writes the Billieblog at www.billiemercer.blogspot.com She writes about living in San Miguel de Allende, photography, cooking, and many other subjects. Of course, I'm interested in the photography part, but I also really like her posts on life in San Miguel. Real stuff, not what the travel sites tell you about being a tourist. We had a very nice chat about all sorts of things. Anyone interested in San Miguel (and photography) should check out Billie's blog.

I should also add that I had a nice visit with Billie's husband Ned, a.k.a. Nurse Ned as Billie is recovering from a broken ankle. Seems her foot found a hole in the street while she was looking up.

Here's a couple shots from the San Antonio neighborhood. It looked to be a nice working class area. And no, I don't think they call it the Flatiron Building.

And here's the view from Billie & Ned's third level patio. They said at night when all the churches are lit up it is a pretty impressive sight.

My neighbors and good friends Diane & Gayla arrived from Minneapolis at Casa de la O tired and hungry a little after seven. We headed over to Tio Lucas Restaurant with Maria Teresa. I had the Filete a la Tampiqueña with....meat and lots of stuff. Good but not fab. A similar meal at Pueblo Viejo a few days ago was better.

We then took the new kids in town over to the jardin for a quick look. I think they are pretty happy to be here.

San Miguel On High With Masks

2008-01-16T22:16:00.001-06:00

Another view of the Casa de la O courtyard.

Today I set out to do a little exploring. Poking your head into (open) doorways in el centro frequently reveals another amazing courtyard. Most of these building were built as homes and the interior courtyard was the "backyard" gathering place where the neighbors couldn't bother you. Even many of the commercial buildings have courtyards. Do you think this would work in Minnesota?

As I wander around I've been looking at the masonry of these old walls. Hundreds of years old, it looks like they used anything available to fill a hole.

I've also been looking at the fine detail in the cast iron benches you find all over town. The story goes that they were all made by the same guy. He had political connections. He got the contract for the whole city.

The conversation at breakfast has been very interesting. Today, one guest was telling us about the house she is renovating up in the hills above San Miguel. Only it's not any old house, it is the guardhouse for a church and dates back to 1595. A "fixer upper" you might say. The area sounded worth taking a look, so I headed up the hill.

There is some serious real estate being built up there. The second house from the right is for sale, "Se Vende". I didn't write down the realtor's number.

And they get a pretty nice view from on the hill. You pay big for that kind of view. (click on the panoramic to get a better look)

I found the old church, San Jose, but I'm not sure if I saw the guardhouse.

On the way back down I noticed even some lesser properties have a decent view (they gotta do a better job with those wires).

This will probably be one of the next hills to be filled with houses, if they can find enough water in the area.

There down at the bottom to the northeast of el centro I found yet another old church. This was probably way out in the country until relatively recently. It likely just served some nearby farmers.

After all that walking I needed to refuel. I stopped in for comida (late lunch) at the Aurora Food Factory restaurant at the old textile mill turned artist enclave. I had the Asian Pasta. Not fab but very good.

On the way back toward el centro I stopped at this arts & crafts market. I liked the building more than what was inside.

Then I strolled through the Mercado de Artesanias again. Several more venders were open today so this suddenly turned into mask day. I had gotten a couple last year and wanted more. The face inside the animal's mouth ones are particularly interesting to me. I'm not sure if they were ever actually used as masks at the ball or a celebration, but they are hand-made of carved wood and painted. The two smaller Aztec-style ones are just reproductions.

Loaded down, I took a taxi back to B&B. The taxis are great, plentiful, and cheap. $20 pesos will get you anywhere within the center of San Miguel. Last year it took $25 pesos to get up to Maggie & Charlie's house up the hill. Still not bad.

Three of our fellow B&B guests decided to join Maria Teresa and I for dinner tonight. Richard, Richard & Joyce are from Oregon. Their fourth, Joanne, was "under the weather." We went to Café San Francisco for an excellent meal and conversation. You meet some great people here in San Miguel de Allende.

I had the Fajitas Mixtas de Filete de Res y Pollo Acompañadas de Frijoles y Guacamole. Or as we say up north, beef and chicken fajitas with beans and guac. ¡Excellente!

I think tomorrow is going to be a slower day. That hill just took it out of me.

Shopping Walking Reading Eating Listening

2008-01-15T21:15:00.000-06:00

Today started out by saying goodbye to new friends Victoria and Gianna as they took the bus back to Mexico City, Victoria's home. Gianna will continue on to Indiana for a birthday celebration, then home to Las Vegas. Maria Teresa was feeling better this morning so she headed over to the Instituto for her painting class.

I went over to the Mercado de San Juan de Dios a block away from Casa de la O. It was mostly a food and clothing market, not what I was interested in. On the way to another market, I stopped at Templo de San Juan de Dios, which is right behind the B&B.

Along the way I noticed these two fine establishments. I've been told they are not intended for the gringo tourist trade.

I walked over to the Mercado de Artesanias on Calle Colegio. In addition to food and other necesities, they have many arts & crafts vendors. I bought a few things there last year.

I wound up getting 3 rugs from 2 different vendors. These are from the Oaxaca region and very finely made (not sure if they are hand or machine-made, I suspect hand-made with machine assistance). The total came to $1650.00 pesos, or about $152.00 USD. This is why I left extra room in my luggage for the return trip.

With new rugs in hand I went to the jardin to catch up on the news with an english language paper from Mexico City. Being San Miguel does not make the news more charming.

The iron benches in the jardin look great but I can only last about an hour. So I walked back to the B&B to drop off the rugs. The bouganvilla out front looked pretty good in the sun.

Then back to the jardin to meet up with Maria Teresa and to head over to La Azotea (the rooftop) again for dinner. Not a sunset yet but the view is great. (A nod to Maggie as I am just trying to duplicate her image from the same spot.)

I had the Chapata de Arrachera, which is chapata bread with arrachera (flank) beef and cheese, plus fries. Probably the best beef sandwhich I've ever had. Oh, and the Negra Modelo was good, too.

After dinner we went over to Bellas Artes for a lecture by Diana Anhalt. She is the author of the book "A Gathering of Fugitives: American Political Expatriates in Mexico 1948-1965." In 1950 when she was 8, her parents abruptly moved from New York to Mexico City. They never told her exactly why, but her father was involved with the communist party in America. During the McCarthy era, many Americans fled to Mexico. Some didn't stay long, but Anhalt's parents lived in Mexico until their last few years. Very interesting.

Walking Tour and More Walking

2008-01-14T21:38:00.001-06:00

It was quiet on the jardin Monday morning after all the festivities the day before. The first thing on today's schedule was the walking tour of the historic colonial el centro (center of town). It is preserved by the federal government as a heritage site.

Paul, our tour guide, was excellent and very informative. He has been living in San Miguel for three years. We learned all sorts of interesting details about the history of San Miguel. Like....it was the first city captured from the Spanish in the 1810 War for Independence. And, of course, the history of the town involves the Catholic church in a major way.

This church (I can't remember all the names) was the last stop on the tour. A relatively plain interior (Franciscan?) it was "modernized" at one point. The ceiling used to have painted plaster, but now has the brick exposed. Also, elaborate stained glass windows were replaced with simpler designs.

The walking tour is every Monday, Wednesday & Friday at 10am. Anyone visiting San Miguel should take advantage of this activity.

After the formal tour I did my own walk around some areas of town that I did not get to last year. First I had to track down the address of the house a friend is staying in this summer. Then I went to Parque Benito Juarez. This beautiful park is in the southern area, in the Chorro barrio. Not too many people on a Monday, but quite nice. The history sign said this was orchards back before San Miguel grew out this far.

Near Parque Juarez is a complex that is now La Casa de la Cultura San Miguel de Allende. A beautiful location and view.

And there is some serious real estate near the parque.

Up above the parque in the chorro barrio is the Santa Cruz del Chorro chapel. It dates back to the beginning of the 17th century.

And then there were many streets with a view.

I can't forget to mention the statue of Fr Juan de Miguel, namesake of the town. Or one of them. Allende, the independence hero, is the other. Here Fr Juan is shown protecting the native indian. That is, before they were enslaved by the Spanish.

And no day in San Miguel de Allende would be complete without a fabulous meal, this time at Hecho en Mexico near the Instituto. This was the 4th time I've eaten there. The staff did not yell "Pedro" when I walked in, but it's getting to be a regular spot. Tonight I had the grilled Chilean salmon with rice, black beans, and.....Negra Modelo. Excellent.

Good thing San Miguel is a walking town.

Slow Sunday

2008-01-13T22:00:00.000-06:00

After the long, busy day yesterday, a slower pace was called for today. Didn't really get going 'til about noon.

This is the hallway outside my room.

Casa de la O's courtyard fountain.

The bouganvilla are in bloom out in front of the B&B.

The jardin was crowded and busy which is typical for a warm Sunday. I don't think the balloon vendors did such a good business as they seemed to still have plenty later in the evening.

A group of young dancers were performing indigenous routines while the group in the center seemed to be making an offering to the church in front of them. I heard them called Apaches. Apparently, the Apache tribe was in Mexico in addition to Arizona.

These guys kept a pretty good beat. Easy to dance to, as Dick Clark would say.

We took a taxi over to La Aurora, a refurbished former textile factory with artist studios and high-end decor shops. Most were closed on a Sunday, but it looked like an interesting place to browse. Then it was time for an early dinner.

Oh, and what a dinner it was at Pueblo Viejo on Umaran, just off the jardine. I had the Tampiqueha-style Beef Filet described as served with an enchilada in green sauce, an Enmolada (another enchilada with mole sauce), beans, and guacamole. Damn, it was good. And Negra Modelo was in the house, too.

But what everybody flipped for was the Molecajete de Arrachera that Gianna ordered. Too much for one person, she shared. Served piping hot in the bowl that kept it warm, "strips of fine beef in green sauce served with Mexican sausage, avocado, cactus leaf, and grilled fresh cheese." The chunks of beef seasoned with the green sauce were amazing.

All together, the bill came to $1000 pesos, including drinks and tip. That's $250 pesos each, or about $23.37 USD. Not a bad deal!

We went out to the jardin to walk it off but preferred to stand and watch the Aztec dancers now performing in the plaza in front of la parroquia.

The Aztecs were followed by a dance school group that was not very entertaining, except of course, to their friends and family. After that, a disco street dance on the plaza was competing sound-wise with a Souza band in the jardin gazebo. It was time to go.

You can never take too many shots of San Miguel's iconic la parroquia (parish) church. It takes light in many interesting ways.

Instituto Allende Field Trip to Pozos

2008-01-13T10:08:00.001-06:00

Yesterday's field trip with the Instituto to Pozos and other areas was a great but long day. Too tired last night to post. This morning is a more relaxed time before heading out for activities. The B&B was full last night and everybody noticed the fireworks going off nearby way too early in the morning. Lilia, our host, says there is always a party going on in San Miguel. Other than that, it's pretty quiet here.

Our first stop on the bus trip was to a viewpoint over a valley of the Sierra Gorda mountains. Lots of history here (as is everywhere). Cesar, our guide, did a very good job of telling the stories of history. This valley was a central area in the bloody Cristero Rebellion of 1926-29 when the federal government was trying to remove the church from official government. They eventually succeded with great resistance from the Catholics. And again, the landscape is very similiar to northern Arizona.

The next stop was in another valley with a past and present history of shamanistic ceremonys. We climbed up (with much difficulty) into these rocks to view some ancient petroglyph paintings. The shamans still use them for spiritual use. Unfortunately, in one spot, some idiot hacked out the image of the sun that balanced the nearby image of a bad shaman. Now, of course, it's not a place you want to be at night without the real sun to counter the bad shaman.

This was interesting history to listen to but I gotta say, having seen many incredible petroglyphs in the U.S. southwest, these were not that impressive. Still, I won't go there again after dark.

We encountered this local resident along the way. He asked to join the tour but there were no burro accomodations on the bus.

Then it was time for lunch in Mineral de Pozos at Los Famosos de Pozos. I had the Sopa Azteca and Enchiladas Verdes con Pollo. As good as it looks. And of course, there was a Negra Modelo involved.

Pozos is an old mining town that nearly became a ghost town, but is now on the way back up. They say it's like San Miguel was 60 to 70 years ago. Lots of crumbling buildings, but the church and others have been kept up by the small population that still lives there.

Things are on the way up in Pozos. There are 3 fancy hotels and some good restaurants. This one is Posada de las Minas. Looks like a nice place to stay, but there isn't much else to do in town.

There is also a growing artist community in Pozos. These are four residents we encountered (OK, they are actually large puppet figures). We were also entertained by a group of musicians playing traditional folk instruments that were all hand-made. Drums, various flutes, sounds, and percussion. Very good.

Maria Teresa and friend Don Quixote in Pozos.

Our last stop was at the old mining complex. Begun in the late 1500s and closed in 1934. This was an incredibly lucrative mining area. Unfortunately, the Spanish used all slave labor when they operated the mines. Thousands died here, and you can't help but think of them when you are walking around. The 3 towers are the hearths used for processing the ore over intense fires. The structures are 400 years old. The towers still stand because the intensity of the fires hardened the limestone. The rest of the buildings are all in a state of ruin. The main big shaft hole is open and unprotected. Cesar tossed a big rock down to see how long it would take. About 4 seconds and a couple engineers in the group calculated that as about 1000 feet down.

At this point it was getting too dark to take more pictures. Too bad, as I could have filled a memory card with shots of all the old buildings.

As we were about to leave, Ceasar pointed out the big house of the big boss of the operation. At 400 years old it was also a fortress that could view the valley for invaders. The caretaker invited us into this pitch black house into the dining room so we could sit around the dining room table with candle lighting like the old days. I guess my camera has a pretty good flash on it.

The house and mining area was used extensively for a battle scene in the TV film And Starring Pancho Villa As Himself starring Antonio Banderas. I'll have to put that on my Netflix list.

The sunset at the mining complex was a fitting end (except for the bus ride back to San Miguel) to a great day. We had a quick snack at Hecho en Mexico near the Instituto (too tired for a food shot) and got back to Casa de la O about 10pm. A very long day.

First Full Day in San Miguel

2008-01-11T22:06:00.003-06:00

I got up early to walk up to the jardin before breakfast. A definite advantage of staying in San Miguel's el centro. The food and conversation at breakfast was excellent.

Here's a better shot of the front of Casa de la O on Calle Indio Triste.

And here are las tres amigas as we were heading out for the day. We took a taxi over to Instituto Allende to get our tickets for the Victoria/Pozos field trip. Maria Teresa and I will go to Pozos, and Victoria and Gianna will take a private tour to Guanajuato. MT also signed up for some art classes at the Instituto. She could not convince me to take a mask making class.

Even the hallway ceilings have been painted by the students. This is everywhere.

Behind the main Instituto building where they have the classrooms, there is a garden area to show student scupture.

Religious icons are everywhere, and they have pretty elaborate street signs.

Lunch at Cafe de Jardin was tacos de pollo. Looked so good I forgot to take a picture before digging in. The green sauce was excellent.

Good friend Meg G asked me to pick up a mask for her. I'll have to go back a couple times and make a decision.

This is the original civic plaza that was the center of social life in San Miguel before the jardin was developed many years ago. That's General Ignacio Allende, hero of the 1810 war for independence from Spain, up on the horse. They love their heroes here in Mexico.

Then it was back to Casa de la O for siesta before dinner. This is a shot of the courtyard.

Dinner was at Bugambillia Restaurant on Hidalgo. An excellent find with help from the internet. The food was fantastico. Las tres amigas all had the house specialty, chiles en nogada. I had shrimp stuffed with cheese, wrapped in turkey bacon, and a very rich tasty sauce. Oh my! This was followed by the wait staff singing happy birthday to Gianna. It's a time like this that I remember the wise, old Goranson family saying, "You don't go on vacation to save money or lose weight." Indeed.

Tomorrow, the bus field trip to Victoria to see some petroglyphs, and to the former mining town of Mineral de Pozos which is turning into an artists area.

I Made It!

2008-01-10T21:09:00.000-06:00

A little late, but I made it to San Miguel!

It wasn't the best travel day, but far from the worst. My 7am flight out of MSP was delayed because they had to change planes. (I didn't mind being at the airport so early when I saw passengers get OFF a flight at 6:45am.) We left about 30 minutes late, making the connection in Houston a bit tighter. No worry. When I got to Houston the flight to Leon was posted for a hour later, then left another half hour after that. Fortunately, the van transport to San Miguel was still waiting for me.

The BJX airport between Leon & Guanajuato is new and very nice. Seems Vicente Fox, former president of Mexico and former governor of the state of Guanajuato, thought an airport would be good for the region. It also means avoiding a four-hour bus trip to San Miguel from Mexico city.

The high desert landscape I saw on the way to San Miguel reminded me of the area surrounding Prescott, AZ, where my parents lived for many years. San Miguel, like Prescott, is over a mile high.

I arrived in San Miguel to Casa de la O close to sunset. Better picures will follow. Maria Teresa and her friends Victoria and Gianna came back fro their comida (late lunch) soon after I got there. Great to see MT again and meet her friends. No time for a photo, I needed to get some food. So I headed out toward el jardin (the plaza) and Pueblo Viejo where I had a couple good meals last year.

This was the view from the second floor deck cafe called La Azotea. It was like paparazzi as everyone was angling for a shot of the sunset. Not a bad spot for dinner.

Food is gonna be a big deal on this trip. This is the Pueblo Tacos, with arrachera, pork, and Mexican sausage tacos with green sauce. Excellente! The Negra Modelo speaks for itself.

On the way back from dinner la parroquia (the main parish church) was all lit up as usual.

And mariachi bands were serenading in el jardine. Several bands roam around, but I just listened to this one for awhile.

When I got back to Casa de la O, I sat for a bit and chatted with MT (Mexican living in Canada), Victoria (Mexican), Gianna (Italian), and me (American) talking politics. Different view points. This is going to be interesting.

All in all, a darn good start to this trip.

Off to San Miguel de Allende

2008-01-08T12:15:00.000-06:00

I'm off to San Miguel de Allende in Mexico again on Thursday the 10th through the 21st. This time, since Maggie & Charlie's casa is booked with a long-term renter, I'll be staying at the B&B Maggie has recommended, Casa de la O. Also staying at the B&B will be good friend Maria Teresa from last year's trip. Plus, two of my neighbors, Diane & Gayla, will arrive on the 17th.

On Saturday the 12th, I'll be going on another field trip sponsored by Instituto Allende, the art institute. This time going to Mineral de Pozos and Victoria. Pozos is an old mining town that took a downturn but is now coming back up as an artist enclave.

In addition to a lot of walking around and eating good food, I'll be taking lots of photos. If I'm not too distracted by cerveza y siesta, I hope to post daily updates to this photo blog. Check back often!

¡Hasta luego!

P.S. See the photos from last year HERE

Neil!!

2008-01-04T10:03:00.000-06:00

Yikes!! How could I forget a favorite-photo shot of Neil Young at Northrop Auditorium on November 8th, 2007. Definitely the concert highlight of my year. It was the best show of the nineteen times I've seen Neil since CSNY in Chicago on December 13, 1969.

An excellent source of Neil Young news and information is over at Thrasher's Wheat:

http://www.thrasherswheat.org/wheatfield.html

2007 Fave & $$ Pix

2008-01-03T09:50:00.000-06:00

End of the year lists are everywhere. So why not here?

I'd have to say my favorite photos from 2007 are the ones taken on my trip to San Miguel de Allende in January. Can't pick just one so I'll use the composite. I'll be adding more to the Mexico collection in January 2008.

The trip to Oregon in May yielded some good shots, too. First the cousins reunion in Bend with Scott, Marg, Lucia, Betsy, and myself was lots of fun. Then, a too-quick drive up a small portion of the northern coast was spectacular.

Photo by one of Jen's brothers with my camera

Another super event was Brian & Jen's wedding day in October. "Real Happy" would be a good way to describe everyone.

I got together several times with old (make that long-time) friends from Chanhassen Dinner Theater days. I've know some of these peeps for over 27 years ever since I first worked the strike for Annie Get Your Gun at Chan in 1980. David & Susan have returned to the warm south. We will have to soldier on without them. Chinese New Year, anyone?

And finally, the most expensive picture of the year 2007. That's almost $8000.00 of new boiler on the left. $4850 for the boiler itself. $1340 for asbestos abatement. And $1550 for a new chimney liner. Still, the old one, dating possibly to when the house was built in 1924, had to go. Warm but poorer this winter. Let's hope the heating bill is significantly less.

Happy New Year!

Bernard NA Beer & Greg

2007-12-28T19:02:00.000-06:00

My nephew Greg lives in the Czech Republic. When he comes back to the states, Greg likes to bring his old Uncle Pete some of the Czech beers he samples over there. One time he brought a bottle of the original Budweiser Budvar, not that stuff from St. Louis. Much better.

This year he brought a couple of new (to me) brands. The Gambrinus Premium I had the other night was very good. I haven't tried the Radegast Original yet. It's not the type of thing you want to just slug down with a bowl of popcorn. Better to make a good meal of it.

He also brought a bottle from the Bernard brewery. It is a no alcohol brew, but he said there was another reason he picked it out. The label translates to "...with a clean head, nonalcoholic beer". He says the intent is "...for a clear head", meaning you won't get drunk.

I'll go with the "clean head" translation. You be the judge.

Thanks, Greg!

http://www.gregstrock.typepad.com/

UPDATE: The Radegast Original was pretty darn good, too.

Big Bird & Beatles

2007-12-21T17:01:00.000-06:00

unknown photographer

This photo was taken in the late '80s back stage at a shoot for Vee Corporation. It was a commercial for the live stage version of Sesame Street. I was on the lighting crew and got to meet the biggest of big celebrities, Big Bird himself.

I was reminded of this picture because I recently saw Bill Carlson, the shoot's director, for the first time in many years. Bill did an event at Barnes & Noble Highland to promote his excellent new book, The Beatles! A One-Night Stand in the Heartland.

The book features stories about the day The Beatles came to Minnesota and the photos 17-year-old Bill took that day. Bill & Denise have put together a great document of The Fabs visit. A must-have for all Beatlemaniacs. For more info, see these links:

F-Stop Productions

Barnes & Noble

Birthday

2007-12-06T14:59:00.000-06:00

On this day, where the key number is 56, I offer one of my favorite snapshots of myself and Mom. I was all of 10 weeks old. Mom was 34.

A copy of this picture is with Mom now, and always will be.

A Scary Halloween

2007-12-06T13:49:00.001-06:00

I sent this one around in an email last October 31st. I guess I'd have to call my 1962 costume "Nerdy White Suburban 5th Grader". Not a great costume, but still kinda scary.

I rediscovered this photo in the picture drawer of the dining room buffet. It's kind of amazing this 45 year old Polaroid has survived. It seems the fixer "goop", even hastily applied at a school carnival, did it's job well.

Polaroids were so cool back in the day. It's not the same with digital. Too bad Polaroid itself didn't survive.

The Northern Oregon Coast

2007-07-26T21:00:00.000-05:00

Or a small part of it, anyway. May 7-8, 2007

After a terrific weekend in Bend for a cousins reunion I headed out for the Oregon coast. It was my first time viewing the Pacific Ocean that far north. I only saw a small part of the coast, but it’s fantastic. I must go back soon!

An extra bonus of the trip was having just enough time before my flight out of Portland to get together for breakfast with Jody, one of the friends I met in San Miguel de Allende in January.

(Click on the arrow in the picture to start the slideshow,
or click HERE to go to the photo album.)

Cousins Reunion in Bend, Oregon, May 2007

2007-07-26T20:45:00.000-05:00

The Barber/Gardner Cousins reunion was tons o’ fun in the friendly surroundings of Bend, Oregon, on the first weekend in May 2007. Hosted by Scott and Carmen, with able assistance by Tracy, Drew, Todd, Shan, Krista, Chris, Brooke & Eric, we all agreed we should do this more often!

I started my second visit to Oregon with some time in Portland, and the required stop at Powell's Books. I made it out of there with "only" six books. I then hit the road for the 3.5 hour drive to Bend going past Mount Hood. Unfortunately, the mountain was totally obscured by clouds and snowfall.

(Click on the arrow in the picture to start the slideshow,
or click HERE to go to the photo album.)

San Miguel de Allende, Mexico, January 2007

2007-07-15T19:36:00.001-05:00

I had a great time in beautiful San Miguel de Allende. To quote my friend Linda K, “...where stop signs are mere suggestions, people are warm, streets are bumpy, sidewalks are narrow, weather is embracing, vistas are splendid, food is delicious, prices--in general--are cheap, and culture and history are everywhere.” San Miguel is an old colonial town, founded in the 1540’s. It is over 6000 feet up in the mountains of central Mexico, four hours north of Mexico City. The entire central core of San Miguel has been preserved as a national historic monument.

This was my first trip to Mexico, not including the day-trip to Tijuana when I was about 8 while we were visiting relatives in Los Angeles. I met some great people who became friends. I went to a classical chamber music/jazz/traditional indigenous music concert, took a bus tour to three surrounding historic towns, visited Diego Rivera’s birthplace and museum, attended the opening of a Frida Kahlo exhibit, witnessed the spectacle of the birthday celebration and parade for revolutionary war hero General Ignacio Allende, saw a lot of interesting old architecture, walked my tail off, ate some (mostly) great food, took a few pictures, and enjoyed myself very much.

Muchas gracias to Maggie & Charlie!

Peter Barber

Send me an email at sanmiguel@petebar.com

San Miguel de Allende Photos

2007-07-15T19:33:00.000-05:00

Everywhere I wandered, there was a photo opportunity. Thank goodness for digital photography. Otherwise, I’d go broke.

Click on the arrow in the picture to start the slideshow,
or click HERE to go to the photo album.

Guanajuato Bus Tour

2007-07-15T19:27:00.000-05:00

On Saturday, I went on a great bus tour of three nearby towns, Guanajuato (wanna-WAH-toe), Dolores Hidalgo & Atotonilco. All three, in addition to San Miguel, are historically significant to the 1810 revolution for Mexican independence from Spain. The tour was sponsored by el Instituto Allende. Cesar, our tour guide, was very knowledgeable and explained everything thoroughly. Guanajuato is also the site of the birthplace home of Diego Rivera, which is now a museum. Many of my tour-mates became friends that I encountered around town during the rest of my stay in San Miguel.

Click on the arrow in the picture to start the slideshow,
or click HERE to go to the photo album.

San Miguel Allende Day Parade

2007-07-15T19:22:00.000-05:00

General Ignacio Allende was one of the main instigators at the start of the 1810 revolution for Mexican independence from Spain. He was captured early in the struggle and beheaded by the Spanish in 1811. On January 21st, his birthday is celebrated in San Miguel de Allende with a big parade and many festivities to honor his memory.

Click on the arrow in the picture to start the slideshow,
or click HERE to go to the photo album.

Quinta Graciosa

2007-07-15T18:50:00.000-05:00

While in San Miguel I stayed at Quinta Graciosa, la casa de mi amigos Maggie y Charlie. With city bus or taxi service nearby, it was only about 10 minutes to the center of San Miguel. Several times I walked down the hill into town which was much more interesting. The walk UP the hill was also interesting but a bit more strenuous.

Quinta Graciosa is available as a vacation rental.
See the website www.quintagraciosa.com for more info.

Click on the arrow in the picture to start the slideshow,
or click HERE to go to the photo album.

iPod Photos

2007-07-15T12:59:00.000-05:00

Here are some of the photos I keep on my iPod.

Click on the picture to go to the album.