Travel and Photography: 7 Days to See Unique San Miguel, Mexico

I will never forget standing at our window watching the fireworks a few
blocks away lighting the night sky. The declaration
for freedom that the Mexican people dreamed of was announced fromthe front of the Cathedral. Hand rung bells in the
tower continued for a half an hour of more. It was glorious.

A bride and her husband led a parade followed by...

...

...a band of men singing and a wedding party
all dressed in white, each taking photos with their smart phones!

I am not accustomed to beautiful horses ridden by beautiful men
arriving for no reason at all (that I knew of!)

We have been here almost 7 days now. Tomorrow we will travel back to a hotel near the airport close to Leon. We have wandered through neighborhoods and poked our head is so many portals I have lost count. It has taken this long for use to begin to appreciate the uniqueness of this beautiful city.

This morning we were awoken with fireworks at 5 am or earlier...who knows. We jumped because it seemed as though we were being invaded. Día Madre en Miguel Hidalgo began with a boom on this Sunday morning and it was time to get up. I was reminded of being startled awake in Viet Nam with loud speakers at a very early hour. It is not what you expect that sticks with you...it is always the surprises.

There are no streetlights or stop signs here. No one plays music in their cars. Traffic police seem to appear out of nowhere when a small traffic jam happens. It is amazing but when a horn is honked traffic will actually seem to move a little faster.

When you walk down the very narrow sidewalks the people facing traffic always step into the street. This was not what I expected because I am from a country where everyone walks on the right side of the walk way. I very nearly was pushed into the gutter because I did not know this.

Women, policemen and military are not allowed in cantinas (the ones with swinging doors I think). That is good to know too because I am not as shy as I could be.

There is a wine shop on Canal just west of the Jardin that sells wine, liquor and snacks. I did not know that and it is important.

I have not seen a newspaper but I think there must be one somewhere around. Our TV is in a totally dark bedroom with no windows so I have not seen the news in almost a week. Imagine how relaxing that is!

There are 13 or so "Temples" here so bells ring a lot. We are near the largest and we have never figured out the bells. They ring 19 times on one occasion and 34 the next. It is no particular hour or minutes so far as we can figure out. The bells just ring close to the half hour or the hour. We have come to think of them as the "talking bells of San Miguel". Somehow I find them comforting and I do not want to know why they do what they do.

Each cathedral or temple as the Mexican people call them, was unique and
beautiful in it's own way.

We have not encountered a cross or angry person and this morning as people emerged from Mass, we were greeted by almost everyone with a smile and a Buenos Dia. What a way to start the day.

But most of all, it is the flowers on every ledge and by all sinks or doorways that I will never forget. It is as if the beauty of San Miguel is a story told through the blossoms that surround us.

Chocolate perfumes the air and flowers blooms give it color!

San Miguel is a beautiful little pocket of European culture in the middle of Mexico. It has been called Bohemian, artistic, an expat's dream retirement location and much more. I think it becomes what you want it to and that is it's charm.

Note: There is a wonderful booklet called San Miguel Walking and Shopping Guide that is published seasonally. The list of links for the city is here.

Five Little Ducks...stories played out!

The children's song about the little ducks leaving the nest to fly away has always been one of my favorites. Every mother has seen their babies fly away and rejoiced. Life comes full circle. Animals live that same cycle. Babies grow up. Birds leave the nest. Life goes on. So when the three ducks show up every year near my patio I am not surprised. But I am puzzled that it always seems to be the same three. Something just doesn't seem right. It appears the one did not fly away at all. Five little ducks Went out to play Over the hills and far away. The mommy duck went "quack, quack quack," Four little ducks came swimming back... And then Three Two and One. A drake, a female duck (a hen) and a not quite a drake but still not a hen gather here on the 5th green of the golf course. She leads and the other two follow along obediently. They eat, sleep, and guard each other. Each and every day this time of year they come. I have not named them. Jinxing them would be very pos...

How to be a 12 Month Snow Bird

Vacation Rental in Mexico I live around snowbirds 6 months of the year. I have heard those people say that they all want to live the "snowbird" lifestyle when they go home. But it just is not possible. They are isolated and cold. Social activities with friends and beautiful weather are greatly missed when they return to the realities of their "real" life. One couple I visited with lately returned to Florida this morning where they own a home. The woman is a nurse and works in the summer. They are not going home until May this year. It is too cold in Michigan in the spring so they are hoping to extend their good weather season by simply staying away. Besides that they love their Florida lifestyle a lot. Last week I visited with a woman that lives the snowbird lifestyle year around. No going home to the Midwest in the spring. They essentially vacation 12 month out of the year. And I thought their solution for avoiding unpleasant weather and keeping their lifestyle in...

If You Build It, They Will Come...Maybe!

It all began with a antique window in front of a local shop. It had been painted yellow, the glass was loose and all of the hinges and latches were gone. My old friend Betty would have approved...she would tell me it was just broken enough and damaged enough for me to drag it home. When my dear husband saw it, he wondered what he was meant to do with it. Imagine his surprise when he was presented with the plan to build a small neighborhood library exchange. It wasn't the first time he had heard me ask "How hard could it be?" Now it is six weeks later and we mounted the darling little library exchange on two posts in our front yard. I love it. Now the question is, will they come or has the time passed when people actually read something made of paper? Our association president stopped by and admired the box but left after telling me that he only read books on his Kindle. We will see. Would you bring a book and take a book? b+

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