Jacarandas in bloom in San Miguel, looking up Terraplén from Aldama
This week, all over San Miguel, the brilliance of Jacaranda blue (or purple, or purplish blue, or PMS 2597 or whatever) is breaking out. We now have a couple of months to enjoy the color of each tree before we have to start sweeping up the seed pods.
Female monarch butterfly, with the Parroquia in the background
Having lunch on our roof yesterday we were entertained by a steady stream of Monarchs fluttering North over the City, some stopping briefly to feed on our flowers. We particularly love this, as we will see them again when we return to upstate New York in a month or so, where they will again feed on our flowers there before returning to Mexico in the late fall. No single butterfly ever makes the entire five-thousand mile round-trip, but hands over the next step of their never-ending journey to their offspring.
Bus map for San MIguel de Allende
I have been looking for a bus map for two years, after discovering that buses in San Miguel are fun, frequent, and cheap. With a fare of just five pesos for anywhere you want to go in the City, they can’t be beat (other than walking). Check the SMA bus map site for full details. Detailed individual route maps are shown in addition to this combined map.
Lance Wyman poster for his talk at MUAC
Our friend, occasional collaborator, and neighbor in New York, Lance Wyman, who we meet regularly jogging in Central Park (he does the jogging – we walk) gave a presentation of his historic work at MUAC in Mexico City in January. Those who may be interested in seeing some of his graphics, like his iconic work for the Mexico Olympics in 1968, might want to see Lance Wyman’s website which has a wonderful collection of his witty and thoughtful projects. (He isn’t actually as dotty as the poster might suggest).
Mini-Parroquia on the Calzada a la Estación
We discovered this mini-Parroquia this week, just below the Immigration building on the Calzada a la Estación, while waiting for our visa. It sits on the roof of an adjacent building, complete with incongruous flanking palm trees to add the authentic touch. For those not in the know, the Parroquia is the visual icon of San Miguel, towering above the Jardin (Garden), as the central square is known.
Lavadero near Parque Juarez, San Miguel de Allende
Although, with the advent of washing machines, Lavaderos, or public washing places, are not as heavily used as in the past, they are still a common sight in Mexico. Here in San Miguel, this Lavadero, just above Parque Juarez is often the location for very energetic scrubbing after which the clothes are hung on nearby trees and shrubs to dry.
White-faced Ibis flying back to the lake in San Miguel at dusk
One of the many delights in San Miguel is to watch the birds fly over the city just after dawn and return back to the lake at sunset. Everyone in SMA seems to have a different opinion as to what they are. For all I know they could be Perdue oven stuffers, but according to SMA Audubon, they are White-faced Ibis. Last year we counted (using photographs) just over 600. This Spring there must be several thousands, streaming over in vast strings often arcing across the entire width of the City. Apparently, they are no good for soup.
Cañada de la Virgen, Complex D
La casa del viento (The house of the winds), also known as Complex D, is the third and smallest structure unearthed at Cañada de la Virgen. Consisting of a flattened circular “pyramid” with a circular court facing it, it is believed to have been used for ancestor worship. One further structure, Complex C, consisting of a sunken patio surrounded by platforms, is yet to be excavated and is believed to have been a market or storage area.
Cañada de la Virgen, Complex B
The second largest complex at Cañada de la Virgen, our archeological site just outside San Miguel, also features a sunken court, but unlike Complex A, has living quarters around all sides. A smaller pyramid sits at the corner of the courtyard, and is known as La casa de la noche más larga (The house of the longest night). Stone drainage culverts enabled draining of the courtyard during the rainy season’s downpours.
Fireworks in the Jardin, San Miguel de Allende
For those of you who are not familiar with it, SMA (San Miguel de Allende) is pretty much in the very middle of Mexico. For all we know, the exact center goes right through our dining table. It is a pretty much unspoiled (or minimally spoilt) colonial hill town and UNESCO World Heritage site. It is very like the Upper West Side of Manhattan in that It is constantly bustling day and night and it is helpful to understand Spanish. The only thing that is missing is Zabar’s and alternate side parking.
Despite what you see on the news, the most dangerous part of living here is the cab ride from Manhattan to La Guardia airport. The weather is perfect, the neighbors are wonderful, and the restaurants and food delightful (be brave – eat the vegetables).
