Magical San Miguel de Allende
- Sandy Hanner
- Sep 30, 2016
- 2 min read
I love Mexico but have not been able to visit for over 35 years! I jumped at the opportunity to visit San Miguel de Allende for a week with Friendship Force in September. Mexico and its people are dear to my heart- I majored in Spanish and Latin American Studies with an emphasis in Cultural Anthropology.
I met my fellow Ambassadors when we all found ourselves waiting for our shuttle ride from the Leon Airport to our destination, the central highlands of San Miguel de Allende. San Miguel is a beautiful Colonial-era city located in central Mexico about 170 miles north of Mexico City. All 11 of us were excited to see the narrow cobblestone streets, well-preserved historical center called El Jardin, filled with 17th and 18th century buildings.
We stayed in a guest house called Casa Contenta which was our charming home for the next 7 days. We had the entire guest house to ourselves with living areas, private bedrooms with Mexican tiled baths and original artwork on the walls, a breakfast area and patio and our own kitchen to prepare snacks or meals.
Breakfast was prepared in the main kitchen by local cooks who created something unique each morning but always included fresh juice, yogurt, fresh sliced fruits, eggs prepared to your liking, and refried beans. It was delicious and a great way to start each busy day.
We were in Mexico during the celebration of Mexico's Independence from Spain. The revolution started in Delores Hidalgo and fighting actually began in Guanajuato. We visited both of these nearby cities and enjoyed the Talavera pottery that Delores Hidalgo is famous for and the University of Guanajuato situated in the capital of the state of Guanajuato.
Each day, El Jardin was the center for celebration in San Miguel with fantastic fireworks displays in the evening, bands, running groups, Mariachis from nearby towns, folkloric dancers and lots of people crowding the downtown area to eat and celebrate. September 15 was the day that Independence was won and the highlight was El Grito or the yell for "Viva Mexico!"
I walked just about the entire time I was in San Miguel because it was the best way to really see the city and happen upon some unexpected scenes of daily life. It was a city that I felt very safe in and everyone greets you as you walk by with "Buenas Dias!" I spent an afternoon in the fruit, vegetable and craft market. I visited La Gruta hot springs, the Galeria Atotonilco that had the most comprehensive collection of folk art I have ever seen. We had the pleasure of meeting Dona Marta who owns the original San Miguel shoe store.
We even had a cooking class where we learned to make authentic tamales. Our farewell dinner was a wonderful opportunity to enjoy our tamales, meet some influential ex-patriots living in San Miguel, and thank our hosts for the wonderful experiences and people of San Miguel.
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