Magical San Miguel February 23, 2019
Typical cut paper banners (papel picado) in San Miguel
Where to begin in describing this "magical city", as it's been referred to? Conde Nast has named it the top small city in the world for the past two years! The Senior Nomads, a couple who travel continuously in their retirement and have created a widely read blog, have lovingly referred to it as "Disneyland for seniors"! We didn't know all of that when we decided to come here for the month of February - only that our friends, Marge & Brian, had enjoyed their winter escape here a few years back and had a connection for a place to stay.
Bruce and I immediately compared it to the other beautiful Spanish colonial UNESCO Heritage city that we are familiar with - Antigua, Guatemala. It turns out that San Miguel is similar to Antigua, only more so: bigger, more polished, more tourists, more traffic, more restos and galleries, better sidewalks (though we are warned not to become "fallen women" due to their unevenness), as well as more ex-pats, who are very embedded and influential.
Like other colonial cities in Latin America, it is centered around a big church facing a park. Parroquia de San Miguel Arcangel is so lovely, built of a pink stone that glows in the sun.
Like Antigua, the city is awash in other historic Catholic churches, too. Many grand old convents have been turned into arts centers, restaurants, health clinics, etc. The city streets are a photographer's dream - with beautiful images at every turn. The lovely old architecture, the warm colors of the buildings, along with surprising details, amuse and delight us each time we set out for a walk.
Colorful ribbons soften the visual impact of the security bars, which cover all windows.
One of the first things that Bruce and I noticed about the city is the high number of single gringo women "of a certain age" living here. We wondered why. After a couple of weeks and a few conversations with people we've met, we think we've figured it out: the weather (duh - warm but not hot during the day and cool at night, due the altitude of 6000 feet); the low cost of living (except for home purchases); relative personal safety (the city works hard to maintain that); the beauty of the place; the plethora of good restos; affordable healthcare; and an amazing array of interesting things to do, from art to lectures & movies to volunteering to language classes to interest groups (anyone for "gringo bingo"?). The city has a lot to offer, and American and Canadian retirees have discovered it, especially the women!
In our apartment complex, right above us are two women in side-by-side apartments, each with their dogs, each seemingly alone in the world, living here in their waning years.
One of the most fertile centers of intellectual stimulation in town is the Biblioteca (library). Housed in an historic old building, it now appears to be the bustling center of the ex-pat community. Every week a listing of events at the library comes out. Our first week we were lucky to hear the Senior Nomads, whom I have followed for several years, give a SRO presentation on their travel lifestyle! I was thrilled to hear them in person and to be reminded of their checklist of requirements for continuing to travel: learning every day; having fun; on budget; healthy; still in love :). Pretty good criteria!
Last week we saw a new video describing the work of a nearby local pastor who has organized an effort to meet some of the desperate needs of migrants passing through this area on their way to the USA (more on that in another post). Also located in the library is a sweet cafe, with an open courtyard, serving delicious lunches, sometimes accompanied by live music!
Just as we were arriving in San Miguel, a festival of flowers was set up in a large park not far from us. It celebrated Candelaria (Candlemas in old English tradition) and the beginning of spring, and I was eager to see it. Bruce, in his illness, couldn't go, so I got up my courage to take an outing by myself, map in hand, to Parque Benito Juarez to find the flowers. What a delightful experience! It was a warm Sunday afternoon. The park was filled with families strolling and admiring the amazing array of plants that stretched over this expansive wooded space. I meandered around, up & down stone pathways, sitting on a bench for a while, settling in to the play of light and shadow, the colors and textures and sounds of voices young and old. Before heading home, I bought a rosemary plant for cooking. A few days later, I enticed Bruce there, where he discovered the monarch butterfly garden which delighted him. The park has become one of our favorite places. Just today, we ambled over there in time to discover a wedding celebration taking place, guests crowded onto the bandstand, along with a band, dancing to lively music. Gigantes, giant papier mache people representing the bride & groom, danced around the crowd. A burro, decorated with floral arches, was part of the procession. Such a peaceful, pretty oasis in the city with the occasional serendipitous happening!
Last Sunday we attended a UU (Unitarian-Universalist) church service which we had seen advertised. It was held on the grounds of an old, pretty hotel. We were shocked to find such a large congregation - 150+ people, all gringos looking like us - with a tiny handful of children! That's a bigger crowd than First Parish, Gorham, has on a typical Sunday. Two women from Portland came to say hello afterward. The music (including a piano rendition of a song by Queen) and the message and the warmth of the congregation all made it a very pleasant experience. We plan to attend this Sunday.
One of the treats of living here is the access to fresh fruit and vegetables. Just around the corner from our apartment complex is a tiny produce tienda where we can purchase such novelties (for us) as fresh papaya, pineapple, and ripe avocadoes by the handful. Next door to us is a "mercado sano" (health market) with a focus on organic products. That's where I buy my yogurt. And what should be upstairs in the mercado but a sweet little theater showing all the Oscar-nominated films - along with a glass of wine and a tiny bag of popcorn, included in the admission price of $5! Wowser. We've seen Green Book, Roma, Vice, and Boy Erased - with a few days left to indulge ourselves with more great movies. Who needs Netflix?
Our apartment is less than a mile from the center of the city so we walk everywhere, which we enjoy. Without pilates, it's the only exercise that I'm getting. An excellent guided walking tour of the city taught us a lot about its history and its pivotal role in the rebellion which led to the War of Independence.
Well, that's the gist of our time in San Miguel. We are enjoying the warm weather, the chance to practice our Spanish skills and learn about the Mexican culture, so different from our own. All of this is mingled in a comfortable gringo ambiance. It is, indeed, pretty magical.
Stay tuned to read about our peripheral experience with the migrant train and our overnight in Guanajuato!
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