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| San Miguel de Allende
(Historical perspective taken from a 1998 AAA guidebook--interesting to see what is the same and what has changed in 2007) The city is located about 170km south of San Luis Potosi. Driving time is about 2 hours. The city has an elevation of 6,134 feet. San Miguel de Allende traces its history to the immediate aftermath of the Spanish conquest. As mines began to exploit the rich gold and silver deposits of Mexico's central highland region, mule trains were formed to carry the bounty back to Mexico City. These caravans, however, passed through territory occupied by the Chichimeca Indians, and many a skirmish erupted. The village of San Miguel was founded in 1542 by the Franciscian monk Juan de San Miguel, who established a mission to evangalize the Indians and also to teach European weaving and agricultural techniques. The settlement prospered, becoming the local market center for surrounding haciendas trading in cattle and textiles. It also went through several name changes, including San Miguel de los Chichimecas and San Miguel el Grande. It was here that the native son Ignacio Allende, along with Father Miquel Hidalgo from the neighboring town of Dolores Hidalgo, planned the initial uprising that led to the 11-year War of Independence. "Allende" was added to the town's name in 1826 to honor the freedom fighter. San Miguel entered a period of decline following the war. Its opulent churches and mansions fell into decay, and poverty set in as mining operations subsided. But in 1926 -- a century after it became offically at city -- the Maxican government declared San Miguel a national historic monument. Modern contruction was prohibited in the city center to preserve the atmosphere, and the old buildings were restored. Foreigners began moving in during the 1930s, and today there is a well-established permanent community of North American expatriates, augmented by teachers, artists and writers who call San Miguel home for up to 6 months each year. Away from the carefully preserved downtown section there's an everyday scruffiness, with the drab adobe huts lining dusty streets. San Miguel also has experienced growing pains due to an increased number of tourists. While agricultural exports, particulary vegetables, bring in revenue, the growth in population and industry has put a strain in the available water supply. Visitors gravitate downtown, where coats of arms are carved over the doorways of houses that formerly belonged to Spanish aristocrats; they prospered from the Zacatecas-Guanajuato-Mexico City silver route that once ran through San Miguel. Inner patios shelter fountains, trees and flowers. Some of these handsome buildings now house commercial banks. Make your first stop the main plaza, located between calles San Francisca and Correo and commonly referred to as El Jardin. Shaded by Indian laurel trees, it's a great place to relax on a wrought-iron bench, listen to the tolling bells of La Parroquia, the parish church, and observe the local scene. Artists working on their canvases are a common sight in the vicinity of the plaza, and most of the city's attractions are within walking distance. Note: Wear comfortable shoes; the city streets are narrow, steep and cobblestoned. |
| To some San Miguel de Allende means history and tradition, to others art or language, to many, just a place to call home. But, to all, there are a some things that make it unique and memorable, here are a few personal favorites…
THINGS TO SEE San Miguel de Allende was, by 1790, one of the richest villages in Mexico, with a population over twice that of New York City at the time. The wealth came from the silver trade, and those that had made their fortunes took it upon themselves to build elaborate mansions, churches and theaters. This past grandeur is still evident, with outstanding examples of most styles of colonial Mexican architecture to be found. Of note are the Templo de San Francisco, Templo de la Concepción (known locally as ‘Las Monjas’), the Oratorio de San Felipe Neri with its interior Santa Casa de Loreto, the Centro Cultural Ignacio Ramirez "El Nigromante” (a.k.a. Bellas Artes) and, without doubt, the Parroquia. La Parroquia de San Miguel Arcángel: The original Parish Church, built in the late 17th century, was of relatively modest design. This changed dramatically in 1880 when the master stone mason, Zeferino Gutierrez was commissioned to create a new facade. A self-taught architect, Gutierrez is reported to have taken the inspiration for his design from drawings and postcards of European cathedrals. The resulting neogothic fantasy, whose soaring turrets can be viewed from almost any spot in town, has made the Parroquia one of the most photographed churches in Mexico. El Jardín: Centered between the Parroquia to the south, colonnades of colonial arches to the east and west and the Presidencia, or historic city hall, to the north, this bustling park is the heart of the city. It draws visitors to sit and gossip on the wrought iron benches shaded by boxy laurel trees, to pause and listen to musicians playing from its central gazebo or to line the stone walls and cheer as one of the town’s many parades passes by. Biblioteca Pública: The English Public library is Mexico's second largest English language library. The rambling building contdecorated reading room, a restful inner courtyard with wireless internet service, a theater offering foreign film and live performances, a computer center and café. It is an not only an important part in the lives of many of San Miguel’s expatriate population but, due to its mandate of enriching the lives of local students, it is also an integral part of the community. El Charco de Ingenio: This privately funded botanical garden and ecological reserve, located on the outskirts of town, is dedicated to restoring and preserving Mexican flora and encouraging endangered wildlife to flourish. The extensive grounds house a conservatory of Mexican plants, with particular emphasis on cacti and succulents; a center where one can purchase plants; remains of an ancient wool mill and an historic reservoir that is home to native and migratory birds. All is linked by a network of paths, with wonderful views of the town and countryside, that are ideal for biking and walking, and allow access for rock climbing on the steep canyon walls. An adjacent Nature Park provides grounds for picnicking and horseback riding. Tianguis: Imagine what would result if you crossed a flea market, a farmer’s market, a 19th century food court and the closeout bin at a discount clothier? If you can’t, you should visit the Tuesday open-air market held by Plaza Real del Conde. Under the shade of multicolored tarps are hundreds of vendors hawking fresh fruit and vegetables, dried herbs, kitchenware, hardware, beauty supplies, clothing (new, used, or remaindered from American retailers), watches, CD’s (some of which might be legal) and everything else in between. Even if you only go for the sights you will no doubt end up buying something. Reprint Permission from "Su Casa"--Your Home in San Miguel de Allende © 2006 Imprint Publishing/Advertising Telephone in San Miguel:152-0493 |
| Another perspective on the state of Guanajuato from Guide2Mexico.
Guanajuato, set up in the mountains, is a twisted mess of narrow little alleys, streets and tunnels that seem designed to confuse and disorient you. But in reality it is just a product of the mountainous topography that sandwiches it along the old river bed. That is part of its charm though. At every turn you find yourself distracted by its picturesque beauty, and a constant temptation to snap a photograph. Founded in the mid 1500s, it was built along the meandering path of the Río Guanajuato. The town was plagued by floods that claimed many lives, but eventually the river was diverted. The old riverbed is now a twisting underground street that is sure to leave you without a clue about where you are on your first time through it. If you have ever seen any drawings or paintings of Guanajuato, chances are good you have seen bits and pieces of this subterranean part of the city. During the colonial era the city was fabulously wealthy from mining. World famous mines such as La Valenciana, Mineral de Cata and Mineral de Rayas earned their wealthy owners titles of nobility. From the 16th through the 18th centuries, Guanajuato was one of Mexico's most important colonial cities, along with Queretaro, Zacatecas, San Miguel and San Luis Potosi. These cities accounted for 1/3 of the world's silver production, and with the immense wealth came elaborate architecture including many churches and mansions. In 1989 the city was declared a "World Heritage Zone". The city remains the state's capitol, although not its largest city. Today, Guanajuato is alive with music that can regularly be heard eminating from its plazas. In the evening, groups of young people called estudiantinas stroll through town playng stringed instruments. During the Cervantinos, music seems to be coming from every corner of city. As home to a major university the city enjoys a large student population, so there is no shortage of nightlife. The bulletin boards at the university are a good place to look for news about art exibits, concerts, plays and lectures. With a climate at an altitude of 6000 feet, Guanajuato enjoys pleasant temperatures year round. Winter evenings are cool, so a light jacket and a sweater are a good idea, but the day should bring temperatures in the 60s to 70s. The rainy season in from June to September, but that generally consist of afternoon showers and occasionally one in the evening. Otherwise expect daytime summer temperatures in the 70s. Anytime of year is fine for visiting Guanajuato. Because of its year round popularity it is a good idea to call ahead for accommodations, but if you arrive early you can usually find somewhere to sleep. The one time of year that gets absolutely crazy is in October when the city celebrates the Festival Internacional Cervantino. During the festival, artists from all over the world come to perform their music, drama and dance. The festival is wonderful, but unless you are going to see the performances it is the most inconvenient time to visit the city. In recent years hordes of young people have turned it into a drunken street party. If that's your thing, then great. Otherwise hotels are jammed; you can't get a table at a restaurant or bar and it is even difficult to walk in some areas. |
I’ve written quite a bit about The Ugly American Syndrome. In my columns, print and online magazines, and in every book I’ve written, I’ve mentioned this topic. I get a lot of mail from readers, either praising and agreeing with me or chiding and condemning me. As of today, I think I will begin cutting Americans some slack, especially American expats in Mexico, regarding The Ugly American Syndrome. My visit to the bank today convinced me that maybe I’ve been too harsh and need to lighten up a bit. I think my readers (the chiders and condemners) in San Miguel de Allende might breathe a collective sigh of relief over this announcement. What happened is something that should not have surprised or shocked me. I guess I simply have reached the end of my expat rope—at least today. When I get my quarterly royalty checks from my book publishers, I take them to my Mexican bank and deposit them. Because they are drawn on a foreign account in the States, there is understandably a hold on these checks. I get that and it doesn’t bother me one bit. But here is what I’ve been told ever since I began depositing royalty checks into this account: “There will be a two-week hold on this check.” At the end of two weeks, the wife and I go off to the ATM to check the balance and the funds are not there. We go back to the bank. The bank officer tells us: “Oh, there is always a three-week hold on foreign checks.” We wait another week, go to the ATM, and the funds aren’t there. So, we go again to the bank. “Oh, there is a 22-day hold on all foreign checks.” The next day, we go to the ATM and the funds are not there. We go into the bank: “There must be some mistake. There is always a 25-day hold on all foreign checks.” We wait three more days and go to the ATM to check things out. There are no funds. We drag ourselves into the bank with the wife trying to talk me out of murdering someone. “Oh my, my! There is always a 30-day hold on all foreign checks.” In Mexico, as I have written before, nothing, and I mean absolutely nothing, is as it seems. Nothing will work with any degree of logic or reason known to the rest of the world. Here two weeks can mean pretty much any amount of time. In Guanajuato, Mexico, two weeks means many things. It can mean three weeks, twenty-two days, twenty-five days, or thirty days. And let me tell you, each bank employee will tell you something different each time you make a deposit. They will look you straight in the eye and tell you whatever comes to their minds, whether it is the truth or not. What I do not get is just why no bank employee knows how anything works! This brings me to a conversation with an American expat who has lived in Mexico much longer than I have. She said once that what Mexico needs is a Business Manager. These people need a Business Manager in everything that has to do with anything to show them how things work. This is because in all aspects of life, at least in Guanajuato, no one who does anything that has to do with something knows just how it is suppose to work. Trying to do banking in Guanajuato is not the only thing that doesn’t work. I would love to tell you that this is so but I would be lying. Once we tried going to the movies. The theater manager was at a party and was having too good of a time to show up with the keys to the box office to sell tickets. She sent word that someone was welcome to come and get the keys and sell tickets, otherwise we would all have to wait. Can you begin to imagine what would have happened in America when this movie theater manager finally showed up? She or he would have been lynched by the crowd. Here is the really bad thing. This sort of “Qué Será, Será, whatever will be, will be…” service is vastly tolerated all over this country. The Mexican nationals, at least from my observation, seem to tolerate a level of service from providers that Americans and Europeans would not tolerate for a second! Only those who have spent time internationally seem to be perturbed by those of their fellow countrymen who settle for or offer this, “The future’s not ours to see, Qué Será, Será…” service. Well, the next time I see some American tourist or expat acting out The Ugly American Syndrome, I am going to march up to them, pat them on the back, and tell them, “I feel your pain, Bubba!” by Douglas Bower Article Source: EzineArticles.com |
I thought I would write a follow-up to my column, “Move Over San Miguel de Allende Here I Come”, since this is the only thing, writing, that prevents from committing murderous acts of rage (Just Joking!) As you recall from the previous column, I wrote how I tried to deposit a royalty check from my publisher and was told the check would clear on four different dates. We were shown, last week, on their computer screen that the funds would be available on the 18th of December. Well, today is the 18th. We marched down to the bank and, of course, in the truest sense of TMO (Typical Mexican Operation) the funds were not available. We went into the bank so I could seize a bank officer and choke him (just kidding!). No, we talked to this guy who thought it cute to mumble at us. He actually told us something entirely new. He said that “the 18th” did not really mean “the 18th” but it meant sometime after 6 p.m. on the 18th but before mid-night on the 18th and…and…maybe even the 19th. CAN YOU BELIEVE THIS? This my dear readers is what we anal-retentive Americans (and “strung-tighter-than-piano wire Germans”) have to deal with when we become expatriates living in Mexico. It would seem, and I could be wrong, that Mexican banks just make up stuff as they go along. There are no policy manuals, procedural steps, no rules, just the “fly-by-the-seat-of-your-pants” way of doing things. “Qué Será, Será: What ever will be, will be. The future’s not ours to see. Qué Será, Será.” This is exactly how things are done in central México. I have to tell you though, those from other regions of the country are as dumbfounded as I am. They tell me that this region of Mexico is “stuck in time and history.” They are provincial to the point of having been throw into a time loop and cannot escape the temporal hole they’ve been in since the middle ages. Time forgot central Mexico and no one seems to really care to crawl out of this dimensional morass in which they are quagmired. What are we going to do? I do not know. But, we are looking to other areas of Mexico that may not be like living in a Latino Twilight Zone. My fellow American expat said this: “That what Mexico needs is a Business Manager. These people need a Business Manager in everything that has to do with anything to show them how things work. This is because in all aspects of life, at least in Guanajuato, no one who does anything that has to do with something knows just how it is suppose to work.” She has no idea what truth she spoke! by Douglas Bower Article Source: EzineArticles.com |