Friday, February 27, 2015

San Miguel de Allende, Mexico



     Getting out of Chicago's winter for two months has saved me from Seasonal Affective Depression and made my life so much richer.  If only I could stay another month and avoid what is turning out to be one of the coldest and snowiest Februarys in the Windy City.  But no such luck.  
     This is our fifth consecutive year in San Miguel de Allende.  What a treat!  I've learned Spanish, met other Gringos and engaging Mexicans, traveled to several other cities, attended the annual writers' conference, and just plain hung out in what is now the glorious sun.


     Yesterday, my husband, son, and I took a day-long trip to Canada de la Virgen, pyramids occupied between 540 A.D. and 1050 A.D. and opened to the public just a few years back.  With Albert, our engaging guide, we walked the same path the Otomi walked all those years ago up to the currently excavated site.  The climb was a breeze in comparison to many of the hikes up streets in San Miguel, but the steps leading to and from the center vortex of one of the pyramids were narrow and steep. Like many of the others in our group, I clung for dear life on the way down.  But I'm here to tell the tale.
     After three hours of touring, we returned to the bus that took us to a nearby ranch where we were served a hearty lunch of rice, beans, potatoes with cheese, chili rellenos, quesadillas, a homemade cheese, corn and flour tortillas.  Delicious but not the best for a dairy intolerant woman like me.
     Today I'm off to Spanish class and to meet a friend who quite unexpectedly showed up in town.  We haven't seen other for probably 30 years!
      We're in the midst of a hunt for a place to rent for next year.  It's not easy.  Ever since Conde Nast named San Miguel one of the best cities to live on the entire planet, folks are flocking here and making us "regulars" search high and lo.  Keep your fingers crossed.  The last thing on my wish list is to weather a Chicago winter!