Apr 15, 2013 - More cobblestones narrow streets and colourful houses -San Miguel de Allende

Not long after arriving in San Miguel we were fortunate to make the acquaintance of Juan Carlos. This is what makes travel fun for us. Finding common ground with people in far flung places. Thanks to Juan Carlos, who we met at his delightful tea room Camino Silvestre, just down from our accommodation Casa Mia, we were able to access a tiny hole in the wall coffee shop for the best coffee to take home to Elise, the Buena Vida bakery which had delicious sour dough bread and the best orange doughnuts (in the world according to Juan Carlos) and...

Feb 12, 2013 - Silver Mines in Guanajuato, Mexico

On our second day in Guanajuato my two Canadian friends and I, decided to take a look at where all the silver came from. We were certainly doing our part in supporting the economy of GT by buying up as much silver jewelry as possible. We hired a man from the La Paz Plaza to take us and another couple on a tour of an old mine in the hills above the city, a famous hacienda and the Mummy museum. It was interesting to see how our guide managed our standard transmission van with only his left leg. A little scary too, but he did just fine as long...

Feb 11, 2013 - Guanajuato, Mexico

After a week in San Miguel de Allende I took a one hour bus ride to Guanajuato. My two friends Jan and Marion from Vancouver, whom I met at a Flamenco Show in San Miguel, decided to come along. One of the pleasures of solo traveling is meeting so many wonderful people. Where San Miguel is full of interesting American and Canadian Expats, Guanajuato is a more authentically Mexican small town. Known for the silver mines, it is situated in a natural basin and has had some serious floods. The houses are many colored and cling to the hillsides....

Feb 7, 2013 - Dolores Hidalgo, Mexico

Today we drove about 40 miles to Deloras Hedalgo to shope for Talavera Pottery. Well, technically, pottery similar to the Talavera made in Pueblo, Mexico. First we stopped in El Santuario de Atotonilco, The Sistine Chapel of the Americas. It is just an empty dusty/cobble stone village containing the most beautiful church full of biblical murals. Dedicated to Jesus of Nazareth, but concentrating on the bloodiest visuals. Just amazing to be in the middle of nowhere. Deloras Hedalgo is known for being the location in Mexico where Father...

Feb 7, 2013 - Party in San Miguel

Last night Robert hosted a party. This was after I played 18 holes of golf. "Played", is not really the right word. I hit balls and walked the course with another lady player who was pretty good and very patient with me. Here in SMG there are no golf carts and at this club you had to hire a caddy. The caddies pick your club, tell you how to put your feet, and line up the putter for you. It seems like cheating to me but am told it is what the professionals do. Anyway was a beautiful day outside. They really only had 11 holes, and are working...

Feb 5, 2013 - San Miguel de Allende, Mexico

San Miguel de Allende (SMA) is one of the large American Expat communities in Mexico. It has a well known Art Institute that was one of the first foreign places the US allowed veterans to use the GI Bill after WWII. It is about 4 hours north of Mexico City. An old time friend from Springfield, Missouri (I went to college in Springfield and lived there a few years) has lived here for several years and is making it his retirement home. It is a good place to live a good life on little money. There are plenty of old hippie people here, aka...

Mar 9, 2012 - San Miguel de Allende to La Manzanilla

On March 8th, after a much too brief visit to San Miguel de Allende and our friends, we got on the road to our destination for the next seven weeks. We are going to be looking after a guest house in La Manzanilla, a quiet beach-side town in Colima, about one hour north of Manzanillo and three hours south of Puerto Vallarta. Horror of horrors, our bus was to leave San Miguel at 0630am, which meant we dragged poor Gerry out of his bed - hours before he normally would surface - to make sure that we got to the bus station in time. We could have...

Mar 3, 2011 - ...and the beat goes on

I have been remiss in keeping notes as the days fly by here so I will have to rely on my questionable brain power to recall events. Space is limited as I continue to stuff Spanish in there. I am finally over my throat infection with just a little coughing lingering on. I hope that is the end of gringo interruptus so I can spend my remaining days enjoying Mexico in full health. I have been a busy social butterball lately and have found myself stealing to bed in the early morning hours on more than a few occasions. San Miguel has a plethora...

Feb 15, 2011 - Back in the saddle sort of...

It has been ten whole days of voiceless existence. I have mostly been living life in my room and only venture out to go to the 'farmacia' for drugs and cough candies. Speaking is a chore. It is hard enough to spit something out but then I invariably get asked to repeat what I just said, since no one can hear me. Hay carumba. Nothing seems to be helping and I am on my second round of antibiotics. Sleep is almost non-existent since coughing fits start up as soon as I lie down. Sleeping sitting up just ain't the same animal. Sunday, February...

Jan 31, 2011 - Voiceless in San Miguel

January 24th, 2011 Joe (AKA Pepe) and I went to see the lecture 'Capitalism hits the fan' at the Biblioteca without Aleda as she preferred to listen to her meditation tapes, wear a bizarre pair of glasses that claim to give you better eyesight, take her echinacea and watch fashion television. We were thoroughly bummed out by the stats and the fact that my generations entire working careers have been flat lined wage wise since the 1970's. We stumbled up the street towards my friend Rene's gallery and we stopped so Pepe could see the mural by...

Jan 18, 2011 - Habla Espanol?

You know things are getting better when you can fart without fear. And damn I'm not there yet. The maids here at Casa de la 'O' have been doing their best to the help the situation with a home remedy, a concoction of cooked white rice and water sweetened with a little sugar and cinnamon bark. I tried this for a day but it didn't really help. I am trying Lomotil again but so far it doesn't seem to be doing anything either. I am really stumped as to how to remedy this. 'Lilia' is the owner of this establishment and is a member of the wealthy...

Jan 11, 2011 - The downside of travel

A quote from Ben Franklin: In wine there is wisdom, In beer there is strength, In water there is bacteria. I spend two days sequestered in my hotel room riding the porcelain bowl. I figure I have a thirty six hour bout of 'Tourista'. On the third day I feel well enough to get the hell out of Dodge so I catch a bus to San Miguel de Allende. This was not in the plan at this time but when I got to the bus depot there was a bus leaving in fifteen minutes so I took it. I check into the Alcatraz Hostel dormitory 'D'. There are two bunk beds and...