We three musketeers drove on to Tequisquiápan. It took me about an hour to get this Indian word in my brain. It’s like this: te KEES kee AH pen. With the major accent on the AH. What a great pueblo (little village). 

We stayed at the Plaza (we always stay at the Plaza when we’re in town) at Juarez 10 and it is RIGHT on the main square and has a swimming pool and a restaurant. Very cool. We tried to make reservations on line beforehand, but I don’t think they check their reservations site. No problem, they had 2 rooms left. Ours. Here’s the entrance.

We went out to the square which is large and gorgeous, with vendors and little stores and terrace restaurants up one floor overlooking the square.

The indigenas (indigenous women) sit all day with their wares. See the baby strapped to this woman’s back.

Even when we don’t buy anything, we give them the change we have. They don’t like their photos taken, but they’re so beautiful and sad and strong that we find ways to do it. Even I didn’t know Morgan snapped these pics of our ladies.

While Morgan and I were having lunch on a 2nd story terrace, Saturday afternoon, we heard the blast of the wildest band. It was a Quincieras, the 15 year old girl’s coming of age celebration. She rolled onto the square in her horse-drawn carriage, followed by the red-uniformed band playing with gusto you can’t imagine. Fortunately the church ceremony (it’s kind of a wedding without the groom) was really long. We went across the square to our Hotel Plaza, I went for a swim, got dressed and got these pics at the end of the church ceremony. First I shot the band, waiting for the ceremony to end.

Then our gal came out of the church and it took three men to heave her up into the cart.

She’s not a great beauty, but very warmly kissed and received kisses from her attendants. On the right in the white suit is Papa. There was no Mama in sight. My speculations is this was an extra special Quinciera for a rich family and a motherless only-child.

And here they go, the band playing, again with great gusto. As is typical of the Mexican personality, there’s not great store in playing precisely on the beat or pitch. My atonal composer husband (and Jim, too) dreams of notating the wonderfully bizarre non-reproducible music.

We walked in the big city park and watched the families and lovers in embrace. We love the way a lounging father would pull his son onto his belly. Mothers and children, too, of course. But there’s great warmth and stock in family that’s quite beautiful. No pictures, it seemed too invasive, but I’ll find something of the park. Here’s Jim and I under great tree.

We all liked Tequisquiápan so much, and especially Jim, that we looked or a house for him. He might move here next year. We’ll see. Goodbye to Tequis…

On the way home we stopped at the Parque Zoologico Wameru in Queretero. For me, zoos are bittersweet, but this was a pretty darn good zoo, much much more than I expected. They had two litters of baby tigers spawned from their own animals, 6 weeks old and 4 months old. Many are white from the mother and the father’s recessive gene. Babies of all types are irresistible. Our camera wasn’t working, unfortunately, but it’s definitely worth seeing if you like zoos. Animals of all classes from all over the world. It’s right off the carretera (on the major highway, just east of the city very near the airport).

We had Sunday lunch right off the highway at the spectacular Mariscos Chilo, a fast food Mexican chain. The place could have seated 500 and nearly did. We were incredibly efficiently served. My shrimp tostadas were wonderful and fresh and tasty ($15 pesos each, about $US 1). The boys might have had pulpo (octopus) and that was wonderful. There’s a mariachi band circulating which is always a gas. And just to show how Catholic this country is, there’s a big crucifix on the wall. Jim thinks that the crowd was mostly from el campo (countryside), dressed in their Sunday best, coming into town to eat out for an occasion. Cool. 

Now we’re back in San Miguel at Suzanne and Robert’s lovely house, having been here 26 days, about to return home to the midwest, which I’m very happy to do. Think about renting this spectacular villa. www.villaparadisosma.shutterfly.com

I can’t even reread this. Sorry for booboos and typos.

 

 

 

 

 

Jim, Morgan, and I headed for the larger city of Querétaro, east of SMA. We drove in, found a place to park for less then 10 pesos (a dollar) and walked toward the central domes. We found a tourist office on Pasteur and 5 de Mayo, which suggested 3 hotels in our price range (medio, less than about $600 pesos/ $45). We saw no gringos and spoke almost exclusively in Spanish (lousy Spanish, I might add). We ended up in the new el Senatorial on Guerrera and Hidalgo which was fine, but I wish we’d found the Hotel Hidalgo (Pino Suarez between Juarez and Allende) first. It’s an 18th C Spanish hotel built around a courtyard and right on the street. Next time. If you’re filthy rich or go for high end hotels, definitely stay at La Casa de la Marquesa at Madero # 41 (www.lacasadelamarquesa.com). Rooms start above $200 USD. Wow wow and wow.

The architecture is spectacular. But we found the city odd. Jim couldn’t find a bottle of wine or even a glass of wine, not for not trying. The city has three jardins each quite close to the next–Jardin Zenea (the main one), Plaza de la Constitución, and Plaza de la Corregidora.

In search of the centuries-old aqueduct, I took us in the wrong direction, but we found instead el Templo de Santa Rosa de Viterbo.

I was readily forgiven. Across the street, is one of many city squares where there’s a fountain show. The water spray of water is better than a light show.

The interior of the church is absolutely spectacular. Gold painted wood, as so many are. Way ornate. Then we walked from this western point of the center and walked and walked to get to the aqueduct. Here it is in the midst of the city.  

And here’s Jim and Morgan looking at it.

And now it’s late and we’re whipped but we’ve got to walk east to get back to el centro.

Then it was time (8:30) to go to Orquesta Filarmónica del Estado de Querétaro playing in the courtyard of the spectacular Templo y Ex Convento de San Agustín.

The orchestra was very good and played contemporary Mexican composers. The second being a guitar concerto (guitarrista: Isidora Ramos; composator: Eduardo Angulo). We left at intermission to find dinner but there was no dinner to be had. Everything was closed down on a Friday night in this large city. Morgan and I weren’t hungry, having eaten ourselves silly over the last few days, but Jim needed sustenance (and wine). We ended up in a dreary cafe where Jim got a beer and day old spaghetti.

In the morning we headed to Tequisquiápan.

 

Morgan and I arrived in San Miguel, for our second month here, my third visit within a year. I guess we like it. It took me awhile to get to blogging. Here are a few days, a few pics. Here I am happy to be here. Here I am, happy to be in SMA.

 

Sunday, February 8

 

With Jim and in his car, Morgan and Lisa and I went to the town of Dolores Hidalgo–I’ve been a couple times now–where they make and sell beautiful ceramics. I bought some. Lisa (my step and Morgan’s daughter) bought some. Then we went to a great little Mexican carnitas (pork) place on the way into Dolores and ate pork with pickled peppers and 3 salsas and fresh fresh tortillas. Here’s the vat of fat in which they cook the puerco. Yahoo.

We went into the center of town to the square, where a thousand Mexicans in their Sunday best are eating reknowned Dolores Hidalgo ice cream. I stepped into the parrochia and sang the Amen Amen Amen with all the congregation which was pretty wonderful. Toddler girls are dressed in fancy white dresses and little boys in priest vestments. The parents show them off. I wish I had a picture.

 

We returned to San Miguel and stopped into the Candelaria annual flower show in the Parque Juarez and bought a few ceramics as well as more pots and plants for Suzanne’s house. Lisa is upstairs on the third story terrace of Suzanne and Robert’s beautiful house (scroll down to see photos and all about the house you can rent) where she is potting plants right now.

 

We had dinner last night on the other side of town at Jim’s house, on his rooftop garden, where he grilled chicken, but forgot the smelts that he bought.

 

Later today, I’ll go swimming (or actually playing in the pool) up the hill and take Lisa to a few last stores for her to buy gifts. She goes home tomorrow.

 

Here’s Jim and Lisa and Morgan when we went to the Monja Hotel which was formerly a convent.

 

 

Wednesday, February 11, 2009

Today, Morgan and I walked down and up and down the mountain to the Fabrica Aurora which was once a textile factory. It lay dormant for years and in the last 15 years has been made into a chichi gallery with cafe and shops. It’s very nice and proves that there are very rich people in San Miguel.

 

We made our way back on Calle Quebrada (means rough, like hruby means rough, as some translate it) and had lunch at a Thai restaurant, which was very good and a nice change. We bought vegetables at a little green grocer’s, and other groceries at a tienda downtown, took a taxi toward home, stopped at Parque Juarez where a flower and plant sale is still going on. It’s so beautiful with every color of flower and the cool of green just makes you feel so dang good. I hopped out and bought a couple more flowering plants for our hosts and came home.

 

We had dinner at Jim’s tonight, shrimp with red and yellow peppers on the grill and broccoli and sauteed eggplant. It was really good. With a great $5 French merlot.W We love Jim’s fish chimenea. Morgan is doing one of the things he loves best and has done a load of at Suzanne and Robert’s, but the pic is from Jim’s. Gardening, not smoking.

 

Today I saw the pit Morgan fell in. Yikes. It is sheer concrete, a rectangular box and you can’t see it. It’s like a shadow on the sidewalk. He was all alone, near home, checking out the view and wham. He doesn’t even know what happened.

I took some pics of it today, one with Morgan in the pit. He is so so so lucky. He could easily have broken is neck. They now have it banded off as peligroso (dangerous). It’s a snake pit. (Thanks, Kerry!)After a few days he was 98% recovered. But it’s going to hang on, I think. He must have slammed way hard.

 

Citibank closed our Master Card credit card. Apparently you’re supposed to tell the credit card company that you’re going abroad. They saw Mexican charges and just shut it off. And our American Express won’t work at the ATMs. In fact the only place we’ve found to use it is the huge Mega grocery store. At least we won’t starve.

 

We tried to make reservations at a gorgeous rooftop garden restaurant tonight but it’s filled. So we’ll go there Thursday. Hopefully we’ll have money by then. (See Resource Entry below). Wouldn’t you know this happened right when the weekend started. Actually we tried to get a new card from Citibank, insisting that they bail us out but 1) I could not remember my social security number and 2) I don’t know the zip code or mail code of this place. They thought I was an idiot 😉 and said they’d love to help me out when I got home to the states. I thanked them profusely, of course.

 

Thursday, February 11

 

Jim and our friend Norma Cecilia (mentioned in previous postings), our Spanish teacher, came to dinner. Troubles always comes too. Here’s a nice pic of the two of them.

 

Random sitings:

Here’s how they announce garbabge (basura) pick up: boy runs down street with a big pipe triangle clanging it LOUD. People come out with their garbage. The streets en el centro are much too narrow to clutter with garbage. So, this is an effective system. Basura pick up is funded by taxes. It’s a good thing.

 

Saw an 18^th C house today for sale on Correo listed for 1.4 million. Pretty cool. They’ll never get the money, marked down from 2.2 mil.

 

I saw a horse being shoed right in the street. Just like you change a tire. On the cobblestone street.

 

Indigenous people sometimes sit, sometimes wander. We always give them what change we have.

 

There’s this great chanter in the jardin. We hear that he was once an effective political activist here in SMA, but the government put an end to his activism. Now he shuffles through the park, chanting a stream of consciousness gripe about how he used to do good and now they won’t let him. Sometimes I follow him and listen. It’s kind of like Gregorian chant but not quite. Morgan shot this great pic.

 

Advice and small bits of information:

            In SMA, mangoes are better in June – September than they are February. Papayas are better in February. I don’t know about the other months.

            Travel tip: To avoid digestive disrupts, aka turista, start taking oil of oregano in capsules ten days before going on your travels and continue for awhile while you’re here. It’s a mild herbal antibiotic or antibacterial that you can buy at your health store and neither Morgan nor I have had any problems and we eat in the market, tamales bought from venders on the street.

 

 

 

 

Here is a list of restaurants, pools, markets, and stuff you might want in SMA. It’s not all-inclusive, just some suggestions. Go to the City Building just north of the jardin and get a map. It’s pretty easy to find your way around.

 

RESTAURANTS:

 

Baan Thai Restaurant

Quebrada 12 Centro (n.w. of jardin)

152 7292

baanthaisma.com

green fish curry and Thai noodle salad, both very good.

There’s supposed to be another Thai restaurant on Ancha de San Antonio, but is more expensive and we hear, not as good as this one. We loved this for lunch.

 

Buganbilia

Calle Hidalgo 42

Regional relleno with beef and pomegranate seeds sin (without) crema; I don’t eat cream, but I hear that with the cream it’s just too rich – excellente

Margaritas, strong and terrific (no syrupy mix)

Tilapia with orange sauce – grand

Great atmosphere, mature climbing flowering vines inside

Classical Guitarrista es bueno

 

Capilla roof terrace restaurant,

Aldama, maybe 14, across from Posadita.

Capilla means chapel and is built into the great parochial church.

So spectacular. The food is great, the views are even better

Expensive for SMA, but we’re going for a belated Valentine’s date. It was full up on the 14^th so we went a few days later.

My roasted vegetable salad with goat cheese and Morgan’s spinach salad with goat cheese and pecans were both terrific. He had salmon, I had crab/scallop cakes which were good, if you like slightly sweet entrées. I don’t. But it was complex, with both picante and sweet, which I can appreciate even if I don’t like it. My margarita was very good. And more like two margaritas because they give you a little frosted pitcher with the remainder of the drink in it. Morgan’s vodka martini and his wine were very good. It cost $815 pesos (now: US $ 54) plus tip (they say don’t tip 20% but I did). The place is absolutely sublime. We took a load of photos to prove it. Our Valentine’s Date was the best Valentine’s date ever, even if it came 5 days late. A pianist plays in the indoor dining room/bar, but we were on the magnificent terrace. Very pleasant. Esplendido!

 

Hecho en Mexico

Zacateras

Lots of people like this. We’ll go tonight and see.

 

Mercado north of Canal one short block and west of San Antonio Abad a few blocks.

Middle stall on north side. Terrific and costs hardly anything. Different specials each day include posole, menudo (stomach—can’t manage that), pollo con salsa verde, meatballs, mole; and always with condiments like salsas, peppers, onions (we avoid the lettuce and tomatoes due to not thinking they’re washed with iodine) and always fresh made tortillas. I think we pay about $3 or less for a big meal.

 

Posada Corazon B&B

Aldama, south of Cuadrante, 2 blocks from jardin, red house, ring timbre (doorbell)

Desayuno (breakfast and brunch, but still open at noon) go for comida (lunch)

Enhojado huevos, specialty wrapped in leaf, chilaquiles

Huevos Tibetano, all wonderful, mostly organic. Home made whole grain breads, local herbal teas

Gardens are just gorgeous. Library is fantastic. A real treat. About 120 pesos ($8-9 now) (apiece, fixed price. Not to be missed.

 

Posadita

Aldama #13

Alongside to west of the parrochia

3^rd floor terrace dining, great view, great food. Fairy lights at night. Lovely for lunch or dinner.

 

La Tecolote

on Jesus.

For lunch, takes too long to be served, both times we’ve been there. Very gringo clientele. So loads of people like it but I won’t rush to revisit it.

 

Mostly we eat in, but here are a few places where we’ve gone. More in text (below) from previous visit.

 

MARKETS, OTHER ONES

 

Mercado de Artesanias

Walk north and east of the jardin. Be sure to walk north on Loreto as there are wonderful shops for needlework hangings, Oaxacan rugs, mirrors and metal work frames. But the best prices are generally in the market itself.

 

Talaveras (ceramics). My favorite dishes, bowls, serving platters are on the north (I think wall) in the center. They have the best quality and the loveliest painted designs and they’re not expensive. To get more variety and even better prices travel to the town of Dolores Hidalgo (I write about it below in the September visit to SMA).

 

I bought two Oaxacan rugs in the market where I found the best designs at the best prices. If you buy more than one, you can generally round down the price and get a better deal.

 

Instituto Allende

On Ancha de San Antonio and was created by Sterling Dickinson just after WWII along with Bellas Artes on Hernandez Macia (I think) and really is what makes San Miguel the attraction to American and Europeans that it is. He started art schools that were attended by American GIs, hence, all the art and gringos here now.

During two of my 2 visits here (the month long ones) the Instituto has sponsored a huge art show where you can buy jewelry, ceramics, rugs, bags, clothes, so many different artesanias (arts, crafts, folkoric art). Most towns have only their indigenous arts—if they have them–and junk made in China with Mexican slogans written on. San Miguel, catering to the gringo population, is pretty much junk-free, yet has folkloric art from all over the country. For instance I bought a beautiful turquoise needle worked bag from Chiapis, which you can buy in the stores in town for $350-480 pesos, but I bought in the market for $150 pesos (ten dollars right now). I can got an exceptionally good deal, because the dueño (owner) and I hit it off and it was his first sale of the day. He blessed me. It’s a VERY Catholic country.

 

LIQUOR STORE:

 

Las Barricas Vinos y Licores

Quebrada #20 (n.w. of jardin)

154 8280

deliver for free

 

GROCERIES

Bonanza

Mesones, east of Relox

Small, locally run, lots of stuff you’d need including American things like soy milk, peanuts)

2 doors up is a good Mexican green grocer

 

Mega

Is a super story (groceries and clothes and you name it) south out the Ancha de San Antonio. I don’t approve, I think we should be shopping in the little family-run businesses in town. But, I must admit, it makes life much easier on occasion to get a load of groceries and take them home by car or taxi (which wait outside in abundance). You get a card from them the first day and get a discount on each subsequent purchase, but of course, we forgot to use it. Oh well.

 

MASSAGE THERAPIST

Lynea Nagle from Boston

Comes to your house with your table, riding a 4 wheel Honda cycle thing. Yahoo.

$350 pesos (US $25)!

cell 415107 3511

lyneazealand@yahoo.com

Fine massage with a really fun lady. I hope to see her again.

 

POOLS (ALBERCAS):

 

Club Santo Domingo

Santo Domingo # 55 (up from the jardin – Correo becomes Santo Domingo)

Pool and gym, very slightly funky, but fine.

Warm and lovely in June through September (and probably beyond), but I’m speaking first hand

Pretty dang cold in December –January, 65 F I hear.

February, started at 68 degrees (which I could barely manage) by mid Feb 74 degrees F. Getting better. Dia: $60 pesos/ semana $200 pesos / mes $400; with today’s exchange, less than US $30 per month.

 

Escondido Place Balneario.

10 kilometers on Carretara San Miguel-Dolores Hidalgo are a number of natural hotsprings. The other well-known place is La Gruta, but we like Escondido. $90 pesos (now about US$6). They have foot available and various tubs of various degrees of warm, hot, and cool. Like the Roman Baths of yore but everyone wears swimsuits.

 

We hear there’s a pool to be used for $50 pesos ($US 3.50) at the Aldea Hotel on the Ancha. Since I have a pass at Santo Domingo, I won’t check it, but the Aldea is closer to us.

 

Out of Town Day trips or Overnighters: see above blog entry for these.

 

Queretero

 

Tequisquiápan a pueblo north and east of SMA.

 

We’ve tried to make reservations to stay in the Plaza of Tequisquiápan. We’ll see if they’re honored. No, they weren’t but we got the last two (of 16) rooms. Wowwee. Read more soon.