Mexico

San Miguel de Allende

Posted by Jim St. George on November 12, 2014
Posted in: Mexico, UNESCO World Heritage Site. 1 comment
The streets of San Miguel de Allende - narrow, often steep, cobblestoned and colorful

The streets of San Miguel de Allende – narrow, often steep, cobblestoned and colorful

Years ago friends of ours told us we should go to San Miguel de Allende, a little city about 170 miles northwest of Mexico City. It was supposed to be beautiful, but who has time, especially when there are all those beaches to go to? So, with one week between our last beach stop and our visit to Costa Rica, we decided it was time to go to San Miguel.

Everything in San Miguel is beautiful

Everything in San Miguel is beautiful

Wow. It must be the most beautiful city in Mexico, and so atmospheric. The city started to get a reputation as an artist’s retreat after World War II and a growing number of foreign artists started to move there. Today, estimates that there are some 12,000 foreigners – many of them retirees, with a quality of life they could never afford in the U.S. – living there. It was only when we got there that you could really appreciate the attraction, particularly for an artist.

We were there for rain and shine, morning and evenings, they were all beautiful. Narrow, hilly cobblestone lanes. Spectacular Spanish colonial architecture. Bougainvilleas and other flowers everywhere. It was almost too beautiful to be true. In fact, because of the thousands of ex-pat retirees living there, the joke is that it’s starting to become more Disneyland than Mexico. If so, I’m OK with that.

More street scenes

More street scenes

When you get outside of the city you find a very different beauty all its own

When you get outside of the city you find a very different beauty all its own

And did I mention the weather? Even though it’s early November, much of Mexico of course remains hot. Not San Miguel, though. At over a mile in elevation, it has a wonderful spring-like climate through much of the year. Cool mornings and evenings, pleasantly warm during the day.

The salsas alone are enough to ruin a diet, since of course they require chips

The salsas alone are enough to ruin a diet, since of course they require chips

Along with all the tourists and American & Canadian retirees comes some darned good restaurants. Every day we had our pick of gorgeous places, usually with good food and even good cocktails. We treated ourselves one night with some of the best mezcal-based margaritas I’ve ever had (we usually avoid them because of the sugar). I’ve decided, in fact, that if I ever am given the power to name one cuisine that I can eat without adding pounds – just one – it would be Mexican.

But wait, there’s more! Since you’re out in the middle of Mexico, why not go horseback riding? Check. And mountain biking? Check. Amusingly, while we’re far more experienced with bikes than horses, it was the bikes that threw us (me twice) while we stayed on the horses. Go figure.

This is our last stop in Mexico until January, when we head to Puerto Vallarta so Mark can study Spanish and I can get some serious beach time. Tomorrow we’re off to Costa Rica.

Exploring the Mexican countryside by bike. Minutes after taking this I was lying on the ground bleeding a bit. I swear my bike just threw me off.

Exploring the Mexican countryside by bike. Minutes after taking this I was lying on the ground bleeding a bit. I swear my bike just threw me off.

Most of our trail was not this smooth; there were huge rocks all over the place just jumping out at us

Most of our trail was not this smooth; there were huge rocks all over the place just jumping out at us

This was the entrance to our room at the little hotel where we stayed. The city has flowers everywhere.

This was the entrance to our room at the little hotel where we stayed. The city has flowers everywhere.

Our first time on horses since Mongolia

Our first time on horses since Mongolia

One of the things we love in Latin American churches is the way they make sure you know that Jesus suffered, like really suffered. Seriously suffered.

One of the things we love in Latin American churches is the way they make sure you know that Jesus suffered, like really suffered. Seriously suffered.

One more happy horse picture

One more happy horse picture

And oh yeah, a lunch salad with a little rosé. Did we mention this is a good life?

And oh yeah, a lunch salad with a little rosé. Did we mention this is a good life?

Playa del Carmen

Posted by Jim St. George on November 7, 2014
Posted in: Mexico. 2 comments
The waters of Playa del Carmen are some of the most beautiful in the world.

The waters of Playa del Carmen are some of the most beautiful in the world.

Playa del Carmen is a beach town maybe 30 miles south of Cancun that we’ve been to a number of times. It was where the very first VAN staff retreat was held in 2005, when there were maybe a total of seven people on staff. A year or so later we took my parents there for my Mom’s 70th birthday, and then we’ve been back a few times just because we love the beach. The town has grown enormously in just the nine years since we were first there, but it’s still a huge improvement over crazy Cancun. So, as long as we were in the Yucatan, you might as well spend another week there, right?

There is no substitute for finding a good bartender. This was a pretty small place, kind of a dive, but he learned to make our drinks just right...

There is no substitute for finding a good bartender. This was a pretty small place, kind of a dive, but he learned to make our drinks just right…

Our first stop was the same beach resort where we had that first retreat, and indeed the same place we took my parents. It’s still lush and beautiful, but we were so annoyed by the crappy Internet service that we left after just a couple days. Moved to a cheaper place off the beach where the Internet was decidedly better, so it felt almost like two separate little vacations, one on the beach and one in town.

Mostly, then, it was a lazy week of time on the beach reading and sleeping, lunch while it was typically raining, and then getting ready for dinner. Not a lot to write about, but a damned good way to spend a week.

Our next stop is San Miguel de Allende, an old artist colony a few hours northwest of Mexico City. Friends told us years ago it was a place we had to see and maybe even retire in. But while we’re not ready to settle down yet, it’s about time we saw the place before we head further south to spend six weeks or so in Costa Rica. Can’t wait for the adventure to continue!

The weather was off-and-on, but even when it was stormy it was beautiful

The weather was off-and-on, but even when it was stormy it was beautiful

We've really enjoyed chances to visit with friends and family on this adventure. Mark's Uncle Bill and Aunt Debbie had a day in Cozumel - an island off Play a few miles - while on a Caribbean cruise, so we caught a boat over there to have lunch with them. Such a treat!

We’ve really enjoyed chances to visit with friends and family on this adventure. Mark’s Uncle Bill and Aunt Debbie had a day in Cozumel – an island off Play a few miles – while on a Caribbean cruise, so we caught a boat over there to have lunch with them. Such a treat!

Bill, Debbie, and Mark

Bill, Debbie, and Mark

James Breen from our office (back in the days when we used to work) bottled some Negronis for us that he presented when we were in DC. We saved them for a special occasion, which just happened to be a rainy afternoon in Playa. Thanks James!

James Breen from our office (back in the days when we used to work) bottled some Negronis for us that he presented when we were in DC. We saved them for a special occasion, which just happened to be a rainy afternoon in Playa. Thanks James!

After a few days at a classic beach resort where the Internet was crappy, we moved inland to the Reina Roja, the Red Queen. It may be the most "fashion forward" place we've ever stayed. Bizarre, but fun.

After a few days at a classic beach resort where the Internet was crappy, we moved inland to the Reina Roja, the Red Queen. It may be the most “fashion forward” place we’ve ever stayed. Bizarre, but fun.

There were mannequins like this all over the lobby area. Strange indeed.

There were mannequins like this all over the lobby area. Strange indeed.

One last shot of a nearly perfect beach

One last shot of a nearly perfect beach

Mérida

Posted by Jim St. George on October 28, 2014
Posted in: Mexico. Leave a Comment
The nearly deserted streets of Mérida heading directly into the main square at mid-day. With the sun directly overhead there were no shadows, no place to hide, and not a lot of activity.

The nearly deserted streets of Mérida heading directly into the main square at mid-day. With the sun directly overhead there were no shadows, no place to hide, and not a lot of activity.

Even though it seems as though we never have enough time, the whole point of traveling forever is to have time to get off the beaten trail. Lots of people go to the Yucatan to go to Cancun, Playa del Carmen, Tulum, and so on, but how many people get to Vallodalid and Mérida? So yes, after another manageable bus ride, here we are in Mérida, a city of perhaps 1 million people and capital of the state of Yucatan.

Lots of interesting buildings and colonial architecture

Lots of interesting buildings and colonial architecture

So what’s most memorable about Mérida? It’s hot. Really hot. Maybe that shouldn’t be surprising for Mexico, but I don’t remember many places that felt as intensely hot in mid-day as it was here. And while activity certainly slowed down during the day, we’d still see people doing hard manual labor in temperatures that seemed ungodly.

And the food. Over half the residents here are Mayan – a greater percentage than any other Mexican city – and their influence on food is significant. So we had great food. The architecture was fun, too, a real mix of rundown buildings, nicely maintained buildings, and a section of the city that had old and beautiful mansions.

We had some great ceviche at a little hole-in-the-wall that served, primarily, ceviche. While we were eating there was a guy behind the counter polishing his shoes, which we thought was odd.

We had some great ceviche at a little hole-in-the-wall that served, primarily, ceviche. While we were eating there was a guy behind the counter polishing his shoes, which we thought was odd.

Otherwise, the thing I remember most is how hot it was. Wait, did I mention that already? OK, it was a surprisingly big, hot city with great Mayan food. After a few days here, we’re ready to go to the beach in Playa del Carmen!

The Plaza Grande is in the heart of the city, and on Sunday morning there was a traditional (or at least I assumed it was traditional...) religious ceremony. Or at least I assumed it was religious...

The Plaza Grande is in the heart of the city, and on Sunday morning there was a traditional (or at least I assumed it was traditional…) religious ceremony. Or at least I assumed it was religious…

OK, I know this was a religious ceremony. There's a big old cathedral on the Plaza Grande and I went in to look around on Sunday morning. What's interesting to me is that big churches all over Europe are beautiful but largely empty, even on Sundays. In Catholic Mexico, though, there were hundreds of people here for services. Hundreds.

OK, I know this was a religious ceremony. There’s a big old cathedral on the Plaza Grande and I went in to look around on Sunday morning. What’s interesting to me is that big churches all over Europe are beautiful but largely empty, even on Sundays. In Catholic Mexico, though, there were hundreds of people here for services. Hundreds.

We both love shots like this of old derelict buildings. There were some more typically attractive buildings, too, but somehow they're not as photogenic.

We both love shots like this of old derelict buildings. There were some more typically attractive buildings, too, but somehow they’re not as photogenic.

This cute little restaurant was Sunday lunch. Great courtyard, great Mayan food, beautiful wooden bar - and the Detroit Lions in the background!

This cute little restaurant was Sunday lunch. Great courtyard, great Mayan food, beautiful wooden bar – and the Detroit Lions in the background!

More good food, though this has a lot more to do with Italian than Mayan culture. Beef carpaccio with avocado ... why didn't we think of that?

More good food, though this has a lot more to do with Italian than Mayan culture. Beef carpaccio with avocado … why didn’t we think of that?

And here's my idea of heaven. Late afternoon, small pool at our hotel, little bed, my Kindle.

And here’s my idea of heaven. Late afternoon, small pool at our hotel, little bed, my Kindle.