Featuring Maria (2011 - February 27)

During an e-mail exchange with a friend it dawned on me that one of the cool things about being at Casa Lucia (aside from the beautiful weather) is that I don't have to do any housework.

It commonly accepted that housekeepers and gardeners are included when you rent a place down here, and María is the woman who comes in twice a week to clean. She is a lovely, gentle soul who lives in the area, and who speaks only Spanish. Not only does María keep the casa looking nice, but she offers Rick and I the opportunity to try to converse in Spanish. She is very patient with us as we strive to get our thoughts and ideas across to her, and as we try to understand hers.

My best guess is that María, typical of the hardworking, soft spoken people we meet in San Miguel, is somewhere in her 40's. She has several children (3 or 4), and a small dog that she loves. She is married to a man who does tin work. Last year for my birthday, she gave me a lovely handmade box that her husband made. I was touched at her thoughtfulness, and will treasure that personal gift forever.

My realization while writing this is that I don't know as much about María as I'd like to. So I'm going to try harder to get to know this sweet lady who relieves me of the burden of even thinking about housework - always with a smile on her sweet face - better. Gracias, María.

More photographs of Casa Lucia (2011 - February 26)

For those of you who like seeing photos, here are more interesting shots of Casa Lucia.

 Shelves in the living room, containing various art treasures acquired by the owner of the casa.

An old wooden cross with purple and white ribbons, that sits on the floor in the front corner of the living room.

A collection of colorful local dishes and other lovely pottery pieces on the opposite side of the fireplace in the living room.

The mantle over the fireplace in the dining room, which displays the skulls of two bulls, nose to nose. Note the horns.

Casa Lucia from the outside. It's not quite as charming as what you see inside, is it? But it's become home away from home for us.

San Antonio, the Catholic Church just down the street from us. It's one of the oldest parish churches in the area - some of the walls date back to about 1620. The tower contains the oldest bell in San Miguel (1762).

The 6 burner stove with pots and pans hanging behind, and more colorful pottery displayed on shelves on either side
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A view to the left of the stove. As you can see, there's lots of old wooden crosses around this casa - note the small one in the corner. The concrete sinks (you can see one, and part of the other) are very deep and large.  Each has two brass faucets, and the water from the faucets is purified. Above the sinks is a shuttered window that looks out onto the patio. I closed the shutters so that I could get a better picture.

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A glass table on the uncovered area of the patio. The door on the right leads to the kitchen, and the door in the middle leads to a small half bath. See the stone wall to the left, and note the staircase leading up to the two bedrooms.

Yet another part of the patio area, this time under a thatched roof, just outside the doors that lead to the casita.

Hopefully these photos will give you an even better idea of what it's like here and why we love it so much. It's an extremely old world, unique, charming place to stay.

¡Buen Provecho! (Good Eating) (2011 - February 26)

San Miguel de Allende is known for it's restaurants and food. As a result, Rick and I have awesome culinary experiences most days of the week (and it's a good thing that we do so much walking).

We've established a pattern of eating out once a day, whether it's for breakfast, lunch or an early dinner (we prefer not to eat late). Choosing the restaurant, walking there, ordering our food from the often Spanish-only menu and then receiving and consuming our selection is often quite the adventure.

Yesterday we went to an excellent early morning Mexican culture presentation done by Warren Hardy, the gentleman who founded the language school I attend. Our plan was to have brunch afterwards, and I used my "Insider's Guide to San Miguel" guidebook to find a restaurant that we hadn't tried yet.

San Agustín Café, directly across the street from San Francisco Church and owned by Margarita Gralia (a well known film & TV star from Argentina), had an interesting decor. While one wall featured a huge painting of Saint Augustine being attended by a plump, blonde little cherub, the rest of the walls were papered with photos and posters (including a Playboy cover) of Margarita. (Raised eyebrow!) Definitely a unique and memorable interior.

Ordering was an adventure as the menu, quite extensive, was in Spanish. Knowing I could have bacon and eggs at home (Rick makes the tastiest, crispest bacon I've ever had), I decided to take a chance and order Chilliquilles con Pollo, a dish that I knew nothing about. My method of choosing this was based on the fact that it was on the Desayuno  (breakfast) menu, it had chicken (pollo) in it, and it was a mid-to-higher-priced item (which made me hope that it was a significant amount of food - I was really hungry).When our server inquired (in Spanish) whether I'd prefer salsa vérde o rójo (green or red salsa), I decided to be daring and go with the green. What the heck?

I was delighted with the presentation that was ultimately set before me. The left quarter of this oblong dish contained refried beans, topped with a few tortilla chips around the perimeter. Nicely done. The other 3/4 of the plate contained a mixture of salsa, cheese and chicken (and probably a few other things), wrapped in a light flour tortilla, and then covered with yet more salsa and sour cream. Yum!!!

However, my first bite was a bit of culture shock. Aye chihuahua, that was hot!!!! Maybe I should have ordered salsa rójo instead? Good thing I had some bottled water by my side. Rick assured me that my taste buds would acclimate after just a few bites. And acclimate they did. I ended up savoring every morsel of this very tasty gastronomic delight. Another 4 star meal in San Miguel!

Some of the other dishes that stand out for me on this trip are: the Hamburguesa Méxicana at Oliver's Burgers and Steaks; the delicately seasoned and extremely tender Arracherra Steak at Casa Payo; the fish tacos at La Palapa; the Bruchetta (beef kabob) at La Pegaso; the Huevos Revueltas con Napoles (scrambled eggs with cactus leaves) at Cafe del Sol; the Sopa de Azteca (chicken and tortilla soup) at Hecho en México; the Sopa de Frijole (light, creamy bean soup) at El Tomato; and the Ensalada Jicama y Zanahoria (jicama and carrot slaw) at Nutriva. Rick had a bowl of Borscht (beet soup) at this same healthy food restaurant, and he later told the wait staff that it was every bit as good as any Borscht he was served while in Russia. Quite the compliment!!


Although we thoroughly enjoy the authentic Mexican dishes we're so readily able to get, we're also aware that we can choose a different ethnic meal any time we want. There's a Lebanese place down the street that we intend to go to at some point in time, a couple of Chinese restaurants that we haven't tried, and Mama Mia's, our favorite Italian restaurant. There's also German, Argentinian and Asian fusion places available, as well as other selections that I'm sure I'm not remembering at the moment. The point is, there's something in San Miguel for everyone. The only decision to make is, "What do I feel like eating today?"

Before I wrap up this blog, I'd like to rave about El Maple, a small Panadería (bakery) located down the street about a half mile. Every other morning I trot down there to pick up a loaf of their freshly baked multigrain bread. The other day I also purchased a small focaccia pizza, which was wonderful. Although there are lots of bakeries in San Miguel, we feel blessed to have this one so close to us.

If you haven't eaten in the past few hours, my guess is that this blog has gotten your taste buds working overtime. Maybe you've developed a craving for Mexican or another ethnic food. Whatever it may be, allow yourself to indulge. ¡Buen Provecho!

A View of Casa Lucia (2011 - February 24)

Casa Lucia, the place where Rick and I stay in while in San Miguel, is a vintage colonial casa that's been lovingly and authentically restored by it's owners.  It's in a business/residential neighborhood, perhaps a mile from the center of town, and it's an easy walk to just about anywhere.

If you were to pull up in a taxi in front of our place, you might be shocked. All you would see is a very old wooden door, a couple of windows with bars on them and a barred balcony above, in an area that many Americans would consider questionable.

But once inside that door, your shock would turn into amazement. You would find yourself looking down a covered hallway leading to an outdoor patio, filled with beautiful, lush plants and flowers. And as you looked to the right, you would see glass doors leading into an old-world and homey living room.

Since pictures speak louder than words, and since my time has become more and more occupied with my Spanish studies, I thought I'd fill out this blog with some photos of Casa Lucia. My hope is that you'll see why, even though there's so many places to visit in this world. Rick and I keep coming back year after year.

A view of the front door. Note the old log beams on the ceiling, the flagstone floor, the old cross on the old table, and the greenery. On the left in this photo you see the glass doors that lead into the living room.

The living room, dining room, kitchen areas, located parallel to the hallway leading to the patio, are long and narrow. As you can see from this photo, they are divided only by by wide archways. This photo was shot just inside the glass doors that you just saw. Not being a photographer, it's difficult to capture exactly how quaint and unique this area actually is. (Note the gas fireplace on the right. There's another in the dining room, as well as one in the casita and one in each bedroom. They are our only source of heat on the cold mornings, and we're glad to have them.)

The kitchen with a large, old "shabby chic" table in the middle, is at the end of the long, narrow living room, dining room, kitchen arrangement. The stove is an old fashioned 6 burner. Once again, note the hand fashioned logs beams on the ceiling. The door that you see on the back left hand side leads to the patio. (Note: the casa is equipped with purified water straight from the tap, so we don't have to worry about "drinking the water".)

Out the kitchen door, and/or at the end of the covered hallway leading from the front door is an outdoor thatch-covered patio. It's located just outside of the small "casita", a space where we watch television. The yellow sofa you see will be moved and the doors behind it opened up Saturday evening, because we're hosting a small gathering of some of the friends we've met here.

 ...Inside the casita. This is where we watch DVD's in the evenings. The glass doors on the right lead out to the covered part of the patio.  I'm shooting this photo from the back of the room. The big white expanse you see is the sofa.

The master bedroom is not particularly large, and it only has a queen sized bed. But the headboard is way cool...

...and the cement bathtub is a work of art. (Note: this photo definitely does not do it justice. If you read the blog about the shower rod that Rick brought with us, you'll know that this view is now covered with a cream colored shower curtain.)

Coming back down the stairs from the second floor where the two bedrooms are located, is the uncovered patio area and the lush greenery that surrounds it. The door you see leads to the kitchen and to the left of this particular patio area is the covered patio area (with the yellow sofa) that you saw several photos ago.

Anyway, these are just a few photos of our beloved Casa Lucia. I don't know whether this blog could possibly capture the wonder experiences that we've been having. But they are experiences that Rick and I can't get enough of, and that we keep coming back for. As a matter of fact, we're in the process of renting Casa Lucia for next  February and March. That's how much we like it here.

A "Workout" Around Every Corner (2011 - February 23)

It's been a week since Rick and I arrived in San Miguel, and we both feel like we've settled in nicely and are doing the things we want to be doing.

Monday I began my Spanish class. Despite my trepidation, halfway through the class I realized that it's not going to be anywhere near as difficult as I feared. The class is small, perhaps 12 students. Some of them are obviously more accomplished than me, but others are clearly struggling in ways that I am not.

Early in the class we were asked to introduce ourselves in Spanish by telling where we were born, where we live now, what we do (job, hobbies, etc), and why we're interested in advanced Spanish. It was a good opener, and I was relieved to find that I was able to deliver my little "speech" fairly easily. I shared that I love Spanish because it's ejercicio para mi cerebro (exercise for my brain). The instructors take their jobs quite seriously, and  gave us quite a workout during that 2-1/2 hour class. That was o.k. with me and so I say with a smile on my face, "bring it on". 

Speaking of workouts... I'm attending a yoga class that's just down the street. Interestingly, I'm currently the only American in the class.  Joanna, the instructor, is from Halifax (Nova Scotia, Canada). There's a woman from Victoria, Canada, a couple from Calgary, Canada, and a Mexican young woman who may (or may not be) a SMA local. 

While Spanish challenges my mind, yoga challenges my body. The classes I take in Traverse City tend to be fairly gentle, and only an hour long. Joanna's classes last 90 minutes, and she moves through fairly complicated and difficult poses with little time in between. (Must be a Canadian thing.) I tell myself that I don't have to do keep up, but somehow I do (definitely a Judy thing). I'm certainly feeling the effects of that class this morning, however.

There's no end to the events that one can attend in San Miguel for cultural "workouts". Yesterday Rick and I went to a guitar concert in Teatro Santa Ana at la Biblioteca (the library),which was done by an artist named George Worthmore.  George is a motorcycling ex-hippy who backed up many musical icons in the 70's and who played in and managed rock and roll bands for most of his life. Now 63 years old, he has successfully reinvented himself by switching to acoustic guitar and solo performances.  His talent is great, and his presentation delightful.

George's casual, somewhat hick-ish attire - jeans, a button down shirt over a white undershirt and black combat boots - was dressed up a bit with a dapper straw hat. In contrast, the 3 or 4 piercings in his left ear and the huge tattoos on his neck and both forearms made it immediately recognizable that this overweight,  gray haired, bearded man who sports a moustache definitely walked on the wild side during his youth.

His show, billed as ragtime, blues and jazz, went far beyond that description. It included, among other things, a tune that went back to 1910; "Tennessee Waltz"; a selection from Bach; Shubert's "Ave Maria"; Don McClean's "Vincent"; an obscure but fun song written by Chuck Berry and, of course, some of his own work. The audience seemed to be enthralled with the tales he told of a life rich in musical experiences, and with his sharing of when and how he wrote and/or learned certain songs. I know I was. I was also delighted by the ways that he used his facial expressions - especially his eyes - to compliment the particular tune he was playing.

George's "grand finale" was a "built in encore" routine that he developed when he was traveling as a sound tech with the band "Kiss". The talent and humanness portrayed in this 75 minute show was worth every penny of the 120 pesos we paid to see it, and I shall remember George Worthmore's name and performance for a very long time.

Life is good in San Miguel, with a "workout" around every corner...if only you look for it.

Like Father, Like Daughter (2011 - February 21)

Today will be my first day of Level 3 Spanish, and I'm really nervous about it.

I've been a Spanish student more years than I'd like to admit, and yet my ability to comfortably converse in that language is still limited. With time I'm able to come up with a decent sentence, and I'm told I have fairly good pronunciation. My dilemma is that when I finally spit out that carefully composed statement or question, the listener thinks I'm more capable than I  am and rapidly answers as if I'll be able to understand what he or she is saying. I'm stopped in my tracks at that point, trying to figure out their answer so I can then compose an appropriate response. My most used phrase has become "Más despachio, por favor" which means "slower, please".

Perhaps the real issue is that I've always been a student at heart, and that studying Spanish is more important to me than actually speaking it (if that makes sense). Some of my earliest memories are loving to go to school, and there's a crazy part of me that enjoys having homework (go figure). So if I can let go of the thought that I "should" be able to have fluent Spanish conversations and just enjoy the classes, my confidence and ability will probably improve as I go along. (I actually know with my heart that's true, I just need to believe it with my head.)

I'm realizing that I unconsciously make a "student" of myself in my daily life. For instance, I enjoy the challenge of going to the local Blockbuster to pick up movies for Rick and I. Now I originally thought that the title of an American-made movie would basically stay the same, no matter what country you were renting it in. But in Mexico, the titles are often very different. For example, "Extraordinary Measures" (Brendan Fraser and Harrison Ford) is "Decisiones Extremos" (translated to "Extreme Decisions") in Mexico. I see very few similarities there, aside from the fact that both titles have 2 words and the first word begins with an "E". That's not a lot to go on.

But rather than get discouraged, I've developed a system that works for me. The other day I walked through Blockbuster with pen and paper in hand, writing down titles from jackets that looked interesting. I then went home and used my Google Translator to roughly translate them, knowing enough about Spanish to realize that the translations would probably only "hint" at the actual titles. To help with that, I also jotted down one or two of the actors in the movie so that once I had an inkling of the title  I could go to Google, type in the star's name, and look at the movies that he or she have been in. I'm happy to say that in most situations, my system works well enough for me to then Google reviews of that movie to determine whether or not we'll like it. This little exercise, as time-consuming as it is, makes me as happy as a clam once I'm successful and have a list of films, in Spanish, to choose from.

Now if that isn't creating "homework" for myself, I don't know what is. Come to think of it, this blog is yet another way of doing the same thing. Perhaps my need to be "student like" is a way in which I take after my dad, who didn't graduate from high school as a young person but who seemed to love to sit in his chair for hours, reading glasses on and pencil in hand, concentrating on whatever. What he was doing besides crossword puzzles is beyond me because he died relatively young, and I never got to know him or his interests as an adult...But that's a whole 'nother subject...

Anyway... I guess I'll just go to my Spanish class this afternoon, trusting that it's o.k. for my mastery of the Spanish language to be a journey, not an event. I think writing this has helped me to figure out, at least to some extent, what's going on in my psyche. Now hopefully I can sit back and enjoy my student "fix", rejoicing that I won't have to "make up" homework for myself for the next several weeks. There will be enough assigned to keep me very happy, and very busy. This may - or may not - mean less blogging. We'll see.

Hasta luego.   j

Matthew 5:15 - Sharing Your Specialness (February 20, 2011)

Yesterday was a particularly people-oriented day for Rick and I, as we had a number of opportunities to reunite with old friends, and meet many new ones.

What I realized, upon reflection, is that everyone is interesting when you really listen to their stories. I also realized that one of the reasons I love coming to San Miguel de Allende year after year is because it's an opportunity to meet people who are eager not only to share their own stories, but to listen to ours as well. And having the opportunity to tell these stories helps me recognize the uniqueness and treasures Rick and I hold.

Some people simply don't understand that we're not here to enjoy fun in the sun, or to frantically hit tourist destinations so that we can check them off our list. Our purpose is to lean into and experience the rich culture that abounds in San Miguel. And that culture includes adventurers like ourselves whose lives are full of interesting experiences that they're more than willing to share.

Last year I had the pleasure of partnering up in Spanish class with a 77-year-old Texan widow who had come to San Miguel on her own so that she could learn to speak Spanish. A retired anaesthesiologist, she has great stories about traveling the world with her beloved husband, Glen.  She currently is in training to achieve one of her life dreams, climbing Mount Kilimajaro. And knowing Lorene, I have no doubt that she'll succeed.

Yesterday at lunch we met a retired Naval Architect who, along with his female partner (once deathly fearful of the water due to an early-in-life trauma), delivers yachts from destination to destination. They became intrigued with Mexico during a delivery from San Franciso to Costa Rica, and moved to San Miguel about 4 years ago. We spent the better part of an hour sharing experiences, and enjoyed our time together so much that we exchanged info so we could get together again.

In the evening we attended a party given by Ardena, a friend we met here last year. A retired emergency room doctor and then director at Cook County Hospital, there's no end to the wealth of stories Ardena can tell about her travels, her career, and what urban life is like in downtown Chicago.

An interesting couple we spent time with last year was at Ardena's party. Monty has traveled the world on cruise ships for free by playing host to and dancing with the rich ladies who are able to afford these exotic 6 week cruises. He fell in love with the beautiful Valerie at a tango studio in San Miguel a number of years ago, and they've been together ever since.

In addition to reuniting with old friends at the party, we had the pleasure of meeting a lot of very interesting people with very interesting stories. A few examples are:
- a youngish couple who cashed in their chips in the States, bought some land in San Miguel, and built an architecturally amazing complex that includes 3 dwellings. They reside in one of those homes, and rent the other two out. (The party we attended last night was on the patio of one of their lovely  rentals). She's a dog lover, and they "foster" animals that otherwise would not have a home. They currently have 10 dogs living with them so if we need a "dog fix" while here, we certainly know where to go.
-an African/American anthropologist/attorney/writer who has traveled and lived all over the world, whose roots go back to the days of slavery, and who has done so much family history research that he is able to tell interesting story after story about his ancestors and about the cultures they lived in. Writing the historical novel that's already living in his head is definitely on his bucket list.

As I stated earlier, meeting and talking with these interesting adventurers has helped me begin to discover and share my own specialness. And so I'm wondering...what are the stories you share with others as you journey through life? They may or may not be tales of travel - taking advantage of  the opportunity to uncover your beauty through sharing your unique life experiences is actually what's most important. We're each given a certain amount of time on earth, and then it's over.  At 64 years of age I'm just beginning to realize the importance of using that time wisely by recognizing and sharing our gifts, talents and blessings with others.
No one lights a lamp and then puts it under a basket. Instead, a lamp is placed on a stand, where it gives light to everyone in the house.   Matthew 5:15

Peanut Butter without Jelly (2011 - February 19)

When people hear that Rick and I are going to Mexico for 6 weeks they usually ask, in one way or another, "Is It Safe?"

Given the increasingly violent unrest that's going on in this country, that certainly is not an inappropriate question. If I wasn't intimately familiar with what it's like where we are, I'm sure I'd be asking the same thing myself.

I guess the best analogy I can come up with is the reputation of Detroit. Once known as "the murder capital of the world", I would dread telling people I was from "the Detroit area" while traveling because they would look at me with a kind of pity that I didn't feel for myself. I lived in the suburbs, only went to the city occasionally - always with others -  and took the necessary precautions. I was aware that going into Detroit involved some risk, but that was o.k. It added a bit of "zest" and diversity to my predictable, "safe", everyday life.

It's a similar situation in San Miguel. The border and troubled areas in Mexico are roughly analogous to Detroit, and our little vacation spot analogous to the suburbs. The crimes reported in San Miguel are burglaries and muggings and although that's concerning, it's not enough to keep me from coming back - or to keep me from (carefully) walking the streets and doing the things I enjoy while here.

Would it make sense for someone not to come to Traverse City because of  Detroit's reputation? Would the "risk" of driving through the big city on the way north be enough to keep someone away from the beauty that northwest Michigan has to offer?  I would certainly hope not. If so, it's their loss. There are people whose need for safety and certainty limits their ability to take in all life has to offer. I know that first hand because I experienced it when my fears kept me away from a trip to the Holy Land in 2003. Convinced that the trip would be a disaster and that Rick would come back dead (he didn't), I now regret that my need for safety kept me from experiencing the wonderful things he did while on this trip of a lifetime. I don't intend to limit myself like that again.

After all, one of the strengths in mine and Rick's relationship is our ability to travel compatibly while being adventurous. We actually went to Europe alone in 1988, traveling by train through the Berlin Wall into communist Poland and then into Hungary, without being able to speak any of the languages. There were some scary moments - wondering what we had gotten ourselves into and why - but we survived. And we have great stories to tell as a result.

And so with San Miguel. At 64 and 65 years of age, we know that this window of opportunity will not last forever. We're still relatively healthy, capable, and filled with a sense of adventure, and we're taking advantage of that. We wouldn't be happy in some retirement community down south at this point in our lives. Maybe later, but not now. The "zest" and diversity that these 6 weeks add to our otherwise predictable "safe" everyday lives in northern Michigan are a spice that we cherish, and aren't ready to live without...despite the "risks". To me, life without some risk would be like cake without frosting...or peanut butter without jelly.

Hamburgers and Parkas (2011 - February 18)

Although I'm on "vacation", I find it difficult to sleep past 4:30 or 5:00 a.m. Once I get up to go to the bathroom, thoughts about the previous day fill my mind and make me restless. I find that the best remedy is to get up and write about them. So here I am, once again, creating a little blog.

This morning the full moon and cloudless sky provided a beautiful vista for me as I traveled down the stairs from the bedroom area into the open air patio leading to the main area of our casa. The neighborhood where we live is not a quiet one during the day or evening, so the stillness of the early morning was refreshing - a good time to reflect on my gratitude for the opportunities we've been given.

One of my primary thoughts about yesterday was our lovely lunch at Oliver's Hamburgers and Steaks. Now I must admit, no one comes to San Miguel to eat hamburgers. But if you get a craving that you can't ignore, the place to go is Oliver's.

Oliver's is a small restaurant that, until this year I believe, specialized only in burgers. We like to sit at one of the 4 umbrella-ed tables on the open air patio, enjoying the beauty of the bountiful bougainvillaea along with the hummingbirds.

Last year we had difficulty finding Oliver's, because it wasn't well marked. But now there's a colorful new sign that says Oliver's Burgers and Steaks, Restaurant and. We wondered why the word following and was covered with a piece of cardboard, and were told that since they don't have their liquor license yet, they don't want officials nosing around. Although the owner said they should have it "by next week", I think I heard him saying that last year. Anyway, that didn't deter them at all from serving Margaritas - "under the table", so to speak.

We discovered that the names of the couple who owned the restaurant were Jesus and Ellie. When I asked Rick 'why do you suppose it's named Oliver's if the owner's name is Jesus?' he answered, "Maybe they didn't think it was appropriate to name it Jesus's Burgers and Steaks, Restaurant and Bar. Since we're easily amused, we entertained each other by making wise cracks about that throughout lunch.

There must be 20 burgers on Oliver's menu, ranging from Brittania to Hawaiian to Canadiense to Mexicana. I chose el Hamburguesa Mexicana, complete with lettuce, tomato, grilled onion, manchego cheese and guacamole, served on a fluffy grilled bun. The sandwich was so tall and filled with delicious but messy items that there was no way I could bite into it gracefully. So I removed some of the top bun, and ate it with knife and fork. Anyway you choose to consume it - Oliver's hamburgers are to die for.

After lunch we strolled over to La Conception, a magnificent 18th century Church and convent. We spent a bit of time in prayer and in awe over the indescribable splendour of this building before a very old man came over and muttered some unintelligible words. I finally got the picture that he was asking us to leave, and we were surprised by this eviction. But we were told later by a Mexican-turned-American tourist that since it was 2:00, it was closed for a few hours for the traditional Mexican siesta.

This turned out to be problematic because in our confusion over being asked to leave, Ricardo had forgotten his jacket in the pew where we were sitting. And the tall, gorgeous wooden doors to the church were now locked. With difficulty we managed to find out from the young Spanish-only-speaking clerk in the adjoining religious goods store that the church wouldn't open again until 5 p.m. Of course the jacket was no longer where he had left it when we returned - that would have been too easy. And there still wasn't anyone around but the store clerk to ask. But those of you who know Rick...well, you know that he doesn't give up real easily. He had misplaced and found this old nylon parka many times over the years he owned it, and he was determined to get it back if at all possible. Our mission had suddenly become much more complicated...

After lots of effort we finally did retrieve the jacket. A seemingly shy, short, and quite stout young nun emerged from behind a huge wooden door in the church after the store clerk made a phone call in response to our not-so-great Spanish explanations and gestures. Rick was grateful to have his good old parka back and, in retrospect, it's fun to have yet another fun story to tell. I hope you enjoyed it.

Walk, Anyone? (2011 - February 17)

One of the reasons Rick and I love San Miguel so much is that it's a very walkable town. We don't rent a car when we're here, we just walk everywhere. This is a treat for us because if you're familiar with where we live, you know that there's nowhere to walk to but the beach (which is great during 3 seasons, but not so good in the winter due to the ice, snow and hilliness).

In 1926 San Miguel was declared a World Heritage Site, preserving it's historic nature. It's one of Mexico's prettiest colonial towns, with cobblestone streets, flagstone sidewalks, 16th and 17th century architecture, pastel colors and beautiful old churches.

The casa we rent is perhaps a mile or so southwest of El Jardin, the main square and central "jewel" of the town, and there are several routes we can take to get there.  The scenic way is through Parque Juarez, a large, gorgeous park that is currently full of beautiful flowers, plants and pots for sale. It's officially spring time here, and vendors from all over the area bring their wares and their tents and set up in this lovely park for a couple of weeks. It's a traditional event called "Candelaria", and it's a joy to revel in all that beauty in February, totally forgetting about all the snow and cold we left behind in Michigan.

The other route to "El Centro" (the center of town) is through the business district, which is located about 30 yards from our front door. The pace on these streets is much quicker, and there's many more people teeming about. It's an interesting walk though, because it's an opportunity to peek into the storefronts that abound . Hecho de Mexico, one of our favorite restaurants, is located on this street, very near Instituto de Allende, a cultural center that offers art and language classes, along with interesting tours and lectures. Yesterday we discovered a small store that sells natural products from shampoos to teas to vitamins and other "cures" for whatever ails you. We purchased a few items and enjoyed testing our Spanish in a conversation with the lady behind the counter who didn't speak any English. We did pretty darn good, if I say so myself.

Although we do our big grocery shopping at Mega, a huge store that we're told is owned by Costco, we prefer to do our business with the locals when possible. They are friendly and hard working, it's an opportunity to use our Spanish, and they need the money much more than a big conglomerate does.

I could go on and on about the pleasures of walking in San Miguel, but I won't. I must say however, that it's not without it's risks. The cobblestones on the streets aren't particularly easy to walk on, and the unevenness and unpredictability of the sidewalks - lots of steep curbs and holes that just sort of sneak up on you - have led to a number of tumbles for me in the years we've been coming here. It would be really easy to break an ankle or worse. And the thought of having to traverse the streets with crutches - or end up in a Mexican hospital - is something I don't like to think about. And so I wear sensible shoes, pace myself as best I can (I tend to ordinarily walk too fast), and try to watch where I'm going. That's often difficult, because everything around me is so interesting.

Walking is a good substitute for the daily lap swimming that I do at home. It's a great way to work off the wonderful foods we're enjoying in this country. But that's a whole 'nother blog. Until then...hasta luego.

Rick's Lethal Weapon (2011 - February 16)

This is our fourth year in San Miguel. We've stayed in 3 different casas, none of which have had shower curtains. Although I find it to be a minor inconvenience, it drives Rick crazy. Even though there's a drain on the floor, he hates how the water soaks the area all around the tub, including the floor and the toilet.

When we were here last year, bless his heart, he even made it his mission to find an expandable shower rod, a curtain and some hooks. Despite his extensive search however, he found none of the above.

So this year he purchased the items at home, intending to ship them ahead of our arrival - until he found out that it would cost $100 UPS or $30 US Parcel Service to send a $9 shower rod.

Frugal guy that he is, he decided that he would just bring them with him - despite the fact that the rod wouldn't fit into his suitcase. He would just carry it on, rationalizing that it wasn't much different from a cane, was it? And people carry canes onto planes all the time, don't they?

I was totally skeptical of this plan, certain that he'd never get this threatening looking item onto the plane, and I didn't want anything to do with it. But he was determined - to the extent where he went to the Traverse City airport a few days before the trip to speak with the TSA folks. They basically told him that they would let him through with it, but that they couldn't predict what would happen in Grand Rapids.

I was amazed that when we checked our bags in Grand Rapids, none of the attendants said a word about this pole Rick was carrying. And so we confidently began striding towards our gate - only to be stopped by a female security guard who wanted to know what that was and where he was going with it. She didn't look particularly impressed as he explained his situation. She took the rod, swung it like a baseball bat, and stated that it it could be used as a weapon on the plane. She didn't take it away however, and said it was up to him whether he wanted to try to get it past final security. But he had gotten this far, and he wasn't going to give up unless he had to.

Would you believe that my dear husband actually managed to get that "lethal weapon" on the plane? Aside from the one security guard, no one seemed to blink an eye. Several of the passengers noticed it however, and Rick had fun telling everyone his "story" to whoever was interested. He now has a shower curtain hanging in the bathroom, and he's as happy as a clam. I'm happy for him, and I'm glad he didn't buy into my doubts about his ability to pull this off.

It does make me wonder about security though. How does it make sense that I have to bag and show all my liquids, and make sure I don't have manicuring scissors in my carryon, when Rick can get an aluminum rod through? Go figure.

Judy and Rick - Vitamin Smugglers (2011 - February 15)

If you've ever been to Mexico, you know that just before it's time to leave customs, you're required to push a button. This button causes either a green light to come on, meaning you can go on  your merry way, or the dreaded red light, which indicates that you have to stop what you're doing and go over to have your luggage pawed through.

We've always been lucky with green lights - till today - Busted!!! Whisked off to the side, I began feeling guilty even though I had done nothing wrong. But it's embarrassing to have your suitcase opened in front of a bunch of strangers, strangers whose jobs are to paw through it to find something wrong.When the gal picked up my baggie full of Fiber 1 Cereal mixed with peanuts,  Rick and I quickly let her know what it was, that it was a healthy snack. So she didn't give me a hard time on that. But then... she discovered my gallon sized baggie filled with 45 days worth of every vitamin I take - multiples, calcium, vitamin d, fish oil, glucosamine/chrondroitin, baby aspirin. There must have been a couple hundred vitamins in this pack, all colors, shapes and sizes. The gal called her supervisor over at once, and he immediately took it away into a room, and then came back and asked me for my passport. So now we're just standing there, right? suitcase open, feeling like a couple of fools, while all the other passengers have been processed and allowed to leave the area. After a while I reminded Rick that we were scheduled to be picked up in a van by a company we had contracted with a week before. My worry was that if we didn't come out soon, our driver would think we weren't on the flight, and would take off without us. Then how would we get to our destination?

Once I mentioned this to Rick, he began getting antsy as well. He started making goofie fish eyes at the gal who had examined my luggage in the first place, saying the word "pesch" which, we thought meant fish. As he was saying the word, he was making movements imitating gills that a fish might have. So I chimed in, saying aceite, which means oil. We were trying to get across the idea of fish oil. I then started to use my best Spanish accent, saying "vetamanes', "calcium""vetamane day (D). Perhaps they found us entertaining, or maybe they thought we were just being stupid and wanted to get rid of us. Whichever it was, it was enough to make the gal go to the room where the package was sitting on a table, no one paying attention to it, and pick it up to bring it back to us. We were relieved. But then Rick remembered they they had taken my passport from me as well. And so he asked for it back. The nice gal went over to got that too, and soon we were on our merry way, just a little worse for wear.

Turned out the driver did wait for us. There were 6 customers in the van, anxious to get to their destinations. But they warmed up quickly and took pity on us once they heard our story. We all had a good laugh over the idea of us being  vitamin smugglers. But, as they joked,  you never know about those old gals and guys,

I've heard stories about those Mexican jails, and I certainly didn't have any intention of spending my 6 weeks in San Miguel in a jail cell for a vitamin offense. We were free. Free to walk down the long hallway toward the door, free to change some dollars into pesos, free to get into the van that would get us to our destination, free to close our door behind us and try to forget that silly situation. Time to move on to some fun in this lovely place. Now that it's over, it's kind of cool to have this as a funny story we can share for years to come. But you can bet we weren't laughing too hard when it was actually happening. We worked real hard to keep straight faces and to be serious. We've learned from experience that you don't fool around in an airport. Especially these days.

This is it!!! (2011 - February 14)

It's Monday morning, and we're planning to pull away from our house at 2 p.m. to drive to Grand Rapids. Will spend the night there, rise early, and catch a 6:20 a.m. Continental flight to Houston. From Houston we fly to Leon/Guanajuato, MX, arriving at 11:19 a.m. (Chicago time). A van will pick us up at the airport and we'll have a 90 minute ride to our destination - San Miguel de Allende. Since we're renting the same casa we had last year, we pretty much know what to expect once we arrive.

Our dog and house sitters have been briefed (thanks for doing this, you guys), and our bags are basically packed. Having them weigh 50 pounds or less is going to be a challenge that I wish I could put off, because it means having to make a number of decisions. But, that's all part of the game.

I'm hoping that everyone who is interested is able to access this blog. My plan is to report on our adventures and my impression of our experiences as often as possible. My hope is that I can create something that you'll enjoy reading.

Technical note: I believe there's a button you can click under the blog that says "Followers". This will make it easier for you to access my site and respond when you choose. Once you're a Follower, you'll see a pop-up window that allows you to choose "publicly" or "privately". Although I don't understand this totally, I guess I'd recommend going with "privately". That seems safer.

Oh...and when you post a comment, please make sure to click the button that says "post comment".

According to what folks have told me, I think a couple of comments have been posted that didn't come up on the blog.

Hasta luego (until later)                     Judy (known in Mexico as "Judhit" - pronounced Who-deet)

Packing Anxiety (2011 - February 12)

It's 6:30 Saturday morning. My one sleep-in day of the week, and here I am in front of my computer. There were so many details running through my head that I simply couldn't lay there anymore. Perhaps writing will help me achieve some clarity - and enthusiasm.

I tend to suffer from packing anxiety. My mind thinks of every eventuality that could possibly arise, and I feel a desperate need to be prepared for them all. Since we go away for 6 weeks, I have one of those huge suitcases. But the hard, cold fact is - no matter how big the bag, I can only put so much in it.

I once heard that when packing for a trip, you should gather everything you want - and then put half of it back. Well, you should see my gathering area. It's overflowing with "stuff" from clothing to jewelry, to toiletries, to Spanish books, to electronic gadgets, cords, etc. Today's challenge is to sort through it all, and to figure out what I really need. I'm sure that I'll end up having to put more than half of it back - groan. I feel like going back to bed, and pulling the covers over my head.

The "sane" part of me knows that I don't have to have the 'right' shoes and jewelry for every outfit for every occasion, and questions whether I really need all those electronics and books. But my anxiety is strong, and  I continue to fret.

And so my "sanity" fights back, reminding me that if I don't have something, I can probably do without - or buy it there. But my anxiety cautions me to remember that I'll have the same limitations on our return trip.  And at that point I won't have the luxury of putting things back.

Luckily I have a husband who doesn't tend to pack as heavily as I do. Hmmm...I wonder how much room he has left in his large suitcase? I definitely need to check that out.  I do have a decent size carry on. And how large of a purse can I find? Although I'm not as enthusiastic as I'd like to be, these ideas are helping to take the edge off a bit. Perhaps I just need to jump into this task, rather than sitting around worrying about it.

Thanks for listening. If you have any packing tips or just want to offer some psychological support to this anxious traveler, I'd love to hear from you.

 

The Countdown (2011 - February 11)

In 4 days Rick and I will be in Mexico, and we're both in the process of trying to do everything that needs to be done before we leave. There's so many little details.  I've signed up for my Spanish class, and Rick is looking forward to exploring the area even more. It's good to be going back to a place that's familiar to us. We have some friends there, we know where the grocery stores are, what restaurants we like, etc. That way we don't have to spend time figuring things out.

Many people wonder why we like to go to Mexico, and ask us if it's safe there. San Miguel de Allende is in the "ultra plano", which is the high desert. It's in the middle of the country, not easy to get to, and is a magnet for American and Canadian retirees. This will be our fourth year in a row there and although we need to use common sense, we feel quite safe.

This post is an experiment. I've never blogged before, and don't quite know what to expect. I'm hoping that any of our friends and family who would like to read about our adventures and look at some photos will have the opportunity to read my blog. 

That's it for the moment. Will write more later.