We bid a fond farewell to Jaltemba Bay with it's beautiful beaches, early Sunday morning, and made our way to San Miguel de Allende via Guadalajara.
the Guadalajara bus depot
We boarded the bus at 8 am and other than a 2 hour wait to transfer buses in Guadalajara, there we sat until 8 pm that night. I was beginning to doubt my ability to stand up straight when we finally arrived in San Miguel but it's really a great way to travel in Mexico.
our street...Los Animales
We have a tiny (but cute) apartment in a residential area near the market. It's handy for shopping as nearly everything and anything edible, can be found at or near the market. We're slowing making the altitude adjustment...from sea level to 6500 feet...and from tropical humidity to bone dry desert air (8 % humidity!). Although the day time temperatures are similar to those on the coast, the night time temp's are much cooler...they're actually past cool and venturing into cold!! The first night we were here it dropped to 5 degrees C, but I'm happy to say we're on a warming trend. We're also adjusting from small, beach town life (and very nearly living in my bathing suit), to a cosmopolitan and very culturally oriented town/city.
San Miguel is such a beautiful place with hidden courtyard gems behind every other doorway. We've taken it slow for the first few days, reacquainting and reorienting ourselves, as it's been 4 years since we were last here. Although much of the Centro is still the same, there's been an explosion of restaurants and intriguing shops and gallery's, in fact ladies, this is shopping heaven! Oh, how I wish I had a vehicle here with me to take more home...as it is, my suitcase is already bordering very closely on overweight! (I'm sure I heard Bob mutter a few choice words under his breath as he carted my very heavy suitcase up 2 flights of a narrow, metal spiral staircase, when we first arrived at our apartment).
There's so much to see here...it's a photographers dream. Every corner turned brings another sight worthy of a photograph. I'd forgotten how much it reminds me of the picturesque towns of Italy and although I've not been to Spain, I'm sure there's even more similarity there.
We're enjoying our small rooftop patio and the views and vista's that it provides us of San Miguel and the surrounding hills. It's also the only place I can get the internet to connect. It's a challenge carrying the computer, sunglasses, and a cup of coffee up to the roof on a very, very narrow (1 ft wide) metal spiral staircase! It's more like climbing a ladder than stairs and it's done very gingerly and very carefully. Lol!
The rooftops here are as varied as the population. On our left is the "working" rooftop of a Mexican family, complete with workshop and laundry.
And on our right is a rooftop patio obviously meant for relaxing...however I've not seen anyone enjoying it so far.
Posting will likely continue to be sporadic as the internet continues to challenge me. You'll know if you see another post that I'll have managed to scale the circular staircase without dropping the computer!
What a wonderful experience for you, Kate....though do be careful climbing the 1 foot wide 'stairs' to the rooftop. Restaurants and shops....what fun! I so appreciate you taking the time to post and let us know how things are going. I LOVE your pics as always.
I'm looking forward to your next blog entry.
love, light and peace,
serena
Posted by: Serena | 03/06/2009 at 12:28 AM
Great pics - I'm still enjoying my "vitrual" tour.
Posted by: Cate | 03/06/2009 at 12:44 AM
Katie,
How about coffee at 11:15 at Starbucks on the Jardin on Monday. I'll go to yoga beforehand so, I'll the the one with the yoga mat and workout togs on.
Posted by: Billie | 03/07/2009 at 06:58 AM
oh...fantastic...
I'm am drinking it all in...savoring
Posted by: stephanie | 03/11/2009 at 09:23 AM
Oh my - I think you may have located the stairway to heaven! The views are certainly heavenly! Wonderful post Kate, and regardless of how sporadic your internet is, these are a true delight to all of us!
Posted by: martie | 03/11/2009 at 01:37 PM
I’m jealous! I wonder what good stuff they have in every shop; kinda thinking of hunting for vintage stuff. And oh, I love that view from the right side of your apartment rooftop. It’s so much relaxing.
Posted by: Kate Morgan | 05/12/2011 at 04:37 PM
A working rooftop, huh? This just proves how creative people can be. Indeed, roof decks serve multiple functions, may they be recreational or industrial.
Posted by: Will Peartin | 10/31/2011 at 12:22 PM