More photos from San Miguel...

Here's Mr. Handsome on the left at the bar last night with Doug in the background playing:

Here's Doug standing in his front door.  

These three are of Doug's house.

San Miguel is really beautiful.  It's easy to be here, which is nice, but a tad annoying that there are so many foreigners.  I don't know why that bothers me so much, but it does.  (Does that make me a reverse snob?) They don't seem especially friendly, either.  But, it's a beautiful colonial town with lots of pretty shops selling gorgeous handmade things.  In some ways the shops remind me of Provincetown but the town lacks that P-Town vibe of wild, sweet, goofiness.  

I'm staying in a small B&B.  The woman who runs it, Connie, is Mexican.  She loves it here.  I asked her why and she said because the quality of life is high.  It's not dirty, there's a lot going on.  She has her little hotel business and even though she only charges about $35/night, she must make a decent living.  She has 4 or 5 rooms that she rents.  Here's a link to see the place I'm staying.  I am sitting outside on the terrace that is in the first photo in the photos of the hotel, typing on my computer intermittently chatting with my friend, Elaine, who lives in El Salvador.  Geez, this is the life!

I walked around in the morning.  Fresh fruit sitting outside in a little cafe that had an internet connection so I could check out bus schedules to go to my next destination (Puebla).  Then, I walked around a bit and later met Doug, my sister's ex-husband for lunch.  It was so great to see him - we had a great time.  We went for a ride to buy some butter from a dairy then went back to his house where I met his almost-wife, as he calls her, Dennise, who is lovely.  She's a baker.  We drank mate (her first husband was Argentinian) and talked with a friend of her who was visiting.  I can't remember his name but I think he was the most handsome man I may have ever met!  And, he was nice and smiled at me a lot, which was disconcerting.  It was fun to look at him and to be in the company of someone so beautiful who actually seemed interested in speaking with me!  On top of it all, he's a sculptor!  I almost fainted!

Doug dropped me off at my lodgings at around 4:30.  I'll meet them later as Doug is playing in a concert tonight at 9:00.   

I'll post more photos later.  Here's a view from the terrace I'm hanging out on.  Gonna get a sweater and walk into town for dinner at this place that Doug recommended.  Doesn't that hibiscus margarita look good?

I made it to San Miguel.  Just arrived after a 5 hour bus ride.  The buses here are great.  Internet connection (although slow), a selection of movies, games, and music and they give you a snack and a drink when you board.  The choice was a crispy creme donut or an empanada.  I took the empanada and it was good.

I spent the morning waiting for Sasha to wire me money because my debit card was not allowing me to withdraw cash.  After walking to three different places I finally was able to get some cash and RELAX.  I was tired (the altitude, I think) so I took the subway back and I asked a woman which direction I should take to get back to the Zocalo.  She told me but then came running after me because she had told me the wrong way!  I came back to the hotel and took a shower and went out for a stroll. 

Saw a wonderful exhibit of scupture by an English woman who married a Mexican and came to live  here.  I met a nice older gentleman who knew all about her and we looked at the exhibit together.   Then, I went to the Templo Mayor, the ruins of a temple that the mean Spaniards made the locals tear down so they could use the stones to build the cathedral.  It was amazing to walk around the ruins and the museum was beautiful.

I had some lunch then got a taxi to the bus station.

I was expecting to not like Mexico City as much as I did.  There's a nice vibe, people are nice and very helpful, there is a lot to see and I've never felt worried or scared.

I'm looking forward to checking out San Miguel and hoping it's not too full of hipsters!

Here are some pics from Mexico City.  

Flying into Mexico City

I was lucky to get out of Hartford before the airport shut down.  I flew out of Atlanta this morning and got into Mexico City this morning at about 11:00 am.  Here's the view showing the volcanos in the Sierra Nevada around Mexico City.

I love it here!  The people are very kind and helpful.  People are laughing in the streets.  It feels good here.  It's warm - about 70 degrees.  I took the subway to have lunch at a basque restaurant and it was very easy.  Here's my appetizer - piquillo peppers stuffed with bacalao or salt cod.  It was delicious!  It's seems odd to eat at a basque restaurant when I'm in Mexico but I love basque food so I just couldn't pass it by.

 After lunch I walked back to my hotel.  About 25 blocks.  I was really exhausted but it was nice to walk around.  I'm feeling a little sick because of the altitude.

The only problem I've had is that I can't get cash with my debit card.  So, hopefully I'll get cash wired to me tomorrow and all will be well.

I hope to see a few things tomorrow.  I don't want to miss the Templo Mayor - an excavation of the temple that the cathedral was built on.  Then, a bus to San Miguel to meet my sister's partner and see her ex-husband Doug, which will be nice.  I missed her by 3 days.