We were really able to enjoy this Saturday in San Miguel – the dogs and musical gas-tank delivery trucks allowed us to sleep in til around 8, we had a leisurely breakfast with unhurried coffee time, and then we set out to explore more of the city. We made it down to the plaza principal and finally got to see the Parroquia up close. It is a beautiful, beautiful church, inside and out. The full title of the church is La Parroquia de San Miguel Arcangel. There has been a church on this site since 1555, but it’s been destroyed a few times, and the turrets and a new façade were added between 1880 and 1890 to give it the form seen today. Inside there were many beautiful wall murals in some of the side chapels and near the ceiling, including a lovely illustration of the story of Juan Diego and the Virgin of Guadalupe. While still looking around, singing began and in processed several families with infants clad in white… we took the beginning of the baptismal Mass as our cue to exit respectfully, but we may try to attend Mass there tomorrow.
Next we called up our friends of the Lion’s Club, whom Jason and I still had yet to meet due to our side trips on Wednesday. Our plan was to take Kip, the incoming president, out to lunch, but instead he invited us over to visit his house in el centro…. His home was only the most gorgeous dwelling-space I have ever seen. From the calle, we walked into a little covered foyer that then opened up into an open-air sort of square filled with flowers and plants and fountains and statues. Off of this square came an office, the kitchen, and stairs leading up to higher floors and various covered and uncovered patios. As we ascended to the rooftop, we had a wonderful view of several of the turrets and domes of San Miguel’s various churches. It was one of the most striking skylines I have ever seen. We enjoyed freshly squeezed orange juice with Kip and his wife, and discussed everything from art to eyeglasses to autism. They’re such kind people, and getting to know them better and being able to see their house was a real treat. There are some 12,000 foreigners (mostly American and Canadian) that live in SMA, many of whom have retired here. It is quite an interesting dynamic, and now we can really say that we’ve seen many different aspects of Mexico.
We had lunch at Media Naranja, which was delicious. Lauren, Jason, and I had chicken burritos with a mango salsa – so fabulous, and so filling. Michael’s tortilla soup was rich, creamy, and delicious, too. We roamed the streets, perusing the souvenirs and the artesian crafts of the area. Our next plan was to climb our way out of el centro to return home. I mean, we knew it was hilly, and yes the streets and sidewalks were paved with cobblestones, but we were determined. No taxis - unless Montezuma came a-calling – then we would hail a taxi. We did manage to climb up one really steep street, and then climb up a steep staircase/neighborhood, only to find a large crucifix and the face of Jesus overlooking the city. If you ever have to guess what might be at the top of a very steep hill in Mexico, a crucifix is a pretty safe answer. Sure, we could have gone on through the cacti, the broken glass, the rocky terrain, and other various obstacles to eventually reach the main road, but since we were wearing sandals… we instead opted to descend once again and just grab a cab. Still, it was quite an adventure, and we got to see a lot of SMA today.
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