La Gruta

From Cheryl:

On Friday, our last day, my prayer for a sunny summer day was answered, which meant we were going to visit the hot springs we had heard about. We called a cab, and rode about 20 minutes out of SMA into the countryside. I had no idea what to expect, other than warm water pools. I didn't know how rustic and natural or developed they would be. I wondered if they would resemble the sink holes I knew from Tallahassee.

La Gruta (the grotto) is actually a day resort. It is a step back in time, to a 1940's or -50's style attraction here. In a lovely park-like setting terraced into a lush hillside, it's beautifully landscaped, with several concrete pools of varying heat. The coolest is about body temperature. It seems strange to swim in such warm water. The next pool is warmer still; then you enter a tunnel that is chest-deep, and go another 50 feet, where it opens up into a domed room that is hot-tub temp. A pipe bringing water in creates a waterfall that you stand under for hydro-massage. Steam collects in the dome. The water has a high mineral content that allegedly removes toxins from your skin. It felt wonderful.

Elise and I had back massages-- $15 each for 30 minutes, given by young Mexican women. Not deep-tissue, but very soothing. There was a raised tiled patio area for sunning and dining, with table service and lounge chairs. Other tables were scattered on a grassy lawn, where you could also be served. All in all, La Gruta was one of the most serene and relaxing places I've ever experienced.

I'm On A Mexican.... Radio. I'm on a Mexican... woh woh..

I wish I was in Tijuana

eating barbecued iguana

I take requests on the telephone

I'm on a wavelength far from home

(sign in lobby of station.)

Station's website - they webcast - here

Art Event

Proprietor of the event meeting people at the door....  Elise and Cheryl's grand entrance...

Elise sends out a few dozen more text msgs at 35 cents each... Kirk and his photogenic friend Billie

Return of El Sol

The sun returned yesterday, so we played all day instead of blogged. So sorry to have let you down,  bog-o-borough citizenry. And there is more playing to do today. So here's a few sunny pix.

Dance in the dark

!!!!

kaaa boom

Monday evening found us back at the jardin to dine in a recommended restaurant. It was mostly empty, and altho they have a wonderful rooftop garden, it was damp and dark so we opted to dine in a lovely room with a window on the street and landmark cathedral (la Parroquia) at the highest point of the city. The meal lived up to the hype, I had enchiladas with a rich molé sauce that were exquisite. Elise is conducting a scientific search for the SMA's best guacamolé, and may have found it there. 

Midway through the meal we noticed the electricity had gone out on the opposite side of the street. This is fairly routine here, and Kirk thought that there was a fashion show planned for the square as we had seen scaffolding going up earlier. Electricity is "borrowed" for events like this. After dinner, we walked the block up the hill to investigate, and had no clue what we were about to witness. A light show was projected on the cathedral, a smaller church to its left, and the buildings to its right. I thought it kind of crass and tacky initially, and wondered WWJD? But then a brass band started up in the gazebo and the atmosphere became quite festive. A film promoting SMA played on a large screen. We spotted the large puppets made by children that march in Mexican parades, shrouded in plastic against the drizzle. A few minutes later the sky directly overhead exploded with fireworks while the cathedral bells clanged constantly. Some of them were coming out of the cathedral itself! It was deafening and spectacular. I had missed the 4th fireworks for the first time in memory, busy packing. This event certainly gave me my fireworks fix!

After the display, there was a brief impromptu parade, with the brass band leading the puppets, a couple of stilt-walkers, other costumed characters, and the general public around the square. people would form conga lines behind the giant puppets. It was all very joyous.  

Street Scenes, Sky Scenes

Waitin for a bus, and other photos

The stop nearest to Steve's Casa, Topiary-a-go-go, and Elise gets a pastry at the town square

Feh!

Another grey morning. Thick overcast from horizon to horizon, some 72 hours now without a hint of sun. I am on the 4th floor balcony and the mountains in the immediate distance are bathed in cottony dark clouds and it is nonetheless a compellingly beautiful sight. The city itself is 7000 ft up, so those mountains must be in the 10k ft range. Somewhat reminiscent of the peaks North Carolina, where the clouds dont roll in as much as you drive up to greet them. We're told that the alternative - the baking summer Mexico sun - isn't all that dandy either so we just take it in stride.

The city is not at all what I expected. It was declared a National Historic Something Or Other in 1929, and no new building has been allowed since. There are to be no stop signs and no stop lights, and all the very hilly and narrow streets shall remain cobblestone, and all the colors will be of a certain Mexican palette.  It is gloriously stuck in time, and is a complete break from the realities of the rest of the world. We have been treated so nicely everywhere, as Kirk points out that few people here seem to follow world events, so they are generally unaware what jerks Americans have been in the last 8 years! They do know that Texans are no good though, ha.

Prices for most things are moderate to very cheap. The bus into town is just 4 pesos - forty cents and a cab to any local destination is a flat 25 pesos - $2.50 USD.

I'll stop and post this now as Blogger is not as user friendly as I would like. Posts vanish (you cant clip and paste into the blog-writer field - a huge hassle), and some vidclips - we have many more than we can post - upload and after a long while are refused. After this trip, farewell Blogger.

We do have skype running if anyone wants to vid phone us, we are tomandcheryl1.

more later 

Interesting Use of Food Coloring

seen at the huge "tuesday market" here today

Some pictures

Cheryl and Tom at "Harry's" in quotes "New Orleans" restaurant in quotes. Many restaurants are open air to the sky that can somehow close in if it rains. The bill here for 10 Margaritas, one Po Boy and 2 cups of gumbo was $35.

Mo Pix

Cheryl and Elise walking home after the fireworks on the cobblestone street, and Steve and Cheryl with folk art religious artifact at the big flea mkt Tuesday.

Dodging the downpours in San Miguel

Cheryl here. Tom's post was washed away in the last shower. The vid clips are dark and don't quite convey the 6"-deep river that was rushing past in a torrent, while we rode it out at "Casa Canal" where the Starbucks is located, near the city center or jardin.

They tell us it's the rainy season. Oh really. Each time we set out from the house, we can expect at least one shower. But it's warm, so it's not so bad to be soaked; however, the stone streets are extremely slick and treacherous when wet, so it's quite a balancing act just to stay vertical.

On Sunday, Kirk and I went on a home and garden tour to benefit the biblioteca (library) and the good work it does with local children, offering them classes and computer access among other things. We rode a bus to the countryside where there was a compound of three houses all designed and owned by Christopher Fallon, prominent local designer.  Stunning.

Today, Monday, Kirk, Elise and I shopped the little boutiques that Kirk and Steve know, where Mexican arts, crafts and clothing can be bought for less. Steve and Tom opted to relax at the casa. We happily made it back right before the skies opened up this time. The chance of rain drops from 80% to 40% tomorrow. I'll believe it when I see it.

Deluge 2

Deluge 1

Day of a deluge

Steve and Elise on the street

Elise and her Uncle Steve

More Pictures of Steve's Casa

Entrance to 3rd floor  

3rd level Den

4th floor view

5th level  looking down to 4th to 1st levels 

Arrived in San Miguel

Didn't post on travel day, July 5. Too exhausting. All connections were met right on time, which in this day and age is juuust fine. Last leg - the 90 min bus ride in a sit-up-straight shuttle bus from the Leon airport to San Miguel - was pretty tough. Then another half hour just in San Miguel to drop off the other passengers - we were last on the list. The city is big yet quaint, very very hilly, very narrow streets, all roads are cobblestone rock and way bumpy. Sort of like Italy at 1/8th price - we'll take it.

Steve and Kirk's house is absolutely incredible. I have never seen a living space like it. 5 levels tall and all connected by a beautifully realized mini-maze of outside stair paths. Here are the pictures, starting with the low courtyard level and going up to the top.

 The view from the street - all four levels

 The 1st level courtyard

  2nd level kitchen

 3rd level bedroom

 3rd level den 

Hasta Manana

Tomorrow's schedule, starting at 715 AM

Wake up, eat, load suitcases, 1 hr
Take cab to train station, 2o minutes
Take train to airport, 45 minutes
Check in and wait for plane, 2 hours
Take plane to Houston Texas, 2.5 hours
Layover/change planes, 1.5 hours
Houston Texas to Leon Mexico, 2 hours
Customs & shuttle bus wait, 1 hour
Shuttle to San Miguel De Allende 2 hours
Pour Margarita.

So here is the free-to-all Wiki image of San Miguel de Allende. Soooo picturesque.

So now it is Thursday night, 1.5 days to go. And what have I packed? not a doggone thing.

Four Days To GO

So the next night I lied awake and began thinking of all the excitement that is a new blog. I sometimes have trouble falling asleep, but just thinking about this blog had me nodding off straight away.

We guarantee this blog will be nothing better than a crushing bore. Anything else is a bonus, wisp-fully rising out of lowered expectations.

I, er I mean "we".. "we" mean "we"... whatever... we have the pre-vacation pile of “things to take” started. Books for Steve, DVD’s for Steve, Things to Put me over the Weight Limit for Steve, the good stuff. I have chosen the two books I will take “The Race Beat” about the press corps in the South in the 60’s, and “The Frontman” by Richard Barone – he fronted The Bongos, is my age, and was a real Tampa scenester when I was a pretend Tampa scenester.

Steve has sent detailed instructions on how to get from the Leon Airport to San Miguel de Allende. As you have dialed up this blog to read interesting cultural riffing and/or obvious filler – and because I really should begin packing instead of serving you, the blogosphere citizen – I will hand things over to Steve. Unbeknownst to him.

Riff/fill away Steve:

___________________________

When you arrive, you'll be herded into the first line, which is the line to
hand over your passport and the form you filled out on the airplane
(it will ask you where you are staying): San Miguel de Allende, GTO

And it will ask if you have any agricultural items. Say no.


This line may breeze through in five minutes or it
make take 20 minutes. There should be 2 guys stamping things,
so it moves along. Be nice, and they will be nice back.
'Buenos Dias, etc.."

Then you go to baggage, it's right there, and wait for the bags.
Then you get in the line you will see where people are waiting with their bags, to go through an enormous 'traffic light' where you push the button and it either blinks red or green. It is random. If it's green, I believe you throw your bags on the giant X ray belt which goes through the machine. They are looking for firearms mostly. Merchandise is a close second. (that's many of the same thing, new, to sell)

If you get a red light, you have to go to the tables where they send
you, and two or three girls who are talking and drying their fingernails
will unzip your bag, stick a hand into it briefly, and pull it out,
and send you on your way. I guess they are looking for live squid or something. I'd pack the cd rom up as a gift with a bow. Just sayin'.


At the main door, inside, there are some guys hanging around and sometimes they have cards with names on them. Yours may be on one.
If you don't see your name on any cards, you can ask the guy..
"San Miguel?".. this is how we last got the shuttle. We were on his list,
but not on his sign. Whatever. There's usually only 2 shuttle guys,
and only 1 company in town here. Main thing is not to get on just
any shuttle, and end up in Queretaro. (it's lovely there, but..)

They are called "Viajes San Miguel" (pronounced.. oh hell.. vee-AH-hay)
and their shuttle van will say so, along with "BERLIN" restaurant.
They may sit in the parking lot for 10 minutes, waiting for late stragglers, or for others who were detained because they didn't get something stamped. We've been detained, over the dog, so it was nice to see everyone waiting patiently for us, instead of just leaving.



_______

THANKS STEVE sounds like a breeze and a challenge at the same time. If I was a small market TV reporter, or maybe on “Dateline NBC” I’d say confidently that it all remains to be seen.

Six Days To Go

There was once a Thomas Dolby song called "One Of Our Submarines Is Missing." I mention this because that song has nothing to do with this blog, or this trip to Mexico. This Saturday, the exciting saga will begin, starring Tom as the Daddy, Cheryl as the Mommy, and Elise and the endlessly cheerful teenage daughter. We will make every effort to put up a long post every hour on the hour, round the clock. By "every effort" I mean we will, from time to time, think about posting something.

As this is our first contact with you, the blogosphere civilian, the screenwriter in me has put the show bible together ahead of time with all the character's backstories. This widescreen saga will also start Steve as the Mysterious Brother, and Kirk as Mysterious Steve's long-suffering wife. Walk on roles will be played by certain employees of Continental Airlines, plus Mexican bus drivers, the crusty but benign Mexican Next-Door-Neighbor, if any, and the owner of the nearest Tequila shoppe.

Brother Steve moved to the town of San Miguel de Allende last year, leaving the Los Angelse grind behind, perhaps permanently. San Miguel de Allende is a few hours north, approximately, of Mexico City. He invited us to visit, and we said sure, where are you and where is it... and only then have we found out that San Miguel de Allende (yes I am clipping and pasting that, San Miguel de Allende, San Miguel de Allende, San Miguel de Allende) is actually a very cool clean-air mountain town with a fair number of Americans there. And art schools, and history, and striking architecture and relaxed living. Well news to me!

Allow me please, to clip and paste some :

San Miguel de Allende Popular International Tourist Destination.

2003: CONDÉ NAST TRAVELER
7th best travel destination in the world.



2004: TRAVEL & LEISURE
2nd place o fall Mexico, Central and South America cities in "World's Best Awards".



2006: CONDÉ NAST TRAVELER
Readers' Choice Awards rated 3rd in Top Cities in the Americas.

So this should be fun.

So the saga begins.

Shortly.