Another Day In SMA!

living.boondockingmexico@yahoo.com

You've just gotta love this place.  We are really enjoying ourselves here in SMA.  Yesterday we found ourselves up at the crack of dawn, firing up the generator to charge the batteries and to make a hot pot of joe.  Checked our emails and off we went to the gym.  Here, I am not the oldest guy at the gym like at home.  

After, we headed for the hot springs at La Gruta.  But first, we drove into Atotonilco for one very special reason.  They make the best gorditas in this part of the country.  The best in Mexico are found at El Divisidero near Creel in the Copper Canyon.   The the town of Atotonilco recently underwent a remodel.  New facades on the buildings, new streets, and a place for vendors to sell their goods.  Delicious gorditas, one with picadillo and another with picadillo and cheese.  We also split a tamal from the stand next door.

After filling up, we headed to La Gruta again, but got side tracked.   We had stopped once in the morning leaving SMA to look at a new neighborhood, Villa Antigua.  Way out of our league, land at 300 dollars a square meter and the houses were 350K at least, small lots but very nice.   As we left Atotonilco we passed a quaint little neighborhood with only 26 lots.  Land prices are 75 dollars a square meter and it is  part of a hotel.  Owners have access to all the amenities of the hotel and the lots are huge.  It is so quiet out there, peaceful, and the neighbors are nice.  The owner of the hotel wouldn't let us go.  He is a very nice person who takes pride in his hotel.  

La Gruta was a trip.  We swam, waited for the water to shoot out of the wall at 1 p.m., I got some sun sleeping on a lounge chair and we met some really cool people.  We hope to be in contact with them in the future.   There are several pools, the tunnel which leads to the "room" and all of it is fed by natural hot springs.

Last night found us at a fund raiser for El Charco del Ingenio, the botanical garden where we are staying.  It was held downtown at the Posada Corazon B&B.  We had a great time and met tons of ex-pats, Mexicans, people from as far away as Australia who were just visiting.  The park needs new members.  Memberships are very in expensive and run 600 pesos for 15 months and you can bring two guests whenever you visit.  The park is a real jewel here in the heart of SMA.  Many people volunteer here at the park, there is hiking, birdwatching, lots of natural flora and fauna.  Even if you only visit here once a year, a membership is a good thing.  We drank a lot of wine,  and talked up a storm. 

Our friend and director Mario.

Artists responsible for "Land Art", using nature and its tools.

Those responsible for making the garden what it is.

Not checking for spelling or grammar this morning, gotta run to the gym.  Bye bye.