Tourist weekend SMA

living.boondockingmexico@yahoo.com

A pretty exciting weekend.  I had my farewell party for the kids at school.  Some of the mothers brought tostadas, flautas, pollo con nopal, sandwiches, and I brought the cake.  We had music and played musical chairs as well as a game where you tie a balloon aroun your ankle and chase each other trying to pop the balloon.  I forgot the name.  A good time had by all and I’m sorry to see it over.  I think I got more pleasure out of it than the kids.

Saturday morning I got up early and as usual headed to the gym.  I’ve decided this last week to go later in the morning.   Less people and the body builders are not there to groan and grunt.  I don’t need to get out of bed everyday at 5 a.m. and get going.  What?  Could this be a lifestyle change?

In the afternoon I had big plans.  There was a gourmet food fest going on and everyone was talking about it.  It was in the local newspaper, a poster at the gym, even on social media here in SMA.   I thought it would be fun tasting different types of food and rubbing noses with a few people.  A friend from the gym sent me a link to the invitation.  First off, the good ole gps sent me one direction.  That wasn’t it.   The webpage was sketchy anyway so I stopped to ask.  Turns out it was right here on the highway to Queretaro about 6 miles away at a resort hotel.  The place was packed.  I pulled up and the guy said that valet parking was 20 pesos.  Sounds reasonable to me.   He asked if I had my ticket yet.  I told him no and asked how much it was.  500 pesos.  Que?  I turned around and headed home.  Sorry, I would have still had to buy drinks.   I opted instead for a great dinner of a pork chop, steamed broccoli and cheese pureed potatoes with a glass of wine.

This morning, no gym.  I watched a great program that was dated from 2008.  It was about the German woman who actually won half the battle over the lands surrounding the pyramid I went to at Cañada de la Virgin.  She was one of the local land owners and apparently there were plans to make it into a super tourist attraction complete with hotel, restaurant and shops.  She was able to get it stopped so that it is now an anthropological site.   Glad I have the television for this local station and news as well.

Off I went on my walk and I will just say I left at 9 a.m. and got back to the botanical gardens at 2:30 this afternoon.  I love watching tourists.  I’ll do it with pictures.

El Mercado Centro a few blocks from the Jardin.  Much better produce than the weekend and Tuesday market on the road to Queretaro and even better than Soriana or Mega.

Down the street from the mercado is this nice plaza where the locals hang out.  

As I was sitting in the Jardin this morning have an OXXO coffee for 14 pesos (Starbucks is double), I saw this group of kids, about thirty of them.  They were on a tour.  Sad to say, one of them came over by me and starting shouting, internet, internet.  Needless to say, they all rushed over and pulled out their cell phones.  End of the tour.

This makes for a great stroll through time.  In the Choperia near the Jardin are very interesting photos of San Miguel dating about to 1870.  Great to see the then and now and how few things have really changed in the historical center of town.

I had a small sandwich for my walk in the morning but by the time I was heading home up the hill I ran out of steam.  Midway, I hopped on the bus and went to the Sunday market.  I found these great enchiladas.  The nap after was priceless.

So, Juan arrives on Friday night.   We will move to San Ramon and keep the trailer there until we get back from Mexico City on Tuesday.   I found a great cattery on the road to Atotonilco called Creature Comforts.  Little Bit will be very happy there.  I was not expecting to find this type of place.  More on that later.  Can't wait for our trip to Zacatecas, Organ Pipes Natl Park and Durango.