House Shopping - These Crazy People

living.boondockingmexico@yahoo.com

Yesterday was a busy one.  We started off as usual, gym, breakfast and then we hit the road.  First off was to see a property outside of San Miguel de Allende.  Heading toward Queretaro is a turn off only marked by a sign that says, "Jalpa 15kms".   We followed the owner of the property from the Mega store.   The place is awesome, probably the most beautiful location you could ever imagine.  3000 sq meters of land walled in by an artisan rock wall, with a well-constructed two bedroom home, truly a charmer.   I fell in love with the place.   The big turn off, after 15 kms of paved road, we hit 3 kms of very poor dirt road with several small river washes.   Not good for the vehicles, rv, or my patience.  Here is a picture:

Oh, the price, $62.000 U.S.  Truly paradise.  But we have experience with city governments and dirt roads so we won't go there again.

After, we headed out for Celaya to stop by CostCo to pick up vitamins.  CostCo has the best price and selection.   We took advantage of the store and enjoyed one of their factory production pizza slices and a salad that we shared.   Yummy.  That was lunch and dinner.

On the way back, Juan had seen a new neighborhood just up from the Mega.   We drove in and spent about an hour checking out the place.   Small lots, high prices.

Speaking of high prices, last night we went to a lecture called, Industria Sin Chimeneas (industry without chimneys).   A woman did research on SMA in terms of tourism without traditional industry.   She did what most speakers do that really turns me off.  She sat in front and read from her tablet.  Boring but interesting.  Most writers are that way.   She had a question and comment afterwards.  Boy, talk about selfish people.  There were about six business owners who were originally from SMA and the rest a bunch of old ex-pat farts.   You know where I'm going with this, right?  It was all about "me".  How to keep SMA the way it is right now.  Juan and I spoke up about the future generations.  I said the kids of SMA are going to school and then where are they going?  To be a waiter, a maid, a gardner, work at the Mega?  Then I said, "the city relies on pensions from old people, myself included".  Boy did I get some bad looks.   Too bad, change is coming to SMA.  So much so that I now feel compelled to do a survey of high school and college students while we are here to find out what future San Miguelenses want for their city.  Our comments fell on deaf ears.  Imagine making 800 pesos a week in tourism and trying to buy a house where the average price is $100,000 dollars.  Doesn't wash.  I have a feeling most people here work in Queretaro, Leon and D.F. and then come back home on weekends.  I need to check.

After, we walked through Jardin on our way home.  Here are some beautiful pics taken at dusk.