…and Away We Go!

We are watching the weather forecasts from afar and hoping that everyone has plenty of supplies on hand and that the heat stays on through the coldest temperatures. We worry about trees or large limbs falling on our house, but there isn’t much we can do from here, so we’ll carry on with our explorations of Mexico City.

Yesterday we walked 20 minutes to the Museo National de Anthropologia. Our guide book describes it as having “one of the finest archeological collections in the world.” There are an enormous number of artifacts in this museum. We spent most of the day here, and there’s still  more to see .

As you enter the museum, there is an impressive multi-media presentation that reviews the pre-Columbian history of Mexico. Once inside, there is a huge courtyard with a giant fountain.

Each one of the twelve salons on the museum’s two floor displays artifacts from a specific region or culture. Labels are mostly in Spanish and dense with details. Objects include statues, jewelry, weapons, figurines, and pottery. Below are a few of them:

Just outside the museum there are small courtyards with objects,

and many pathways with beautiful plants local to the region.

We still have much to see here so we’re off to explore some more. The skies are sunny and the high temperature will be 71 degrees. We picked a good time to be away.

We arrived to Mexico City from San Miguel de Allende late Monday afternoon. The bus station in San Miguel is compact, clean and easy to navigate. The ETN Turistar Bus Line is plush with comfortable wide seats and on-board bathrooms which made it an easy 3.5 hour ride.

We arrived at our apartment in the Polanco neighborhood of the city via Uber – the ride was a good introduction to the grand scale of the city. Our apartment at the Grand Polanco Residencial is very nice and in the part of the city that a young traveler on YouTube described as the “neighborhood where Grandpa and Grandma stay. “  To us it feels safe and convenient as there is a metro stop nearby and a Walmart grocery store just a couple of blocks away.

It has taken us a couple of days to adapt to the higher altitude and low air quality, but our goal for this first visit to CDMX is to explore the various neighborhoods so we are doing it at a slower pace.

The first challenge has been to learn about the Metro system. We purchased a Metro Card but had difficulty loading pesos on the card so we could tap our card and ride. Finally today we were successful but not without a few hiccups. The Metro system is expansive but not too difficult to navigate, (thanks to Larry’s excellent navigation skills). The trains arrive at regular intervals so we don’t have to wait long when we miss one.

In this massive city, most people depend on the public transit system, so the trains are very busy.. Train cars are crowded and we don’t see many tourist-types onboard, as many opt to take taxis or Uber around the city. For us, it’s a great budget option at 5 pesos per ride (29 U.S. cents). Each time the train stops, the car “jerks” a bit so that everyone moves in unison to the side. It makes us smile, but locals are used to it.

Our first day (Tuesday), we went to Centro Historico’s main square, the Zocalo. It’s frenetic and overwhelming. Maybe not the best choice for our first full day in the city but we survived. The photo below doesn’t do it justice but gives the idea of the grand scale.

We toured the Cathedral Metropolitana – Latin America’s largest Cathedral. Back at our home base, we had a nice dinner at Cafe Toscano nearby.

Our destination today was in Roma. It’s a pleasant neighborhood for strolling. The Plaza Rio De Janeiro was our first stop. The lovely park is being renovated but the copy of Michelangelo’s David is impressive.

Our destination in Roma Norte was for lunch at Panaderia Rosetta. It’s a very popular place and a bit of a wait, but we were happy with our meal.

Not too far away is the bustling Mercado Medellin. A shopper can find almost anything there. Including produce;

and flowers.

One could buy fruits, meats, poultry, spices, and just about anything else imaginable.

At the end of our explorations we ended up in the Condesa neighborhood…one that we will return to. A surprise rain shower had us hustling to the nearest Metro stop and we have returned to home base. Mexico City is  filled with surprises and we are looking forward to new adventures tomorrow.

We have been fortunate to have the expertise of Stan for our first visit to San Miguel. He has led us on tours around the city, driven us to far away places, met us at the Saturday market, and suggested shops and restaurants that we should try. We don’t have to go many steps before someone stops Stan to say “hello”! He is an important member of this community.

Late yesterday evening, Stan sent a text suggesting that we all go to the Botanico El Charco del Ingenio today. We did just that! Stan drove us to the gardens through the sometimes narrow and very hilly streets of San Miguel. Along the way, he pointed out important landmarks and views of the city outside of the central area where we are staying.

The gardens cover 67 hectares above a monumental ravine known as El Charo del Ingenio.

The botanical collection is made up of various species of cacti, agaves, and other succulents. Well-marked trails weave through the property with many examples of succulents and other plants that thrive in this climate.

On the way back to town, we stopped for delicious seafood tacos at Baja Tacos in the city center.

Today is our last day in San Miguel and we’ve had a wonderful time. For readers and writers, San Miguel de Allende hosts a world class Writers’ Conference and Literary Festival this February. One of the main speakers will be Abraham Verghese. Below is a link to all that happening:

San Miguel Writers’ Conference and Literary Festival, 2026 

Tomorrow we will take a bus to Mexico City for a 2 week-long stay. We are looking forward to our stay in one of the largest cities in the world.

For now, Adios, San Miguel de Allende – we’ve had a great time!

It’s Saturday and the city is buzzy. We took Stan’s advice and walked to the Mercado SANO in another part of town. Below is a photo of one section of the Food Court where we bought pastries, coffee and tacos with the shells being pressed and grilled right there. The space is filled with a jumble of expats who live here full time or for a month or two in the winter season.

In addition to food items, locals (both temporary and permanent) come to buy fruits, vegetables, fresh baked bread, herbs, spices and more. There are musicians playing music from the 70’s and lots of camaraderie.  It’s a happening place in the Guadiana neighborhood of San Miguel.

Around town we see these giant puppets called mojigangas. Many over 15 feet tall, they symbolize joy and are used in weddings and/or other fiestas. They have been used in celebrations in San Miguel for more than 100 years.

From the market, we went to Fabrica La Aurora, a former textile mill turned into a large art complex filled with galleries, antique shops, and artist studios. We spent several hours wandering through the complex.

We wander around town looking in shop windows,

viewing colorful facades,

And viewing the  Perroquia de San Miguel Arcangel from different vantage points.

Our new friend Stan tells us that if you see an open door…”go inside!” And we do. This large shop has pots and plants that we’d love to bring home.

We are enjoying weather that is warmer than home, though the mornings are chilly. Evenings are nice and we enjoy more wandering and sitting in the main square listening to dueling mariachi bands. It’s a happening place!

Friends from Atlanta suggested that we contact a college friend of theirs during our visit to San Miguel de Allende. Stan has lived here for about 9 years and he graciously showed us some of the highlights around town.

Our first stop was to the Centro Cultural El Negromante. It’s a center for art exhibitions, classes, and studios in a converted convent. It is currently undergoing some renovations that will be soon complete.

It’s a wonderful space for art and learning.

The Sala de Murals is described here: “One of the most fascinating features of El Nigromante is the mural by David Alfaro Siqueiros, one of Mexico’s most iconic muralists. Though unfinished, the mural is a masterpiece of revolutionary art and serves as a powerful example of Mexico’s rich artistic history.”

Next we walked to the Instituto Allende……a space for events, art workshops, and lifelong learning programs. The mural in the background makes a great backdrop for the geranium.

Stan walked us through several neighborhoods that we wouldn’t have likely discovered on our own. Our next stop was…Parc Benito Juarez. This beautiful sculpture is a waste receptacle. Saturday morning they hold Tai Chi classes in the park.  Also nearby is a Saturday market called Mercado SANO. We will go there tomorrow.

A lot of life in San Miguel takes place on the rooftops. Stan took us to several that gave us excellent views of the city. This is from the rooftop of Hotel Casa Correo.

A large, refreshing glass of fresh squeezed orange  juice was just the refreshment after our tour of the city.

San Miguel has so many special places and we were fortunate to see it with an excellent guide. Thanks to Robey and Gary for the introduction! We understand why so many people recommend San Miguel as a destination. It has wonderful learning centers, parks, markets, art galleries, and friendly locals.

An Aeromexico flight and a shuttle from the airport bought us to the center of San Miguel de Allende in about 6 hours total. One of the first things we noticed was the cobblestone streets which makes for a bumpy ride but we had a good driver who delivered us safely to Hotel La Morada. It is centrally located and just a short walk from the city’s famous landmark; Parroquia de San Miguel.

In a nutshell, here are some things we’ve learned about the city so far:

• San Miguel is located in Central Mexico in the state of Guanajuato and located about 4 hours north of Mexico City.
• It’s a UNESCO Word Heritage Site.
• It’s a hub for artists, writers, and expats – mainly from the U.S. and Canada.
• The elevation is 6,200 feet which makes for mild days and cool evenings year-round.
• The city is very walkable but cobblestoned and a little hilly, so good walking shoes are important.

This morning we found a good coffee shop, Cafe 20trece with an owner who is passionate about locally produced coffee, chocolate and honey.

We also found an excellent pastry shop called Panio.

It’s early days here, but it is a fascinating place…one that we are excited to explore. There are colorful parks (like the one below) all around town plus many intriguing shops, restaurants, and cultural sites.

We don’t always do a good job of reporting our safe arrival home at the end of a trip but, we arrived home from our travels in Italy in mid-October. We had a fun holiday season with family and friends and now we’re looking forward to our next adventure.

In search of warmer weather, we are leaving today on a winter excursion to Mexico – specifically, San Miguel de Allende and Mexico City. Both are places that we’ve been interested in for quite some time and we decided that it’s finally time for us check them out! We are hoping for weather that’s  a little warmer than Atlanta, a chance to practice our Spanish, and delicious food.

The Leon Airport Mexico near Guanajuato, Mexico is a four-hour flight from Atlanta and about 1.5 hours from San Miguel de Allende. Our plan is pretty simple…we will spend 5 nights in San Miguel and then take a bus to Mexico City early next week. We will stay in the Polanco neighborhood for two weeks.

We’ll be back home in early February. We are looking forward to exploring two new destinations and we’ll post a photo or two every few days. Sending our best wishes! Adios!

Sharon and Larry