To be honest, I wasn’t sure that I would come to San Miguel. Even though I’d only heard wonderful things about the town, I wasn’t confident in arriving alone. I’ve flown to Mexico by myself before, but that was for a yoga retreat in a touristic beach town where all was arranged for me from the airport. This time, I’d arrive in Mexico City, exit the airport alone, find the local bus service and ride solo with all of my possessions for 4 hours to a distant destination in the mountains, all while attempting to blend in despite using very rusty Spanish.
I once took an 18-hour-turned-30-hour bus journey from Austin to Mazatlan that struck fear in me of why it wouldn’t necessarily be a straightforward journey or one that I should do alone. But after some research and the decision to attend a language school here, the plan easily came together and so did my confidence. By signing up for classes, the school coordinated my stay with a Mexican host family, gave me tips on two closer airports and also the name of a dependable shuttle service for the 1+ hour journey from Leon to San Miguel.
All of a sudden I had structure for my first two months of the year and a seamless arrival plan for San Miguel. I had zero nerves getting on or off the plane on Jan. 1 and easily acclimated during my first week. I will say a lot of that had to do with the Americans I haven’t shaken from my surroundings since leaving Austin. This town is full of visitors and I am nowhere near singled out, besides being one of the youngest gringos here. It turns out San Miguel de Allende is an incredibly popular place to retire and my anxiety about visiting now seems unfounded when I look around.
Like sleeping in Marrakech last month, a rooster wakes me up before my actual alarm. This ones crows at 5am and so every day I wake up earlier than necessary if I’m not already awake from fireworks or a neighbor’s music, either of which happen sporadically through the night. And like Morocco’s public prayer service heard through the city center, here church bells ring at scheduled times for all to hear. Aside from the sounds, San Miguel de Allende is one of the most perfectly picturesque small towns I’ve ever seen.
The city is situated in the mountains and much of it slopes gradually, enabling the view of other hills in the distance. From the Rosewood resort you can catch an epic panoramic vista of most of the city, with colorful houses stacked together, trees dotted throughout and the main church, La Parroquia, nestled in the center. The climate is mild year round but right now happens to be the coldest month. Though it gets pretty hot during the day, early in the morning and late at night it’s quite cold. Most of these ancient structures don’t have heaters so it’s necessary to bundle up in the evening, even indoors.
The Spanish built this town to mine silver in the 17th century and the original colonial style still remains. Stones fill the streets, making some more difficult to walk on than others. The sidewalks are relative to the narrow roads, just tiny cement strips on each side only wide enough for a single file line. As you walk around town, wobbling on the stone road or balancing on the skinny sidewalk, you can easily see all of the characteristics that make San Miguel so charming – brightly painted exteriors, tree-filled plazas, artisanal crafts, freshly-made street food, piñatas and celebration flags strung in the street, murals that take up an entire block – color and artistry are everywhere.
It’s a social environment where all of the native San Miguelences know each other and all of the expats know each other too. The two groups appear to be living in symbiosis, with English and Spanish equally spoken alongside one another. People catch up in El Jardin throughout the week, the central meeting point where kids play, couples kiss, bookworms read, viejitos rest, men have their shoes shined and everyone relaxes together in quiet contentment.
I feel completely at home, partly due to growing up in Texas and partly due to how welcoming this city is to foreigners. I’m enjoying meeting both natives and expats and learning about living here from both perspectives. San Miguel de Allende offers a simple life, rich in beauty, culture and community, which is exactly what I’m looking for.
