Out and about in San Miguel

Yesterday we explored the San Antonio neighborhood on the east side of town.  It is where the city was initially established near a spring that appears to still run (but maybe that fountain is just part of the municipal water supply at this point!).  It's a pretty upscale neighborhood with a huge Rosewood hotel and suites just below a verdant park.  The park, Parque Benito Juarez, is set up for lots of family activities including basketball, playgrounds and exercise equipment.  A lot of the art seemed to have gone missing though from its labeled stands, perhaps a victim to graffiti?  Above the big park is a smaller terraced park which still holds public washing tubs where you can do your laundry by hand.  Above that is the Casa de Cultura which was unfortunately closed for structural repairs.

Jake trying out the very simple elliptical exerciser

Paseo del Chorro

View from the Casa de Cultura

We had lunch at Hecho en Mexico which has soups, sandwiches, salads and the usual Mexican specialties.  I ordered chicken enchiladas with red sauce which were okay, not as good as New Mexican enchiladas!  Jake ordered a spicy slow cooked pork which was very good. I did get a side dish of grilled cactus pads (nopals).  These were slightly reminiscent of okra in that they are a little slimy, but definitely edible.  They had sort of a tart taste and I'm not sure if that came from a marinade or is the flavor of the cactus.  I guess I'll have to try them in their nopal salad at some point.

In the afternoon we often go out for coffee and a pastry.  Yesterday we sat at one of the cafes along the plaza to write postcards.  Another day we tried Chocolates y Churros San Antonio, good hot chocolate and crispy churros.  We also tried the cafe inside the local library in a very pleasant courtyard.  The coffee was good but the apple pastry left something to be desired.  The library seems to be well supported by the expat community and has a large selection of English language  books.  There are also regular lectures in English and films.

We found the second municipal market in town that backs up to an extensive artisans market.  There are lots of fruit and vegetable sellers and a good variety of prepared food stalls.  We bought salad fixings and a roasted chicken.  The artisans market has the usual Mexican crafts - rugs from Zacatecas, embroidered pieces from Oaxaca, Oaxacan painted animals, tinwork, silver, pewter, and pottery.  Based on comparing prices from Santa Fe we think that crafts cost about 10x less here.

Makings for a smoothie of orange and peach juice, guanabana pulp, and a banana

Last night we attended a concert entitled "Love for Latin Music" that featured almost exclusively Brazilian music.  The guitarist, Alfredo Muro, was very good and he was sometimes accompanied by three other musicians - an alto saxophonist, bass player, and drummer.  The concert was held in the local theater and there were plenty of empty seats.  Most of the occupied seats were gringos over the age of 70.