San Miguel de Allende - Part One

This is the view from the our bedroom over our second from the top terrace at sunset. 

This is the view from the top terrace up above our bedroom just after sunset. We had our drinks and dinner up there on our second night!

We have landed in a little part of heaven called San Miguel de Allende. The city's name derives from two persons, the 16th C friar Juan de San Miguel, and Ignacio Allende, a martyr of the long war of independence from the Spanish. The old section of town is a World Heritage Site and very beautiful. Set on the Central Mexican Plateau at 6200 feet the narrow cobblestone streets range up and down hills around the central plaza and parks. 

The house has a series of terraces connected by
many stairs. This photo looks up from the first
terrace with the winding stairs leading up first
to our room (that's one of the balconies top
left) and then up to the roof top terrace.

Now you are looking back down! Steep going...

Jennette sets out our dinner up on the rooftop
terrace.

Now you are looking back at the table with Scott
and Alan.

Our former neighbors and friends from Brookline, Alan and Jeannette Feuer, have been spending part of the winter here for the last few years and invited us for a visit. Their rented home is high on the hill and overlooks the city. It's drop dead gorgeous as you can see from the photos. There are 5 bedrooms and baths. We picked the one at the end of many, many stairs and if not the most beautiful room I've ever slept in, it's in the top 3!  Our room has 3 sets of French doors with balconies. 

We flew from Dallas on Monday arriving around 1:30 to meet our shuttle driver, reserved in advance. It was about an hour drive from Queretaro to San Miguel and he dropped us off right at their door. After getting settled we walked into the center of town for drinks and dinner at roof top La Azotea restaurant - wonderful margarita's! The central plaza and San Miguel de Allende Cathedral were magical.

The Cathedral "Parroquia de San Miguel Arcangel" was built in the 17th century with a typical Mexican façade but rebuilt in 1880 in the neo Gothic style by Zeferino Gutierrez, an indigenous bricklayer and self-taught architect. 

Walking down the hill was reasonably easy but we were really happy to take a taxi back up to the house. It is quite warm during the day, getting up to 80, but cools down considerably at night. I was glad to have a jacket with me.  The next morning it was wonderful to draw the curtains and reveal the views as you can see. We enjoyed a delicious breakfast before starting out for a walking tour of the downtown area. Which I'll cover on my next post!

One of the side balconies in our bedroom.

And the one that faces the town

Looking over the terrace to our neighbor.

Breakfast the next morning. They have a house-
keeper and a gardener. There must be six sets of
tables and chairs scattered around the property!

Delicious huevos rancheros