Walkabouts in San Miguel - Part Two in Mexico

 

Many of the walls are covered with bouginivilla
or vines cascading from the roof tops.

Iron balconies are draped in flowers and pots with
others line up on the roofs. 

Some of the streets, like this one leading up 
to our villa, are so narrow that when a car
passes you have to hide in a doorway!

Street vendors are everywhere - here one selling
hats. 

We've been doing a lot of walking here. To be honest, mostly the downhill and level sections. Scott and I cheat and take a taxi back up to our hillside villa. Between the altitude and the cobblestone streets we get plenty of exercise! Our first full day Jeanette and Alan took us for a tour around the central part of the city. 

Church of the Immaculate Conception

The interior was very beautiful

Looking up into the dome.

The Oratorio de San Felipe Neri

The Iglesia de San Francisco

There are a lot of churches, one seemingly around every corner. But this is known as an artist's colony and no surprise as there is a gallery on every block downtown and outside. The Esquela de Bellas Artes or El Nigromante was founded in the late 1930's by American artist and writer Stirling Dickinson and Peruvian artist and writer Felipe Cossio del Pomar. It is housed in the former Sisters of the Conception convent and is still vibrant today. This and other art institutions began to attract American exchange students who came to live here or later to retire. It also houses art exhibits, classrooms for all the arts and music. 

Jeanette appears to be holding up the ceiling
when photographed through the metal sculpture.

One room dedicated to the unfinished mural by
David Alfraro Siqueiros.

 

One hall of the old convent is dedicated to a mural by David Alfraro Siqueiros, along with students from the art school, but it was never finished. It features a metal sculpture that takes an unusual photo when you squat down and photograph through it at a friend. Another great place is the Biblioteca Publica which serves as the community center for San Miguel's large foreign population. The library was founded by Helen Wade, a Canadian, who wanted to reach out to local children. The library has a cafe, sponsors tours and prints a bilingual newspaper. It also sponsors educational programs for local youth including scholarships, donations of school supplies and free English and computer classes for children.

Vibrant murals cover the walls of the huge
Bibliotheca. 

Another whimsical mural there.

There is a concert hall as well

And a big children's library

I love the thousands of doorways throughout the city leading into homes and shops. When they are open we can peak into the private courtyards and of course, enter the commercial establishments! I'll end today's post with a few photos. There is still at least one more post before we fly back to Texas.

Here a glimpse into a private home

Probably a small hotel, formerly a private
residence

And a intriguing shop

Here a simple home is adorned by a mural

Lots of bougainvillea but since it's the dry 
season, rather dusty

Another glimpse into a private home!