UNO: Study Abroad in Writing

So prior to my trip to San Miguel I began conversing with Susan McKinney, proprietress of Jasmine Day Spa in San Miguel, just a couple blocks from Bosque. An American expat and writer herself, I inquired if she would be willing to offer discount on spa services to the members of our program this summer. She was eager to do so, and as I believe in doing PROPER research Ladies and Gentleman, I took it upon myself to inspect her spa and their services. At the end of our whirlwind two day business trip I booked a massage and a facial at the spa. The spa is located on Calle Jesus, and you climb a flight of stairs to enter. The spa itself was quite pretty, though not the dark and dreamy brand of spa we might be used to here in the US. Susan was lovely, and she arranged for a member of her staff to give me the massage and facial. The massage room they took me too was very comfortable, and very light. I could just spy the spires of the parroquia from the window in the room. The therapists lack of English was a little awkward at first, but I really didn’t find it much of a hindrance. I don’t much like making small talk with strangers while I’m naked anyhow.

The massage was top notch, and she used just the right amount of pressure. I must say, and I have no trouble recommending her or the spa, and the total for my services came to just under $50 USD (and yes, I paid, no kickbaceks here . That’s for an hr facial and an hr massage. You can’t get either one for less than fifty most places int eh US, and certainly not in New Orleans….

I encourage you all to take advantage of the spa and relaxation services they offer here, as well as at the Hot Springs we will visit on our last excursion….

Tags: San Miguel by jeni
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So, I have heard a lot of people talking about how American San Miguel is. And I won’t deny that there is a strong American influence in San Miguel. The dreaded Starbucks will probably be open by the time we get there this summer, and you can even get a New York bagel in town. Pizza is also prevalent (and while I didn’t try it, knowing me and my obsession with it, I will ), and you can even get sushi. However, there is more to San Miguel than Starbucks and sushi and American expats. Walking down to where the classes will be held, one day, we passed a guy who had twenty two sombreros stacked on his head. Literally, one hat right on top of the other. I had seen him earlier, trying to sell the wide brimmed straw hats in the Jardin, and in the market. The market, too, is an interesting place, and featured everything from from beautiful fresh fruits and vegetables to intricate, colorful bead work sold by artisans from the surrounding areas. I also (after having left mine at the hotel for the day) bought a pair of sunglasses there for about five dollars. They have prepared food there as well, and its definitely a spot to peruse, and its definitely not an American style place.

Also, on our way from one business meeting to the next, we were startled by the sight of a man on an ATV bumping up the cobblestone hill with an infant – a very small infant – clutched to his chest. After all the controversy about ATV safety in the US this was a disturbing sight. We passed men on horseback riding into town, often laden with goods to sell. And the image of that crow, bouncing on the stick on our drive in lingers….

Basically, what I’m getting at is, while this place will have much that feels familiar, it is still very foreign….

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So despite a crazy two days of nearly back to back business meetings, Bill and I managed to eat and drink our way through San Miguel pretty well. Some things to remember are, of course, don’t drink the tap water!!! Beyond that, tortillas are always going to be corn, or sometimes blue corn. Salsas may be spicy (picante). Tread with caution if you’ve got a sensitive palate. And like many places outside the US, vegetarian here means you don’t eat beef. Fish or seafood, or sometimes even chicken, may appear on your plate if you are not specific. If you’re trying to be vegan while you’re gone, it can be done, but, may the force (and not the hunger pains) be with you. On the bright side, we bought a pint of cut fruit that was sweet, cool, and satisfying for about a dollar. It had mango, papaya, pineapple, watermelon, and jicama, a strange brand of fruit everyone should try once….

Note: I am not a strict vegetarian, but I prefer to eat no red meat or chicken. I do eat seafood, and can’t imagine ever giving up cheese…

(pic is of La Pamplonada, which will be the site of our readings)

OLE OLE

Our first dinner was at a restaurant called Ole Ole. Brace yourselves Madrid veterans – this restaurant is bullfight themed. All of the walls are covered in bullfight paraphernalia. Posters, pictures, and the heads and horns of bulls. Its kind of intriguing, and frankly, Bill and I felt right at home. The food is entirely Mexican though. We started off with shots of tequila (why not?) each of which is accompanied by a sangrita, which is kind of like a bloody mary in a shot glass. Its quite tasty, and makes a good accompaniment to the tequila. We ordered an appetizer of queso fundido con champinones – melted cheese with marinated mushrooms – it was definitely a filling and comforting food. No real spice here at all. In fact, its rather bland. The mushrooms were delicious though. We were also served chips with three kinds of salsa – a spicy salsa verde (which was actually delicious), a less spicy but flavorful salsa, similar to mole, and crema – basically sour cream. Which helps to cut the spice of the salsa verde! I had Fajitas de Camarones, and they were delicious. Huge marinated and butterflied shrimp, served with sauteed vegetables and guacamole. Very tasty. We all had fajitas of some type, and all pronounced ourselves pleased. Our total bill was, with tip, 640 pesos. Split between three people, thats about 213 pesos each, which comes to less than twenty dollars per person for several shots of tequila and a couple beers each, plus food. Not bad!

Breakfast at Bosque:

When you walk in you have to find your napkin ring. Each room (and person) has a napkin ring with a cloth napkin assigned to hem. So you walk in, pick up your napkin, and head for the fruit and juice assortment. Fruits vary according to season, but I had a to die for mango, that literally fell right out of its skin, a half a banana, and some of those big red strawberries I had seen from the road on our way in. All were delicious. You can also pick up a glass of juice with your fruit. You then sit down at a table, and a waiter comes by and offers you a menu, and you can have either tea or coffee (tea drinkers might want to bring their own tea bags though – Its Lipton). The menu offers a wide selection. Eggs several styles, oatmeal with bananas and milk, pancakes. I think the only thing missing was bagels and cream cheese (and grits, but hey, a girl can adapt if she has to . If you’ve got that bagel craving, there’s a bagel shop just a few blocks away, though. I had the Huevos Mexicanos – the Mexican Eggs. It was two fried eggs on a blue corn tortilla, and topped with a flavorful red sauce. Its served with toast and fresh strawberry preserves. I quite like mine. Bill cared less for their version of Migas – it was just scrambled eggs with tortillas cut up in them…. All in all, it was good, and very filling.

La Palapa:

Ok. Probably one of my favorite meals because I ADORE fish tacos. And these were delicious. The place looks makeshift – you’re seated at plastic tables under a tent. Everyone here speaks English, though, and the food is good and cheap. You can get fish tacos steamed or fried (I had them fried) and they were 15 pesos each. You can also get tacos de arrachera (beef) and free range chicken. Shrimp tacos are a little more – they’re 20 pesos each. So thats $1.50 to $2.00 a taco…. And don’t hesitate to use their green sauce, or salsa verde. Its not at all spicy, and it was VERY good.

If you’ve got the craving, you can also get what looked like very good hamburgers and cheeseburgers, and yes ladies and gentleman, hot dogs. A hot dog will run you about twenty pesos, and a cheeseburger about 30 pesos. You can get an Indio or Sol beer for 15 pesos. I really like the Indio…. Hours are Mon- thorugh Sat, 12pm to 5pm.

Pueblo Viejo

Oh what a difference a kick ass view makes! Although this restaurant was slightly pricier than some others, the view on the terrace makes it all worthwhile. And this place has excellent margaritas! The roof top terrace where we ate was lovely – all covered in bougainvillea, and the food was quite good. Worth every peso! We started with our now traditional shots of tequila (con sangrita!) and moved on to margaritas. They brought us a little presentation of chips in guacamole, and it was delicious both to the eyes and mouth. For those Madrid veterans, you’ll find a number of familiar Spanish dishes here, but I opted for something a little different. I had roasted asparagus with parmesan, and an avocado stuffed with marinated shrimp. The asparagus dish was 80 pesos, and the avocado was 90. If I had any criticism, it was that I could have used a little more of th avocado, but next time I’ll know to order a little something else with it. All in all the food and the scenery were incredible….

La Petit Bar

Calling all winos! Tequila may be the talk of the town, but you can get some good vino here. They have some Chilean wines and Some Spanish, and the wine is relatively cheap. I had a couple glasses of the Antares, a Chilean white, and they were 35 pesos each. And no, I will NOT tell you how many I had . This is also a French style restaurant, and we had none other than escargot as our starter. They were quite good (for those who’ve never ventured into the realm of snails before, they have a texture like scallops and taste like the butter that everyone prepares them in). For my meal I had a delicious Ensalada de Queso de Cabra Caliente here. Thats a hot goat cheese salad. It also had a warm raspberry compote drizzled over the goat cheese, and was really top notch. I also had a Sopa de Cebolla Tradicional – known to us as French Onion Soup. It also was quite good – and as it was very chilly that night (down to 38 degrees fahrenheit!) I found it very soothing. Prices were a little higher than some, but no higher than Pueblo Viejo or Ole Ole. My only criticism is that it took quite a while to get the food. In my opinion, though, it was worth the wait!

Cafe San Francisco:

This cafe is located on a corner of the Jardin. We were up early and hungry, so we tried to find a place open before 8 am for breakfast. There didn’t seem to be any! But these people were willing to let us have coffee and pan dulce (sweet bread) at 7:30 am. At the stroke of eight they handed us menus. And I must say I thoroughly enjoyed this breakfast. I had scrambled eggs wrapped in corn tortillas, and covered (rather, smothered) in black bean sauce. They were topped with a dollop of sour cream and a red chile pepper. It was garnished with slices of avocado and tomato, and I was given two pieces of toast with fresh strawberry jam besides. It was very good and very filling. I didn’t need to eat again till that night! Bill had Huevos Divorciados – two fried eggs, one covered with green sauce, the other with red. He got it with chorizo, and pronounced it quite good. My meal was 75 pesos, and Bill’s was 60 pesos. Our entire bill for the meal, coffee, juice, bottled water, and pan dulce was less than twenty dollars….

Rico Pozole:

Right next to a pizza bar, this is another one facing the Jardin. And one I’d recommend skipping. The margaritas were watery, and the guacamole no better or worse than anywhere else. I also had a gordita de nopales – a cactus gordita. It was merely ok – the cactus was a little slimy, putting you in mind of poorly prepared okra. And while it had a slight spice to it, in general it was rather bland…. The cactus gordita was 30 pesos (about 3 dollars) and the margaritas were 50 pesos, so it was also a little more money than some of the other places….

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When we first arrived at out hotel, Mansion del Bosque, there was a mariachi band playing in the courtyard, and people lingering in the restaurant from their lunch. We haven’t much time, and are full from all that white bread on the plane, so we quickly deposit our bags in our room. My room is on the first floor, and has what is basically an entire wall of windows. As there is currently a band and a host of people out there, I feel a little shy, but enjoy the brightness of it. There is a little desk in the room, and I toss my stuff down, and tuck my computer out of sight. You can’t be too careful! Bill and I meet up – his room is up on the second floor – and we greet Ruth, the owner and operator of Bosque since sometime in the 50’s. She’s dressed in a flowing dress, and her white hair and quiet manner remind me of my great Aunt Leona, who made the best black eyed peas in the world…. Black eyed peas are NOT what we are after right now, and Bill and I quickly make our way to the Jardin, or the center of town. The Jardin is lovely, particularly on this Sunday afternoon, and the Parroquia rises above it in the grand manner of all the cathedrals I have ever been to in Europe. Indeed, something about this town feels more European than Europe.

Bill and I sit down at an outside table at a restaurant on the corner, called Restaurante del Jardin. We order two bottles of water and two Coronas (when in Rome, after all) and some guacamole. The guacamole is very fresh, but a little lacking in spice. Or perhaps that was just our spoiled New Orleans palates….

The restaurant is a good vantage point to watch Sunday happen in the Jardin. They are setting up a small stage directly adjacent to the Parroquia. Vendors line this side of the Jardin, offering everything from ice cream to tamales to balloons. As we sit, a child approaches us several times trying to sell us chewing gum. A man approaches trying to sell us beaded strips of leather. And when Bill can no longer resist the sight of the ice cream, a woman approaches me with some beautiful chunky necklaces in every shade and stone. I’m tempted to buy a beautiful turquoise one with squared off beads, but as this is literally my first HOUR in San Miguel, I reluctantly decline. She had wanted two hundred pesos for the turquoise necklace, which, I must say, did appear to be finely crafted. Thats about twenty dollars. Had I been in the mood to deal, I think I could have gotten two (or maybe even 3) necklaces from her for that price. Bill comes back, and the woman, who’s dressed in a long red skirt and embroidered, loose white blouse, with her dark hair pulled back and hanging all the way down her back disappears. Bill, however, has gotten some cereza helado – cherry ice cream. Its delicious – at least as good as the gelato I had in Rome. Eventually, we pay the bill and go to meet our friend Dave, who’s our liaison in San Miguel. As we leave, the sun is warm and I remove my jacket. There’s a slight breeze, but I’m comfortable in a sundress….

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From New Orleans, we leave at a somewhat reasonable hour, for a quick flight to Houston, Texas. We have very little layover time, so quickly make our way to our gate. There are only two airlines that fly into our destination airport, Leon, Mexico; Delta, and Continental. We’re on the jazzier of the two, Continental. If any US airline can be considered jazzy anymore. At least, on the slightly more than 2 hr flight to Guanajuato/Leon, they feed us. To my surprise we’re handed a tray with about half a sandwich on very white bread, piled with turkey. There’s a bag of Fritos, a mini Milky Way Bar, and a tiny packet of mustard which is supposed to help get all the white bread down I guess. Vegetarians are out of luck, here, it seems, so DEFINITELY advise the airline before you go of special dietary concerns…. Still, I was pleased to get ANYTHING to eat on the flight.

Outside the window the changing terrain fascinated me. We flew over mountains so big they seemed big to US, several thousand feel over them. We flew over pitted valleys, and snaking rivers, and watched the colors of the terrain change from green to brown, and trees fade away to be replaced by sparse spots of dark underbrush and cacti. I guess something in me was reluctant to think of Mexico as all that foreign. I mean, don’t get me wrong, I know its another country with another language and a huge set of problems, but somehow, it was so close to ‘home’ that I kind of appropriated it as, if not my own, a cousin. Watching the drastic changes in the terrain was not only beautiful, it was a visual key that this trip might not be quite what I expected.

And landing at the airport is certainly NOT what anyone who has suffered through trans-Atlantic flights would expect. Of course, our airplane was not all that large. But when we landed on the tarmac, we exited the plane on the tarmac. No jetways for us! Along with the other cramped passengers we ducked out of the plane onto the asphalt and were pointed into the ‘arrivals hall.’ No spending an hour here trying to get through passport control! even though their computers kept repeatedly crashing, we were out of the passport control in less than ten minutes. And while we had been standing there we watched our luggage be placed on the belt. It was waiting for us by the time we got out of passport control, so in less than fifteen minutes we had hit the ATM, met our driver, and were off.

Driving to San Miguel takes about an hour and a half, and I have to say I was sleepier than I should have been. Going out till all hours of the night before a trip of any kind is never a good idea, which is something I seem to have to remind myself on every trip…. However, I was also too excited to fall asleep, as my eyes kept roving across the Mexican terrain. We are riding in an SUV, and the guy who is driving is young, college age, and quiet. He speaks when spoken to, and we ask a few questions as we speed along to San Miguel. Mostly, we are quiet though. We pass several fruit and vegetable stands. The first one we passed was a splash of red color. It had HUGE, deep scarlet strawberries for sale, and right next to it was a man selling all sorts of colorful windmills. Right next to that was a man bouncing a dead crow on a stick. The black bird was, I suppose, intended to be someone’s dinner (?), but the image was so strange it lingered as we slid quickly past. Directly after that we passed an Applebee’s. Talk about a mood killer! A Weight Watchers restaurant in the middle of the desert in Mexico? It seemed so incongruous with its bouncing dead crow neighbor….

There seem to be many incongruous images though – two men in pretty rugged clothing and Stetson hats on horseback. Bright bougainvillea, pale green cacti, and the brown hills as far as the eye an see. Chunky mountains in the distance. Something about this feels familiar, though, and I think that Mexico might be more of an image in our minds than we realize. San Miguel, however, was not an image I expected.

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