Our first week in San Miguel de Allende is done--we have walked most of it's Cento side streets, driven on the Class II busses(no chickens), sat most parks/plazzas/jardins, lunched at various levels of eateries, stocked up at the open markets, and basically can be considered 'make believe' expatriots.

Tommorow we are heading out to Queretaro and Friday to the Teotihuacan archaeological site, travelling first class, and next week a 4 day trip to Morelia, Patzcuaro, and possibly Guanajuato--on the chicken busses.

The city architecture has been great, the food great to interesting, the pace non existent, and the people fantastic.

They are so friendly, happy, and family oriented. The evenings in the Jardin, and other plazzas, reminded me of Italy last year--all the family out together, just enjoying. The kids are, in general, smiling all the time. I know there are areas, farther away from Centro, where there is more poverty, but I still get the feeling that family is important in this culture. As Nancy noted awhile back, even the beggars do it in a quiet and non-aggressive way, and there are lots of these 'entreprenours.'

We walk home from Le Jardin after dark every night, choosing any side alley we wish, and feel no concern(s).

Love seeing your comments--and really enjoy your 'personal' emails where you can 'really' say what you mean, eh!

Adios

B & N