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Monday, November 16, 2009

That's My World -- San Miguel de Allende

That's My World is hosted each week by Klaus and the My World team of Sandy, Wren, Fishing Guy, Louise and myself. Over a hundred people from all over the world have shared a part of their world with us last week. Click on the icon, sign up and please do follow the instructions and share the beauty of your world with us!



San Miguel de Allende, Mexico!

The past couple of weeks I've had reasons to look back at some of the wonderful places that have been a part of my world over these many years and yesterday as I was responding to a blogging award given me, I was reminded of the year that San Miguel de Allende, Mexico was 'my world'. I took pictures while I was there but over the past ten years of moving and relocating many of them were lost, but thanks to Google Images and Wikipedia I can share this world with you today.

One of the many lovely courtyards around the city.



The town was founded in 1542 by the Franciscan monk Fray Juan de San Miguel. It was an important stopover on the Antiguo Camino Real, part of the silver route from Zacatecas, Zacatecas. The town featured prominently in the Mexican War of Independence. General Ignacio Allende, one of San Miguel's native sons, was a leading player in the war against Spain for independence. Allende, captured in battle and beheaded, is a national hero. San Miguel el Grande renamed itself "San Miguel de Allende" in 1826 in honor of his actions.

Streets in San Miguel.



My apartment was on a street just like these, within walking distance of the cathedral and the stores and shops.





In the 1950s, San Miguel de Allende became a destination known for its beautiful colonial architecture and its thermal springs. After World War II San Miguel began to revive as a tourist attraction as many demobilized United States GIs discovered that their education grants stretched further in Mexico at the U.S.-accredited art schools, the privately-owned Instituto Allende, founded in 1950, and the Bellas Artes, a nationally chartered school.

American ex-servicemen first arrived in 1946 to study at the art school. By the end of 1947, Life magazine assigned a reporter and photographer to do an article on this post-war phenomenon. A three-page spread appeared in the January 5, 1948, edition under the headline “GI Paradise: Veterans go to Mexico to study art, live cheaply and have a good time.” This was possible when apartments rented for US$10 a month, servants cost US$8 a month, rum was 65 cents a quart and cigarettes cost 10 cents a pack.

San Miguel's version of the running of the bulls! Great fun to watch -- from a second story balcony, that is!



I had a lovely apartment opening onto a lovely patio in a building very much like this one.



And this is the dominating building in the city, the Parroquia de San Miguel.

53 comments:

Anonymous said...

Lovely, Sylvia! I have never been to Mexico, but my mother has. She bought me a beautiful red wedding dress, which I often wore as a "muumuu" (Hawaiian long dress) to restaurants and parties.

Your pics make me want to visit Mexico, now.

Anonymous said...

Wonderful photos my friend. Thanks for sharing this. Just wonderful Hau`oli La Hanau to your son Adam today :)

Bagman and Butler said...

Wonderful post! Pictures that make me want to go there and some interesting history. I loved that you mentioned that in 1946 American servicemen went to study art there. I discovered that this week with my grandfather and world war I. What is it with servicemen and art? Maybe it is a good way to mend?

Reader Wil said...

Thanks for your tour through the city! It's my first tour in Mexico. I think San Miguel is very beautiful!

Great Grandma Lin said...

interesting. i've only been to border towns in Mexico so it was fun to see the sights of a typical village.

abb said...

I so wish I'd been able to live outside of the US for a part of my life. Your apartment sounds like it was just charming.

bobbie said...

Beautiful pictures of a beautiful city. You must have enjoyed your stay there very much.

Martha Z said...

This looks like a photographer's paradise. It's unfortunate that you lost your own photos but this was an interesting and informative post just the same.

Guy D said...

What a wonderful look into your world Sylvia, you never disappoint.

All the best
Guy
Regina In Pictures

Carver said...

What a great post Sylvia. I've never been to Mexico and I enjoyed this look at such a beautiful vibrant part of the world.

Gwendolyn L said...

Beautiful city. I liked your story along with the pics.

Janice / Dancing with Sunflowers said...

Beautiful place, Sylvia. I'd love to go to Mexico and this is the sort of Mexico I'd love to experience. You've been about, haven't you?!
Janice.

This Is My Blog - fishing guy said...

Sylvia: What a neat trip to Mexico. I have connection in Leon so have also been to Mexico.

ninja said...

It fascinating to discover yet another place that you could call home! And it's so different from the stereotypical American presence in Mexico.

Maia T said...

What a beautiful, informative post Sylvia! Thanks for the trip and the beautiful photos.

Carol said...

This was a wonderful tour through a part of Mexico I haven't seen. What a beautiful city...and interesting history.

Cezar and Léia said...

Hello Sylvia!
First of all thanks so much for your kind words in my blog.
I came from Camera critters and Pet pride and I must say that always I'm enchanted by your blog!
Fabulous trip to Mexico!! wow wonderful pictures. I also enjoyed a lot your previous post, very nice and well prepared!
Have a great week
Luna ( WE love Luna ) and mommy Léia

Dianne said...

I love the street scenes, the colorful buildings are wonderful

I will admit that when it comes to bull running or bull fighting I always root for the bull

Marie said...

A lovely serie of Mexico shots. I really have to go there sometime. Thanks for sharing.

Darlene said...

Some of those photos could have been taken in Spain or the one of the burdened donkeys could have been taken in Morocco. Amazing how much of the old world culture came over with the Conquestadores.

Darlene said...

Drat it - I had Conquistador spelled right and changed it. My face is red from embarrasment and a tad of anger! ;-(

My name is Riet said...

Such beautiful pictures. I love them all.The church photo I like best.

Chris said...

A very interesting post Sylvia, I love the shots except for the poor overloaded donkeys. The first shot and the last are my favourites. I enjoyed the history. You are lucky to have lived in such a wonderful city.

Jossie said...

Beautiful photos. I have been to Mexico long time ago. Your pictures bring back memories. Thank you!
Jossie

Carolyn Ford said...

Such a beautiful and colorful city. How nice it must have been to spend time enough to get to know the ins and outs of such a lovely place. You have captured the essence of this place so beautifully!

Roshni said...

it looks so beautiful! I do hope they can get be rid of all their internal trouble so that the situation comes back to be as peaceful and fun-loving as it seems from your pictures!

SandyCarlson said...

Such a beautiful place. The play of light on the church in the last one is really amazing. Very beautiful.

Joe Todd said...

Sylvia thanks for sharing your story 1946 was the year I was born.

Barb said...

Hi Sylvia - I feel as though I need a vacation to this warm, inviting spot - maybe I could run with the bulls?

Oman said...

hello sylvia, the place reminds me of a town in my country that has old styled houses and interesting architectures. and as i can see from your photos, the place indeed is a mixture of old architecture with modern touch. thank you for sharing this place to us. great job.

Ebie said...

Hi Sylvia, you are a well traveled lady, and these photos are just beautiful! You have lovely views from your apartment.

The farthest I've been to Mexico is Ensenada!

alicesg said...

Very interesting place from where you are. Love the street scene and the buildings are all very colourful.

Yogi♪♪♪ said...

That is very interesting. The thing about Mexico is that it is a beautiful country with a very interesting history. You hardly ever hear that when Mexico is discussed today.

Anonymous said...

How colourful and delightful! I love the patio and the church that seems to dominate the town.

Annie said...

That was very interesting Sylvia..thanks for that...I felt like I was really there!

It sounds like a much sadder place today by the news reports I hear, unfortunately! The country, not necessarily that town!

Thanks for visiting my world in Toowoomba and the little girls ballet concert!

Lew said...

The old towns and cities of Europe and wherever Europeans settled were dominated by churches. It is a little sad to see those magnificent steeples swallowed up by the skyscrapers of the twentieth century. And where we send our soldiers to fight, an enclave of Americans is established. It will be interesting to see if this happens in Iraq and Afghanistan too.

Kay said...

What a beautiful part of the world you lived in, Sylvia. We've been to Cancun and Tijuana a very long time ago. Your photos make me want to go back again.

chrome3d said...

A place where cigarettes cost 10 cents a pack? I shouldn´t go to that kind of place as I might be tempted to start again as it´s so cheap! Okay it was 1948, huh.

Wolynski said...

That was a really beautiful place to live in. When you get older you can look back at everywhere you've been - imagine living in one place all your life.

Irene said...

Sylvia, thanks for sharing about Mexico and your sojourn there. Houses look lovely.

Arija said...

Sylvia, what a wonderful place to call home, even just for a year. A year can b like a lifetime where you experienc all the seasons.
Somehow, oddly, San Miguel feels like sSan Francisco, a [lace I dearly love.

Samson said...

its such a beautiful place, love the last photo

maryt/theteach said...

Sylvia, I never congratulated you on becoming one of the members of the "My World" team! Congratulations! What a lovely Mexican town. Whenever I've been in Mexico it's been a tourist place where we just stayed on the hotel grounds and swam in the beautiful ocean. These photos are wonderful! :)

Merisi said...

Thank you for this foray into warmer climes, sorely needed and appreciated here! :-)

George said...

What a fascinating glimpse into your world. That must have been an exciting year for you.

aspiritofsimplicity said...

What a great place that must have been to live in. How exciting.

Marvin said...

An interesting and colorful city. I'm sure you have many good memories of your time spent there.

Anonymous said...

These are just lovely, Sylvia! The Parroquia de San Miguel is a beautiful building and I love the courtyard and patio. Wonderful post.

Snap said...

Lovely! Looks like you really enjoyed San Miguel.

NatureFootstep said...

This is a good way of travelling :) Thanks for sharing.

Elizabeth Bradley said...

I love Mexico. I have never been to San Miguel de Allende but we have many friends that highly recommend the quaint town. Although I hear the Americans have really raised the cost of living.

Carolyn said...

Sylvia, beautiful post of fond memories. Mexico back then was such a wonderful place. I was married in Cuernavaca Mexico(the City of Eternal Spring) in 1970 as my husband was taking spanish immersion for his job with CP Air. We also lived in a wonderful little apartment with a balcony onto the wonderful life of the city for a year and travelled to the coast and into Guatemala. Some of my fondest memories. Thanks for sharing.
Smiles

Marites said...

wonderful photos with the post. I especially like the street shot with the colorful buildings and the patio in the middle of the house. My world is here.

What Can I Say?

What Can I Say?
I'm interested in almost everything. Use to like to travel, but it's too expensive now. I take Tai Chi classes, swim, volunteer in a Jump-start program for pre-schoolers. I'm an avid reader and like nearly everyone these days I follow politics avidly. I'm a former teacher and Special Projects Coordinator for a Telecommunications company, Assistant to the President of a Japanese silicon wafer manufacturing company. Am now enjoying retirement -- most of the time. I have two daughters, one son-in-law and two sons scattered all over the country. No grandchildren.

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