Days 94 And 95: San Miguel De Allende

The eclectic mish-mash of eccentric aging gringos with Mexican culture here in San Miguel de Allende is morbidly fascinating in the same way that we all stare at the wreckage of an accident.  Although the cobblestone-lined streets are beautiful, this is not my kind of town, but I can appreciate that even this, too, is Mexico.  While normally I would avoid gringo-laden tourist towns, San Miguel de Allende has its highlights and I was determined to make the best of it... from gorgeous photography exhibits, to the picturesque architecture, to the music scene, to the relatively wide selection of quality wine and beer...

The streets light up with vibrant green foliage.

Each twist and turn offers secret passageways and alleys.

Even the doorknobs have character.

We caught the last day of the blues festival at the local theater... the lead singers were aging expats who, while not necessarily talented, were exuberant and passionate about the blues.  The lovely folks backing them up were some of the most gifted blues musicians I've had the pleasure of watching. 

Night time is the best time to see the main plaza, in my humble opinion.

Nathan and Julie show off their awesome walkie talkies... we were happy to have them as our bunkmates at the hostel.

By far my favorite exhibition of the trip so far... a photo series of the national parks and reserves of Mexico.  Absolutely stunning.

The cultural center where students can be seen painting on the balcony.

One of many well-loved dogs in San Miguel de Allende peering out of a balcony.

Nathan and Julie, this one is for you, I found it about 30 minutes after you guys left for Guanajuato!

My own personal paradise... The Beer Company is located on the main road towards Celaya across from the School of Art and Spanish, and has an amazing selection of Mexican craft beer, including the locally brewed Dos Aves on draft.  We spent well over 5 hours here exploring the beers and chatting with an outgoing Canadian guy (whose name escapes me).

A refreshing warning on a beer called La Lupulosa by the Tijuana-based brewery Insurgentes... a quick internet search reveals that lúpulo means hops.  This particular bottle warns us that there is "an extreme amount" of hops and interestingly lists the various malts used.

Another IPA recommended to me, brewed in Mexico state.  It was good, but my palette was a bit ruined by the Lupulosa.

My favorite brew of the night was this local San Miguel Russian imperial stout.

Another patron brought in some vintage Corona bottles, circa 1940s, for the owner to admire. 

A few travel notes for cycle tourists:

• San Miguel de Allende is expensive... like U.S. prices expensive.  You can either embrace it and enjoy the finer things in life, like quality steaks, imported wines, and craft beer, or you can get by on a shoestring by hitting the loncherías in the market and grab a 20 peso torta and self-catering from the fruit and veggie stands.  To San Miguel de Allende's credit, I never had to pay to visit the art galleries and exhibits.

• We stayed at the Hostel Inn, which is basically the overflow hostel for the more popular Alcatraz Hostel.  I liked it because its located a bit away from the plaza and the party scene and has spacious dorms, they have cheap laundry facilities on site, and accommodated our bikes with no problems.  On the weekends, expect it to be packed with everyone from Mexican families, backpackers, and young partiers.  By Sunday afternoon, it empties out again.  

• Be careful on the streets if you are out late, one of the young Mexican students partying here was mugged (no gun or violence) because he was wandering the streets drunk in the week hours of the morning.