San Miguel's Day

Well, my goodness -- the folks here are going crazy over St. Michael's Day.  I suppose it's a given since we live in San Miguel de Allende, but there have been cuetes since last night, a procession at 4 am this morning (which Michael trudged into town to see), a hour's worth of fireworks representing the fight between Michael and his fellow archangels and the fallen angels, voladores, and more parades/processions all day.  It sounds like they're starting up with the cuetes again as I write.

The early morning processions were great (I understand).  Here's a picture of part of it.  We think the folks in white were those who would portray the archangels as they paraded around the square and then exited to a side street near the Parrochia that leads to a side entrance to the area in front of the church from which the archangels threw their fireworks by hand.

And then the Catherine wheels went off!

 I understand that those too close to the fallen angel's fireworks' launchers were in for a surprise!!!

The Catherine wheels are supported by a castelita [the openwork structure in the background] as seen in this picture from the Cowboys & Horses Mass in front of the parrochia during the weekend.

All in all, a jolly time was had by all - especially those of us who stayed abed and checked out the photos later!

And what are voladores you ask?

Here they are, twirling around that really tall pole.   I understand that they work their way up to the top and then descend to ground level again.

Weather, again?

Okay; I suspect that you must be tired of hearing about our weather, but it's an important facet of life here SOB.

Two days ago we had lots of dark clouds - all day - as they swept past us:  no rain.

Yesterday we awoke to a complete cloud cover which then turned into white, fluffy clouds: no rain.

Today the clouds were spotty, nothing dark nor threatening.  So tonight we're listening to a percussion piece of thunder and lightning.  The actual storm seems to be south of SMA, but we're being exposed to both the lightning and the tremendous, rolling thunder the lightning is producing.

It's a shame we probably won't get any rain from this.  The presa is nearly full again, but it will be a long, dry winter and a little extra water is a good thing.  Rainy season is next summer.  Perhaps it will rain again in January/February? 

After a summer spent in southern Indiana with lots of weather (and the appropriate warnings on the weather radio), it's kinda neat to have weather here, too.   No weather warnings on the non-existent weather radios, but it's here, just the same.  Other than the weather channel's predictions via the internet, our local stations (mostly volunteer) report what happened, not what's going to happen.

Hola - just as I'm writing this the pitter-patter of raindrops has begun in the back yard! 

Rain, glorious rain!!!!

Travel

For those who think we only sit around and complain about the weather, we are jubilado (retired), so we travel!

In August, we went to Santa Fe, New Mexico for the Opera Season.  One year - a few years back - we decided to go to Santa Fe for the opera.  We'd visited at the holidays before as we had doggie friends who lived in/around Santa Fe.  

So we bought some tickets, singed up for the preview buffet and turned up for dinner before the opera.  At that time they seated folks rather than letting them find their own places (they may still do, but as established opera-goers, we usually decline their seating services).  

So we were seated at a table for six and, being shy types, looked timerously as each party of two was led towards our table.  Each two-some was escorted past us - much to our relief) until two gentlemen were seated with us.  Well, we got on like a house afire.  The folks who do the seating are aces! We were living in Los Angeles at the time and the gentlemen frequently came to southern California for quick breaks so there were several meetings, dinners, concerts, et cetera.

We now go to Santa Fe annually and always share some time at the opera.

Santa Fe was swell, but a little complicated this year.  To take advantage of sales on Volaris, we arrived (and departed) through San Diego - via Tijuana - about 12 hours apart. Luckily most of the Volaris staff are bilingual.  [The first time we flew Volaris we nearly missed our flight, not understanding what was being announced!]  

I crossed the border at San Ysidro so I could take the trolley into San Diego (you know me and my alternate-forms-of-transportation thing) to meet my sister closer to their home; Michael crossed at Otay Mesa, from where he needed a pick-up.  Paula and Tim swear that Otay Mesa is no problem, so we'll be using that entry for both of us in the future:  closer to the TIJ airport, nearly a walk-thru situation with the Border Patrol as opposed to an hour or more shuffling in line at San Ysidro, and only a short walk to McDonald's where family/friends can wait for your arrival.  And there are factory stores nearby!  With staff who actually want to help you!! Yahoo!!!!!  We became fast friends of the Ralph Lauren Polo store there during this trip. We only went there because a friend here in San Miguel asked for a particular brand of sport shirt, but we'll certainly be back!

Paula and Tim's excellent friends, Scott and Christopher, were in town and also staying at their home part of the time, so there was a certain amount of bed/house swapping to accommodate everyone.  Hadn't seen Scott and Christopher in ages (they live in San Francisco now), so it was good to catch up with them!  Busy, talented kids who are working up a moveable cabaret with P/T.

Then off to Santa Fe via a flight to ABQ.  I love the San Diego airport: spacious, excellent crowd handling, pleasant atmosphere.  Once in New Mexico there were the usual summer thunderstorms (a bumpy plane arrival by plane), but they missed the opera showtimes, so that was good.  Other days it poured!  First visit - Target for those umbrellas we thought we'd brought with us....  

Stayed at La Quinta Inns within driving distance of downtown - much prefer walking to the square, but it's cheaper further out.  LQ was being remodeled, so internet service was spotty in our room.  Although Michael could sign on with his iPhone, my netbook could recognize the signal, but couldn't connect except between 3:00 and 4:00 AM!  I slept through some of those nights.

Next year I think we're looking at Buffalo Thunder, on the north side of town a few miles out, but probably downtown SF is as reachable as when staying on the south side 'cuz it's highway into town, instead of heavily traveled surface streets.  It might even be a quicker drive, too.

Met up with our friends from Santa Fe - Michael (another!) and Will - who own a business caring for homes (well, it's more than caring for homes: involves taking cars to other parts of the West if one of their Santa Fe customers wants the Rolls to be in San Francisco when they arrive from Dallas, et cetera) for one of the operas.  They prefer closer seats that we usually occupy, and they care for the homes of 2 opera divas who maintain houses there: Susan Graham and Joyce DiDonato.  Both will be singing in the 2013 season, so we'll have seats in the front of the house for those two operas with Michael and Will (The Grand Duchess of Gerolstein (Offenbach) with Susan Graham and La Donna del Lago (a Scottish opera by Rossini) with Joyce DiDonato, and seats towards the back for the other 3 operas (Marriage of Figaro (Mozart), La Traviata (Verdi) and a world premier, Oscar - yes, the Wilde man - (Morrison) with David Daniels, a fabulouso countertenor! 

Only saw 3 operas this year (we backed out of 2 to save tix, hotel, meals expenses), but are booked and paid for all 5 next year plus the two buffet dinners, so there won't be that temptation next year.  We had already bought our non-refundable plane tickets for the return to Mexico, so Paula and Tim got to host us for a few extra days of shopping!  Sat next to a lovely couple from Arkansas who were attending SFO for the first time.  The wife reminded us of our sister-in-law, Jane, and now if we turn up in Arkansas, we have a place to go.

A blow-by-blow description of the restaurants/operas/shopping must wait for a longer blog entry. Shortly: Pearl Fishers (Bizet) we knew only by the duet from the first act that one hears around; King Roger by Szysmanowski (I'm sure I've spelled that wrong - (later) fixed that spelling!) is a new favorite which we knew only through the Sydney Ballet's adaptation by Graeme Murphy (thank you, uTube); and Verdi's Tosca with Thomas Hampson (an L.A. Opera and Philharmonic stalwart) as Scarpia.  As usual, imaginative stagings, fine acting, and glorious music.  They just do things so well there - and in the middle of the desert (don't let them hear that remark).

Now we're prepping for a Hawai'i cruise on the Disney Wonder that comes up in mid-October.  Spreadsheets completed (except for pesky updates); packing lists made; formal wear tried on for sizes; some collaborative shuttle service arranged with others on Facebook/Disboards making the trip; port excursions arranged; last minute orders for our travel agent to deal with; all that sort of thing. 

There will also be times to arrange meet-ups with folks from past cruises who will be at DL while we're there between the cruise and our return to Mexico.  It's going to be a busy couple of days!  Old home week....

No more cruises until 2014: the Panama Canal on the Norwegian Star. We were booked on Disney for the PC cruise from Miami to Los Angeles (with a quickie Miami/Key West/Castaway Cay/Miami before it), but Norwegian is cheaper and they've got their 2014 schedule out already, so we could push the cruise back several months.  And we've sailed on the Star before and enjoy 'Anytime Dining' so it will be fine.  We're planning on flying to Orlando for WDW, then hopping down to Miami and cruising through the Canal back to L.A. in January '14.  

No cruises planned for 2013, though there is a placeholder ressie for December '13 that will probably  be moved forward or back.  Disney is sailing out of Galveston thru the Eastern Caribbean (with a stop in Port Canaveral that includes transport/park entry to WDW for a day) plus a stop in Key West (I've always wanted to visit there since seeing that Arnold Schwartzenegger/Jamie Lee Curtis spy movie - True Lies?) through May of 2013.  Still considering that possibility.

Otherwise, same-old, same-old.  Our SMA gurus - Carol Schmidt and Norma Hair (Falling in Love with San Miguel) - have moved back to the states after 10 years in San Miguel.  Carol's health was being affected by our altitude here and she was facing dragging an oxygen cylinder around town - NOT.  Now they're back in a suburb of Phoenix (if you can call 50 miles away a suburb) and she's doing much better with a normal oxygen reading of around 97%!  They were forlorn at leaving SMA, but it was for the best.  Not that we lived in each others' pockets, but it's odd to know that they're not here any longer. Something's missing in the air, ya know?

Between trips we made it through another celebration of the Revolution this last weekend.  Other than a lot of cuetes (aerial bombs), it was sort of quiet - at least in our part of the town.  Tons of people in Centro (many from Mexico City - for whom San Miguel is a reachable vacation/weekend spot), but quieter than in the past, I understand.  This is the first time we've been in San Miguel for the holiday but we didn't really get too involved.  San Miguel = good; crowds = bad.


And that's what we've been doing to keep us out of trouble!

Cuetes to the left of me; cuetes to the right of me!

Although the dogs had gotten to the point that they ignored the sounds of the construction of the new house across the street (except when the big cement trucks and pumpers show up), we were approaching Independence Day with some trepidation.

This country seems overly fond (some would say) of aerial bombs - cuetes - which are set off for any slight reason: every saint's day, historical occasions, festials, even someone's birthday, you name it - and so we were apprehensive about the coming Independence Day celebrations.

There were a few cuetes on Friday morning, but then nothing!

So we thought, OK, there will be more on Saturday - the day of El Grito (the Cry for Independence/Revolution), which occurred in nearby Delores (now Delores Hidalgo in honor of the priest who delivered the stirring speech that began the movement for independence).  El Grito is re-enacted in many towns throughout Mexico late in the evening of the day before Independence Day.  And, of course, especially here in San Miguel (now San Miguel de Allende to recognize one of the first leaders of the revolution who came from San Miguel).  After El Grito on the Eve of Independence Day, the crowd from Delores walked cross-country to San Miguel, picking up leadership and support for their cry for freedom.

So, more cuetes late at night, right?  Wrong; quiet.

Now this morning, bright and early, there have been tremendous rounds of cuetes set off, which have sounded as if they were in our backyard -- and the dogs (well, Miyake, at least) have been appropriately noisy in return.  This hasn't seemed to have made any difference to those setting them off - just us.  But here it is, 8:30 am and all is quiet.  One can even hear the birds chirping in the bushes.  Wonder if it's done for the day???

San Miguel de Allende is a tourist spot for both gringos and Mexicans alike.  We really were battening down the hatches for a prolonged noisy celebration, but it may not occur - or it may occur at a more reasonable hour.  Perhaps because it's a Sunday, events will be delayed?  Certainly not like the 200th Anniversary Celebration of recent past.  Of course, we'd managed to book ourselves on cruises the last couple of years during this time, so we've had only reports of the festivities by which to judge.

Guess I'll try my hand at making a peanut butter mousse pie.  'Cacahuate' - that's Spanish, si?

More weather...

You must get tired of me going on about the weather - you'd think this was an UK site!  But the other day, when an inch was predicted, we got just under 1/4-inch!  What a disappointment.

On the other hand, when not much precipitation was predicted for today at all, it's now thundering and lightening and occasionally pouring down rain.  Probably not that much rain, but it is raining, which is a good thing.  The day was pretty uneventful otherwise: both our maid and the gardner arrive on Saturday and the dogs go loco! You'd think seeing them each every week (the maid twice weekly) they'd be used to ithem by now, but they still react as if they've never seen them before.   Terriers - grrr!

Our rain really varies between different parts of town.  This living on the side of a mountain makes for different weather patterns  depending upon whether yourre on the lea side or not, north of town or south, et cetera.

Michael does need to visit a friend's home across town this evening to feed the friend's dog and cat.  He's taking our large umbrella - and will take the bus, I hope.  The bus will get him within striking distance of the friend's home and the umbrella should provide the rest of the protection.

Michael did whip up a home-made salsa late in the day - good as usual, if slightly different.  Depends upon what chilies are used in addition to the seared tomatoes.  He uses both fresh chilis and dried and they vary depending upon what we have in stock.  All have been yummy, if never quite the same.

We had a small stock of Fritos from a shop that visits Texas on a regular basis, so we had Frito Pie tonight!  Not that I ever made Frito Pie when we lived in the States, but suddenly it's old home week.  Of course, it's also a bit different from time-to-time (like the salsa), but still recognizable - and good!