Duality and Symbiosis

In a previous trip to India, I noted the extremes that I saw, poverty next to high rises, slums next to significant historical sites. A guide here in San Miguel used the term duality. Two seemingly opposing concepts, that are actually complementary. Sun and moon, night and day, masculine and feminine. Then there is symbiosis, a joining of objects so that each may prosper and co-exist. We have an example of completely separate organisms (cactus and huisache tree) growing from the same root. One helps the other with shade to grow saplings, the other helps with water.

In San Miguel, there are Catholic and pre-Colombian, Mesoamerican influences, native and foreigners, art and business, all coexisting. There is even a theory that San Miguel itself is built on top of a demolished pre-Aztec city. History is written by the winners after all, yes? But science, anthropology, archeology can sometimes expose that and find true history.

Just a few thoughts. Now, what did I eat  drink, and see this week?

It's nice to be in San Miguel, in clearer air (Mexico City is very polluted and has a thick smell of smoke all around). You also immediately feel the 6500 feet altitude when walking up a small incline. And there are lots of them. We are in the mountains here, surrounded by higher ones. Its actually built on an extinct volcano caldera (and perhaps more, but keep reading), so kind of in a valley and why you either go up or down a hill. I'm getting many more thousands of steps on my pedometer than I did during out work step counting contest. 

I decided to start with a historic walking tour of San Miguel. We began at El Jardin and and Parroquia. We learn that San Miguel and nearby Dolores Hidalgo is the birthplace of the Mexican revolution against Spain, diez y seis, September 16. It has many similarities to the American revolution, including a midnight ride. The signals were gritos, not bells.

La Parroquia

It is said the Mexican people, sick of being treated like second class citizens by the Spaniards, we're inspired by revolutions in the US and French. The main parish church Parroquia, was built by catholics but a Franciscan church around the corner was used to hide citizens who were to be killed by the Spanish forces coming to town. Both churches are active and deliver mass today.

San Francisco Church

What was not discussed on the tour is relatively new discovery of a society nearby that the Spanish considered to be pagan, because of sacrifices human and animal. They were wiped out along with most native populations due to disease and warfare. More on that later. 
But this was a very good introduction to the area and history and art. 

After 3 hours it was time for a beer and lunch. I didn't really plan it, but my first two meals today we're meatless, on Monday. I typically do this at home, but rarely on vacations. My breakfast was a spinach omelette at Mesa Grande and lunch was quesadilla and a couple of Modelo Especialle at Rincon de Don Tomas on a patio across from El Jardin. Good people watching. An old singer serenaded Mexican folk songs, a clarinet player and accordionist played 30s jazz standards.  Duality, symbiosis.

On the way back, a group of school kids on a "rally," what I'd call a scavenger hunt, needed a photo with  an American, not living in San Miguel (there are 10,000 of those). That was pretty fun.
Yes, I'm a gringo here, and no it isn't derogatory. I'm pretty sure I stand out as a tourist with my hat and backpack. So what? I am! 

I was walking back to the house and was thinking I was going too far when I heard a muffled, faux coughing voice say "Darryl!" It was John and Carmen going to lunch. I was too far. But I joined them for 2nd lunch at a Thai restaurant where I had another beer and fried rice, vegetarian.  Am I drinking too much or addicted to beer? Nah. 

After a short siesta back at the hacienda, we walked around the corner to Don Lupe's grille for drinks, dinner, and live music. A group of expats played bluegrass. Then a singer songwriter from Vancouver, Ron Van Dyke, played his songs (very good by the way, a video below). Followed by a guy living in San Miguel, who lived and played in Austin for 37 years, Walter Ersman. Very nice indeed. Gringos playing in a Tex Mex place in San Miguel. Symbiosis. By the way, I had Dos Equis and shrimp tostadas. Does shrimp count as meatless?

Open mike night at Don Lupe's
Ron Van Dyke
Walter Ersma

Art and artistry

After struggling with technology  (slow mobile service, bricked WiFi camera card) late Monday night, I slept in Tuesday morning. Carmen is so great, she brought me coffee and toast on the patio. I don't really want to get addicted to coffee. I only drink it on vacation, but she makes it so well. But I do have to add sugar and cream. She uses raw brown, unrefined stuff and I like it.

Making coffee is an art, right? But it's time to see Mexican modern art and artisans. I walk about a mile to the Fabrica de Aurora, a collective housing of artist studios and galleries of paintings, sculptures, jewelry, gardens, outdoor and indoor decor. I'm no expert on art and don't really think about it, so it was an education to see modern art here. I enjoyed browsing very much. I hope you enjoy some of the photos I was able to take. Not all galleries allow it, but the ones that do are included here.

From there is it more food, a simple but delicious (I love to tweak my sister, she hates that word, Ha!) milanese pollo torta, a Mexican chicken sandwich. The cashier didn't understand English, I didn't understand her Spanish, but we made it work. Duality?

It's the third full day and this is the first time I had a margarita, but it was perfect and refreshing. I went to a root bar, Quinze, right next to the Parroquia. A great view and relaxing respite from walking all day.

Another siesta and another walk to Don Lupe's.

This time a flutist and jazz guitarist were playing old standards. I love jazz but after a while I was done. But if you insist, I had Chile enchiladas.  Not really tex-mex like ours, it was filled with ground beef but the topping was more of a brown gravy and no queso. Good though. This time beer was Indio. I haven't seen it in the US, but it needs to be. We were convinced (dared?) to try Mezcal by either Carmen or Cesar (our daily waiter). Well of course I'm going to have it and I liked it. I'll be bringing some back, but no insects in the bottle, por favor. 







Mesoamerica 

Most of us know of the Mayans, Incas, and Aztec of pre-Colombian civilizations. Mayans and Aztec make up the area in Mexico and Central America called Mesoamerica.  

Near San Miguel another civilization has been found within the last 20 years. Runs of Pyramids and sunken patio, named Canada de la Virgen, archaeologists believe we're here before the Aztecs. They too were wiped out by Europeans. There is evidence of human and animal sacrifice, and a devotion to God of the heavens. The pyramid itself was built after calculation and observation of the stars. Each corner of the building is a spot where the sun advances every 20 days. They built an architectural astronomical instrument to measure the suns journey across the horizon for the year. But they also built this to track the lunar movement. They knew the lunar eclipse schedules and it's cycle in which the sun, earth, and moon come back into the same relative position every 19 years—a fact of astronomy. So they observed this for a generation or more to make precise mappings to build it. Without any technology. And passing down the knowledge verbally or some yet discovered method. Genius. Archaeologists are only beginning to understand the mathematical calculations these pre-Hispanic settlements used. They are beginning to to study if this instrument also tracked planets Venus and Mars. 

Researchers here suspect there may have been a ball court, similar to ones I saw in the Yucatan where Mayans used body parts except for hands, to get a ball through a hoop in the center. It mirrors their idea of perpetual motion in alignment with the perpetual motion of the universe. If the ball stops, it symbolizes the sun or moon stopping, and an end to everything. The player who let the ball stop may have been sacrificed to apologize to the gods for such a betrayal. The losing team or captain may have also been sacrificed. It's a serious game! 
When the Spanish saw this, it was thought barbaric and pagan. The Mesoamericans thought the Spanish were disrespecting the gods and ruining the duality of the sun and moon, day and night. Some archaeologists believe that in addition to disease, the downfall of these societies is because of their sacrificial ceremonies, especially of virgins. They were themselves eroding the population. Also, when the Spanish went to war and conquered the high ranking societies, the peasants and villagers joined to Spanish because they were tired of losing people and livestock to sacrifices.

I'd like to stay tuned to see what other discoveries are made here. Is San Miguel built on top of previous civilizations and ruins? At any rate, the map of Mesoamerica, previously ended south of hear, closer to Mexico city where they know of the Teotihuacán Empire.  Now the map has changed to include the area near San Miguel.

If you come, I recommend the tour by Albert Coffee, one of the archaeologists researching the site. 

After the tour (which includes about a 3k walk and 700 feet elevation gain), we ate at another researchers restaurant and archeology astronomy museum. I ate rabbit, nopal (cooked cactus), rice and beans, with the best mole I ever had. And yes, the evening was capped by a trip to Don Lupe's, this time for beer and nachos. There are other restaurants in this town, I promise!

Artisan Toys 

Thursday, I decided to sleep more and do less. I went to breakfast of chilaquiles at Matilda's favorite Cafe Monet. Chilaquiles is a traditional Mexican dish of quartered and fried corn tortillas with salsa (I had red) and eggs. Delicioso! (And spicy!) 

You may notice a recurring them of art and artisans. Its famous for that here. The highlight of the day was the toy museum, Museo La Esquina, Museo del Juquete Popular Mexicano. Toys from various regions, handmade by artisans. Good for all ages. I loved the wrestling ring and the trains. It has three stories arranged by theme and location. You can visit the fair, La feria, for cool little depictions of rides and another room has dolls of multi cultures and ethnicities. 

The rest of the day was shopping and resting and writing this very long blog. But before it ends, the dinner was New Orleans style at Hank's,  formerly known as Harry's (not affiliated with the famous bar in Venice, hence the name change).  At night in El Jardin, mariachi bands play all around the sure and in nearby cantinas. 

OK, so that's it for San Miguel. A short but memorable trip. I don't know if I'll retire here, but it's worth considering. Churros (an elongated fried dough pastry like a doughnut) in the morning then a journey to Baja.

Peace