San Miguel de Allende: Pampering

San Miguel de Allende: Pampering San Miguel de Allende, Mexico

San Miguel de Allende, Mexico Day 1 – July 19 Getting to San Miguel de Allende. I arrived at Mexico City from Veracruz just before sunrise. I didn’t bother checking the time. I was determined to go to the airport first, and change my Australian dollars. Luckily there is a luggage storage at the massive Norte Autobuses, for only M$30. I straight away took the Metro yellow line to Oceania. It’s fair bit of walk from the train station to the airport, but I’ve been there, I am very familiar with the 20-minute walk. From the airport, the change rate is $13 to an Australian dollar. I other parts of Mexico, you’d be lucky to get $12 exchange for a US dollar. It’s like getting fuel for the car. From the Norte Autobus station, I took the ETN 10AM bus headed for San Miguel de Allende. what a luxury! I had a full reclining seat, with my own TV panel, and was provided with a lunch pack including a sandwich and drink. It’s the most spacious bus seat I’ve ever had! Hotel San Borja. I chose this hotel because it had fabulous ( 9+) rating in booking.com. I thought while in a colonial town, I should stay in a colonial bed and breakfast. The place lived up to my expectations. First, I didn’t realise I’d get a king size bed. The whole place is beautifully furnished with colonial designs, colorful stained glass windows, ceramic tiles, wooden floors, etc. The towels were all so soft and new, the bed sheets smelled really fragrant — the whole place is just as good, if not better than 5-star hotels I’ve stayed in the past.The pool is too small for a good swim though, but I didn’t mind. The weather is too cool for swimming outdoors. For the first time in my accommodation in central america, I was provided with a walking guide map. Cobblestoned, Colorful and Colonial. San Miguel de Allende is my kind of town. Streets are lined with cafes, restaurants with courtyards, art galleries, spas, etc. I stopped by Cafe de Ventana for coffee: really full-bodied. I got photo-whoric again! This evening, on my way back to my hotel, passed by a hotel restaurant playing live salsa music. A local guy, Benito, befriended me and introduced me to his girl friends all of whom were Spanish students in town. Benito offered me a drink. I politely declined, I would have loved to dance salsa but I didn’t want to stay too late as it’s still a fair bit of walk back to my hotel. I just wanted an early night and enjoy my colonial room 🙂 Day 2: July 20 Breakfast at La Cocina. My hotel provides breakfast, but it’s a restaurant three blocks away. I had the usual huelvos ala Mexicano: picantes, tomate, y cebollas. Served with tortillas, pan y marmalada con jugo de naraja. Coffee was an extra $20. I had to have one. San Miguel on a Harley. I was walking around one last time around town, when Benito passed by on his Harley. He asked me if I want to see the El Mirador. I said yes without thinking. Before I knew it, I was having a mini-tour with great views of San Miguel Allende on a Harley Davidson without a helmet! I wondered what was in it for Benito to tour me around. Maybe some people are unconditionally generous and nice. As a courtesy, I treated him a drink before he dropped me off back to my hotel. I continue to be lucky in my travel! I would love to stay longer, but I had to go and took the 5:30PM bus to Gunajuato ($102 via Primera Plus; ETN is more expensive, the service is around the same). My hosts there are already waiting for me.

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