San Miguel de Allende, Mexico is being "Loved to death"

 On the weekends, the streets of San Miguel in centro have been turned into walking streets.  That has been wonderful.  Centro is so full of tourists that all the hotels, restaurants, parking lots and stores are packed.
I'm not exaggerating at all.  The jardin is full of milling tourists - 99% Mexican nationals.

I laugh when people talk about how many gringos live in San Miguel.  If you lived here you would instantly recognize that we are definitely the minority.  Many of the places I go, I'm the only ex-pat there.  Truly.

 These two photos are of Relox street that eventually intersects with the jardin.  Usually the street is full of vehicular traffic and one cannot stop to take photos of beautiful balconies such as these.  With the streets closed so people could walk around, I was able to get these two photos last week.

The amount of tourists are in direct correlation to the fact that, as the taxi drivers say, as they roll their eyes, "It is vacation"  but the way they say it they drag the word out.  You see, with all the vehicular traffic on the streets that aren't closed, it is total gridlock.  Therefore the taxis are making less, because they can't get anywhere very quickly.  I used a taxi last Saturday night to go to a concert where the entire two hours was the best jazz and blues I've heard in years.  All honoring BB King.  It took the taxi twenty minutes to get from my house to the Bellas Artes.  It is usually a five minute taxi ride.  When I left the performance and needed to get a taxi, I luckily got one immediately.  Something that rarely happens anymore.  One can wait as much as twenty or thirty minutes to get one.  Not good.

Sunday I couldn't get a taxi for up the hill and a store owner noticed me standing there a long time, offered his car! and drove me up the hill.  I was shocked and grateful.  He complained all the way up the hill about the amount of people in town, the traffic, and oh yes, that his white poodle had been stolen.  I commiserated with him all the way up the hill.  Now I know why I avoid centro on the weekends.  It's a madhouse.

 So, I've been spending more time up here on the hill.  The family above discovered the presa while out on a hike with their two children.  It was lovely to see.  It's been a peaceful, enjoyable time to be up on the roof terrace between rain storms.  Great place to read and also, ahem, to siesta.

 While school has been closed, an elderly painter has been busy at work repainting the figure of Montes de Oca on the front of the school.  He has been standing on a ladder that I've been sure would collapse at any minute.  But, so far, that has not happened, yet.

The piece de resistance however, has been this lovely rendition of my view of the canyon!  The previous mural of the children playing is gone which I so enjoyed.  But, I really think this is wonderful as well.

School does not reopen until some time after the tenth of August.  Many people in town, locals, both Mexican and gringos, are holding their breath waiting for town to return to some semblance of normalcy.

For a few weeks at least.  Until the celebrations of independence in the middle of September that go on til the end of September.  Then we will be inundated again.  Yes, San Miguel is being "loved to death".