Forums > Areas > Central Highlands

shannonrose

Apr 3, 2006, 12:13 PM

Post #1 of 7 (3410 views)

Shortcut

San Miguel De Allende

Can't Post | Private Reply

Hello,
My daughters, ages 8 and 10 will be spending a month in San Miguel De Allende this summer (6/24-7/25). I'd like to read some books before we arrive so that I may better appreciate the history and culture. Does anyone have a recommendation?
Thanks for your help.
Shannon

misslyn

Apr 8, 2006, 11:03 PM

Post #2 of 7 (3277 views)

Shortcut

Re: [shannonrose] San Miguel De Allende

Can't Post | Private Reply

Lucky girls! You should find just about everything in these 2 books:

The Insider's Guide to San Miguel (2005), Archie Dean, ISBN 970-01505-0-2

The Best of San Miguel 2005, Joseph Harmes, ISBN 968-7846-72-0 (English/Spanish; includes a chapter on "rugrats")

Also check out Carol Schmidt's new website at www.fallinginlovewithsanmiguel.com.

Lyn

Bubba

Apr 19, 2006, 8:38 AM

Post #3 of 7 (3117 views)

Shortcut

Re: [shannonrose] San Miguel De Allende

Can't Post | Private Reply

Shannon:

San Miguel de Allende is a small, congested city of little historical importance with an exalted sense of self-importance built on the flimsy notion that artists and odd-balls are attracted to its environs. Like so many southern U.S. families of my acquaintance, the exalted state is only imagined and built upon the successes of people and institutions long dead or stultified. Yet, folks whose artisitic works are of marginal importance or non-existent like to stroll about the town and preen in its plaza like bloated Fugu assuming importance simply by being there if you get my drift.

Rather than subject your children to this Stepford Mexico, may I suggest Guanajuato, Guanajuato itself. An extraordinary town that is a sophisticated burg and engineering marvel. If Guanajuato were Florence then San Miguel would be Santa Fe. Life´s too short to waste a month in DFW South.

zoeq1000

Apr 19, 2006, 9:20 AM

Post #4 of 7 (3105 views)

Shortcut

Re: [Bubba] San Miguel De Allende

Can't Post | Private Reply

Good Lord, Bubba. San Miguel is a very nice place to spend a few weeks. You can feel quite safe with your daughters and enjoy the architecture and color of the town. For an enlightening book on children in Mexico, I like "The Children of Sanchez" written by an anthropologist.

Chumley

Apr 20, 2006, 5:03 AM

Post #5 of 7 (3042 views)

Shortcut

Re: [shannonrose] San Miguel De Allende

Can't Post |

You might also want to obtain a copy of the photographic book "Visions of San Miguel; the Heartland of Mexico." It is available from Amazon, it's ISBN:970-91505-1-0 and contains the work of some thirty professional and semi-pro photographers who live full or part time in San Miguel. It will give a more human feeling about what San Miguel is besides reading words about it. I'm proud to say that I made a small contribution to it myself.

caldwelld

Apr 20, 2006, 7:38 AM

Post #6 of 7 (3019 views)

Shortcut

Re: [Bubba] San Miguel De Allende

Can't Post | Private Reply

Shannonrose: Hope I do not have to say that you should not listen to Bubba on this subject. He may be entertaining but he does not know his elbow from page four when it comes to this part of Mexico. His characterizations of the inhabitants are fignutens of his imagination (he has never lived here) and he should really be ashamed for even commenting on your needs in this respect. Guanajuato is a nice place to visit and has a nice university but is totally without "emociones" as my Mx friends say, it being the state seat of govt. Your daughters will have a great time in SMA - get htem on the walking tour early on and introduce them to the library.

Bubba

Apr 20, 2006, 9:40 AM

Post #7 of 7 (3003 views)

Shortcut

Re: [caldwelld] San Miguel De Allende

Can't Post | Private Reply

Calwelld is right ShannonRose. I have spent a grand total of five days in SMA over the past 25 years. Bubba is just irritated because he failed to buy that home in centro on the park in 1980 because it was overpriced at $45,000US. Had I done that I could have made a killing in 2001 when I got here, sold it and bought a hacienda in Chiapas for peanuts. That´s life.