Perhaps the most congenial wintering spot on the plateau is San Miguel de Allende. This city of 80,000 and cradle of Mexican independence has corralled more than 2,500 Canadian and American expatriates and attracts an untold number of snowbirds for periods of one to five months. Unlike other colonial cities, the English language is widely spoken. Delightfully mild weather prevails year round and the city exudes a decidedly laid-back atmosphere.

Renting a home in San Miguel de Allende is your first priority. A search on www.vrbo.com reveals offerings ranging in price from $1,000 to $10,000 (U.S.) per month with price variations by season and by length of stay. Rents typically include utilities and housekeeping services. Overall, you will appreciate the quality of housing in San Miguel. House design follows the Moorish style with central courtyards forming an integral part of the living space. Almost always, a colourful but Spartan exterior and a fully gated yard hide flowering gardens, enchanting home designs and quality furnishings.

Apartments are a less costly option with rents ranging from $350 to $1,000 per month. Obtain apartment information through word of mouth, local newspapers and community bulletin boards. Buildings have three to ten units and are mainly in the centre of town. Many offer interior courtyards and rooftop gardens.

Understanding the geography of San Miguel is vital when selecting a rental property. This is a mountain city that huddles in a valley surrounded on three sides by ascending hills. Housing is available on the hills and in the valley.

If you rent on the hillsides, you had best be in excellent physical condition because the walking can be extremely taxing. The main part of the city is at an elevation of 6,200 feet and the fringes are close to 7,000 feet. Oftentimes, houses won't have direct road access. Even if you take a cab home, you could be walking the last 300 yards over rocky and steep terrain.

Select a home in the central or flat part of the city. Areas like Guadiana and the Jardin are ideal choices. In these locations, you can wander home for lunch or siesta and return to the action without knocking yourself out. If you live in the hills, the walk home leaves you reluctant to repeat the process. Hillside locations sabotage spontaneity.

Cold overnight temperatures are the corollaries of high altitude. Don't be surprised to wake up in January and February to below freezing temperatures. The good news is that daytime temperatures quickly rise to the mid 70's making strolling very pleasant were it not for the notorious cobblestone roads and sidewalks.

Cobblestone appears in two varieties in San Miguel. The first is cut stone with mortared joints providing a smooth surface. The roads in the centre of town are constructed in this fashion. Elsewhere, round stones are pounded into gravel providing an uneven road surface that beats the dickens out of cars, shoes and knees. If you have ever walked in a shallow stream with a rocky bottom, you will have some idea of the sensation. This type of cobblestone is typical on the hillsides even when fronting million dollar homes.

The sidewalks of San Miguel are unusually narrow. Two people cannot pass on a sidewalk so one must take to the street. The sidewalks house municipal services including telephone poles, street lighting, water lines, street signs and driveway ramps. Buildings have box windows that extend eight to ten inches over the sidewalk. Always look down to avoid stumbling on water pipes or falling into open service hatches and always look up to avoid street signs and ubiquitous box windows. Other impediments to a pleasant walk are . . .

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John McClelland lives and works in Ottawa, Canada and spends a good part of each winter traveling in Mexico.