For the third year in a row, Stephanie Reid - my travel agent and dear friend - and I took 16 travelers to the heart of colonial Mexico for the Dia de los Muertos celebration. We stayed in lovely rental homes in San Miguel de Allende which just won (for the second year in a row) "Best World City" in the Travel and Leisure Magazine 2018 reader survey. The award doesn't surprise me because the city offers beautiful architecture, great food, a wonderful climate, stunning art, but, most of all, friendly and warm people.
 |
| We loved our tour guide Angelica who explained how San Miguel evolved from a supply-chain city of the silver trade to a World Heritage City. |
During our week long tour in San Miguel, we visiting a local ranch for a country lunch, visited local Mesoamerican pyramids, took cooking classes, enjoyed an overnight trip to world heritage city Guanajuato, participated in the "Desfile de las Catrinas" (Parade of the Skeleton Dandies), eat too much and soaked in the history and culture as much as we could. The tour was a dream come true for me since I invited several of my best friends from college and they proved to be wonderful travelers and enthusiastic participators. We came away from the tour with a deeper appreciation of Mexican culture and their respect for remembering and celebrating those who have passed away. Enjoy the tour through these pictures!
 |
| As in all Latin American and Spanish towns, the plaza (in this case, the "Jardin") is the center of social life. |
 |
| On the street where we lived! This is our home base - lovely Aldama Street. The most photogenic street, and one where wedding processions pass daily, was only two blocks from the Jardin and the cathedral (La Parroquia). |
 |
One of our favorite activities was visiting Rancho Xotolar where we milked cows, rode horses, made tamales and
had a real Mexican country lunch. Muy rico!!!! |
 |
| I've always wondered where pinto beans come from. I've certainly eaten enough of them!! |
 |
| The beautiful countryside of Mexico's central plateau featured long vistas and gorgeous skies |
 |
| The cheese tamales were muy ricos! |
 |
| Luisa, one of Rancho Xotolar's owners, instructs us not to overfill the tamales. |
 |
| Barbara smooths the purple mass in route to a delightful |
