Artisan Market

El Mercado de Artesinas is at the bottom of the steep street from our B&B toward the center of San Miguel de Allende. Selling both food and crafts, it spans three covered blocks. It is probably the best-known market in the city, and very photogenic, so I'll be posting photos from it for the next several days.

Evening Meals for the People

Lots of taco places, tortillerias, and other fast food places for the San Miguel locals to grab some supper.

Evening in San Miguel de Allende

As we walked from our B&B, along the alleyway and down the hilly street, on the way to a restaurant in the center of San Miguel, the Christmas lights and fading sun augmented the textures and colors along the way.

Cuesta de San Jose

The street down from our B&B toward the center of San Miguel de Allende is named Cuesta de San Jose. The photos below are from our first walk down the street (it is steep and easier to go down than up), showing the elaborate doorways, vivid colors, and elegant disrepair that makes the city so photogenic.

Antigua Capilla B&B - Crafts

Antigua Capilla B&B is richly furnished with superb regional crafts, in both guest rooms and public areas. We were particularly taken with the colorful beadwork and the pottery.

Antigua Capilla B&B - vegetation

We stayed in San Miguel de Allende at a splendid B&B, named Antigua Capilla (Ancient Chapel) after a small chapel in the middle of its courtyard. The B&B is a remarkably large and attractive set of buildings, set behind black iron gates along the Callejon Chepito alley, that took three years to build. The proprietors, Antonieta and Francisco, are great hosts who justifiably take much pride in their accomplishment. Here are some of their landscaping touches.

Introduction to San Miguel de Allende

From Salt Lake City we flew to Mexico City, and then were driven to San Miguel de Allende: a focal point of the Mexican Revolution, the geographic center of Mexico, and perhaps the most beautiful- per-square-foot city in the world. We drove into town, up a substantial hill, and stopped outside an inconspicuous alley: Callejon Chepito. We walked with our driver and our luggage (one suitcase each) down the alley toward our B&B. In niches along the wall of the alley were these two striking shrines devoted to the Virgin Mary (arguably a more important religious figure in Mexico than Jesus), early indications of the artistic beauty and quality that we would encounter throughout our trip.

Approaching Salt Lake City Airport

From January 15-21, we took a vacation from Portland to San Miguel de Allende, Mexico. The trip began with a 6 AM flight from PDX to SLC, arriving at the Salt Lake City airport at about 8 AM, when the morning light was lovely. I generally take an aisle seat on flights; but this morning, as luck would have it, I was in a window seat, so I got these photos of the salt flats and mountains as we circled.

Slabtown Stairways

Many of the older homes in Slabtown are built on small hills, requiring stairways that are often elegantly designed and landscaped.

Environmental Maintenance

Keeping Slabtown yards neat and healthy.

Varieties of Residential Vegetation

Portland, Oregon is noted for its diverse vegetation year-round, and some strolls through Slabtown show why.

Slabtown Planter Pots

Slabtown Textured Walls

Stucco makes a nice background for black and white photographs.

Slabtown Tangles

Moving in or out, or not moving.

Slabtown Leaves

Large, lush leaves along a residential street.

Slabtown Front Yards

Slabtown is the northern part of Portland's Northwest District. It was industrial and home to working class families, but is now rapidly gentrifying. However, it maintains some older housing stock and lots of vegetation. For the next week or so I'll be posting photos of textures and geometries from my walks around Slabtown.