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.