Day 6 Dolores HIdalgo and San MIguel de Allende

Breakfast at the hotel doesn’t start until 8:30 and we want an earlier start than that for the day so we pile into the van with the promise of breakfast in Dolores.  The drive to Dolores is beautiful and hilly, curvy.  Maybe it is just as well that we haven’t eaten yet. 

After about an hour, we arrive in Dolores.  There is a small river that runs through the town. 

Dolores is where  priest Miguel Hidalgo rang the bells which called people to fight for Independence on September 16, 1810.  The town has a nice square with a church on one side.  We have a leisurely breakfast at a restaurant on the square.  In the restaurant, there is a Day of the Dead alter to  Jose Alfredo Jimenez, who is a popular singer in Mexico and was born in Dolores. 

We have an hour to wander around the square and the church.  People watching is good.  One side of the square is closed to traffic for Day of the dead design.  Wish I could go into the house and go out on the balcony to see it from above to get the whole view. 

Next stop is a funky little place that is a UNESCO heritage site and pilgrimage spot, Santuario de Atotonilco.  The church was built in the 19th century and is an excellent example of Mexican Baroque architecture.  We have seen bloody Jesus this trip but here it is even more over the top. 

 These figures are all 3-D!

We head to San Miguel de Allende which is about an hour drive.  I’ve been in touch with my friend, Lori, who is living in San Miguel now.  We setup a time and restaurant to meet.  I thought it was a place on the square but actually, it was about 6 blocks off the square.  With the help of Switch’s phone, we find the place.  But on the way we lose Helen! Juan goes back a few blocks and we all get together again.  Relieved!  We are at a high altitude and with Helen’s asthma she sometimes needs to take a break.  It’s great to catch up with Lori! 

After  lunch we go our separate ways to poke around the stores and market.  San Miguel is a big ex-pat place and is a favorite place for many artists and craftsmen.  It is a Sunday which brings many visitors from the surrounding area.  Lori says that it is much quieter Monday through Thursday.  Lori and  I wander through a cute residential area.  When we get back to the shopping area, we run into some of our group and poke around a few shops with them on the way to the market.  I recently lost an earring that I had gotten the last time I was in San Miguel.  At the very end of the market area, is the stand where I bought them.  They have some that are similar so I buy another pair.  We head back to the square where we meet up with the others who are there eating ice cream and holding bags of purchases. I"m so busy catching up with Lori that I don't take pictures.....

Back to Guanjuanto. I get directions to a restaurant that is closer to the hotel. The directions were more complicated than they needed to be but we found it.  Tonight is the last night of the Cervantes Festival but it seems that the crowds have thinned a lot.  The restaurant is small and very local.  Head back up the hill to the hotel.  Shortly thereafter, the fireworks start for the closing of the festival.  Juan and I go out to see them.  They are exploding right over our heads!  Found out the next day that Suga and Switch were on the roof to see them.  A nice show!