Virtuoso Insights - February/March 2009 - (Page 24) Clockwise from left: La Parroquia pierces perennially blue skies; buen provecho: savory tortilla soup; and life and art commingle in San Miguel. san MiguEl DE allEnDE THe arTiSTS’ Colony San Miguel de Allende rises from the arid plains of central Mexico like a dream — a picturesque, cobble-stoned treasure trove of majestic buildings housing traditional tiendas, art galleries, fine restaurants, and a sublime and surprising jazz scene. Give in to the immediate temptation to contemplate the city’s stunning centerpiece, La Parroquia, or parish church. A fairytale fantasy of multiple spires, its design represents a synthesis of Spanish and local styles, reputedly traced out, ad hoc, in the dust as builders fashioned it to the whim of local tastes. It is unique to Mexico and a refreshing change from the more stoic churches of other Colonial towns. Be sure to return to see La Parroquia by night: Illuminated from beneath, the structure takes on a magical, almost surreal appearance, and could almost be fashioned out of candy. Though vestiges of the Spanish empire are ever present, San Miguel de Allende symbolizes the fusion of Mexico’s Colonial past and its links to the modern, independent nation. Named after Franciscan monk Fray Juan de San Miguel in 1542, its current suffix was added in honor of Ignacio Allende, the local hero who played a leading role in the war of Mexican Independence and was beheaded for his pains. You can visit his birthplace (Cuna de Allende 1), now a museum of local history. Adjacent to La Parroquia, in a beautifully restored 16thcentury former chapel with a garden patio and upstairs terrace, lies the exquisite La Capilla restaurant (Hospicio 35), while El Campanario (Canal 34) features live music as you dine. Both serve traditional Mexican cuisine and local home-cooked specialties, such as warm sopas (soups) for winter nights, handmade tortillas, and savory guacamole. For a true cultural experience, spend time in San Miguel’s central square, or zócalo. Here, within the town’s main hub of activity, locals gather to sell crafts, read the newspaper, and rendezvous with their sweethearts. Listen for live music and the squeak of bootblacks’ cloths on polished leather, and in the evening, watch as the town’s more senior inhabitants don their finest clothes and come out for a stroll in the cool night air. More San Miguel and Guanajuato on page 26 P 24 Virtuoso insights
For optimal viewing of this digital publication, please enable JavaScript and then refresh the page. If you would like to try to load the digital publication without using Flash Player detection, please click here.