In Mexico, the Quinceañera makes for a milestone. It signifies the rite of passage for families with a daughter reaching 15 years of age. 

For me, this also makes for a Quinceañera: my 15th season here in San Miguel de Allende. Taking it a step further — and revealing my age, I’m about to celebrate my fifth Quinceañera.

During our first few years the town’s changes appeared to be only gradual. A decade and a half later, traffic is not insignificant; destination weddings are even more common and on weekends and holidays, some “old-timer” gringos, like ourselves, avoid the crowds in the heart of the Centro, aka the Jardin. Construction is booming outside the city center; highways are ever expanding and there is even a suggestion of an airport. I find myself calling it a city now and no longer a town.

Gentrification, a common expression, can easily apply to San Miguel, a top destination for the Travel and Leisure magazine for four years.. Fancy boutique stores and hotels, upscale restaurants, plus the rising costs of living, is the name of the game. Fortunately, a deep, well-engrained cultural pride continues to imbue the town. Strict rules of construction in the historic center, a UNESCO World Heritage Site, remain. On the list is the the banning of tall buildings - except for churches dating back centuries, and any protruding commercial signs on the narrow cobblestone streets. Traffic must remain under 20 km; and at intersections, pedestrians have the right of way. No street lights or stop signs, just topes i.e.speed bumps, some quite annoying!

Even more significant is how politeness and kindness continue to prevail.

Most businesses still remain very local. I remember how introducing a Starbucks was a big deal. The resolution: a building probably dating from the Revolution where one can sip one’s cappuchino in a beautiful courtyard with a fountain that is surrounded by marigolds during the Day of the Dead and noche buenas or ponsiettas during Xmas.

In this piece, I’d like to include images of people taken over the years. Many are from my neighborhood, a project I embarked on when we purchased our town house located near the big market and three major churches. In my next piece the focus will be festivals.