Quinceañera: 15 Years in San Miguel de Allende
In Mexico, the Quinceañera makes for a milestone signifying the rite of passage for a girl 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 banning of tall buildings - except for churches dating back centuries, as well as 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. And let’s not forget the church bells.
Most businesses still remain very local. I remember how opening a Starbucks was a big deal. The resolution: a building 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 i.e. poinsettas during Xmas.
Below are scenes from my neighborhood, based on my project for a “street photography” course. Interacting in Spanish was a boon. The large market down the street with vendors selling produce, flowers and other “essentials”, became a path to connecting with the everyday. No comparison with a modern supermarket…
The other day at the store called Gil’s I missed seeing the parrot offering mushrooms as seen below.
Street scenes make for a constant source of visual interest. In general I did not photograph people begging but one below still stands out.
