Early maps of the world put dragons to indicate unexplored parts of the world. They were warnings that no one knew what lay beyond the known edges of the world. There are dragons all around San Miguel. There places up the hill such as Atascadero that can only be reached by donkey or a Mercedes. There are places in the campo such as Los Frailes that are rumored to be US refugee centres. There are places called Gated Communities and it is not clear if the gates are to keep people out or keep people in.
The average visitor to San Miguel never goes near the places marked with Dragons but spends their day in the Jardín, sitting and looking and waiting.
This picture show the front of the Jardín where you can sit and not look at Starbucks or Dunkin Donuts. It is here that the Gangs come and go.
What Happens in the Jardin
Life begins in San Miguel on Friday. This the is day Atención comes out and lays out the activities for the week. Atención is published by the Atención Gang. It tells Gang members What to do and Where to Go. A typical day involves walking the dog, then a cafe, then a good sit on a bench. Then some talk about real estate or how terrible it is that Starbucks opened.
For the rest of the day until evening members of each Gang does their own thing such as setting up tables to spread the word, or suggesting other places in Mexico to live, capturing a Love Slave, buying books, shopping, making Mexican Friends, being busy, buying art, taking art classes or what ever mission the Gang Mamas have set for the day.
The evenings are devoted to ART - a play, a muscial performance, a reading, a musical comedy, a lecture. Here is an excerpt from May 9 Atención describing the merriment that is going to happen after that first cocktail.
Lamine Thiam dazzles at Café concert
By Kennedy Poyser May 9, 2008 San Miguel de AllendeConcert
African Music Night
Lamine Thiam
Wed, May 14, 7pm
Café Santa Ana
Biblioteca Pública
Reloj 50A
100 pesos, incl. first cocktailWorkshop
Africana Danza
Mon–Fri, May 12–16, 8–9:30pm
El Sindicato
Recreo 4
044 (415) 119-3402Concert-goers at the San Miguel event are warned that Thiam is still just as persuasive. Probably everyone in the Café will be dancing within the first 30 minutes, and never mind if they’ve never given the least thought to West African rhythm. It’s irresistible.
Imagine all the fun you would have. Life in San Miguel is one art adverture after another until you go to bed fully arted out.
4 comments
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May 4, 2008 at 10:01 pm
Todd McIntosh
Only now found your blog.
But it is Priceless.
But I will have to look through all the pictures to see if I am in any of them.
Todd
May 7, 2008 at 10:08 am
Michael Dickson
Now, this is a clever website indeed, and everything you say is certainly true. But I am saddened by your not showing yourself. No name, no photo, no gender, though one imagines you are a woman. The cattiness shows. That or a gay guy.
You are hiding. Where is the strength, the power, of your convictions?? Eh?
Perhaps you fear the gangs will, uh, gang up on you when you return to SMA. But that fear is baseless because the gangs of San Miguel are sissy gangs.
May 7, 2008 at 9:55 pm
Frank
Don’t you listen to him. Did Graham Greene show his name and face when he wrote about Mexico? No! Did DH Lawrence? Malcolm Lowry? For that matter, did Octavio Paz? Hell no! They were proudly, flamboyantly anonymous, and you should be, too.
Thanks for the giggles.
May 8, 2008 at 7:49 pm
jennifer rose
Richard Lander has revealed himself at http://richland.wordpress.com/about/. And another source suggests that his progeny is none other than Christian Lander of Stuff White People Like.