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La Gruta pools

So, La Gruta (the grotto) has been on my list of things to see & do from the very start. I was really starting to believe that I would never get there. Somehow, not having a car & not understanding the bus/taxi system, out-of-town seems like the impossible dream. Or maybe it’s like Brigadoon- if I go too far from SMA, it may melt away.

Luckily for me, I met CZ at the mole/adobo cooking class, who had already decided that she would be doing La Gruta in her precious 2 wks in SMA. So (being an opportunist), I tagged along.

First, we went to the church at Atotonilco (say that 3 times fast, I dare you!)  and took pix, then on to La Gruta. The weather has finally warmed up, but according to a habitue of the springs, they were colder than usual.

The highlight is a pool that is accessed by a long rock-masonry tunnel. It ends in a dome, all done in local rock, with a few glass inlays for light. Sort of like a kiva? But it’s the warmest water, and at 1 PM, hot water directly from the springs poured out from a pipe. There is no way to get a camera in there. It is very like being in the womb of the Earth. I can’t explain it better than that. Shafts of light, warm water pouring in, and floating in the mineral water…

More pix here

Tips from the locals: great for hangovers, avoid on wkends. negotiate cab fare & arrange for pickup after 2.5 hrs. Do not pay until return trip! (Now I know!)

Tianguis Market, San Miguel de Allende

Every Tuesday, merchants and buyers gather on the outskirts of San Miguel de Allende for the Tianguis Market. Representatives from every segment of society come by bus, taxi, SUV & foot to sell, buy, chat, eat and haggle.

There is not much you can’t buy at Tianguis. Fresh seafood, organic vegetables, batteries, shoes, clothespins, yarn, candy, french fries and of course, clothes.

There are about 5 free-for-all clothing table areas. One is pictured above. The barkers stand on or among their goods, bellowing the prices  (“Anything for 30 pesos!”) while customers paw through the piles, executing a shuffle step around the tables, occasionally adding a garment to the pile on their arm, or asking for a frend’s opinion. The men standing on the tables kick the piles to expose new bargains every few minutes.

With no fitting rooms, it seems an odd way to replenish a wardrobe, but people (including yours truly) are always showing up in SMA with the wrong wardrobe for the weather, so this is a good way to fill in the gaps.

And it’s a great way to spend a Tuesday morning.

Enneagram diagram

Today I got to attend my second Enneagram class at the LifePath Center in San Miguel. I skipped last week, b/c I was at the beach.

It’s strange, but enneagrams have been a part of my life for nearly nine years, but I’ve never had any real groups or training. Occasionally, I’ll run into someone who’s interested, and we sort of nudge each other along the path. So it’s a real treat to be around a group who is interested in learning & sharing information.

I’ve added a link to the diagram above. There are many systems, but my favorite at this point is Riso-Hudson. The link takes you to a very clear explanation of the system, and here is a free test. We are using their book: Wisdom of the Enneagram, which I’ve found very useful over the years (It’s one of my “most used” books.) (more…)