SMA

We got back from San Miguel de Allende on Wednesday night, so it is time for me to jump into action and document the rest of our journey south of the border. There are some really critical celeb updates, like the fact that Nicole Kidman is turned off by bad breath – how unusual! – but I am now laser focused on SMA. I will be aided by #1’s journal notes.  

On March 2 we took a four-hour van ride from Mexico City to SMA. We saw a few military convoys to remind us of the ongoing troubles within the country, but we never encountered the slightest problem. We settled into Casa Elegante, which was pretty elegante. Each couple had a large room with their own bathroom, and the kitchen was well equipped. The fourth floor was a patio with great views. There was even an elevator, which I occasionally employed.

We did a big shop at City Market, which is also pretty elegante. It is geared toward the large ex-pat community, but that was mainly for breakfast and lunch.  For three evenings, Pepe and his crew came in to cook some fantastic meals, large enough to provide dinner the next evening as well. We had some good meals out as well.

We made our own lunch early in our SMA stay at Maria’s cooking school, which featured Sopa de Nopales (Cactus Soup), Arroz Verde (Green Rice) and Pollo Encacahuatado (Chicken in Peanut Sauce). We learned several things. #1 mentioned the chipotle/habanero sauce he creates each Christmas for friends and family.  Maria immediately slapped him down and informed us that you can’t mix fresh and dried peppers, nor fresh and fresh, only dried and dried.  Who knew #1 was such a rebel? We also came to the realization that sharp knives work very well and decided we’d get ours sharpened when we got home. Lastly, a unique cooking method is what causes Mexican rice to have each kernel stand out as opposed to the usual clumping.  It is deep-fried before it goes into the water.

https://mexican-cooking-school.com/

That night we took a short walk down the road to catch Credence Clearwater Revisited, not the legit band with actual CCR members, but a knock-off with three Mexican guys and a Brit. The guitarist visited our table, and I gave him a band-aid for his sore finger. He said he played a metal gig years ago and had the same problem, bleeding all over the place to the delight of the audience. I never did understand metalheads.

The next day brought us to Live Aqua, a posh club much posher than mine. We were supposed to have a pool at Casa Elegante, but it was closed for repairs. #1 sent some strongly worded emails to the management company and secured us a day at Live Aqua, along with credit for food and drinks. I took a few laps in the very long pool then had some tasty fish tacos.  Our day was cut short with a torrential downpour, so Katie and #1 decided to walk home because they wanted to know what a drowned rat feels like. The rest of us waited an eternity (20 minutes) for a cab, watching the rivulets run down the street.

That was our only rainy day, so we had beautiful weather the next day for our excursion to Fábrica la Aurora, an old textile mill converted into an art center. I saw several pieces I would have loved to take home, but as I used to tell my kids, I don’t have a money tree. Since I am a huge fan of the WWE and Mexican wrestling, I picked this guy up.  There were several cool ones, but this guy sports the M, as in DJ.

The wife and I joined Katie on a trip to Escondido Hot Springs, aka aguas termales. The cab ride out there, about seven miles, could not described as harrowing, but I was a tad ill at ease. That’s why we decided to use the same guy on the way back. He was already in the parking lot when I texted.  I attribute this to the fact that I am an excellent tipper. Enough about our taxi. Escondido did not compare to Live Aqua but did not carry the same price tag. The several pools of varying temperatures were very relaxing, and we laid around quite a bit, as is our wont. 

There were a few jaunts I opted out of, such as a walking tour of the city and the beautiful vistas from El Mirador. DJ is a geezer and needs his rest. I would have liked to have participated, and this sentiment was echoed by the entire crew. “It wasn’t the same without you, pal. It was so much better.”

Alas, the big fun had to come to an end. We were up early for our 7:30am van ride to the Guanajuato airport, where we caught a flight to Houston. IAH was short on wheelchairs, so my cane got a good workout.  Fortunately, they had just reinstituted Global Entry, so we got through the customs process with minimal hassle. #1 and I along with wives caught our SFO flight after a short delay, but TCG and Katie were not as lucky. Their original Houston/Denver/Reno itinerary did not work out, so they got into Reno about 2am.

I’d like to close with a shout out to my travel mate TCG, who had a successful knee replacement yesterday. We all hope he’ll be up and around in no time.  I am looking forward to 2027, when TCG is scheduled to undergo a personality replacement.