Tuesday, May 20, 2025
This morning, we decided to break our breakfast streak of coffee and pastries and set out to find a nice spot for a proper meal. We first headed downhill from Casa Aliz, and although we didn’t find a restaurant, we stumbled upon the serene Benito Juárez Park. It features wide promenades, ornamental fountains, and amenities like basketball courts, exercise equipment, and playgrounds. We even spotted a rare bird species—a mammoth, curly-crested wire-cage bellied canister-sucker—clearly thriving on a diet of recyclable plastic bottles.
—— Benito Juárez Park ——
After a leisurely stroll through the park, we made our way uphill toward the Parroquia square and serendipitously came across Café Umarán, where we decided to stop for breakfast. It turned out to be an excellent choice. The cozy ambiance was just right, and I enjoyed a delicious avocado toast topped with scrambled eggs and truffle oil, paired with a latte. Jane opted for a soothing mint tea, as her tummy was still feeling a bit off.
—— Breakfast at Café Umarán ——
After breakfast, we made a quick stop at our room before heading back downhill to Benito Juárez Park, where we caught an Uber ride to Kimi and John’s house on the outskirts of San Miguel. Finding the location was a bit tricky, but eventually a friendly attendant let us through a neighborhood gate—and another one through their house gate.
Kimi and John are in the midst of a major home renovation, but they graciously gave us a full tour of their property, inside and out. When we arrived, the scene was buzzing with activity: workers were busy with interior renovations while lawn crews handled mowing and trimming. Tools and boxes of supplies were stacked everywhere, and furniture, along with boxed-up belongings, had been moved to any available open space.
Despite the chaos, we got a great look at their beautiful home—which will be even more stunning once the renovation is complete. We especially admired the private enclosed yard, featuring a spacious covered patio with a bar, lush (and to us, exotic) plants, and a charming casita that Kimi has transformed into an art studio. John has his own space inside the main house to pursue his musical passions.
—— Kimi & John’s Home ——
After the house tour, John drove us to Atotonilco, a small town about a half-hour from their home. Our first stop was the Sanctuary of Atotonilco, an 18th-century church renowned for its richly detailed baroque interior. Often called the “Sistine Chapel of Mexico,” the sanctuary interior is covered in ceiling-to-wall frescoes painted by artist Miguel Antonio Martínez de Pocasangre over a span of 30 years, from the 1740s to the 1770s.
As we approached, we could see faded remnants of painted decoration on the exterior, especially around the window overhangs. Inside, almost no surface was left untouched—murals, paintings, and inscriptions covered every wall, arch, and ceiling. We spent quite a while marveling at the grandeur and devotion one incredibly talented artist left behind more than 250 years ago.
—— Sanctuary of Atotonilco ——
After leaving the sanctuary, Kimi and John led us up the main street of the tiny town. Along the way, we came across a woman by the roadside, frying fresh blue corn tortillas on a griddle. She offered to fill them with whatever we wanted—cheese, beans, meat, nopales, and more. Each of us got one and took a seat at a wooden table under a makeshift tarp, settling into plastic chairs as we savored our simple but delicious gourmet snack.
——— Roadside Tortillas ———
After finishing our tortillas, we continued walking up the main street to a small summit where it intersected with another quiet road. There, we browsed a handful of local shops. In one, John bought some envelopes while Kimi picked out four hollowed eggs covered in colorful tissue paper. Outside, she asked us to turn around, welcomed us to Mexico, and promptly cracked two eggs over each of our heads—showering us in a burst of confetti that covered our hair, clothes, and even made its way down the back of my shirt.
These festive creations are called cascarones—hollowed-out eggshells filled with confetti, traditionally cracked over someone’s head in a playful gesture believed to bring good luck. Kimi had picked up some leftovers from Easter, the holiday when they’re most commonly used. Jane and I burst out laughing at the surprise, trying to brush the confetti off—but some of it clung stubbornly. Throughout the rest of the day, tiny bits of it kept turning up, and in an act of accidental revenge, we ended up leaving a trail of confetti over the seats and floors of John’s car.
——— Cascarones ———
We walked back to the car, and John drove us to a nearby resort area tucked away in a wooded setting—off the beaten path and dotted with a restaurant, cabins, tents, and various other accommodations. There, we stumbled upon the mezcal tasting room for Casa Tinieblo. Inside, we were greeted by Eduardo, who welcomed us and introduced the mezcal-making process with a series of YouTube videos playing on a screen behind the bar.
Between videos, he poured us samples of four different kinds of mezcal, thoughtfully explaining their unique qualities, flavors, and how they differed from one another. The bar itself was decorated with mezcal bottles and other objects beautifully adorned in colorful, hand-applied beads. Jane and I had only tried mezcal once before, but we really enjoyed the tasting and left feeling both pleasantly surprised and more knowledgeable about this traditional Mexican spirit.
—— Mezcal Tasting at Casa Tinieblo ——
Further along the road back to San Miguel, Kimi asked John to turn off so we could visit a folk art gallery—Galería Atotonilco—nestled in a serene, lush countryside setting. As we approached the large display building, we realized it was closed. Just then, a young man came out, and Kimi, fluent in Spanish, struck up a conversation with him. As we were about to leave, he asked if we would like to tour the gallery, and of course, we took advantage of this opportunity.
With the entire gallery to ourselves—albeit without lighting—we wandered through a meticulously curated collection of Mexican folk art from across the country. The exhibits featured stunning ceramics, vibrant paintings, intricate wood carvings, rich textiles, hand-hammered copper and tinwork, antiques, and much more. Each piece was accompanied by a photograph of its artist, offering a glimpse into their creative process and cultural heritage. We savored the quiet, intimate experience, immersed in the diverse and unique treasures on display.
—— Folk Art Store ——
On our way back to San Miguel, Kimi and John were eager to show us the grocery store near their home—City Market. It turned out to be a surprisingly beautiful and upscale market with a wide selection of high-quality goods. We were especially impressed by the fish and seafood displays, as well as the extensive beer and wine sections. Before browsing, we each grabbed an ice cream and sat at a small table near the storefront to enjoy our treats. Once we agreed on a dinner rendezvous, Kimi and John headed home, while we took an Uber back to Casa Aliz.
—— City Market ——
After a brief rest, Jane and I set out for the Parroquia square in search of some Mexican pesos. We had tried several ATMs over the past couple of days without success and were now running low. Eventually, we found CI Banco, and before going inside, I gave their outdoor ATM one more try—fully expecting my card to be rejected again. To our surprise, it worked flawlessly, and just like that, we were once again flush with pesos. We returned to our room to continue resting from the long hot day in the sun.
Later, we set off on foot and met Kimi and John at 6:30 at Mama Mia, a nearby Italian restaurant. While we were socializing and enjoying pre-dinner drinks, two young acoustic guitarists were setting up to perform. John knew one of the musicians, and he stopped by our table to chat for a bit before starting the set. We dined on a tasty meal—fettuccine al pesto for Jane and vegetarian lasagna for me—while listening to their amazing music.
The duo was exceptionally good, playing a wide range of jazz standards with skill and soul. Since John and I originally met back home through playing music, we found ourselves trying to name tunes as they played—many of them familiar, some obscure. It was a lovely and relaxed way to cap off another fun, interesting, and culturally rich day. Reluctantly, after the final song, we said our goodbyes to Kimi and John and headed back to our room to prepare for our journey to Guanajuato City in the morning.
—— Dinner at Mama Mia ——
