San Miguel Investments

[Ajijic]

With our new mayor lots is happening in San Miguel. Police vetted; new convention center being built; local airport improvements; crime down; the air quality issue being addressed albeit slower than hoped; lots of beautification with plants, trees, fountains; De La Fe hospital bought and major improvements; several new businesses including Auto Zone; previous mayor and husband charged with fraud and embezzlement; some city projects from last administration put on hold while more fraud is investigated; Costco and Superama seeking approval; increase in Canadians arriving; numerous new car manufacturing and parts plants being built within 70 miles and Queretaro one of fastest growing cities in Latin America.

http://www.atencionsanmiguel.org/2013/05/03/one-eighty-retirement-community-to-be-built-in-san-miguel/

[valbogyo]

Sounds exciting. I have not been there for seven years. Sounds like its time to take another look. You also have a really good Seguro Popular facility, correct? Its nice to hear good things and its great to hear of arrests.

[Mainecoons]

That is good news. Are they doing anything about the graffiti problem there? We were surprised when we went there last year how much of it there was.

[Kevin K]

San Miguel is a lovely place but you do it a diservice by saying that the very serious pollution issues there are being addressed when in fact they are as bad as ever:

http://www.airelimpiosanmiguel.com/index.php?lengua=eng&pagina=main&seccion=001_home&musica_status=ON

A good friend who moved to SMA from Lakeside on the basis of this kind of boosterism has had 6 sinus infections in the past year. SMA would have significant pollution problems even without the brick ovens burning plastics, tires and computer parts, but as things stand a prolonged visit, let alone living there, could be quite hazardous to your health.

[el bartman]

What relevance does San Miguel have to do with this forum? It may be interesting to some but not germain. I quote this forum is for "Mexico General Any and all questions about Mexico not specific to Lake Chapala area." I didn't see a question. All I saw was someone pimping another area. Let them get their own web site!

[moderator-2]

I don't have a problem with it. Many of us visit there and it is of interest to us. Mexico General also includes posts about things of interest of other towns we might visit or have visited.

Leave the determination of relevance to the moderators. If you don't like the thread, just ignore it.

[satnrose]

Thank you, moderator. I'm looking forward to visiting San Miguel sometime soon. It's always nice to hear about other areas close by.

[contrarian]

We appreciate Ajijic's San Miguel update. We spend a month there every year. FYI: We haven't noticed the graffiti. Perhaps the 3-for-1 happy hours at Harry's bar (I know: he had to change the name to Hank's Louisiana Cafe) have blissfully blurred our vision.

[valbogyo]

I don't have a problem with it. Many of us visit there and it is of interest to us. Mexico General also includes posts about things of interest of other towns we might visit or have visited.

Leave the determination of relevance to the moderators. If you don't like the thread, just ignore it.

I like to know what is going on in other expat communities in Mexico, and San Miguel D. is like a sibling to our expat community. Many things in common. I look forward to visiting in July.

[Kevin K]

Following up on my earlier post, this photo was taken this morning about 3 miles from the area we used to live in (San Antonio neighborhood in central San Miguel de Allende).

I think that there is probably enough of a public outcry now that this situation will eventually be resolved, but this is the current reality in the city. Many communities in Mexico suffer fromt his kind of pollution, but San Miguel stands out because of the enormous welath there, its heavy promotion of tourism and its status as a UNESCO World Heritage Site.

As others have mentioned I think posts about San MIguel and other areas that visitors to Lakeside would consider as places to visit or live in Mexico are well suited to this part of the web board. San Miguel is gorgeous and exciting and I hope it is successful in solving its air pollution problems very soon.

[Kevin K]

The picture looks like the Lake Chapala area when they burn the fields....smokey!

The difference is they'e burning tires, plastics, computer parts etc. and the volume, density and above all toxicity of the smoke is in another league entirely from burning brush.

[bmh]

We drove from Tehuantepec all the way to Acapulco Taxco Toluca and Ajijic. The whole trip we had to breathe smoke most of the time from forest fires and burning some other parts toxic fumes from plastic and tires. The worst part was Guerrero , the forest fires there were all over and the air was hard to breathe. This time of the year is really bad if you are allergic to smoke and the smoke is everywhere except right on the beaches..

Of course the black smoke is the worst and really harmful but none of it is very good.

[gringal]

I lived in San Miguel for three years, so I know up close and personally about the air pollution problem. The main part of it is located in the bowl of an extinct volcano, so unless there is a stiff breeze, the bad air just collects and sits right in the historic downtown. Besides the ovens, there is horrendous traffic in the Centro area, slowly moving and putting out exhaust fumes.

By the time I left, my health had deteriorated to the point where the next step would have been hauling oxygen around with me. We moved to Ajijic. The health improved. I'd advise renting for awhile if you decide you want to live in San Miguel. I prefer this area; smoky season and all.

All that said, it's a fine place to visit.

[contrarian]

There is pollution in San Miguel. On the other hand, San Miguel has some superior restaurants and a strictly-enforced no-dogs-permitted policy, backed up by major fines for guilty restauranteurs. Ajijic or San Miguel? Let us chant together this mantra: "All a matter of taste," "all a matter of taste", "all a matter of.... OoooM!"

[Mainecoons]

We have a better climate and we're closer to the beach!

[contrarian]

We have a better climate and we're closer to the beach!

In rebuttal: San Miguel has Harry's bar.

Plus an excellent Indian restaurant (Bhaji), two decent Chinese restaurants, a marvelous fish hangout called Pescau del Mar and a top-quality patisserie called Companio. And none of these establishments does double-duty as a dog kennel.

[Xcalaker]

We have a better climate and we're closer to the beach!

We have less mosquitoes, less humidity, infinitely more taxis, mucho more restaurants, and a lot less crotchety old geezers.

re: weather..wouldn't give you a dime for the difference.

[Mainecoons]

. . . and a lot less crotchety old geezers.

Hey, let's not get ugly here!

Gotta say, I was underwhelmed with some of your restaurants when we visited unless your criteria for "good" is that they are pricey."

Sure enjoyed the art scene though. And loved the central plaza, great people watching.

Humidity gives us crotchety old geezers nice skin too! You can look that up in your Funk and Wagnalls!

[contrarian]

Gotta say, I was underwhelmed with some of your restaurants when we visited unless your criteria for "good" is that they are pricey.":D

Understandable, if your criterion for "good" is that they are cheap.

[Mainecoons]

Actually, I prefer good and cheap. And, BTW, climate and location seem more important to me since I don't live in restaurants and bars. Do you?

[gringal]

If you are younger (under fifty), lively and want a night club scene with a variety of places to go eating, drinking and dancing for both straight, gay and undetermined people, you would probably prefer San Miguel.

However, it is a good place to meet plenty of "crotchety old geezers", too. I met a good number when I was there, right up to the Royal PITA variety.

It's also a good place to meet some way out there people, like the ones who organize events like the notorious "doggie wedding" with bride and groom outfits on their chihuahuas.

And, it's the best place of all to meet people who are "reinventing themselves".

[Xcalaker]

If you are younger (under fifty), lively and want a night club scene with a variety of places to go eating, drinking and dancing for both straight, gay and undetermined people, you would probably prefer San Miguel.

However, it is a good place to meet plenty of "crotchety old geezers", too. I met a good number when I was there, right up to the Royal PITA variety.

It's also a good place to meet some way out there people, like the ones who organize events like the notorious "doggie wedding" with bride and groom outfits on their chihuahuas.

And, it's the best place of all to meet people who are "reinventing themselves".

TOUCHÉ on all counts there GRINGAL! No argument here!

I must also say all you cite are the exceptions. The vast majority of gringo(a)s I know here in SMA are absolutely , completely normal.

Some still work, most are retired but all (that I know anyway) are down to earth good folks. And lots of fun.

Young, old, 'old geezers', children and even (most) pets.

Just another sprinkle on the ice cream of life!

[contrarian]

And, it's the best place of all to meet people who are "reinventing themselves".

As if "border promotion" is uncommon in Ajijic.

[gringal]

As if "border promotion" is uncommon in Ajijic

I didn't say it was the only place: just the "best". Reinventing oneself isn't the same as border promotion.

I met ladies who attempted to change their entire image from "ordinary suburban housewife; newly divorced" to "artist; bohemian diva making Oh-so-Creative Objects" overnight. Mere border promotions pale in comparison. LOL.

Question: why is anyone getting serious about whether SMA is better than Lakeside, or not? They are very different, and people choose to live where they are most comfortable. There is a some comedy in these comparisons. Ever see the short video piece about "The Gangs of San Miguel"? I like the "hat gang" best. One could make a humorous piece about the folks at Lakeside just as easily.

[satnrose]

If it turns out you're not comfortable where you landed, the comparisons are interesting.