It is early morning. The familiar sunrise ‘song’ of a nearby rooster, our reliable San Miguel alarm clock wakes me up. The rooster is an early bird … getting rather randy at 3:00 am on many mornings 🙄!! Bev and I return for our seventh year, to share a home in this charming cobbly colonial small town in Central Mexico … a town that never ceases to awaken the senses. We settle in, comfy in both our friendship and our home!

Travelling with friends has always added a totally different dynamic to my adventures! It is a definite departure from travel with my husband or children and grandchildren or my more frequent typical solo excursions. I welcome the diversity and remain grateful for both family and friends, so willing to share the experience of opening ourselves to different cultures, countries, experiences.

Many years ago, on our first adventure together, Bev and I were delighted to have the opportunity to soak in the warmth of the San Miguel ambiance in lieu of a wintry Calgary. We committed to a month initially, now stretched to two 😊. We get along, despite the odd mild spat once in a blue moon … how cool is that to say after all these years??!!

I was not always much of a ‘girlfriend’ throughout most of my childhood or even in the decades that followed. I grew up with five sisters, most of us barely a year apart in age … that seemed about as much female company as I needed or wanted.

Times have changed and I have grown to value my women friends over the years … more then I ever thought I would. Despite that, I do so relish a daily dose of quiet solo time, be it walking a nature path in the mountains, parks, beaches or walking the streets of San Miguel … I have heard this yearning for quiet moments in solitude could well be a Finnish trait 🙄. One of my all time favourite ‘activities’ is still laying down in a sauna, in total silence 😌! My Finnish roots run deep. The sauna available at the Rosewood Hotel remains a main draw every year as I sign up for the monthly membership! The gym and pool are peripheral benefits 😂!

A year or so ago when I stayed at the Osho Ashram in Pune, India, what delighted me no end was when I discovered a true Finnish sauna, tucked away in their tiny spa!! Needless to say, I rarely missed a sauna day 😂! I was often the sole occupant! Though my passport is Canadian … and despite that I love and value my country dearly, a substantial part of my soul remains Finnish to the core!

But … onward and forward to this charming city of San Miguel where life moves along at a leisurely pace. We walk these familiar cobblestone streets where an interesting array of entertainment offerings are available daily … talks and documentaries at the Biblioteca, musical concerts at Paprika, Bellas Artes, Instituto Allende, plays at Santa Ana, movies at Mercado Sano, dinners in or out with friends, yoga with maestro Antonio, or sometimes opting to just stay put, have a nap, read or enjoy an evening of Netflix, wine and leftovers 😊.

Sunday mornings find Bev and I bathing in community at the Unitarian Universalist Church, where joys and sorrows, music and stories are shared in a deeply spiritual accepting atmosphere of love and respect for all, where every one is welcome … inclusivity permeates the atmosphere!

San Miguel can be as busy or relaxing as one wishes. It is said there are many layers to this magical little city. After living here for a part of all these winters, we continue to peel away layers, always discovering something that stirs and stokes the intellect, warms the heart, connects us to what ultimately sings to our souls …