Services

Julian Cartas
GoSanMiguel.com
Apdo. 461
San Miguel de Allende, Gto., Mexico
C.P. 37700

Phone: (415) 152-0079
Fax: (415) 152-2730
j_cartas@yahoo.com

From USA dial: 011-52-415-152-0079

As befits its place in the history of Mexico's fight for independence, visitors to Delores Hidalgo are greeted at it's periphery by an enormous statue of the foremost heroes of that battle.

Today, Dolores Hidalgo is rightly famous as a center for the design and production of the popular Talavera ceramic pieces. Small factories and ceramic shops line the streets of the city. The ceramics industry of Dolores Hidalgo is one of the many legacies left to his people by Padre Hidalgo, for it was he who started the practice of making ceramics in this area.



Link for more information on Dolores Hidalgo:
www.mexconnect.com/MEX/mxc/d_hgo.html

As the capital of the state, Guanajuato, with an altitude of 6,500 ft, is a city of astonishing charisma. The historical and scenic city is overflowing with delightful little plazas, streets lined with stairs and houses of pastel-colored facades and balconies trimmed with iron work and flower-filled window boxes.

The town is a maze of cobblestone streets and alleys that wind around steep hillsides upon a small ravine, opening into vistas of beautiful churches and small plazas.

Most of these passageways are largely pedestrians only, since modern traffic circumvents the narrow streets underground by way of its subterranean main street. The street follows the original course of the Guanajuato River, running beneath the city for almost 3 kilometers.

The city of Guanajuato owes its foundation to the rich silver mines that were discovered by the Spanish from 1548 onwards. In 1741, the city was given the title of The Most Noble and Loyal City of Santa Fe y Real de Minas de Guanajuato and subsequently went on to become the richest city in Mexico, in the 16th century. The mining splendor of this period is reflected in the city's magnificent religious and civil architecture.

Since 1988, a UNESCO World Heritage Site, Guanajuato has no traffic lights or neon signs, creating an extremely enjoyable place to walk, peaceful, yet with plenty of life in the streets, and plenty to see.

Links for more information on Guanajuato:

www.ruelsa.com/gto/gto/gto.htm
www.mexconnect.com/MEX/mxc/gto.html

More than 100 million Monarch butterflies migrate deep into Mexico from the U.S. and Canada to breed from November to mid-April. They fly to mountain forests between the states of Mexico and Michoacan, where they may number 4 million per acre. Butterflies cloak fir trunks and hang on boughs in clusters of tens of thousands, turning the entire landscape a rich, flaming orange; it is an amazing sight!

Links for more information on the Monarch Butterfly Santuaries:

www.surf-mexico.com/states/Michoacan/monarchs/monarch_article.htm

www.studiesabroad.com

Morelia, declared a World Heritage site because of the architecture, spaciousness and aesthetic symmetry of its plazas, gardens and atriums, is one of the loveliest colonial cities in North America, in addition to enjoying a well-earned reputation as a cultural center.

First-time visitors to the city will be surprised by the pink stone of the buildings in the Historical Center and the elegance of its Cathedral, the sound of whose bells accompanies those strolling through the citys streets, plazas and gardens.

They will also be able to admire examples of the citys vice regal architecture in the baroque, neoclassical and plateresque styles such as the Clavijero Palace, the Palacio de Gobierno, the Church of the Society of Jesus and the Church of St. Augustine.

Visitors are usually surprised to discover that music is still played at the Conservatorio de las Rosas, the first of its kind in America.

Also of interest is the Aqueduct, a late 18th century hydraulic work, as well as the houses that have preserved some of the loveliest courtyards in Mexico.

www.webtourist.net/touristinformation/about-morelia-mexico.html

Patzcuaro (PAHTZ-kwah-roh) is a small colonial gem in the state of Michoacan, a land of immense natural beauty.

Michoacan's countryside is a vast expanse of rolling hills, deep lakes, winding rivers and green valleys. The state has few large cities, but rather is a quilt of small villages and towns that have changed little since the early 1800's.

Patzcuaro is found on hills above one of the lakes; Lake Patzcuaro. Volcanic activity and the state's latitude position help create a setting not unlike Hawaii. Rich soil supports lush jungle-like vegetation, with spectacular mountain landscapes, and velveteen pasturelands. Many historical fountains adorn the city. A multitude of churches, plazas and shrines make this a truly great historical destination.

Patzcuaro is famous for its sidewalk cafes and great restaurants. Small and large market places line the plazas and ancient side streets. Woven tablecloths, trays, carved and finely painted furniture and gold laminated handwork are among the treasures to be found in this colonial setting. Its pace is leisurely, its people friendly, and its Spanish colonial and indigenous heritage rich.

Link for more information on Patzcuaro:

www.patzcuaromexico.com

Mineral de Pozos, once known throughout colonial Mexico for its opulence and its thriving mining industry, has been a virtual ghost town for almost a century. It is experiencing a resurgence of interest on the part of visitors looking for a unique adventure.

Pozos is first and foremost a place of quiet and serene tranquility. Walking amongst the ruins of town or the mines provides a restful solitude -- a time to reflect or to explore and let the imagination complete what the eye sees.

For the more adventurous, there is horseback riding, mountain biking and hiking to the summit of Cerro Pelon at 8,200 feet. For the really adventurous, a trip into the Angustias mine is available.

Pozos is a fine art photographer's dream location with many potential photographs in every direction.

Link for more information on Pozos:

www.mineraldepozos.com

Queretaro is not only the capitol of the state of Queretaro, but today it's also an important center of industrial activity. The colonial flavor in the central part of the city has been preserved, while the city has sprawled outward in recent years in response to its growth to some 600,000 residents.

At the hub of the colonial city is the beautiful Plaza de la Independencia. Outdoor cafes, which can be enjoyed year-round in the moderate climate, line the perimeter of the spacious plaza and wide walkways lead from the plaza to the main streets of downtown Queretaro.

Link for more information on Quetetaro:
www.mexconnect.com/MEX/mxc/qro.html

Like many of the archaeological sites in Mexico, Teotihuacan guards secrets we have yet to unravel. The origins of Teotihuacan are uncertain, although it is thought some of the inhabitants arrived from the Valley of Mexico to the south, refugees from an eruption of the Xitle volcano, which caused major devastation and forced the survivors in the region to seek a new place to settle. Construction of the city probably started in the first two centuries BC, and the civilisation reached its high point between 350 and 650 AD.

Scholars in archaeology agree that this is Mexico's, and perhaps the one of the world's most important archaeological sites. It was the largest city in the Americas, and during its heyday around 500 AD, its population was greater than that of Rome at the same time.

One of the greatest mysteries of Teotihuacan is that no one knows where the huge population that lived here eventually ended up. It is as if they vanished without a trace.

This was also a place where human sacrifices were made, often in correlation with astronomical events. When the site was excavated, many tombs were found, some with the remains of what were believed to be people sacrificed to the gods.

Many people today believe that Teotihuacan is a place of great energy, and it is quite common to witness people meditating at the top of main pyramids (The Pyramid of the Sun and The Pyramid of the Moon).

A visit to Teotihuacan is compulsory if you plan to visit Mexico on an archaeological tour; from an historical perspective, it is one of the most important archaeological places in the world. If you're in Mexico City or somewhere just north of it, then a visit to see this archaeological site will prove a fascinating and worthwhile experience!

Link to more information on Teotihuacan:
www.mexperience.com