Life Long Learning is Alive and Well in SMA, 10/21/17

The Life Long Learning group in SMA is a terrific organization but its structure is very different from the ones in the US.  It is not affiliated with any university or community college and you do not join.  You pay just for the classes you want to attend.  Being a history nut, I signed up for the all-day seminar on President Diaz and the Mexican Revolution.

All LLI classes are held in the Instituto Allende which is a huge facility within an easy walk from my apartment.  As with most buildings in SMA the front gives no hint about the beauty inside.

Students heading into the auditorium.

Please note this amazing cat.  It lives at the Institute and is obviously well cared for and pampered.  When the lecture started he/she (not sure and I wanted to respect its privacy) jumped from the desk and took a seat in the second row.  It stayed there for the entire 2 hours and every once in while you'd see its head pop up and look around as if checking to see if we were paying attention.  It meowed right when it was time to break for lunch.  During the afternoon session it curled up in a woman's lap who was not taking notes and stayed there the entire time.  During the playing of some of the Revolutionary songs, it actually loudly meowed along.  Obviosly pro-Revolution.  Very funny.

The gentleman is Jesus Ibarra.  He is well known in SMA because he is the retired editor of the local English/Spanish Friday newspaper - the MUST read if you want to know what's going on in and around the town.  Jesus is also a movie critic who has written 2 books on Mexican cinema.  Like all instructors at LLI SMA, he volunteered his time.

The staff of the Institute prepared a lovely lunch for us that was served on the patio.  The entire day, including lunch cost $425.00 pesos or only $18/US.  I can't get over how inexpensive everything is in SMA!

During lunch I sat with a group of the volunteer history

tour guides.  My tour guide from the privous week was at the table.  This is another group of very dedicated volunteers whose efforts support a local childens dental clinic.  I was facinated to hear their stories as to why they were in SMA, for how long, etc.  Each had a unique and interesting story to tell.

After lunch I wandered around looking at the lovely grounds and found some of the art studios used by the students of the Institute.

It seems not matter where you are, you have a view of the Parroquia.

Thursday, Friday, and Saturday, October 12 - 14, 2017

You must have your camera at the ready at all times because you just never know what you're going to see.

Lots of people use ATV's but this is the 1st time I've seen someone checking her phone while zooming along.

Not all buildings are gorgeous.  This green monstrosity is the community center for a gated community in my neighborhood.  If I could vote, it would get "Ugliest Building in MSA."

Here's the Bird Lady.  Look closely - she's covered and 1 is about to land on her head.  Sometimes I think SMA has taken "Keep Austin Weird" to a whole new level.

No one in SMA uses garbage cans. By hanging  trash bags on hooks it keeps critters  getting into them.  One morning I heard a very LOUD bell.  I went to the door and a guy was running down the street  ringing a huge bell, letting everyone know the garbage truck was coming.  Sure enough it was 2 blocks behind him and some neighbors were bringing out their garbage.

Firday I took the History Walking Tour sponsored by group who volunteer their time and all funds raised from the tours go to support a children's dental clinic.  Any tour of SMA is going to include a lot of churches.

 Templo Inmaculada Concepcion

My tour guide was Patrick Green who lives in SMA for 5 months each year and the rest of the time in Oregon.

Patrick explained why there is a statue of St. Patrick in the Parroquia.  Turns out lots of Irish abandoned General Pershing during the scurmishes with Pancho Villa which by many is considered part of the Mexican Revolution.  At this time in US history the immigrants that were being  mistreated were the Irish (seems there's always some group being mistreated).  Mexico promised equality and opportunities which led to some switching sides.  

The Parroquia  is in excellent condition.  Learned that the federal government owns all church buildings and the   church administers them.    Some newer church buildings are owned by the congregation.  This floor  didn't look hundreds of years old inspite of the constant use.  The design actually goes all the way through the tiles so the design will never fade.

Another view of the Parroquia

Friday evening I joined friends for a visit to two art shows and dinner.  I met Andrew Ostra and fell in love with some of his work. He is from Ukraine, studied in Toronto, and has lived in SMA for several years.  Some of his landscapes of the city are spectacular.  He is moving to Oaxaca because that where is girl friend is.

Andrew

Something Renee will like.  I like his scenes of SMA.

Saturday I attented my first photo club meeting at Jo's gallery.  Her mother was an expat and Jo actually grew up in SMA.  

Several of the attendees were professional and a few were like me - strictly amateur.  We watched an inspiring video by a photographer who was speaking to Google designers.  Following the video there was a general discussion.

This video is available on You Tube.

The gallery space before the meeting.

Following the meeting, another walk home to see what I could see.

Sorry about the reflection, but as I passed the Parroquia I noticed there was a wedding ceremony going on.

I was going by the park near my apartment when I spotted a photo shoot with a professional photographer.  He had these students in a very formal, serious, no smiles pose.  When he finished I asked if I could take a photo and this is the pose I got.  He looked horrified.

It's hard to pass my local bakery and I saw that there was a van outside ready to pick up a wedding cake.  I had to have a photo of the cake and the young man who was so proud of it.

The empanadas from this bakery are amazing, not to mention the pies, cookies, etc.  All terrific.

Tuesday and Wednesday, October 10 and 11, 2017

After Monday in Delores Hidalgo, Lucille and I decided to just walk around El Centro in SMA and enjoy the sights on her last day.

Another gorgeous park.

This is the church all pregnant women visit to pray for a safe delivery and healthy baby.  Church of our Lady of Good Health.

We went into St. Francis.

Side view of Church of St. Francis

What the well dressed Latina drives.

We found the large market just north of El Jardin - the garden across from the large church that is considered the heart of SMA.  In this market you can find food, tires, jewlery, clothing, etc.  The only thing I didn't see was electronics.  I do not understand their business model.  There were rows and rows of stalls all selling the same stuff and at the same price.  I guess it works but how?

Bicycle tires next to boots - typical of the "organization" of the market.

Poster seen in the market.  They still kill the bulls in Mexico so I think I'll skip this event.  Going native does have its limits.

The Madonna of the Market (not anything you'd see in Safeway, etc.)

Lunch was at the Biblioteca.

Lucille at lunch.

We don't just go from 1 place where we eat to the next, but I didn't take a lot of photos this afternoon.

For her last dinner in SMA, we went to the fancy hotel in our neighbor, HRS.

Another 1st - a Rotary celebration of Octoberfest - a pool party!

I won't be going.

Wednesday I had some time on my own - time to do the laundry and some other basic chores.  I was fortunate to be invited to a dinner party given by a friend who has been spending time in SMA for 20 years and 2 years ago moved here permanently.

Judith Hightower from Austin, Louise Levy from North Carolina but lived in Baltimore for many years, Jo Cartwright from Dallas, and Lorraine Flett from Scotland.  A lively group of strong women.

Judith's sweet little Bear.  Dogs may be mandatory in SMA because everyone seems to have 1.

Delores Hildago, Monday, October 9, 2017

Another town, another big church

Lucille and I had no intention of going to Delores Hidalgo on this day, but we hailed a cab to go to the bus station to reserve our seats on a bus for the next day going to DH.  On the way to the station our cab driver convinced us it would be better to let him take us.  He would wait for us and get us back home.  Sounded like a deal, so we took it.  Turned out he did have a "friend" he wanted to visit. The ride to DH was much faster than the return trip.  Also, Lucille and I discovered it was much better if we didn't look through the front windshield.  It was much calmer to just look out our side windows.  He only passed when there was on-coming traffic but we all lived to tell about it.

We wanted to go the DH because in 2004 we had done a project there through Global Volunteers, a wonderful non-profit that sends volunteers all over the world.  We taught English at the local community college.

It was great to be able to find all of our favorite places.

This is the hotel where we and the other team members stayed.  It's a couple of blocks off the main square.  A few things had been updated.

The reception area with the wall of comments and autographs.

Where we had breakfast and our team meetings every morning.

Where we ended the day with happy hour.  The playground equipment is a new addition.

Lucille  was able to continue a tradition - sending post cards to the grandchildren.  She had been looking for a post office  that was open when she had the cards with her for days.

Next stop was our favorite restaurant.

As soon as we entered we were invited to join 2 other women who were about to leave.  Well, the conversation lasted until Lucille and I had finished our lunch.

I'm sitting between Janie Cravens and Lucille, and next to Lucille is Colleen Troy.

When not working in Santa Fe, Janie offers tours to Oaxaca.

Colleen and her husband have a bike touring company.

Next Lucille and I wanted to see if the working conditions had improved any for the artisans who make Talavera pottery.  I regret to say they haven't.

Workers sit on stools or on the floor in an open air warehouse that does not have any heat or air conditioning.  Yet this is considered a desirable and good job by local standards.

Here are some of the finished products in the shop.

Next I wanted to see if my favorite ice cream stand was still there.  It was - yeah!

If you've never had Mexican  vanilla ice cream and you can't make it to Mexico, go to Amy's Ice Cream   in Austin.  Yum!

Next we took a strole throught the park in the town square.

Don Quixote takes a knee.

Actually it's a statue in memory of a fallen hero in the War of Independence.

They love to sculpt the trees.

Last on our tour was a visit inside the large church on the square - Parroquia de la Asuncion (Parish of the Ascension).

This is the alter piece in a SIDE chapel.  Wow.