AROUND TOWN

Meetings & Lectures

Unitarian Universalist Fellowship

In a talk at this week’s Unitarian Universalist Fellowship meeting, titled “Genes, Social Evolution and God,” the Reverend Dr. Thomas Lynch proposes that the evolutionary theory of creation, including social evolution, is consistent with belief in God.

A professor of public administration at Louisiana State University and an ordained Interfaith Minister, Lynch has authored more than 100 articles and 10 books, including The Word of the Light, available at La Tienda in the Biblioteca.

The UU Fellowship meets every Sunday at 10:30am at La Posada de la Aldea, Ancha de San Antonio 15, and welcomes people of all ages, races, religions, sexual orientation and gender identity. Visitors are invited to attend the service and then join the UUs in the hotel restaurant for brunch. 

Classes & Workshops

“Checkmate in 2” stumps five adults

Five children attended the chess workshop Monday, December 10. Children 8 to 12 years old met 4–5pm in the Sala Infantil, and were the first to benefit from maestro Francisco de Santiago’s new oversize demonstration board. Unfortunately, he set up a mate-in-2 problem on it for the adults 5–6:30pm in the Biblioteca´s patio, and baffled all five for an hour. We’ll try again next week.

Tours & Excursions

Insituto Allende visits nearby towns

On Saturday, December 22, at 9am Instituto Allende Tours hosts a day-long field trip to Atotonilco, Dolores Hidalgo and Guanajuato. The sanctuary of Atotonilco is the very place where rebel priest Michael Hidalgo chose the likeness of the Virgin of Guadalupe as an inspirational banner for the opening moments of Mexico’s fight for independence. The church also showcases murals, sculpture and baroque art from the mid-eighteenth century.

Dolores Hidalgo, a center for Talavera ceramics, is where Miguel Hidalgo uttered “El Grito” September 15, 1810, the historical cry for freedom. The main square also offers ice cream with unusual flavors such as avocado, shrimp and tequila. 

Later the tour heads to Guanajuato, a charming capital city with great cultural traditions. and home to the University of Guanajuato. Famed painter Diego Rivera’s home is on the bill, along with an easy-going walking tour of sites like the Plazas de la Paz and the main Jardín. Guanajuato was one of the wealthiest cities in the world in the late nineteenth century. Spanish silver barons built grand houses, and we’ll pay special attention to preserved architecture in residential areas. We’ll also visit the University of Guanajuato, a number of museums and the stately government buildings in Centro.

The all-inclusive trips cost US$65, including transportation, museum fees, restaurant meal, etc.). Tours are led by native-speaking, bilingual guides within a secure environment. A free lecture each Wednesday at 4pm at Instituto Allende previews the upcoming weekend’s field trip. Reservations are a must and fees are due in advance; Visa and MasterCard accepted. For more information, visit or call 152-0226

Volunteer Opportunities

Amigos de Animales seeks educators to help design fun games and activities for elementary school children that teach care and respect for animals. Amigos is a nonprofit organization whose goal is to end the suffering of cats and dogs in San Miguel. To do so we offer humane education, free spaying and neutering of cats and dogs to low-income pet owners, and we are working with the municipality to improve the lot of street animals and lost pets. For more information contact Kathy Frankel at: KFRANKEL28@MAC.COM  or 152- 7016.


Note: “Around Town” will return soon to extensive activity listings. Holiday slowdown affects many local organizations.