AROUND TOWN

Meetings & Lectures

Unitarian Universalist Fellowship

Elsmarie Norby leads the fellowship in a Christmas carol sing-along at this week’s Unitarian Universalist Fellowship meeting. Everyone is invited to join in singing the songs that are part of the fabric of every American.

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. 

Midday Rotary Club

The San Miguel Midday Rotary Club invites you to join them for their weekly meeting on January 8 at their new location in the Hotel Real de Minas at the intersection of Calle Ancha de San Antonio and Calle Sterling Dickinson. There are no meetings on Tuesday, December 25 or Tuesday, January 1.

Check-in time is 12– 12:25pm and the meeting starts promptly at 12:30pm. Visiting Rotarians and others interested in Rotary are invited to attend this meeting. Rotary is an organization of business and professional persons united worldwide who provide humanitarian service, encourage high ethical standards in all vocations, and help build goodwill and peace in the world. For more information, please go to the website: www.rotarysma.org.  



Classes & Workshops

Winter chess vacation

The Monday chess workshops for children and adults will skip December 24 and 31, since the Biblioteca will be closed those days. Next chance to test your wits over the board will be Monday, January 7.



Tours & Excursions

Saturday Adventurers

Did you ever wonder who makes all the bricks that go into the walls you see going up in San Miguel? Wonder no longer. Join the Adventurers in attending a presentation on how bricks are made at Honore Sanchez brick factory. The tour leaves from inside the Jardín, across from the Parroquia at 10:30am. You can even help make the bricks— get down to bare feet and mix sand, cement and water, the basis for all flooring, “tejas,” and the many sizes of bricks. It is amazing how much can be produced using primitive methods. They even export their product to Texas and other parts in the US.

The tour will transition from bricks to vegetables, leading the Adventurers to San José 2, an ex-vineyard now producing vegetables for export and specializing in lettuce, a very delicate item easily destroyed by a hailstorm. They have invented a machine that prevents the hail from falling on the tender lettuce. The tour will also visit the owner’s home, beside a small lagoon with a tiny waterfall. The charming home is filled with family heirlooms and has a modern indoor pool.

December Audubon birdwalk

In the past Audubon has used this season to join in the worldwide Christmas Bird Count. Unfortunately, in recent years, they have not had enough people to cover all the areas needed to participate in the count. That being the case, this year they will revert to their normal Birdwalk, which has been moved to the Sunday, December 23, allowing them to compare their findings to those seen in other years. Join the group on a hike through the Botanical Garden to observe the native species and see what winter migrants have arrived.


Participants will meet in front of the Instituto Allende at 8am, as the trip will leave promptly at 8:15am. Please bring a hat and drinking water. Binoculars and bird books make bird sightings more interesting, but they are not necessary since others will have books and we will have a scope. All those willing to contribute transportation are greatly appreciated. The hike is usually over by noon. 

The Audubon Birdwalk is a monthly event open to members and non-members alike. Members of Audubon de México are welcome gratis. Non-members are also

welcome, but asked to contribute 100 pesos, or US $10, to the ecological projects in which Audubon is involved. For more information call Bob at 154-9856.

Botanical Garden Tour

Every Tuesday morning, discover the marvels of cacti and other Mexican plants and learn about the history of El Charco del Ingenio (garden and nature reserve) with Martin Smith, curator of the collection. Entrance fee is 30 pesos (waived for members) and the tour is 50 pesos. All proceeds benefit the Garden. The tour is in English and starts at the main entrance at 9a.m. lasting about 2 hours. Bring a hat and water. Space is limited, so reserve by calling 154-8838 or email charcodelingenio@gmail.com.