Readers’ Forum
By Jim Blakley May 9, 2008 San Miguel de Allende

Decoding street names in San Miguel

I have walked the streets of San Miguel for three years, but, with only a few exceptions, I didn’t know the origin or even the English meaning of the street names (my Spanish is a work in progress). I dug around and found out about many of the street names in el centro. Some answers came from Mexican residents (although many of them had no idea who Pepe Llanos was, for example), while others came from reference books as well as the internet. Hopefully, my attempts at decoding these names will prompt people who actually know much more about the history and meanings behind the names to share more information.

Surprisingly, for a relatively small city, San Miguel de Allende has 865 named streets (and my one year old map does not have a few new streets from new housing developments). No, I am not going to be looking at all 865 names in future articles! No book deal is in the works.

In our newer American and Canadian cities, many street names are just marketing tools to appeal to purchasers of a housing development: Tulip Drive, Hedgerow Avenue, and Woodridge Court. If there ever was a “wooded ridge” there, huge machines came and destroyed it and leveled the land! Other names are just the same streets in almost every community: Main, Oak, River Drive, Cherry, Maple, etc. Some cities seem to have more street names from trees than they do trees! Street names in newer cities tend to be homogenized and somewhat meaningless. As they say, when every place seems the same, it doesn’t make any difference where you are. In San Miguel we definitely have little chance of that happening. Where we are matters very deeply, and, the street names provide a bit of that meaning and context.

I am focusing on the present names of streets in el centro and the nearby streets. I know that many of these names were different in the seventeenth and eighteenth centuries than they are now. Many of these older names are captured in small print on street signs. The original names were typically even more religious than the present ones. For example, Diez de Sollano y Davalos was previously San Juan Evangalista (St. John the Baptist) and Canal was Saintisima Trinidad (the Holy Trinity).

Two very interesting things that I have learned from recent issues of Atención is that the late 1700's era population of San Miguel was about 3,000 and that el centro was el todo--the whole enchilada. That is why the Canal country home and factory was built out of town at what is now the very much in town Instituto Allende.

There is one other interesting twist in San Miguel. Many streets here change their names with alarming frequency. I lived in England for a year where I first experienced this phenomenon. I finally realized that the naming convention had not been developed as a way to confuse residents as well as tourists 500 years in the future. Instead, a person who lives in the community instantly knows the approximate location of a building from just the street name.

In San Miguel you can start walking on Pila Seca (actually, the Prolongación de Pila Seca first, and then on to Pila Seca), move very quickly to Cuadrante, before you know it you are on Hospicio, and then Bajada de la Garita. And, if you keep going East from there you are on the Cruz del Pueblo–-not an actual street but an exercise machine disguised as a 35 degree walkway. The people who live here are not actually Mexicans, but Sherpas who have immigrated here from the mountains of Nepal. Last year I was huffing and puffing my way up toward the Cruz del Pueblo, when I started chatting with a Mexican woman 20 years my senior who wasn’t even breathing a little bit hard!

I see four major categories of street names (and then a fifth called “Other” for those that don’t fit into the other four):


Religious (San Francisco or Jesús)

Famous Local or National People (Juárez or Pedro Vargas)

Locations of other buildings or places (Mesones, the street of inns)

Physical characteristics of the land or the street (Chiquitos meaning tiny, a very apt name for this gorgeous and tiny street)

Other (Suspiros – sighs. What a beautiful name, and a great street to be on when you feel like a fish taco).

So here are many of the el centro street names with meanings slotted into these categories.

Religious

Jesús: Jesus Christ

San Francisco: Saint Francis of Assisi was a 13th century Roman Catholic friar who founded the Order of Friars Minor, known as the Franciscans. He is the patron saint of animals, birds, and the environment. (We need this saint more than ever now). The main base of operations of the Franciscans in North America was nearby Querétaro. From there (and also from Zacatecas), the Franciscans set out on foot (they would not ride on animals) to found cities like Santa Fe, San Diego, San Antonio, Santa Barbara, and San Francisco.

Santo Domingo or Saint Dominic is another 13th century friar who started another order. He was the founder of the Friars Preachers, more commonly known as the Dominicans. Santo Domingo is the patron saint of astronomers and the Dominican Republic.

San Rafael: Raphael is the name of an archangel from Judaism, Christianity and Islam. He specializes in healing. What a great ecumenical symbol. We really need San Rafael now in the world.

San Dimas: Saint Dimas is known as the Good Thief because he was one of the thieves crucified along with Christ. 

San Antonio: Saint Anthony the Great was a 3rd century Egyptian Christian saint also called “The Father of All Monks” because of his writings about monasticism. He is commonly called upon to assist in the healing of infectious diseases. Perhaps we should all pray to him each day as we brush our teeth with tap water.

Aparicio: An apparition or usually religious vision.

Calvario: Calvary in English, the name of the hill in Jerusalem where Christ was crucified.

Cuesta de San José: The slope of San José or Saint Joseph, the husband of Mary. Joseph is the patron saint of workers.

Loreto: named after an image of the Virgin in San Miguel called the Virgin de Loreto (I believe that this is now in El Oratorio de San Felipe Neri). This is a replica of the Santa Casa di Loreto in Italy that is supposed to be the actual house of Santa María carried to Italy (this story is a bit complicated so I suggest that you look it up for many more details if you are interested).

Cuesta de Loreto: The slope of Loreto. A good reason not to tell the cab driver to take you Loreto, as we have two Loretos in San Miguel, just as we have two of many other street names.

Las Ànimas: The souls.

Stay tuned for more decoded street names in next week's Atención.

Jim Blakley is a snowbird although he finds the term a bit perjorative. He likes to think of himself more as a migrating moose.

Opinion

Where are we and why are we here?
By Ali Zerriffi (in response to “San Miguel: The Golden Handcuffs” by Jim Karger, May 2)

Naomi and I met in college in the USA and went to live in Morocco for 6 years there before moving to Canada where we lived for almost 30 years

Canada is one of the best countries in the world in many ways and we had made many friends but, as we were getting older, the weather became a serious concern for us. Business and leisure trips in many parts of the world didn’t fill the craving for a warmer environment. We needed to move back somewhere south, where winters didn’t last forever and where people took the time to live and socialize. Our bi-yearly trips to Morocco took on another purpose and we looked at Marrakech, Ifrane, Agadir, Fez, and other towns that were becoming magnets for baby boomers from all over the world. We wanted a place that was multicultural but still had some originality in its history and culture, a place different from the uniformity of middle class life in the States or Canada. We were also looking for a place with an active cultural and intellectual life, preferably a small university town. We extended our search and went to southern Spain, Greece, the Caribbean Islands, but we never really considered Mexico despite my falli
ng in love with the country during my first visit in 1968. A friend suggested San Miguel de Allende because he said: “you two like art so you might like the place, it is full of artists”.

It was February and winter was getting to us so we flew down and it was love at first sight. 

We have been here for almost seven years and feel that we have found our home. The art scene is like any other art scene, some good and some bad .The same can be said about the culinary scene except the choices for a town this small are quite good and, especially if you are a little adventurous and seek out the little family restaurants. Fresh organic vegetables are readily available and venturing into Mexican cooking is a real experience. Communications have improved tremendously in the last few years and we call family and friends in various countries of the world on a regular basis. We employ a maid and a gardener, a luxury that we could afford only on a part time basis in Canada but they are real people who share some of our life as we share some of theirs. We walk into town and only use the car sporadically but we delight in the “Buenos Dias” from complete strangers and the general courtesy that the Mexicans impart to locals and foreigners alike. While it is not Paris, London, or New York, we do apprecia te the music, the plays, the lectures and most of all the company of people like us who have chosen this place for their retirement. Some of our friends are still professionally active; they telecommute and think that the difficulties of travel, when travel is necessary, are worth the hassle considering the quality of life they enjoy in San Miguel. We have discovered a new country, a new culture, a new language, many new friends of various nationalities, and lead a life that is really meaningful to us. We keep busy helping some of the charitable organizations in town, along with other people whose sense of philanthropy has no relation to the material advantages of living in this country or their socio-economic status. Learning the language is a challenge for all foreigners but those who try have been able to enjoy the richness of the culture and the incredible friendship and hospitality of the Mexicans. We have rediscovered the quality of “slow” and try to infuse our everyday life with appreciation of life on a human scale, taking the time to really know people, hiking the surrounding mountains, eating locally and seasonally, socializing with whom we want to and not with whom we need to. 

We feel safer here than almost anywhere in the States or even Canada, we have a home security system but no guard dog and our front gate is never locked, despite the few occurrences of robbery and mugging in town but statistics of similar towns in the north support our evaluation of risks. The various services we have needed over the years have been fulfilled and our trade people show up punctually when called, maybe not with the latest tools available to a hardware store aficionado, but with enough competence to solve the problem at hand.

We still travel a lot but are always very happy to come back to San Miguel. Now, we know where we are and why we are here and can’t think of another place in the world that will give us this sense of belonging and daily fulfillment. We also know that San Miguel is no longer the sleepy town that artists discovered and loved for its beauty and rhythm of life. It has attracted people from all over the world and from other parts of Mexico who felt that small town living was a much better choice for them and their families. All these people share the same values, and independently of their income or real estate assets they feel content being architects or restaurateurs and for the retirees just doing nothing, dabbling in art or theater and other activities that they didn’t have time to pursue before. 

Things are changing, of course, and San Miguel is getting bigger and more problematic in a way that can threaten the very thing we cherish but it is still a small town with more amenities than any town its size anywhere else, and definitely with more tolerance of personal and cultural differences than you encounter in Middle America. Nationals and foreigners alike are getting involved in finding solutions to the problems our growing town is facing and this shows their long-term commitment to the community. Others might prefer to move, as they should if they are unhappy with their surroundings no matter what the bottom line reveals. Certain things cannot be quantified and if you are not enjoying them it is because you can’t recognize them or you are not ready for them yet. The reality is that everyone who moves here, foreigner or Mexican, has his or her own reasons. These are ours.

Letters


Editor,

I read Jim Karger’s column entitled “San Miguel: The Golden Handcuffs” (May 2) with disgust and dismay. Unlike his questioning every day why he lives here, I give thanks many times each day because I do live here.

His entirely economic attitude may explain and excuse much of what he says, but who wants to live their life as an exclusively economic being? There is far more to living than how much you can buy for a dollar.

Much of what else he says is inexcusable by any account. Genuine friendliness wears off after awhile? There is no entertainment worthwhile in San Miguel? I have never encountered an attendant at a PEMEX who didn’t start the pump on .00, and his accusation that competence is hard to find is totally out of nowhere.

The ridiculous comparisons to traffic in San Miguel to that in LA is a fine summary of the validity of most of what he says in the article. I think stubbornly instead of looking for a parking place in El Centro and leaving the car in a bordering area says more about Mr. Karger’s lack of flexibility than it does about San Miguel. (Obviously, however, it is necessary to close the central district to traffic for other reasons, then all will need to make parking outside of El Centro a habit.)

Ken Rowland





Editor,

As first-time, one-month visitors to San Miguel, we are saddened to think that our Mexican hosts may views Mr Karger’s “best bang for the back” attitude to be typical of Norteamericanos.

In contrast, we find San Miguel to be a city “llena de corazón” entirely delightful in numerous quality-of-life ways: no anger in the streets, few children crying; no road rage (well, we don’t drive it’s true, but why do visitors need to?); courtesy, helpfulness, and pleasant greeting wherever we go; marvelous fresh produce with not a single moment of “turista,” accommodation beyond North America or European standards; an English language library catering to visitors, fabulous film showings: and of course the climate.

What is the “bang” for Mr. Karger’s buck? We think this consists of a community that is well-organized, sanely, thoughtfully, visit “heart”. That such a rarity in today’s world is the reason for the population of San Miguel as a vacation destination or an expatriate community. We’ve lived in and visited many spots in the world--North America, Europe, The Middle East, Latin America, The Caribbean, Asia. We’re not going to emigrate from Canada, but when we to do so; SMA would rank high as a prospective residence, but it’s not nearly as simple as Mr. Karger’s economic plan outlines. It’s the people–the Mexicans and possible also immigrants–who made this lovely city what it is.

Leslie Savage and David Savage



Editor,

CASA (Centro de Adolescentes de San Miguel de Allende) would like to express our deep appreciation and thanks to all the friends and supporters who either donated items or came by and purchased items for the 2008 Spring Sale we held on our campus last Saturday. We raised a total of 10,265 pesos, which will go to our Domestic Violence outreach, Theater, Radio and peer support programs such as PESANE, which provides essential sexual and reproductive-health information to the teachers and students of the State of Guanajuato.

If you have any questions, please call Ana at CASA from 9 to 4am weekdays at 154 6060.

Ana Maria Peña

Coordinator, CASA Development Programs





Editor,

I want to let our supporters know that there will be no Mujeres en Cambio lunches in May and June. Our members take a well-earned break during these months. We are grateful to the many people who regularly attend our events and we don’t want them to be disappointed.

The good news is that we will be having another lunch at Hacienda de las Flores on July 24, guest chef to be announced. On August 28, we’ll be having lunch at Patsy’s Place, near Atotonilco.

In the meantime, donations and receipts are down almost 20 percent for the first quarter over the same period last year (you can view our financials on our website, www.mujeresencambio.com), no doubt reflecting the downturn in the global economy. If you know of anyone who would like to change a young woman’s life by helping give her an education, please tell them about us.

Roger Hind

Editor,

I feel Jim Karger’s recent article “San Miguel: The Golden Handcuffs” deserves a rebuttal. In the article he states “that to some this will echo elitism.” I would say to most it echoed elitism and a whole lot more. The need to drop in the price of his million-dollar house and the travails of his trips to León, to connect to Singapore and Paris, instantly lets us know what this is article is about and it is not San Miguel.

Karger states “I’ve thought of leaving once a day, sometimes more often” and then goes on to characterize Mexicans as thieves with statements like “discover the hard way why they should lock their doors,” “have a guard” and “watch carefully when the guy at PEMEX pumps their gas.” He goes on to conclude that despite all this he stays because it is cheap. If he can find no other reason to stay in San Miguel than the fact that it is cheap and has not taken the time to recognize the charm of his Mexican hosts, the natural beauty of his surroundings, the history of this place and other intangibles too many to mention, then perhaps he would be better suited for the US and spare us the racial undertones of his ego-driven opinion pieces. I, for one, would be happy to upgrade his flight home to first class so he does not have to sit in the back with us commoners.

Dewey Legbert