Five World Heritage sites and the fantastic Galapagos Islands
By Judy Newell February 1, 2008 San Miguel de Allende

Travel Seminar
Discover Ecuador, Galapagos & Peru
Mon, Feb 4, 4–5:30pm
Sala Quetzal
Biblioteca Pública
Insurgentes 25
Free 

The National Geographic Society coined the word “geotourism” to describe travel activities that comprise both cultural activities and observation of nature.

An informative meeting sponsored by Perfect Journeys will explain why Quito, Galapagos, Lima, Cusco and Machu Picchu are on the “must see” lists of so many travelers and why all are UNESCO World Heritage Sites.

San Miguel resident Judy Newell will escort a 16-day journey immersing you in Spanish colonial heritage and antiquities, Andean handicraft markets, the wildlife of the Galapagos Islands and magnificent ruins of the Inca Empire—true geotourism.

Enjoy wine and hors d’oeuvres while you learn about the May 11–26 journey with other adventurous San Miguel travelers. Newell lived in Ecuador and the Galapagos Islands for 17 years, and personally designed the tour itinerary. For those making reservations at the event, she will donate a portion of the tour fee to the Biblioteca Scholarship Fund. 

Join us as we move from a three-century-old restored hacienda in the foothills of volcanoes near Quito to the sounds of Andean pipe music and the sight of a colorful maze of textiles at a traditional craft market.

Take in the endless wonders of the enchanting Galapagos aboard your private yacht, a 91-foot catamaran that carries only 16 passengers. Hike with your naturalist guide, snorkel with playful sea lions, stand among marine iguanas, the gentle dragons unique to Galapagos.

Pause in gold-leafed cathedrals and pre-Columbian museums displaying the archaeological treasures of Ecuador and Peru. Stroll the cobblestone alleys of Cusco, filled with Andean Baroque structures from the colonial era.

See the sun rise over the mesmerizing citadel of Machu Picchu as you stand amid the cloud forests. Experience the energy and atmosphere of one of the most spectacular archaeological sites on the planet. Spot llamas, guanacos, vicuñas and alpacas silhouetted against ancient stonework. Taste a frothy pisco sour, Peru’s national drink made from white-grape brandy, and order a ceviche, a classic dish of fresh Pacific shellfish.

“What will last for a lifetime are the memories formed in the alchemy of the moment,” explains Newell, “The combination of a foreign land, a group of friends and the confidence of being in the care of experts creates something truly remarkable. We can’t promise to change somebody’s life, but we can promise to create the conditions in which moments of magic and personal transformation can occur. After all, the best things in life aren’t things at all.”

Return of Tibetan botanical illustrator

Lecture
Botanical Illustration in Tibet
Fri, Feb 8, 4pm
Sala Quetzal
Biblioteca Pública
Insurgentes 25
50 pesos

Dianne Aigaki, a botanical artist visiting friends in San Miguel for the winter, has lived in Dharamsala, India at the foot of the Himalayas since 1996, working as a volunteer consultant for the Tibetan Exile Government.

She moved there to be part of a community, “where people aspired to be like the leader; where the leader is a person of impeccable moral credentials. I wanted to live in a society where parents tell their children to grow up to be like the head of the country, in this case, the Dalai Lama.” She will be speaking here on Tibet, the flora, the environment and the people.

Aigaki has been an artist for 35 years, working in acrylics, watercolor, stained glass, print making and cyanotypes. Her specialty in botanical illustration is wildflowers growing in Tibet at altitudes of 11,000–18,000 feet. She spends eight weeks each summer in eastern Tibet, documenting flora and leading botanical illustration/photography tours. 

From late May until September, wildflowers carpet the hills, meadows and mountainsides—a river of purple, white, blue, orange, magenta and every color in between. Many plants are rare or have been used for centuries in traditional medicines. It is a wonderland for the botanist, illustrator, outdoor enthusiast or photographer.

Buddhist Kelsang Wangchog on happiness

Lecture
Happiness from Within
Fri, Feb 1, 5pm
Sala Quetzal
Biblioteca Pública
Insurgentes 25
50 pesos

Discover Buddha’s advice on how to find everlasting, pure happiness in your daily life. The Centro Budista Sukhavati (New Kadampa Tradition–IKBU) invites you to the public talk, “Happiness from Within” with Kadampa Buddhist nun, Kelsang Wangchog. The talk is in English and tickets are available at the theater box office (limited seating).

Lecture
The Magnificent Maya: Part II

Wed, Feb 6, 3pm
Teatro Santa Ana
Biblioteca Pública
Insurgentes 25
50 pesos

The most advanced of all Mesoamerican civilizations, the Maya built cities and paved roads, although they used no wheeled vehicles. Their astronomers plotted movements of the visible planets and stars using a mathematics that included zero, a rare accomplishment in world history.

They were the only New World people to develop a written language that could express anything spoken. This follow-up lecture to Part I given last week by Professor Guillermo Méndez focuses on Mayan religion, politics and sex. Religion permeated every aspect of ancient Maya life—everything was sacred and possessed spiritual energy. Maya cosmology was complex but intimately connected to daily life. Mayan politics in the Classic Period (AD 250-900) centered on semi-divine kings who ruled and expanded their influence through warfare, marital unions (“secondary” wives) and diplomacy. The sexy Maya, male or female, would have had an intentionally deformed skull, filed and inlaid teeth, decorative facial scars and, if lucky, slightly crosse
d eyes.

Butterflies back by popular demand

Slideshow
Bob Graham
Monarchs: Butterflies without Borders
Tues, Feb 5, 4pm
Villa Jacaranda 
Aldama 53
50 pesos

Bob Graham, retired naturalist from Parks Canada, will present his celebrated slideshow for a second time this year. He explains the unbelievable migration of the Monarch butterfly, details their lifecycle and highlights problems facing their very survival.

Scientists believe the evolutionary origins of Monarchs are tropical—intolerant of freezing temperatures at any stage of their lifecycle. Nevertheless, over thousands of years, Monarchs extended their breeding territory into the extensive milkweed fields of the US and Canada. Each fall, like many of us, Monarchs abandon their northern homes and head south. What triggers the Monarch exodus is uncertain, but decreasing hours of daylight and cooler temperatures probably play major roles.

Bird and mammal migration is incredible enough, but that the tiny, delicate Monarch should migrate, having neither bulk nor brainpower for the navigation required, is quite astounding. While many butterfly species migrate, none travels so far, in such great numbers or to such a precise destination. Their over-wintering site is high in the Michoacán mountains of Sierra de Angengueo, only a half-day’s drive south of San Miguel. For many monarchs, the journey spans much of North America, making this migration one of the most perilous and spectacular in the world.

Tickets may be purchased the afternoon of the show. Proceeds go to the Sociedad Audubon de México, who would like to thank the Villa Jacaranda for their Cine/bar theater and Bob Graham for his fascinating presentation. For additional information, call Bob at 154-9856.