Lecture
The Romance of Ruins
Robert de Gast
Tue, March 10, 5 pm
Teatro Santa Ana
Biblioteca Pública
Insurgentes 25
60/50 pesos 

San Miguel’s abandoned chapels

There’s a fascination frantic In a ruin that’s romantic; Do you think they are sufficiently decayed? —The Mikado by Gilbert and Sullivan

They are indeed. More than 300 churches and chapels are in the municipio of San Miguel and about one-fourth are abandoned or in ruins.

They are scattered around the nearby countryside, although some are within walking distance of the Jardín. Many are heartbreakingly beautiful.

Netherlands-born photographer and writer Robert de Gast, author of nine books, including, most recently, Behind the Doors of San Miguel, delivers a slide show and talk he calls “The Romance of Ruins: San Miguel’s Abandoned Chapels.”

Admission is 60 pesos (50 for library members). Seating is limited and his last two talks sold out. Tickets can be bought at the theater any weekday after 11am.






Presentation on Tibet
Thu, Mar 12, 1pm
Sala Quetzal
Biblioteca Pública
Insurgentes 25
50 pesos

Eco-travel to Tibet
By Atención staff

Back by popular demand, Dianne Aigaki repeats her presentation on the Tibetan landscape, life in the nomad camps and villages, her work in Tibet as a botanical illustrator and the current political situation after the demonstrations in 2008.

Although much of Tibet has been adversely affected by China´s rule, Aigaki focuses on the Eastern Plateau, where wildflowers carpet the landscape from late May to September. Many of them are rare and endangered or are used in traditional medicine to treat asthma, arthritis, cancer, blood pressure, parasites and other ailments. Aigaki created a flora documentation project including 108 scientific botanical illustrations of these wildflowers. The project is part of a cultural diplomacy exchange whereby she takes letters, gifts, cassette tapes and paintings of wildflowers between families in Tibet and the Tibetan refugee community in India. Her paintings are also exhibited worldwide and she speaks at museums, universities and botanic gardens.

This summer, Aigaki will lead two eco-tours to Tibet, including three people from San Miguel. “The Dream of the Turquoise Bee” tours are a partnership with Tibetan villagers and nomads, the concept born during the 2007 drought in eastern Tibet. The Tibetans, facing a financial and environmental crisis, worked with Aigaki to design an eco-tourism project that would allow them to support the tours, generating income while they trained as guides and medicinal plant experts. John Bellezza, a noted Tibet archaeologist, Tibetan dialect linguist, storyteller and a great cook will accompany both tours. The eco-tours give guests the opportunity to be in the pure, clear air while spending time with Tibetans.

Buy tickets early; last week’s presentation sold out. Half the admission fee goes to the Biblioteca scholarship fund and the other half to a medical fund for elderly Tibetans living in Oh Szang village.

Dianne Aigaki is a member of WINGS WorldQuest and carried their flag into Tibet in 2007. She is also a member of the Society of Women Geographers, the premier international organization of women explorers.