Life continues, life discontinues...

I was looking forward to my grilled Artichoke with Edamame purée, serrano pepper and mint at Quince and, enjoy as well their rooftop terrace overlooking the Parroquia. But this is not an option anymore. Quince closed a month ago. One after the others, restaurants have been closing down leaving us with the “Take away” or “Delivery” options. So, we did take away. Tacos para llevar from a street stand is weird. It is supposed to be a messy, noisy and convivial experience but it is all very sanitary.

Tacos para llevar, to take away

Our last lunch at one of our favorite restaurants was another strange experience. Hand sanitizers, cross table conversations because everyone has an opinion and a story to tell. We have been lunching and hanging under their lemon tree so often, that I know the meaning of Claudia’s tattoo, I know the last adventures of the dog “Solo Vino”, Paloma greets everyone because she knows everyone and, they know what I’m going to order. For long I was on a Burrata salad diet along with a green iced tea. But they have been working on a new menu and I have been trying some of the new dishes before they closed as well.

Burrato Salad and green iced tea

Decision, decision... And they re-opened last week with more hand sanitizer and face masks. Protecting the health of one’s community or putting food on the table of one’s family is the cruel dilemma.

Entrance gate

Sunset to reset and repeat. Life continues, life discontinues... 

Art display to celebrate the International Women day

The 303 pairs of shoes displayed on the building in Guadalupe neighborhood, as a piece of art to celebrate the International Women day are still hanging on the facade. Time froze. As my hairdresser is freshening up my haircut, I look at the combs and scissors soaking into a blue liquid disinfectant. It reminds me of the containers of formalin, in our biology classroom at school. They were containing dead batrachians. We talk about life and everything else. The tattoo across his neck says in French “J’ai envie de vivre”, I want to live with a skull painted in the middle.

El Jardin, park in the center

The parks of the city were opened until recently. Now, the green benches are crossed out with yellow security tape. So, we stroll through town and eventually seat on the side walk. San Miguel de Allende became a ghost town. The tourists deserted. Schools, restaurants, shops are closed until further notice. Life seems to be on hold until further notice.

San Miguel de Allende

Another sunset to reset and adjust. Life continues, life discontinues...

The fruteria and the ice cream man

The fruteria is still open and gives a sense of normality. A new organic shop just opened on that same street. The bakery nearby is closed. No more dog treats for Paloma, no more pains au chocolat for me. 

Spring in Guadalupe neighborhood

Spring is showing its colors. Bougainvillea and Jacaranda are blooming. And we are sneezing. Nothing suspicious, pollen is flying all over.

Work in progress

The construction workers are still on-duty. I’m amazed when I see them working with this profusion of cables. “How do you know which one is the one?”, I had asked. “The size of the cable...” And then he went on explaining me the technical aspect of the process... in Spanish and he lost me. The danger is not coming from the cables but from the dogs on rooftops. This, I understood.

The danger is coming from the roof

The ice cream man is still shouting out “Nieve!, nieve!, nieve!”, Ice cream! But he is not my ice cream man. My ice cream man is an ice cream lady and, she closed down her street stand. Ni modo, as they say. Oh well! As with every challenging situation comes opportunities, I found this tiny ice cream shop Santa Clara, open since 1924 in a street corner. I really don’t mind walking the twenty minutes from home for a Macadamia nuts ice cream with the whole nut rubbed into caramel... the premium chocolate, the coconut and the pistachio ice creams are as good. 

Santa Clara since 1924

But this Macadamia nuts ice cream in a chocolate waffle cone worth the twenty minutes-walk. If the Macadamia nuts ice cream is not in the window display, ask for it. They sometimes hide it in the freezer ;-)

Another day, another sunset

...Life continues, life discontinues...