Touring Sam Miguel and Mexican History

We started our first day in SMA with breakfast at a laid back small restaurant called Cafe Monet, a short walk from the house where we're staying. We are still in our early stages of getting our geographic bearings and figuring out how to conduct day-to-day activities. Simple stuff such as "Where can we get a meal?"  Or more importantly, "Where can we get a meal that won't make us sick?" We've had good luck so far.

Our number one focus today was to take a walking tour of the city sponsored by Patronato Pro Niños.  For nearly fifty years, Patronato Pro Niños has been dedicated to providing medical and dental services to children living in the countryside. The tour guides are all volunteers, so 100% of the 300 pesos ($16.50) tour fee goes to deliver medical and dental services from vans that travel to the children.

Kathleen in the brightly colored dress at the Jardin 

Our tour guide, Kathleen Bennet, had been visiting SMA for years and five years ago decided to make SMA her year round home. She was knowledgeable, engaging and passionate about the public service her tour provided to so many young children.

We toured the major sights in Centro and learned a great deal about Mexican history, starting with  Hernando Cortez's suppression of the Incan empire in 1521.

We put this tour on the "must do" list for anyone visiting SMA.  The tour is conducted Monday, Wednesday and Friday at 9:45 am.  No reservation needed.  Just meet with the tour leader in the Jardin in front of the Parroquia de San Miguel Arcangel.  Bring cash (pesos).  No credit cards accepted on this tour.

Chicago, Chicago that Wonderful Town

As we wandered back to our house, we discovered a remarkable restaurant called Chicago's Sabroso Taqueria at Zapateros Street 41.  The tacos are hand-made, delicious, served with an array of sauces and well priced.  Colorfully decorated picnic tables provided seating in this eclectically decorated restaurant that prominently displays its motto, "Make Tacos Not Walls."

In a conversation with the owner, Rafael, we learned that the restaurant had been opened for only six weeks and that there is a sister Chicago style pizzeria upstairs in the same building. We will be returning for more tacos and pizza.

Getting Connected, Getting Food

Telcel Customer Service Center

Our last adventure for the day included buying local SIM cards for our Verizon US-based phones and buying groceries at the hypermarket called La Comer.

The SIM card adventure required some searching for the fortress-like Telcel Central Customer Service building. The SIM card and activation for both phones was 314 pesos ($17.50).  We then purchased a 33 day usage package that included talk, text and 1 GB of data. The packages for both phones cost 800 pesos ($44.50).

Helen's iPhone immediately recognized the SIM card and Telcel network. Jay's Samsung Galaxy required an update of the Access Point Names to recognize the Telcel network.

The hypermarket was appropriately named.  At La Comer you can buy Skippy peanut butter as well as a new refrigerator.

We acquired all the items on our shopping list and then got into a waiting taxi to ferry us and our groceries home. It seems many people walk to the store and ride home with their purchases.

Our first taxi ride was facilitated by pointing to our home location on a map.

This first full day in SMA was just great!