Why San Miguel de Allende?

San Miguel de Allende at sunrise 

Why did you choose San Miguel de Allende? 

That one question keeps coming up on my social media posts, over and over again. After skimming the last few blog posts, I realized I hadn't fully explained my reasons. So, here's the Cole's Notes version:

#1, my fascination with history 
When Lawrie and I, plus his sister and brother-in-law, drove from BC, Canada, to Isla Mujeres in 2008, one of our stops was San Miguel. We arrived on October 31st and stayed until November 2nd. We were in the city during the Day of the Dead, Día de Los Muertos, celebrations. I was hooked, and I always wanted to return to fully explore the city.

That beautiful Caribbean Sea

#2, change is good
Lawrie and I were restless people, always looking for the next adventure. We had several discussions, while enjoying our evening glass of wine, about where we would like to live if we ever tired of looking at the Caribbean Sea. He was reluctant to leave the warm temperatures and our view of turquoise water. He insisted he never wanted to be cold again, so we stayed and enjoyed our lives on Isla Mujeres.

San Miguel de Allende in December 

#3, a temperate climate
We loved the warmth of the Caribbean area of Mexico, but neither one of us was a worshipper. We rarely ventured to the beach, preferring instead to hang out in the shade of our palapa, or refresh ourselves in our own pool. One of our cheeky friends suggested that we didn't even know how to find Playa Norte. I flapped a hand in the general direction of the north end of the island and replied, "It's over there, somewhere."

Summers on Isla Mujeres can be very hot and humid. Not as hot as some parts of Mexico or the southern USA, but occasionally uncomfortable. We rarely used our air conditioning except to sleep at night during July, August, and September. We had adjusted quite well to the climate until recently. As I get older, the heat affects me more. Showering and changing my clothes three times a day became a nuisance. 

Image from San Miguel Writers' Conference

#4, a flourishing community of writers and artists
I started writing and self-publishing books in 2014. The first was a bilingual book for children, The Adventures of Thomas the Cat - Las Aventuras de Tomás el Gato, in partnership with islander Diego Medina. Then in 2016, I self-published my first novel, Treasure Isla. I have published four more novels in the Isla Mujeres Mystery Series, and Diego and I are working on completing the second bilingual children's book. I am hopeful that my new community will help improve my writing skills.


#5, San Miguel has only a few memories associated with Lawrie and me as a couple.
I was being crushed by the powerful memories of a romantic and joyful life. He was on every street corner and in every restaurant of Isla Mujeres. He shared my morning coffee, my afternoon meal, and my evening glass of wine. 

He is still with me and always will be, but I can walk the streets of San Miguel without living in the past, our past. 

I am looking forward to this next chapter of my life.

Cheers from San Miguel de Allende
Lynda, and my furry sidekick, Sparky

~

Murder and mayhem. Revenge and romance.

Grab your copy today in online book stores

A surprise gift - Sparky's story