THE DOORS (of San Miguel)

There are many interesting places to travel to in Central America, but one place that I always seem to be returning to is San Miguel de Allende.

San Miguel is located in the highlands of central Mexico in the state of Guanajuato. At an altitude of around 5000 feet, it climate is perpetually temperate. Day time temperatures are generally in the 70’s (F). Winter nights may have a slight chill, but with it’s low humidity it always seems very pleasant.

What attracts me generally is the Architecture, the numerous art galleries, the class A restaurants and cuisine, the shopping and attractions that are in the nearby countryside.

There is also a social ambiance that permeates the Mexican culture but seems to be much more prevalent in San Miguel. You will find this obviated by the events that seem to spontaneously occur every evening in the central part of town known as El Jardin (The Garden).

The streets of San Miguel cobblestone with narrow sidewalks on each side, with the plaster building walls creating shallow intersecting canyons of two to three stories in height. There are a few windows in the cementitious fenestrations, but generally the only penetrations that you will see are doors.

This stark appearance is misleading, because on the other side of that wall is a lifeblood of the city. You will find cloisters of galleries, shops, gardens, apartments and restaurants hidden away here.

There are very few doors in San Miguel that are the same. Everyone seems to have been custom made. Some are old and weathered, giving them a character of ages past. Whenever I see one of these doors, I wonder about the craftsman that built it, his family and heritage.

A couple of years ago I made it a point to make a photo journal of as many of these doors that I could during the two weeks that I was there. Here I am sharing a few of these photos.