Botanical Paradise

 

Our rental house is in an area of San Miguel de Allende that appears to be somewhat affluent. The short one kilometre walk to the Botanical Gardens took us past impressive homes, all fortified behind walls with massive doors. Security is a big concern in this part of the world. The home we are staying in would probably be an average middle class three bedroom dwelling, has many layers of protection and multiple keys to get in and out of the place. 

The Botanical Garden is a massive preserve that lies adjacent to a reservoir on the north side of San Miguel.  We strolled through about half of the paths before running out of steam. Birds are abundant and I got excited on a number of occasions when flashed of red, yellow and white went flying by.  

The cacti are so impressive, naturally occurring in a number of varieties. While I have seen the odd cactus during our travels, this is my first time being surrounded by them. 

We enjoyed a lovely lunch at the little snack bar at the gardens before walking back for a leisurely afternoon siesta. Thankfully, we are not in a rush to do anything and long naps feel luxurious and appropriate.

One of the nicest moments of the day was when we watched and listened to a shepherd coax his flock across a boggy field for a drink of water. The sounds that the sheep were making off in the distance were truly beautiful.