| The Rise
and Fall of an Expat Haven |
| by Joe
de Cola |
| San Miguel
de Allende, Mexico is a beautiful town, with one of the best climates on
the planet, and now, one of the hottest real-estate markets on the planet.
The town began as a destination for Americans when in the 1950’s a few
yanks discovered that they could attend the Instituto Allende, an
art school put together by an American, Stirling Dickinson, on their G.I.
Bill Benefits. What better life than having a Dollar Stipend, a perfect
climate, and all the Tequila and Pot you could buy in a sweet lovely
little Mexican town that had been forgotten by time?
But long before
that, San Miguel's Glory Days were during the height of the 1770’s Silver
Boom in Mexico (the Spanish Crown took more value out of the Mexican mines
than all the Gold in Peru...it kept the Spanish Empire afloat for a few
hundred years, just as Cheap Oil has kept the U.S. on top - at least up
until now). A good bit of architecture, churches, convents and homes
were built. Then it happened. |
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| Mining collapsed
- end of Boom, beginning of Sleepy Senescence. San Miguel’s 400 year
old charm was forgotten, left in the dust, preserved for 200 years.
Just as similar cycles of Boom/Bust and NO subsequent development gave
us the beauty of Salvador, Bahia (Sugar), Manaus (Rubber),
Prague (Hapsburgs), to mention only a few.
The 1950’s
U.S. Veterans were followed by 1960's/70's U.S. Bohos and Beats
(Neil Cassidy of Kerouac's "On the Road" fame died in San Miguel;
his body was found on the railroad track leading out of town, death due
to an overdose or drugs or alcohol or both). Where the Hipsters went, the
Well-To-Do soon followed. So the "scene" in San Miguel: great parties,
great drugs, great weather, great beauty great art, reached its apex in
the 70's and 80's.
Americans continued
to arrive in San Miguel attracted by its reputation, its beauty and climate
and by something difficult to describe, that didn't exist in other Gringo
Gathering Spots (the likes of Cuernavaca and Taxco) - cultural respect
for Mexican art and life. Perhaps this was due to the two art schools in
town, the Instituto Allende and Bellas Artes. |
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| But even long
after the heady post WWII days of GI Bill-Yanks, this regard for Mexicans,
their cultural heritage and their holidays endured among resident Americans
in San Miguel de Allende.
A bi-lingual
library, the Biblioteca, which celebrates Mexican history and folkways
came to be the cultural center for Americans in San Miguel. Now, new
generations of yanks, attracted more by how far their Social
Security checks would stretch than by the plentiful cannabis and other
intoxicants came to admire Mexico, enjoy the Arty Atmosphere,
bask in the fabulous sunshine and, for the first time, indulge in
first-rate restaurants, annual Jazz and Classical Music Festivals and The
Good Life.
Older Americans
who were barely scraping by could buy a house for $10,000, have a maid
and gardener and still have enough left over to go out for Margaritas and
tacos. |
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Offshore Resources Gallery
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| Then a few
years ago, Conde-Nast's Traveler Magazine's readers voted San Miguel among
the ten best destinations in the world. (That might have something to
do with that magazines demographic - the gerontocracy who had embraced
San MIguel)
Another wave
of Americans visited and looked for homes there.
Now San Miguel
de Allende is morphing into The Hamptons With Chili as the Upwardly Chic
crowd pour in to snap up renovated homes for a million plus dollars
apiece...Rich Texans seek relief in July and August from the humid heat.
The old bohos
are gone, the Social Security people are being priced out of the market
and it's is becoming a weekend destination for Chilangos - rich Mexicans
from Mexico City.
These days
the narrow cobble-stoned streets can barely accommodate the ludicrously
massive SUV's, Escalades and Hummers... I'm selling my house
and moving on..
For a look
at the author’s house, now on the block, go to www.casitadelsol.net |
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Article
Index ~ Mexico
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