cybor

Stewb,
Tx for the link. I enjoyed it.

Daniel_Williams

Hi Cybor,

I didn't have much to add relative to the others but I wanted to wish you a lovely trip to Guanajuato. I took a bus there last year from Queretaro and Gjo. for me would definitely be a contender for prettiest city (that I've seen) in the Americas. Sadly, I only planned a day trip...

Best wishes, Daniel

cybor

Thank you, Daniel. The more I research the more I'm finding out about SMiguel and Gto. Outdoor cafes, hot springs and grottoes, bird watching, bicycling, botanical gardens, food and more food (love those outdoor cafes), amazing architecture, beauty and history that never stops.
I'm excited about going. That and it's high 90s and humid here in Merida. The coolish air will be welcome.

CounterClifton

Guanajuato is my favourite city in Mexico. I don't think there's a bad neighbourhood to explore, really. There's just so much colour everywhere. Union Garden a good place to sit, drink and listen to music at night. Diego Rivera's house has murals worth having a look at. If you go up to the overlook, there are paths leading through the hillside neighbourhoods all the way down. From the main squares, there are all sorts of small local squares to be found on most roads leading away. Great place to "get lost" for awhile. Even entering the city by car is a special experience coming in through the extensive silver mining tunnels.

Christina

I couldn't remember the taxi fare, that is even better (440 MXN). I think I got ripped off a bit as I believe I paid at least US$35, which is because I didn't have pesos on me and the taxi stand told me the price in USD, which they obviously mark up. It would make more sense to go find an ATM first and then buy the taxi ticket. I don't believe they took credit cards, or I probably would have charged it.

Of course, if Cybor is already in Mexico, that isn't an issue, but it's some advice for others. I might be wrong, but as I recall, coming from the airport, you don't go through any silver mining tunnels, although I suppose that depends where you are going in Guanajuato.

baldone

As a side note, the tunnels are not a result of mining activities, but rather their construction was due to efforts to divert the heavy rain runoff that would at times flood the city.
Another reason not to use the tunnels for pedestrian activities such as walking or biking is that they fill with exhaust fumes from traffic.

Stewbear

I do walk one tunnel regularly but it short less than 50 yards. I made the mistake of walking one about a mile & I was was filthy dirty & was forded to breath a lot of car fumes. Never again.

CounterClifton

Ah, thanks baldone for the correction on the tunnels and not being silver related. (good reminder not to take every taxi driver commentary to heart)

cybor

Flights are booked. MID - QRO & BJX - MID
San Miguel 3n & Gto 4n
Got to now figure out transport to each
Also am still looking for very centrally located places to stay. Criteria - want rooms/apartments with a fridge.
I'm also wondering how easy it is to wing it in regards to car rentals when we get there or if this should be done ahead.
Many thanks thus far for your input.

baldone

Given your itinerary, I'd go to San Miguel first. Bajiogo.com can pick you up @ QRO for $29 p/p. They also rent cars. These guys also rent cars, but you'd probably need to reserve in advance, and their rates are much cheaper I believe if you do: http://www.sanmiguelrentalcar.com/ That said, you really don't need a car for San Miguel proper, nor Guanajuato. Unless you do indeed do a day trip to somewhere like Mineral De Pozos.
Not knowing your rental budget, there are a number of places near or in centro, but as it is the other high season (folks come for the summer to escape the heat of Arizona & Texas & Merida?) many rentals are already booked. Some good colonias would be centro, centro historico, San Antonio, Guadiana, Guadalupe, Azteca, Allende.
This, as an example, would be a good location and a fair rate for the location and season: https://www.vrbo.com/3671683ha#rates
If you do rent a car in San Miguel, be advised that parking on the street is a hassle, and the transitos have recently begun enforcing (or are attempting to) a 2 hour limit in the centro historico. So you'd need to negotiate an all day/night rate with a nearby parking lot.

cybor

I'm happy to say that I found a couple apartment/casitas with kitchens in SMiguel & Gto. I booked both on Airbnb. there really wasn't much left.
I'll check out Bajiogo for a pick up. Also wondering if Uber has made it's way there.
We're very excited to be going to both places. This is such a needed break for us.

baldone

No Uber.

Stewbear

Again if you go to gtolist there is a limo service that posts there that is excellent & very reasonable. I used them to go over & pick up my wife for only about 200 pesos more than a cab round trip costs. Also for a pick up after a over night at a hotel near the leather market in Leon as well as Guanajuato to BJX for our return trip to California. English speaking driver & excellent equipment.

cybor

Just returned from Gto and San Miguel. Both are fabulous cities for many similar and many different reasons.
Please let me know if you'd like any info... while it's still fresh in my head, lol

MmePerdu

Oh, good cybor, glad you liked them. Three questions at the moment:

I'm concerned about the size of Gto. Did you have the feeling you were in a big city or is the center an easy place?

And is SM worth the seemingly more expensive price of accommodations, compared to Gto?

I suspect the 2 places have a very different feel. Did SM seem too much an expat place? I know that's quite subjective but please tell me what you think.

cybor

Hey Mme,
Gto did and didn't feel big. You like that answer, lol
The Historic center is totally walkable and nice and flat. That said, when/if you go up the Funicular and see all the house/churches (there are so many amazing churches) you realize how big the place really is. We also went to the top of a hill to an amazing Hacienda and walked part of a path that leads all the way to New Mexico.

We did like SM, too. We stayed at a gorgeous place(suite with a small kitchen area) that was nice and quiet yet close to the action. 100 pn - I wished we stayed longer just to hang out in the gardens to relax.
The mercado was immediately around the corner, there were many good restaurants. We had a bit of a set back (had to put our dog down) so we arrived 2 days later than planned. I also wasn't feeling great so we never got to do the bike ride we wanted. So between the very pretty city, the food and the architecture - yes we liked it. I'd love to go back and do some house and garden tours.
As for the expat thing. It's hard to tell who's an expat and who's not as many Mexicans and Latin Americans are very light, many speak English and I didn't talk to them all, lol
Also, there were many many Mx families in both Gto and SM. It's not only vaca time but the airports make it easy to fly into both areas.

So yes, very different in regards to geography, architecture, etc
Gto could almost be in Italy.
SM - great place to go relax, walk around and eat. Great places up high to have drinks and snacks. Also a great place to make day trips from. SM also has a massive amount of artisans selling their goods at outdoor market places. I regret that we didn't buy any textiles there as we didn't end up finding those sorts of things in Gto.
Gto - It's so different and has a Euro vibe. Also lots to do - but you have to look a bit harder. ex. we happened to be there the day they were opening up the dam. Big celebration and kinda cool to see the water come down from the reservoir.
Food in both places was definitely much less than the US. We didn't have one bad meal.
I'd go back to both. It's so easy and inexpensive to get from one to the other.

MmePerdu

So it seems I'll have to try them both, as you did. I like your comparisons and glad SM didn't feel like an American suburb. I imagine from California (alto?) I'd fly into Leon, whichever came first.

How did you get from one to the other? If privately (taxi?), what did it cost?

PS - So sorry about your dog. I've given up having pets, can't take losing them anymore, just too painful. Again, so sorry.

Stewbear

Hourly bus service between the two from early AM until late PM.

cybor

Mme, Definitely nothing at all like a US burb. I lived in Ca and can say that I never felt like I was in the US.
We flew into QRO and then used Bajio.go to SM. A rickety van picked us up 500 mxp - 27 approx USD for 2 people. This was reserved ahead.
We then took a cab to Gto - we simply asked the cab driver who was bringing us to Gto how much he'd charge. he also wanted 500 - we jumped on that instead of the bus.
Reserve bus tickets ahead if possible.
We then flew out of BJX from Gto took a cab there for 350 mxp
Cabs are everywhere and cheap.

cybor

Oh, and Mme, thanks for the kind comments.