The Vibrant Colours of San Miguel

There is a reason why San Miguel de Allende is on the palette list of almost every artist around the globe. If you can't find something to paint here you might as well take up writing. It's not simply that foreign artists have been coming here since the 1930's to put brush to canvas, they've also taken out their creative impulses on many of the city's buildings. Earthy terracotta tones turn almost every cobble-stoned street into a three dimensional canvass that we can walk into and be absorbed by...

But we are bland additions in comparison to this doll seller in colourful costume who adds piquancy to a scene that needs no description...

There are a million street scenes worthy of the attention of a modern day Michelangelo here in San Miguel. This recycler's barrow is a picture in itself..

And this is just one of the dozens of tiny shops that flaunts its vibrant wares in the hope of catching a passing eye...

Every street corner brings into view another perfect picture as we climb higher and higher into the city's main square. Sometimes we find only a blank terracotta canvas, but then we round a corner and find ourselves mesmerised by a giant mural...

The murals on the walls and ceiling of the public library are so loud that they defy the “Silencio” signs to scream, “Look at me”...

While the walls inside all the restaurants have become galleries for a multitude of local artists or have been turned into works of art in their own right...

This is the weekend of the Festival of the Candelaria. Last year at this time we were in Puno on the Peruvian shores of Lake Titicaca to witness the colourful parade of 65,000 costumed indigenous dancers and musicians. Candelaria is celebrated less colourfully in San Miguel with a horticultural market and artisans' fair in the city's main park. However, we think these brightly hued pots would look great in our garden...

Not all of the pictures in San Miguel have been wrought by human hand – nature has played its part to make this one of the most beautiful cities we have ever visited. The orange tree in the garden of the ancient convent where we are staying makes it's own glorious artwork against the background of the bell tower...

Bell towers and churches abound in San Miguel - stay tuned for a religious experience.