The Botanical Gardens

We went to El Charco de el Ingenio today, which is a beautiful botanical garden located on a hilltop above San Miguel de Allende.

I love looking at all the native flora and fauna. It's so different than the temperate climate of the Pacific Northwest. I haven't seen desert like this since Arizona, or maybe parts of Texas.

I had to twist David's arm a little to come here, when I first recommended going he said, "I've been to a botanical garden before." Little did he know that EVERY botanical garden is different, and he's so glad he went.

Of course, today is the only day I really forgot to coat myself with sunscreen. And guess what? We randomly decided to go to the botanical garden after breakfast. IN THE BURNING HOT SUN. Luckily, I had suncreen on my face, but not my neck or arms. Now I have on a natural red necklace. Who needs diamonds and pearls?

We then walked to a canyon in the rocks, which didn't have much water, but was just beautiful.
Can you see those two tiny people standing on the edge of the cliff? Just watching them gave me vertigo, even though I was safely on a very wide trail on the other side of the canyon. I kept thinking they would slip, and it would be the worst thing in the world. Maybe they also thought that looking at us, although there was a good 15 feet between us and the edge.

And then our reward! A "mirador", or viewpoint to the city far, far, far, far below. Ok, I'm getting queasy just looking at these pictures.

And then, and even BETTER viewpoint, if you can imagine. This place was just stunning. I knew the sun was burning holes in my skin, but I just had to see the views. My poor skin was sacrificed for my memories.

Then, on our way back to our apartment, we had the cab driver drop us off at another "Mirador", only a couple streets from ours. The sun decided to bathe downtown in light, you can see the Parroquia and a couple other churches glowing in the distance.