Tonight, the jardin was packed with more than 60 of the city’s green-and-white taxi cabs,  all decorated in balloons and flowers (and one elaborate shrine to Saint Michael tied to a car roof) in preparation for the blessing of the taxis. It reminded us of our Gulf Coast shrimping fleet, decorated and blessed annually by the local bishop.

At first glance, the shiny cabs all look alike. But, as we have ridden around town, we have noticed that each driver finds a way to personalize his vehicle. It may be something small, such as a statue of the Virgin of Guadalupe (the saint with the greatest market penetration around here, as Mark likes to say). It may be something that expresses the alter ego of the driver… such as the customized windshield design seen above. Could it be a commentary on the cabbie’s driving style?

Earlier this afternoon, there were more Indian dancers in front of the Parroquia. Their stringed instruments are made of armadillo hides.

San Miguel is a city of surprises. You notice something new and interesting with every stroll through town. Today, we saw these beautifully handbuilt pottery vessels in a local restaurant. Each one is around 30 inches tall, and is covered with an infinite variety of carefully formed textures. The resulting piece looks like a huge, elegant pineapple.

The first day we arrived, we noticed this little house with its exuberant rooftop container garden. Some of the plants are growing in clay pots, some are growing in tin cans, but all are lush and many are covered in flowers. It’s the kind of sight that makes you smile.