Location Descriptions - 2Guanajuato Cites Marfil Marfil is actually a separate town from Guanajuato. It is about six kilometers from Guanajuato and is easily accessible by cab, bus, or car. I know an American woman who often walks into Guanajuato from her home in Marfil. It was founded in 1556, around the same time as Guanajuato, and although historically significant, is not as popularly known, as is Guanajuato. The area is somewhat isolated and from some points in the area you would swear it was sparsely populated. Some of the houses look run down and a bit shanty-like. It is generally safe, quite, and not a whole lots goes on there. Most of its inhabitants seem to ride the bus into Guanajuato where schools are located and jobs. Gringos have ended up there accidentally. Though this might the largest infusion of gringos in one area in Guanajuato, I do not believe this was purposely done. It just happened. I've known gringo expats living there who either love it or despise it. I've been told that the locals are extremely standoffish and difficult to get to know. However, I usually hear this from gringos who do not know Spanish that would indeed make it hard for the Mexican neighbors to warm towards you. Marfil, as is the rest of Guanajuato and most of Central Mexico, is extremely provincial. They do not understand, for example, of why a gringo would pitch a fit just because their German Shepherd dog ran up and chewed on your foot while riding a bike. This happened to a friend of mine. When he confronted the Mexican owner, the man didn't understand my friend's anger at all. Living in Marfil would be like living in a bedroom community. You will find that you will be going into Guanajuato a lot because there isn't much going on in Marfil. Though I have not lived in this community, I get the impression that the gringos who do are looking for a place where they will be left alone. Dolores Hidalgo This little town is so sweetly charming that it behooves you to check it out. If you love history then this is the place for you. This little colonial town in Guanajuato is literally the birthplace of the Mexican nation. It was here, Dolores Hidalgo where the rebel priest and political insurrectionist, Miguel Hidalgo and co-hort Ignacio Allende, launched the drive toward Mexican Independence from their Spanish invaders and oppressors. It was here that El Grito—the Cry for Freedom—was given on the night of September 15, 1810 from the church that is still standing and available for tourist to visit. Today, Dolores Hidalgo is known for their fine ceramic shop that produces Talavera ceramics. The city seems to have one central street or, as I term it, Pottery Strip, where tourists come to buy pottery to furnish their homes and offices. It is also known for its absolutely delicious ice cream with the most exotic flavors—even shrimp ice cream. The appeal for the potential expat is that this town is hugely untouched by Americanization. Though San Miguel de Allende is close and many from there frequent Dolores Hidaglo on shopping jags, it is still vastly Mexican. I do not see an invading American expat army coming to this town. And the reason is that there isn't anything here to support the needs Americans seem to think that have to have when moving to another country. I am afraid that this little town will "catch on" and Americans will set about changing it as they've down San Miguel de Allende, but for now it is genuine Mexican. The major drawback is that if you decided the buy property here you would have to be, for all practical purposes, Mexican through and through. There is nothing here that is slanted to the English speaking expat. You will have to know Spanish and know it fairly well. Also, the forays we took there to check out the lay of the land, we discovered that there is no central place where rental properties are listed. Even in Guanajuato there is a weekly paper that has rentals. Everyone we asked said that you would have to walk through the streets of Dolores Hidalgo and look for signs, white flags (a very old Mexican tradition—a white flag in the window or hanging from the balcony indicated a rental), or ask. And to do this, you would have to be very fluent in Spanish. But it is lovely, isolated, and there you can get the truest feeling that you are in a foreign country. It is unlike other cities in Mexico where you are liable to see a Kentucky Fried Chicken staring you in the face or a MacDonald's on the corner. I hate that and in Dolores Hidalgo you will not see this—yet. Not Recommended Barrios or Cities Guanajuato Barrios To Avoid Los Balcones, Cerro de los Leons, Cerro del Cuarto This would probably not be a place where you would want to plant your gringo presence. Those have a bad reputation all over town for the Mexicans as well as foreigners. They are located up on the Panoramica. There are crime problems there. I know of some locals that will not go up there without a police escort. It is poor, poor, poor, and a lot of the gangs come from that area. Avoid this area. I see lots of rentals available there for practically nothing but I would never advice you to rent in that area. Other Guanajuato Barrios There are other barrios throughout the city that I have only heard bits and pieces about. I have mentioned only the ones I would definitely recommend and those that I would definitely avoid. You can, of course, find nice, safe places, in a bad area, that will prove to be the exception to the rule. Or, you could find an unsafe place in a barrio that is supposed to be nice and safe. Guanajuato Cities to Avoid Leon and Irapuato There is a joke among the expats in Guanajuato that when you tell one another that you have to go to either Leon or Irapuato, that the other expat says something like, "Oh, I am so sorry." These are large, industrialized cities that are hot, grossly polluted, full of smog that could choke a herd of horses, and has so many madmen driving cars like the Italians. I often tell people that these cities are where you go when you want to risk dying. There are American expats who live in these cities. Why, I cannot possibly fathom, but they do. There are teachers, workers in various factories and business, who are forced to live in these unpleasant places for their jobs. In the Leon/Silao area there is a General Motors Plant that has American executives there. The good thing about these giant and dirty cities is that they offer more services than the smaller colonial towns. There is just about everything there that you find in the major U.S. and European cities except a sane and decent quality of life. Now, I grant you that there are those who will disagree with me and say something like, "Well, you've never lived there so how can you be so judgmental…" To which I say, "You can have Leon and Irapuato and I will take Guanajuato any day." San Miguel de Allende This is another small, colonial town that I would put on the "To Avoid List." It is NOT Mexico. If you are looking for a geniune Mexican town in which you can learning the language and assimilate into the culture then avoid San Miguel de Allende. If you want a resort town that is very, very much an American colony where the locals will speak English to you and you can live a Cruise Ship existence (something planned all the time), then move to San Miguel de Allende. ### 
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