The journey of a million miles begins with one step.-Chinese proverb. This is the story of Hannah’s first step in San Miguel de Allende, Mexico.

In November 2006, on impulse, I decided to make a stop in San Miguel from my yoga retreat in Aguascalientes. I loved San Miguel immediately! I had never seen any place on earth like this before and I consider myself a seasoned traveler as I did extensive traveling during my 20 years in international businesses. What is it that was so attractive to me? Its century old architecture, the young children playing next to their mothers at work; its gentle people, the polite and considerate taxi drivers who insist on carrying your heavy groceries into your kitchen, all warmed my heart. I loved the little art galleries dotting the narrow streets like flowers in a stream of unexpected waterworks.

I liked seeing the expatriate gringos (American or Canadian) walking around in this small town with the yoga mats under their arms or carrying a makeshift portfolio of their artwork coming out of the Instituto Allende, a popular art school where they can let their artistic and creativity souls come out freely. I liked the contrast of the aging hippies with long flowing beards and sandals walking side-by-side with the sophisticated well dressed women, some in their 80s, still very fit, who are busy holding art shows or charity events. I liked the Jardin - I called it “the Square”- where each night the local musicians liven up the town with their serenades. Really, what wasn’t there to love about this humble town?

So in the early Spring of 2007, I decided to move to San Miguel. Arriving from the cold snowy winter of Toronto I was warmly welcomed by a concert of Jacaranda trees in full bloom all over the town.  A Jacaranda tree takes 34 years of growth before it can experience its first bloom, so I was well aware of my good-fortune to be in a century-old town where we are blessed with many century old Jacaranda trees.  Every year for decades they faithfully deliver into the clear blue sky their parachutes of purplish blue flowers to mark the coming of Spring. They inspired my first landscape painting of San Miguel – “Jacaranda in Bloom!”

My uncle, the famed artist and poet Pham Tang, who has seen it all and who has made it to the top of his profession in Europe, told me in one of our often and lengthy transatlantic telephone conversations, after reading one of his latest poems on the phone to me, that I should never follow the beaten track but make a fresh start in this journey on my own.  However, if I were to chose an artist whose footsteps I have always considered following I would consider Vincent Van Gogh as my guide through this journey in search of myself.  I have always loved Van Gogh for his passion, his lust for life and his quest for a sincere and honest emotional expression through his art.  I remember being in the Musee’d’Orsey in Paris and was awestruck by his powerful brush strokes. I think he would have found much inspiration as I have in San Miguel.