On New Year’s Day, when everything else in San Miguel de Allende was closed (including most people’s eyes) we went up, up, up to the beautiful Charco del Ingenio Botanical Gardens.

This 100-hectare protected site includes canyons, cactii, succulents…

The real mescal plant.

…canals, aqueducts, dams, and mills from Colonial times… …a still functioning dam from the 19th century, sculptures, and artwork.

It’s a fabulous place to walk, explore…

and scare yourself silly if you’re so inclined to climb down a 200-foot ravine.

Of course we were so inclined… and the reward was utter tranquility at the bottom.

And the family that’s scared out of its wits together is knit together, right?

On solid ground!

Possibly the best New Year’s Day ever.

(This counts as my first — and probably last — Word a Week challenge. Shamed into it — I mean INSPIRED by all my overachieving blogging friends.)

Happy Garden Day, y’all!