Back to Mexico We Go...

Tam: Knock, knock , knock.... Tamara! 6.30 in the morning, tucked away in bed only to be woken up by a knocking. What we thought was an afternoon shuttle bus back to Mexico was indeed a morning one! No time to wipe our bleary eyes, in 5 mins we were dressed and lugging oue backpacks up the road only to wait 20 mins for an Israeli couple to board the bus.

5 hours it should have taken us to San Cristobal, a lovely pretty town in the Chiapas region of southern Mexico where te climate is cold and the people are known for political conscience, but I am getting ahead of myself. The road was bumpy and again windy, as we drove up and down the mountains, we said goodbye to huipiles and colourful skirts and noticed the landscape and people change ( modern clothes and cowboy hats) as we left Guatemala and entered back into Mexico. Departing Guate was easy, too easy in fact. We were subjected to a one man ( and an old man at that) clerk who didnt know how to use a pc and dozens of tourists and locals needing to get their passport stamped. Biding our time, we chatted to others and helped people fill in their forms. 2 more hours later and nearing to sunset we were dropped off in te central plaza ad walked two blocks to the recommended Posada Mexico.

Did i tell you this town was known for its zapatistas and strong social conscience? As if to prove it, as we walked into our hostel the whole street was full of protesters and police, families were camping out and two men were tied to crosses on the back of a ute protesting to free political prisoners and for human rights. The protest would last for the next 3 nights and then they would all disappear as we left on Friday morning.

By complete conincidence we dined that night at Atierradentro a funky indoor courtyard cafe where the cool locals type on laptops and the food is good ( I had chicken mole again, te chocolate gravy poured over tender chicken served with rice). This place is run by zapatista sympathisers and all the stores that surround the cafe below are themed on the movement.

Our first full day in town, we spent walking up to the many prettu churches, Iglesia de San Cristobal, Iglesia de Guadelupe ( where the climb is steep but you get great views of the town below and see yet more pretty churhes in the distance and rge prettiest church of all Santo Domingo also home to local markets selling much needes blankets, scarves, gloves and jumpers.
There are two main walking streets too which are for pedestrians only and are lined with mainy cafes, tour agnencies and some hotels. We dined on both streets for the next couple of nights and enjoyed lasagna, great starters and beer at Bar Revolucion ( their gourmet nachos and brochettes were so good we tried the molletes the next night).

The main plaza too is lively with music inside a gazbeo style restaurant and locals selling goods and shoe shiners below.

At night its quite cold, so cold that we both had to buy jumpers ( Coxy a local stripey pullover like the locals wear for 80 pesos and I bought a gorgeous thick wollen cardigan for 300 pesos - the walk away didnt work ). The markets also saw me buy earrings, necklaces, toys and little zapatista keyrings.

The next day we were booked on a half day tour to visit San Juan Chamula on horseback. It took a little while to get started, we walked to Santo Domingo to catch a crowded colectivo to just near where we were to ride our horses.

Finally after a little more waiting, I quite easily hopped on my white horse ad waited for the others. At first we just casually walked through the local streets getting used to being on horses again ( for coxy it had been over twenty years and for me just over 7 ), then the sneezing started.

San Crisobal is surrounded by beautiful green pine forest. As we got off the main road and made our way up through the trees, it triggered a very annoying case of hayfever, a fever that wpuld stay with me until i slept that night unfortunately. It was so much fun to be on a horse again, althoufh we werent going fast, we did sometimes have to get up to a gallop. We rode to the town famous for its main church and population of local indians. All the women carry their young in slings on their back, sometimes so tight that you can hardly see the tiny bundle. They wear coulour tops too similar to a huipil and huge furry skirts, so haute couture I couldnt stop staring at them. Their hair is worn long too and in two long plaits. Some older men wear fur, but in the style of a furcoat topped off of course with a cowboy hat. Do take a look at the photos from this day and you will see what I mean.

But the main attraction was not the local costume but their church and religious ceremony. No pictures here, we paid 20 p each at the tourist office and made our way to the churh set in the centre of town.

As you walk in, you're first impressions are that its so dark and smoky inside. The next is that the floor is covered in dry reeds or grass. The inside of the church is big with a high ceiling and exposed beams sometimes with fabric dangling from the ceilings. The two sides are lined with saints in glass cases all holdinh mirrors). As you approach the front altar there is a tomb to your right and more saints adorning the main altar. There are families huddled in groups on the floor all throughout the church, either facing their saints or lighting more candles on the floor, the whole place is literally ablaze with candles some in glass cups or long straight ones melted onto the floor. There is no music playinh or choirs singig here, all you hear except the whispering of hordes of tourists are shamans chanting. These are the local healers. We saw two performing rituals, one with a live chicken and the other with a bag of eggs. They rub or dangle these in front of the sick ( in this case a woman's arm and a baby) to heal them. I oftem saw family sipping on soft drink too as they lit candles and prayed. It was something i had never seen before. We had some soft drink and a snack of chips and cupcake as we sat overlooking the church and watching the many locals.
As we left we witnessed two locals being taken away from the local courts handcuffed and made to lie down face first in the back of te police utes, the whole town and tourists too crowdinh around to see them go. Later we asked our 14 year old guide what had happened, he responded that the two were probably loval drunks - so not as exciting as we had thought!

Back in town we had a late lunch at the very cool El Gato Gordo ( the fat cat) and i can see why. Our meals were delicious, i had a very yummy chicken in greem salsa enchilada and Coxy found hia new fav Mexico meal in chilaquiles also chicken in green salsa (dried tortilla chips under pollo and cheese and green sauce baked).

We got back to the hostel for a siesta and then celebrates our San Cristobal stay with cocktails and beer back at Bar Revolucion and where I bought zapatista toys from the local kids and Coxy practised hos origami roses, thrilling one little local girl.

The next day, it was off with Coxy's beard ready for a 5 hour bus ride by OCC back east to the jungle ( where i am writing this blog ). A comfy enough ride despite my queasy tummy.