Settling into the rhythm - San Cristobal and environs

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San Cristobal de las Casas

Famed for it's great colonial history and buildings, and very popular with the 'unconventional' tourists with it's herbal medicines, wholefood focused restaurants and alternative medicines, we didn't instantly warm to San Cristobal in the way Oaxaca wowed us (not helped by our dubious taxi driver/possible conman!) but the town gradually grew on us. One of the few places in Mexico where the indigenious people still strongly maintain the old traditions and ways of life, San Cristobal is filled with people from the neighbouring villgages selling handmade wares and produce.

We strolled along the back roads up to Na Bolom (a centre set up in an impressive colonian house by Dutch explorers in 1970's which documents the history, their struggles and the changes within the Lacandonian community, and the impact of modern farming/logging on the native 'cloud' forest, still ongoing), then hopped on a bus out to see the 'wonders' of Las Grutas (limestone caves) - pretty cool for an hour's jaunt but nothing in comparison to places like the Jenolan Caves (Sydney).

Sumidero Canyon - Day tripping out of town we took a launch down the river through the Sumidero Canyon, where apparently rather than surrender to the Spanish the natives threw themselves off the cliffs some 800m+ up. Like they knew we were coming with our cameras ready, crocodiles (only little ones) lay basking on the river banks and herons stood posing on tree stumps.

Tuxtla Zoo - The afternoon took us on to Tuxtla (busy city/town) but more especially the Zoo which is filled with native wildlife: parrots, toucans, monkeys, big cats, birds of prey, lots of crocs, turtles and tapirs. Wandering around outside the cages were turkey vultures (ugh), agoutis (cute mini-piglike mammals) and the ever-present cheeky chachalacas.

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