http://www.travelblog.org/North-America/Mexico/Chiapas/San-Cristobal-de-las-Casas/ Travel adventures in journals and photos from North America , Mexico , Chiapas , San Cristobal de las Casas en-us Thu, 04 Dec 2008 16:02:19 UTC Thu, 04 Dec 2008 16:02:19 UTC Instead of going to Canon del Sumidero El Chiflon waterfalls and Lagunas de Montebello I decided to go for a hike just outside of San Cristobal with the group and just hang around town. It was supposed to be a lazy day but I still woke up at 0700 but I stayed in bed until 0900. I did some reading then went for a leisurely breakfast. We started our hike around noon walking through some neig http://www.travelblog.org//North-America/Mexico/Chiapas/San-Cristobal-de-las-Casas/blog-350045.html This morning we went to visit two traditional Mayan villages San Juan Chamula and San Lorenzo Zinacantan part of the Tzotzil community. Our guide Caesar a mestizo was extremely knowledgeable. The people of Chamula practice a mixture of Catholic and traditional Mayan beliefs and itrsquos one of few places where they sacrifice chicken in the church or what they call their sacred house. I http://www.travelblog.org//North-America/Mexico/Chiapas/San-Cristobal-de-las-Casas/blog-350043.html Po nestastne stavce jsme se klikatou silnici vhodnou pro rallye vysplhali vzhuru do chiapaskych hor. Cestou zastavujeme na vyhlidce a snazime se proti slunci udelat par fotek Pacifiku ale sance jsou male. Zastavujeme u typicky betonoveho staveni na kopci kde se na vesaku susi pradlo a pan majitel lezi schovany za stenou v hamace a odpociva v podvecernim slunci. Pri prekonani nastupu na nahorni p http://www.travelblog.org//North-America/Mexico/Chiapas/San-Cristobal-de-las-Casas/blog-349144.html So Oaxaca was similar to Puebla only slightly larger. Same kind of set up though the Zocola and the main streets surrounding it. We were staying in a cute little hotel called El Quijote with Emillio and Marta the owners who helped us learn Spanish more and we helped with their already great English. The first day we spent the day wandering the sights of course the Cathedral was first on the li http://www.travelblog.org//North-America/Mexico/Chiapas/San-Cristobal-de-las-Casas/blog-346595.html Suprisingly well rested after our overnight bus journey we reach the sunny skies and friendly faces of San Cristobal at around 10am. We are greeted by Alex who informs us of his new hostel run by he and his mother. We immediately warm to him and his offer and it is not until we have spoken to a few more people that we realise the 100 pesorsquos is per person rather than per room. Searching fo http://www.travelblog.org//North-America/Mexico/Chiapas/San-Cristobal-de-las-Casas/blog-337396.html We left the jungle and headed for the mountains taking the bus to San Cristobal de las Casas. After the long straight roads since Cancun this definitely wasnt a book reading ride. We were twisting and turning up and down all the way. The ride was long enough to watch 2 movies all based on the same theme anacondas. In fact I think they were even called Anaconda I II and III and all i http://www.travelblog.org//North-America/Mexico/Chiapas/San-Cristobal-de-las-Casas/blog-336868.html Where to start....on our last day in Mexico City about two weeks ago now time goes by so fast and we just dont get around to sitting in an internet caf for too long Franco took us on a 3hour ride through the city showing us some great buildings in the center we hadnt seen like the Palacio de Bellas Artes a concert hall you can see it on the pictures and all the way out to a new part http://www.travelblog.org//North-America/Mexico/Chiapas/San-Cristobal-de-las-Casas/blog-334814.html We grabbed the night bus and it was all about holding on Round and round the mountain we went Orianne holding on as she slept as not to keep bashing her head against the window and me not so lucky for the first half of the journey holding my tummy as for nothing to come up and when that settled holding for the bottom halfSan Cristobel is as beautiful as i remembered. The lovely spanish coloni http://www.travelblog.org//North-America/Mexico/Chiapas/San-Cristobal-de-las-Casas/blog-328691.html Twelve hours on three different buses from Guatemala City and I finally arrived in San Cristobal de las Casas in Chiapas Mexico. I had planned to meet up with Stephanie a friend of mine from New Zealand that I met in Rio Dulce so I headed straight for the Posada Ganesha the hostal she was staying in. Even from that first stroll through the town I could see it was amazingly beautiful everywhe http://www.travelblog.org//North-America/Mexico/Chiapas/San-Cristobal-de-las-Casas/blog-324016.html Well after our 3 and half weeks in Gautamala Lizzie and I finally came back to Mexico. We had an eventful border crossing mainly because we were tired but also as we just weren't thinking. Anyway luckily we got to San Cristobal in the end and spent our afternoon there shopping in the markets and walking around San Cristobal. It is a beautiful city and I was very happy to spend another evening t http://www.travelblog.org//North-America/Mexico/Chiapas/San-Cristobal-de-las-Casas/blog-322025.html We finally got an internet connection that didnt refuse our mass of photos in El Salvador...so here you go. Barra de la Cruz Part unohttpwww.facebook.comalbum.phpaid65716le656fid609417068Barra de la Cruz Part doshttpwww.facebook.comalbum.phpaid69801l92739id609417068San Cristobal and Palenquehttpwww.facebook.comalbum.phpaid69972l5fab5id609417068 http://www.travelblog.org//North-America/Mexico/Chiapas/San-Cristobal-de-las-Casas/blog-320257.html After yet another epic bus ride of approx 12 hours we left the typically icy air of the bus and entered the equally chilly San Cristobal.A badly timed breakage of one of my thongs and the resulting puddle dodging meant the following search for a room was made that bit more challenging but added a few nice layers for my future summer shoes. After numerous inquires we found a nice little hostel in a http://www.travelblog.org//North-America/Mexico/Chiapas/San-Cristobal-de-las-Casas/blog-319916.html As I made my decision to leave Puerto Escondido and start my Mexico adventures I decided to head down to San Cristobal de Las Casas in Chiapas. For those of you who might not know San Cristobal was where the Zapatista rebels emerged from the forests and invaded back in 1994. The Mexican army was able to regain control of the city in a few days. Around 150 people were killed....mostly rebels. http://www.travelblog.org//North-America/Mexico/Chiapas/San-Cristobal-de-las-Casas/blog-318091.html Eli kaytiin eilen seikkailemassa Palenquen Mayatemppeleilla jotka olivat aika vaikuttavat. Ensimmaiset heput asettuivat alueelle 100luvulla mutta 600luvulta eteenpain oli tehty suurin osa paikoista. Paikan piti ollaja varmaan olikin loistavassa kunnossa mutta lahimuistissa on aivan mahtava Petra seka Angkorin alue. Ne molemmat olivat todella paljon paremmassa kunnossa ja varsinkin pienten http://www.travelblog.org//North-America/Mexico/Chiapas/San-Cristobal-de-las-Casas/blog-317602.html Kaveltiin rajan yli Meksikoon ja tultiin bussilla San Cristobal de Las Casasin kolonialiseen kaupunkiin. Ollaan istuttu busseissa aika monta tuntia ja todella epamukvissa asennoissa. Taalla ollaan kolme yota ja kaydaan samalla Palenquen Mayatemppeleilla ja jollain vesiputouksilla ja jarvellahuomenna eli 9h bussissa. Eilen kierreltiin kaupungissa ja kaytiin safkaamassa loistavaa ja tulista ruoka http://www.travelblog.org//North-America/Mexico/Chiapas/San-Cristobal-de-las-Casas/blog-316939.html In Mexico and the actually have more beer than just Sol and Corona actually i havent seen a Corona yet. http://www.travelblog.org//North-America/Mexico/Chiapas/San-Cristobal-de-las-Casas/blog-313630.html san Cristobal De Las Casas 30011990. We planned to hike to Tenejapa one of the many Tzotzil and Tzetzal villages scattered around San Critobal. However having this chinese lady who lives inb Canada accompanying us we decided to take the collectivo a small and shitty local bus to Tenejapa. Our chinesecanadian friend is quite a charming lady and had i been on my own i would surely have t http://www.travelblog.org//North-America/Mexico/Chiapas/San-Cristobal-de-las-Casas/blog-311276.html Sitting fairly high up in the Chiapas rainforest San Cristobal is a really intriguing little colonial town. With everything in walking distance it provides the perfect retreat for backpackers whilst not compromising the city's cultural heritage. San Cristobal has a high indigenous population both in the city and in the surrounding mountain villages. Its colorful and vibrant cobbled streets grea http://www.travelblog.org//North-America/Mexico/Chiapas/San-Cristobal-de-las-Casas/blog-309250.html San Cristobal de las CasasI tell you what these long bus trips are becoming a bit old. We thought we had it all worked out choosing the first row so we wouldnt have to spend the whole trip with our shirts over our noses because the toilet reeeeeeeked so bad. Not so. There is nothing worse when you have to listen to 10hrs of LOUD traditonal mexican mariachai and freezing to death by AC. I would not http://www.travelblog.org//North-America/Mexico/Chiapas/San-Cristobal-de-las-Casas/blog-308028.html Our last night in Puerto Escondido we went out for the monday night party at Cabo Blanco which was an open air club on the beach with locals and travellers was the best night so farOn our last day in Puerto Escondido we had a surfing lesson and managed to 'pop up' a few times between us which was pretty good and managed to get smashed by a fair few waves as well. We spent the afternoon dossing http://www.travelblog.org//North-America/Mexico/Chiapas/San-Cristobal-de-las-Casas/blog-306974.html Well I have spent the last few days enjoying the colonia style town here especially all the yummy continental food. It has been such a pleasure to have real bread and cheese. Nicola joined me two nights ago and now I leave her again to catch up ith Lizzie in Chetumal and to enter Belize tomorrow. Hopefully ill be in Caye Caulker by evening so beach bumming for the next few days. Can't think wha http://www.travelblog.org//North-America/Mexico/Chiapas/San-Cristobal-de-las-Casas/blog-304785.html Well I left Nicola in Palenque so coming to San Cristobal a couple of days ago was my first solo travelling since being in Mexico. Upon arrival at the hostel I joined in on a slasa class which is my third since being in mexico so definitely improving. I hope to do a few more as I continue to get to some sort of a standard. San Cristobal is very colonial and reminded me of the north India town o http://www.travelblog.org//North-America/Mexico/Chiapas/San-Cristobal-de-las-Casas/blog-303358.html Efter en haesblaesende bustur i bjergene naaede vi frem til det beroemte San Cristobal de las Casas en rigtig gammel mexicansk hyggeby oppe i bjergene. Byen har vaeret omdrejningspunkt for zapatistbevaegelsen og der har foer vaeret en del ballade. Vi oplevede dog intet farligt i den retning. Da vi ankom travede vi rundt i gaderne for at finde et vaerelse...til sidst fandt vi dog et... ikke saer http://www.travelblog.org//North-America/Mexico/Chiapas/San-Cristobal-de-las-Casas/blog-302336.html After being here for a little less than two weeks things are finally starting to fall into place. What is taken for granted in the U.S. cannot be in Mexico. Sometimes this is downright charming and in other cases one is left wondering what to think.Perros de la calleor Dogs of the streetMario had told Tessa and I stories about or more correctly stated cautioned us about the dogs in small town http://www.travelblog.org//North-America/Mexico/Chiapas/San-Cristobal-de-las-Casas/blog-301587.html Just so everyone knows this is Jess and Rach typing these blogs Rach types Jess dictates So from where we left off we have since gone to quite a few other places.We caught a bus to Puebla Jess and I thought wed be catching local buses but to our delight this has meant 1st class seat reclining air conditioned luxury buses. with movies in spanish and much more leg room than a plane http://www.travelblog.org//North-America/Mexico/Chiapas/San-Cristobal-de-las-Casas/blog-298915.html Day 9 Tuesday 8th July Shattered at the end of a long bus journeyArrive in San Cristobal at 8am at the end of a gruelling 11 hour bus journey. A young mexican boy of no more than 6 decided that my leg would be a good pillow for the journey consequently when I get off the bus I have a dead leg I didn't have the heart to move him....he was too cute.After checking in to my hostel and freshening http://www.travelblog.org//North-America/Mexico/Chiapas/San-Cristobal-de-las-Casas/blog-297631.html So here I am back in Mexico with my backpack on my back all 15kgs of it and the wind blowing the wrong way for the sun to shine at me I hate the cold Brr its like September in England when I have to control myself against putting on my scarf and gloves 2 months too early Athough saying that the sun is actually shining as I type WoohooI managed to do absolutely nothing at all interesting o http://www.travelblog.org//North-America/Mexico/Chiapas/San-Cristobal-de-las-Casas/blog-295026.html We have had many a traffic story but we would like to note our ride to Lima Airport with a wannabe rally driver was possibly the worst and even Leanne yelling at him didnt seem to slow him down.It was exciting to arrive in Mexico to start our new adventure. the is something about an international plane journey and a new location that rejuvenates that going on holiday feeling. Too many times http://www.travelblog.org//North-America/Mexico/Chiapas/San-Cristobal-de-las-Casas/blog-291362.html Id heard that San Cristobal de las Cases was and amazing place but little did i realise just how amazing. This town has such a blend of culture art history and an incredible energy. At the weekend the streets teem with theatre and music from rap stand offs to pan pipe bands. The bars clear the tables for acrobatic shows salsa lessons and bands play rock to reggae into the night. Mayan villagers http://www.travelblog.org//North-America/Mexico/Chiapas/San-Cristobal-de-las-Casas/blog-291320.html