Mi Querida Mexico

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Time for my first gushing blog.

Mexico is absolutely amazing, and frankly I don´t want to leave. In fact, if it weren´t for the fact that we're heading on to some pretty cool places next, I don´t think we would!

A bit about San Cristobal in a moment, but first a few random things that I love about the place, in no particular order:

1) Every reasonble sized town that we've visited so far (with the notable exception of the odious Acapulco) has had some kind of fiesta going on. From the Miss Taxco competition (pictures to follow!), to last night's amazing salsa & merengue band (who were dressed rather splendidly in custard yellow game show host jackets) in the main square, they just seem to love free parties. It rules.

2) Food! Food! Food! Even as a pair of veggies, we've been eating the best food ever. This is a nation that serves chilli sauce with every meal. Including breakfast... I'm in some kind of spicy heaven.

3) The people are all lovely, frankly. Except some moody oik in a photo shop a minute ago. Maybe he'd just been dumped.

4) The countryside is stunning.

Anyway, enough of that nonsense - I'll ruin my reputation for dour cynicism.

After leaving beautiful Puerto Escondido, we took a night bus up to San Cristobal de las Casas, which quite a few people have (quite rightly) recommended. A few random facts about the place:

* It's the homeland of the Zapatistas movement - google them, they're a bit bonkers.
* It's about 2000 metres up in the mountains.
* It's predominantly yellow.

As mentioned early, we spent last night listening to some amazing music in the square (followed by some Chinese national dancing - nope I havn't figured that out either), then we set off early this morning as we'd found a mountain bike hire & guide place.

The Chiapas region has the highest percentage of indigenous population in Mexico. You only have to ride about 15 minutes out of town, and the people still speak variants of their native Mayan language, and practice a lot of the old style of customs.

Thanks to our guide's good relations with the locals, we were allowed into the centre of one of their villages (built around a crumbling 18th Century Spanish monastery), which made for quite the strangest mix of anthropology and decent single track that Dorking's "Summer Lightning" just can't match! However, Summer Lighting still wins on the cake.

Not much else to say, other than trying to ride a long trail at altitude is bloody tough when you've come from a week at sea level (and especially when your gears are stuck!). Overall it was amazing though. It's just a shame we couldn't take any photos, as apparently the locals have a thing about it (to be fair, I did spot a few bad hair days - so I'm not too surprised).

Adios for now. Next stop is the ruins at Palenque. Behave yourself till then!

Si xxx

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Photos

200 reasons to love Mexico
Chilli sauces!

Filthy
after our bike ride

San Cristobal is beautiful but we just kept forgetting to take a camera out
so here´s a photo of me spattered in mud instead!