Sumidero Canyon

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What a day, wow!

After the last three days I was tired of driving the roads of Chiapas. Exhausted is a better word, so yesterday, after we returned to San Cristobal we signed up for a tour to the Sumidero canyon. We were a little apprehensive about the tour, worried that it would just take us to one tourist trap after the other, but we had a great time.

But first we went out for breakfast. Tamar found a nice little restaurant that opens early just around the corner from the hotel. I just had a plate of fruit with my coffee but Tamar tried the Moletas. These turned out to be like a bread roll filled with mashed potato and frijoles (refried black bean paste, really good), and topped with cheese, all browned in the oven. They were delicious!

After breakfast we waited outside the hotel for our tour operator, expecting a small van (several of those drove by while we waited). But what turned up (and just a few minutes late) was a minibus with 20 seats, not including the driver! We were the first to be picked up and we squeezed into a pair of seats near the back. The bus then made a long detour through town to collect other people, until the bus was full. Only then did we start the hour-long drive to the Sumidero canyon. Along the way the driver/guide gave some outline about our daily plan and I noticed that one of the guys sitting behind me was translating for his friend. Now I knew who to stay close to during the trip...

We arrived at the Sumidero launch spot, just as touristy as expected with souvenir shops and an unappetizing restaurant, and downstairs, at the launch dock where they handed out life jackets a couple of local men brought out a big marimba and started playing. Ok, so they were playing the most common music associated to Mexico for the tourists, but it was still nice and they let Tamar have a go too. She was ecstatic!

Finally our turn came up and we all loaded into the boat. The boat is a long, open fiberglass vessel with seats on either side and the 'driver' sits on a small tower at the back. We pulled out and turned towards the canyon. Our first stop was just moments later as we passed under the bridge that connects Tuxtla Guttierez with San Cristobal. Tall narrow cacti grow on the canyon walls around the bridge.

Cameras clicked and pictures ensued...

We continued on, the canyon walls getting higher and higher on either side. The boat operator (captain?) zigzagged between the sides of the canyon, slowing or stopping to show us different things. Once he stopped to show us a crocodile resting half in the water. That was exciting! a short while later he stopped the boat right under the branches of a tree where a couple of monkeys were showing off for us. Well, one just sat on a branch and watched us watching him (her?). The other swang between the branches, clearly showing off, until one of the branches broke and he fell embarrassingly to the ground! So funny! He quickly climbed up on the branch to join his friend and they both sat watching us and posing for us. They are the cutest creatures! I'm not sure the monkeys got a good look at people's faces what with the cell phones and cameras in the way...

The boat went on, stopping by a rock where a large crocodile was sunning himself and we got almost close enough to touch! Incredible!

Further along pelicans started showing up. Sitting on the trees, floating int he river, gliding over the water almost, but not quite touching it, and occasionally diving for fish. We also saw lots of cormorants, egrets and herons, and lots of turkey vultures flying overhead.

Selfies were took. I offered to help 'our' translator with a selfie with his date.

And all the while the canyon is getting deeper. The captain stopped at one point explaining that that was the deepest spot, and the walls above tower to a kilometer over the water! Looking up you can see the canyon wall disappearing in the haze. He explained that the canyon was formed when the meteor that wiped out the dinosaurs hut the Yucatan peninsula 65 million years ago. Since then the river has flowed through the crack, deepening it even more.

And trash. The captain explained that they have a serious problem with pollution in the river. There are many small, poor villages along the river and the residents tend to throw their trash in the street. The rain takes it to the river and it's become a serious problem. Very sad.

At the end of the canyon the river widens into a lake held in by a dam. We reached almost to the dam, where another boat waited for the tour boats. Here they sold cold drinks and snacks. Sort of ruined the nature vibe for me, a bit. And the captain came to the front of the boat asking for tips...

After letting us 'shop' the boat turned around and headed back to the dock. The entire tour took about two hours and we enjoyed it immensely!

We got off and back on terra firma, and to our bus. On the ride we got friendly with the translator and his friends. Turns out Noah (easy to remember) and his sister Isabel are from Guadalajara and they're travelling with Matiush and Katrina from Slovakia, who they met in Vancouver of all places! Anyway, we had a nice conversation and got friendly. They were very interested in Israel and how things are really like, as opposed to what they see on the news.

The bus stopped for some free time in the town center of Chiapa Del Corzo, and the six of us wandered around together. Isabel bought some dried shrimp to snack on and a lime. We learned that in Guadalajara they put lots of lime on everything! Food without lime? No way! Also, the food in Chiapas is very different from Guadalajara, to the point that Noah and Isabel had never tasted many of the foods there.

After about a half hour of wandering the center of Chiapa Del Corzo we loaded back onto the bus and went for lunch in Tuxtla Guttierez. The guide took us to a place that served a buffet of a few different traditional local foods; rice, frijoles, pork and beef with different sauces, and chicken with mole, a sauce made with sunflower seeds. Also some lettuce salad and sliced onions in a red, spicy sauce. Lemonade to drink. It was all nice, but the chicken in Mole was delicious.

Our guide then ruined Tamar and my plans for tomorrow - we thought with the half day before our flight back to Cancun we'd visit the lookout points over the Sumidero canyon. Guess where the guide took us...

The bus wound its way up the mountain to stop at a lookout right about at the highest point of the canyon. There's a small souvenir shop there with a balcony, and another upper balcony, like being so high up over the canyon wasn't enough and they had to build another level. Go figure.

Tamar and I saw a gorgeous golden orb web spider and some colorful grasshoppers. I thing she's taking after me.

At the next lookout I took out some sweets we bought at the market last night and shared them with our new friends while we enjoyed the view.

By now it was already way after five, and the tour was supposed to end at six. We headed back towards San Cristobal. the bus took a looong time to get through Tuxtla because we had to drop two couples off at different hotels there, both out of our way. And the traffic was bad.

We finally got back to San Cristobal at around eight. Tamar and I were the first to be dropped off. I gave Noah my phone number so we could meet up that evening. They are taking the bus to Oaxaca tonight, so I hoped we'd be able to see them before they go. I doubted it since we got back so late, but a person can hope, right?

After a shower and change, Tamar and I went out, but the stalls were gone, the food tent taken down, and just a few of the local Indian women were still hawking stuff. The Mexican independence festival was over.

We were just heading back to the hotel when Noah called, so we turned back and met with them at a little cafe. They couldn't stay long so we said our goodbyes and they left to catch their bus.

Tomorrow we're leaving Chiapas. That was quite an adventure!

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