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Published: December 11th 2006
Hola amigos
Hope all's well with everyone and the Londoners amonst you avoided the tornado. Tornados in London - what's going on?
When it became time to leave Mexico City, I had a choice of venues. Normally, I would have gone to Oaxaca City, a historic market town 4 hours'drive away which is highly recommended by most guides. For the last few months, there has been a teachers´strike there. When I was at school, a teachers´strike was usually a cause for celebration as we might have got an afternoon away from school. In Oaxaca, the teachers´strike has led to serious rioting, petrol bombs and, sadly, a number of deaths. Let's not go there then ey?
So, I decided to head for San Cristobal de las Casas. A mere 16 hours by coach. Now, I had a lot of preconceptions about Mexican coaches. I'm sure you´ve all heard the stories about how they are all packed ex-US school buses filled with old women and chickens. Well, I can assure you those days are gone, at least for long distance journeys. As there is no significant train network in Mexico, business travellers get around the country by coach so there are services tailored for them. The bus station was spotlessly clean, the coaches had huge, comfy chairs that reclined way more than aeroplane seats. You got to choose which seat you wanted when booking your ticket. There were movies, alas in Spanish. All in all, I can safely say that I was impressed. The bus services out here are better than the ones back in England. So there´s my first preconception busted.
San Cristobal is high up in the mountains of Chiapas state, the most southerly in Mexico. Chiapas is one of Mexico's poorest states and is home to a high proportion of the country's indigenous population. In 1994, San Cristobal became infamous when an armed Zapatista group took control of the town and several people were murdered. They were protesting against the government policy towards the indigenous tribes. The main problem for them is land ownership. Much of the land that would have been traditionally conisdered tribal land is now privately owned, rendering many of the tribes homeless. Whilst there are several Zapatista murals and bits of graffiti, I felt perfectly safe there.
The town itself has a village feel to it. Very few of the buildings are more than two stories high. The streets are narrow and there are loads of shops, restaurants and bars but the place doesn´t feel too touristy. Almost like a Mexican version of Hampstead village. There were also a large number of market stalls run by the indigenous people. Mum - you would have loved it looking around all the stalls. Dad - maybe you wouldn´t have loved the market so much! I found the indigenous people much shyer and less "in your face" when it came to selling their goods. But when you did buy from them (for me it was largely food), they were very grateful and polite, even when you were only spending a couple of pesos.
You may not believe me but I spent one morning looking around all of the town's magnificent churches. For such a small place to have 5 or 6 beautiful large churches is amazing. All of them were very neatly and brightly painted with such lavish interiors. For such a poor place, the way they look after their churches is interesting. I guess it shows how important their religion is to them. For someone like me, it was hard to fathom but, then again, I also like looking at shiny gold stuff.
After all those churches, I felt it was time to head off on an excursion. I went to one of the shops dealing with excursions and, for me, there was one that stood out. A boat trip on the Sumidero Canyon. Canyon - just an exciting word. I´ve never heard of a boring canyon. And I wasn't disappointed.
For those that don´t know, I did a spot of acting in the summer in the Pemberton Greenish office play. This year, I appeared as Hawkins, the crusty old sea dog. So, as I approached the canyon, my old nautical senses were tingling. The Hawkins within me was taking over! As around 15 of us boarded the vessel, I somehow found myself in the front row, right where the captain should be. We sped off but I was curious to know why the driver had decided to slow down as we neared a mouldy old log. I looked closely at the log. It looked back at me with one of its beady eyes. All became clear when the driver declared, "el crocodilo". I was around six feet away from an enormous crocodile! It eyeballed me as if he was going to eat me whole. But then he stopped and I think he sensed that deep down, I too was a creature of the world´s waters. We stared at each other for a few seconds and then I'm pretty sure he gave me a nod of seaworthy respect before he headed off in the other direction. As I´m sure I´ll be hitting water again before this trip is over, I reckon it´s not the last we´ve seen of Hawkins.
Coming up next time - I imagine what it must be like to be a Mayan ruler and the long awaited update on the attempt to gow a Magnum moustache. A few of you have also asked for details of my itinerary so I´ll try and post that too.
Keep in touch
Joff
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El Joff and other dictators
Now that you are in Mexico and soon to venture into central and South America you will be familiar with dictatorships and the methods of the secret police - which include CENSORSHIP. Why, I ask myself, have my comments been censored by the El Joff police (AKA "El Tigeros")?? Clearly my comments are upsetting your regime and could lead to an all out rebellion. Never mind, being a good citizen, I have learned the error of my ways and promise to be nice. Anyway, very impressed (and amazed) to hear that you are taking in the cultural sights (including churches of all things). I am also impressed that you bought food on the market - a strong stomach is needed for such daring-do! What did you eat - chimi changas, burritos, fajitas? All Mexican food is the same, it's just folded differently, so if they get your order wrong it's very easily fixed. Blighty is wet and miserable. Nights drawing in - you know, getting up in the pitch blackness and all that (did you ever do that anyway?). Tornado was a laugh - Kensal Green, so hopefully it blew a few trendy Notting Hill wannabies away. Christmas party season is now in full flow. Tom was too hung-over to make it to my client drinks on Friday 'cos of his do on Thursday and Mo was too wasted to turn up - he would have been an embarrassment. We are having a drinking club Chrimbo special next week but as you know I can't say anymore about that. We will have a pint and a whisky toast for you and if you have a mobile we will patch you in for a few rousing shouts and such like. I also will make sure that Tom and I have a shish bab in your honour and a doner while we are waiting.