San Cristobal de las Casas

The journey to San Cristobal de las Casas lasted about six hours. The roads were narrow and winding. Our driver didn't care about this at all, just stamped our passports and unloaded the cargo. Along the way, we encountered very dubious roadblocks. We had read beforehand that the locals often demand illegal tolls from travelers passing through. Fortunately, our convoy - consisting of two more minibuses from the same company driving in front and behind us - was not stopped. Such a stop could pose risks for tourists like us, especially so close to the Guatemala border. However, there have been very few incidents in recent years.

Gratefully, we leave the minibus in San Cristobal. After this six-hour roller coaster ride, we feel quite dizzy. Our Airbnb is located on a quiet street just two blocks from the center. We unload our luggage and head straight to the main square. On the occasion of Mexican Independence Day (September 16), a band was performing. Half the city had gathered in the square. We were somewhat disappointed to have missed the 'Shout'. According to our Mexican colleague, this is the original declaration of independence - 'Viva Mexico'. The band was a mix between David Hasselhof and Latin American music. It didn't appeal to our taste, neither his voice nor his hip sway convinced us. The rest of the audience also seemed quite passive to us during the somewhat silly performance. We left David behind and followed the crowd to the main street. The restaurants and bars were filled with people and the atmosphere was pleasantly relaxed. We skipped dinner - we still felt queasy from the ride - and returned to the hotel shortly after midnight.

The next day we visited the town. San Cristobal de las Casas has a unique charm. The houses are painted in vibrant colors, the ground is made of cobblestones, and there are small shops or restaurants on every corner. The city is overall very clean and well-maintained. At the Mercado de Artesanias, we bought braided bracelets, leather goods, stones (especially amber from the region), clothes with knit patterns, small bags, and so on. Many things are handmade by the sellers themselves. We had the impression that especially the indigenous population earns their livelihood this way. In San Cristobal, there are also many street vendors, including many children selling bracelets and other things. We had the impression that most of them do not go to school. Toddlers were carried in wraps by their mothers. However, it was also noticeable how well-groomed these people were. On the way there, we passed many villages where people were walking around in dirty clothes.

For the following day, we booked a horseback ride to the neighboring village of San Juan Chamula. Once again, we were surprised by the local prices. The excursion included transportation and a two-hour ride - all for 10 Swiss francs per person. We were chauffeured to the starting point in a super old pickup truck. Just a few minutes after departure, heavy rain started. Of course, we weren't protected on the back seat. However, unlike the other tourists, we had brought our rain jackets. The driver gave us a tarp, and the journey continued. But this didn't prevent the rain from splashing against our backs and legs. As a result, we arrived at the horse stable quite soaked. At least the rain stopped when we arrived. The start of the horseback adventure had been washed away. Each of us was assigned a horse. Once again, communication was not easy as no one spoke English. We understood less than a quarter of the instructions. But it didn't matter. The horses were tame and knew the way. We enjoyed the lush green surroundings. Along the way, we passed small villages. We reached San Juan Chamula without any incidents. Here, we had about an hour to look around. First, we visited the church. The floor was covered with straw and candles were burning everywhere (really everywhere!). It had a mystical - or rather creepy - atmosphere. Along the main aisle, there were dozens of boxes with different saints. The faces were probably made of porcelain and looked intimidating due to the candle smoke. We observed ritual prayers. Part of the ritual was drinking the homemade liquor - in this case, Tequila. When we left the church, we were almost relieved to escape this eerie place. Outside, we met three of our 'co-riders'. They offered us a shot of Tequila. The homemade stuff tasted surprisingly good but was predictably very strong. We politely declined a second tasting. We crossed the marketplace. Most stalls had already been packed up - apparently, the market is limited to the morning. We wandered through some narrow alleys and returned to our horses. By the way, they made a healthy impression on us. All were well-fed and showed no signs of mistreatment. On horseback, we returned to the starting point. The excursion will remain a good memory for us.

After the horseback ride, we climbed the steps to the cathedral in San Cristobal to take some pictures from here. Unfortunately, dark clouds appeared again. As a result, the pictures turned out quite gloomy. Not exactly a representative depiction of this lively city. San Cristobal could also be called 'the city of Beetles'. We discovered an above-average number of VW Beetles - in all colors and conditions.

We ended the evening with a fancy dinner at the Italian restaurant. After all the Mexican dishes, this change was welcome.

Tomorrow we will continue by bus to Oaxaca. Ahead of us is another extremely curvy route.