From Chiapas to Oaxaca.

“It's magical, it's Chiapas”. Yes, that's what you said and “San Cristobal is really special”. Well, let's see what we think about it.

The night in the Walmart parking lot was good. We started shopping in the morning and before the store, we got fresh fruit. Have we mentioned how amazing the fruits and vegetables are?

We quickly got everything we needed. The campsite in the city or near the center was only 15 minutes away. Perfect. We started our journey. The 15 minutes turned into 2 hours. We were on edge. Almost a divorce on the bike path and then finally, after a downhill ride, we reached the campsite. But let's start from the beginning. We left the parking lot. Everything was fine at first. But after missing an exit, everything changed completely. We drove through narrow and narrower streets. The speed bumps were as high as skyscrapers. Our entire camper's contents were scattered everywhere. The streets became steep and steeper. The oncoming cars became friendlier. They probably thought to themselves. In the end, we ended up in a neighborhood with streets as wide as bike paths and a sign saying that the road doesn't go any further. Turn around? Impossible! Almost. We actually had to turn around, or else we would still be in that neighborhood. We were being watched from the roof. They were rooting for us, whether we could turn our camper around. I, Caro, even tried to move a moped out of the way. It didn't work. So, we had to go like that. Turning around with our camper on the bike path in 5 moves, we can cross that off our list. Now we had to go back up the steep road. Mathias remembered a turn-off, so that's where we went. The asphalt ended, and it went steeply downhill. We took this last hope and drove down the lousiest road ever. About 500 meters later, we arrived in a residential area and still couldn't find the campground. We stopped and continued on foot. There it was finally. Mathias and W. were waiting for my (Caro's) go in the camper. But I was too busy rejoicing and talking. As luck would have it, our Belgian friend suddenly appeared behind me. It felt like an hour later when I finally got Mathias and W.

We all had to calm down after this back and forth. The campsite wasn't particularly nice, but it was in a great location and functional. We slowly settled in. We paid for five days, which made us the exception. Everyone around us had been here for several months. Why? Because San Cristobal is so special...

In the late afternoon, we explored the surroundings. We took our laundry to the laundromat and visited one of the many churches. At first glance, we didn't find it as extraordinary as everyone said.

The next day, I initially met our Belgian friends alone. Maryse had invited me to a macrame workshop. There were three of us - speaking French, Spanish, and English. I can speak a little bit of the first two languages. It worked out well. Back in Germany, I always wanted to attend a macrame workshop, and now I finally had the opportunity in Mexico. Mathias and W. joined later. Our friends' house was huge and typical Mexican-style. It was nice to experience that. Later, we went to the city together. Ate tamales and visited a cultural center. There was a tattoo convention there. W. and Merlin watched the tattoo artists closely. We walked back through the city. Many small cafes, even a “real” bakery with bread, organic stores, super cute little shops, and a mix of people from all over the world. It really was a beautiful sight and a great feeling, a wonderful atmosphere.

In the following days, we visited a market and a night market. There were small stalls everywhere selling jewelry and other things. Music in the streets. Indigenous people from the villages came to the city to sell their handmade goods or fruits and vegetables. There were fields with vegetables right in the city - broccoli. We had never seen agriculture in a big city like this before. There were hints for workshops on every corner - craftsmanship, music, etc. We even stood in front of a ballet school, and W. watched the activities inside.

At our campsite, our neighbors told us that a German family with two children had been here recently. And that same evening, they came back. W. and the other children immediately started playing together. At first, we thought it wouldn't work, but that changed a few weeks later. We exchanged numbers with Camilla and David (the parents) because they only came back to go to the post office and then left again.

It was time for us to move on two days later. Conclusion about San Cristobal - yes, this city is special to us too. We felt very comfortable, of course, also because of our friends and the new acquaintances.

Now it was time to head towards the Pacific, but of course not without visiting one of the waterfalls again. On the way there, we passed a place with a significant historical background - Cañon del Sumidero. It is said that around 1528, thousands of indigenous people - men, women, and children - jumped into the abyss to choose death over surrender to the Spanish conquistadors. It is a gorge that drops up to 1000 meters. We first saw the canyon from below. We could park right at the boat dock for the tours. We took the last boat and set off with about 20 other people. The tour promised not only breathtaking views of the canyon but also a diverse wildlife. Crocodiles, butterflies, pelicans, monkeys, and more. The boats were motorized and went so fast that even if those animals were there, we definitely wouldn't have seen them. Okay, we saw one crocodile. At first glance, it looked a bit like it was lying down, but it was real and apparently lived in that river. On the way, we saw three more in the corner of our eye, and that was it. The canyon was impressive and, due to the clouds, reminded us a bit of Norway. The temperatures were similar, and of course, as always, we were not quite prepared - freezing. While everyone around us put on jackets and sweaters, we were shivering. The journey there was relatively "slow", if you can call it that. We stopped at several places and were allowed to enjoy the view. The return from the dam to the dock looked like this. Fast. Very fast. We were bouncing over the water more than we were actually riding. The passengers screamed - some really had fun, including the driver. We didn't. At times, I, Caro, thought the boat was falling apart. The Mexican safety system is indeed different from the German one. Finally, when we arrived back at the dock, we were disappointed. If you don't take this ride, you haven't missed anything. That was our conclusion.

The night was calm, and we slept well. The next day, we wanted to see the canyon from above. We drove through Tuxtla Gutierrez, the capital of Chiapas, to reach a pass that was closed. A mountain pass that takes a break every Tuesday, and it was Tuesday. Too bad. We briefly considered staying there overnight and driving the pass the next day. But we decided to keep going.

Our destination was the last spot in the state of Chiapas, and as expected, it was a waterfall. The good thing was that it was also located in a gorge. The campsite was located at the top. The way there was adventurous as usual. At first, we were all alone there. Motivated, we looked around. The descent to the river and the waterfall was tough. We went down numerous stairs, about 250 meters deep. Halfway down, the other half of the family got hungry. Go all the way back up again when we were almost there? No. We continued to urge ourselves down. We just wanted to take a quick look at how it looked. When we reached the bottom, we only saw the waterfall from a distance. Okay, time to go back up. We'll do the rest tomorrow. Going up wasn't as fast as going down. To be precise, it wasn't fast at all. Hunger, thirst, and lack of fitness made it almost impossible. Daddy and the child jumped up the remaining steps like young frogs, while Mommy struggled up the last steps with a flushed and pounding head. We went back to the camper and made some food. Just as we had recovered, another camper arrived. We had seen this one before; it was parked in San Cristobal. But it was only here that we met Kari and James. Australians who couldn't return home due to Covid and had spent the last few months in Canada, the USA, and Mexico. A very pleasant couple. While we stayed for another day, they left the next day.

For us, it was time to head to the Pacific. The journey was still long, and to make things more interesting, we got lost. In the end, we ended up completely going in circles. At a toll station, we were allowed to turn around without passing through, so we wouldn't have to pay the fee again - nice. It was a lot of fun to look out at the scenery. It was already after 5 pm when we finally arrived at the Pacific. We stopped at a small seafood restaurant right by the sea. The view was great. The waves were huge. The beach was big. The garbage pile next to us was also huge. Nevertheless, we immediately got out of the car and walked to the beach. It was wonderful. The evening sun bathed the beach in a beautiful light. We walked with our feet in the water. Swimming wasn't possible. The waves were too big. We built some sandcastles and mermaids. We watched a breathtaking sunset and went to bed satisfied. What a beautiful welcome to the new state of Oaxaca, which everyone said was the most beautiful state in Mexico.

The next morning, we had to go to the beach right away. We hopped around playfully, but then... what was that black thing lying there? Okay, it's a snake. A black snake with a bright yellow belly. A snake. It probably got lost here. We continued walking. I, Caro, kept my distance from the water. But it didn't stop. There was another one every 5 meters or so. So, they didn't get lost, they're just here. Mathias still stood with his feet in the water, and the waves even washed one up to his feet. Horrible. Of course, we wondered if these snakes were dangerous. I found it disgusting, Caro, whatever the case. A beach where you can't swim or walk is not a beach. We wanted to move on anyway. Travelers had recommended a bay to us, and that was our next stop on the Pacific. As expected, we got lost again while looking for the campsite, or maybe not. We were somewhere in the middle of nowhere. A farmer told us to just keep going straight, it's especially beautiful there. Then suddenly, a pickup truck pulled up beside us. Ivan. A young man who offered to help us. He told us that he had a restaurant a little further on and we could follow him. We could park there for free and in return, we could eat and drink at the restaurant. Okay. We followed him. And indeed, we arrived at a beautiful bay. There were no houses, only 4 other small beach restaurants. Ivan introduced us to his family. His mother, two brothers, sister-in-law, baby grandchild, cousin, and a helper. We immediately felt welcome and comfortable.

The bay had its own huge coral reef where we could snorkel. The water was crystal clear and turquoise. The beach was white, and there were no snakes in sight. Originally, we wanted to stay for about 4-5 days. In the end, we stayed for almost 14 days. We became part of the family, ate together, and talked a lot. Mathias built doors and tables for them, and in return, we could eat and drink as much as we wanted. We played with the baby. We were a bit of a visitor attraction, and we learned a lot about Mexican culture and spoke a lot of Spanish. We learned something new every day. For W., the highlight was when her two friends from San Cristobal suddenly appeared in front of us. The three girls played together all day, causing a stir in the restaurants. Everyone was keeping an eye on the European children. In fact, we were like hippies to the locals. I have no idea why. We even gave tours of our camper, telling everyone about it.

It was such a wonderful time, and we became very close to the family. Hopefully, we will see each other again someday.

The farewell was actually very emotional, and everyone was sad, but it was time for us to move on. Our next destination was to visit friends we had met at this beach. Mimi and Jack had almost "adopted" us. They were a few kilometers away in a real hippie town - Zipolite. The only nude beach in all of Mexico. A resort for all Europeans, Americans, and Canadians. The hotel where they were staying had a huge parking lot for campers and was only one block away from the small town center. It reminded us a bit of Rerik or Warnemünde, just a little smaller, a little more naked, open, and colorful. Mimi and Jack were thrilled to see us. The two of them were very popular and well-known on the premises. They have been coming here from Canada for years. All the guests had been coming here for years. It was a small community. Everyone was older than our parents and very concerned about our well-being. We parked right under mango trees, spent more time in the pool than in the camper, and sweated at night with temperatures over 27 degrees. As nice as it was, we found the heat to be exhausting. We were sluggish and slow.

Mimi and Jack told us about a lagoon and its magic not far from Zipolite. Originally, we wanted to go there by scooter, but since neither Mathias nor I had ever driven a scooter, we couldn't rent one. Fate brought us friends of W. and their parents. They only stayed for a day but took us in their camper towards the lagoon. It was a fun adventure. The rest of the way, we walked, and then we were in Ventanilla. It was already late, after 4 pm, and we actually hoped to still be able to take the lagoon tour. And yes, together with another European woman, we took the mangrove tour. An absolute highlight. On the way to the boat, we saw several wild crocodiles. Our boat guide slowly and clearly explained in Spanish about the lagoon, the different types of mangroves, why the water is green and not blue, why the water is fresh and not salty even though it comes from the Pacific. We saw more and more large crocodiles. Directly next to and under our boat. Turtles occasionally popped their heads out of the water. Iguanas in various sizes and colors were all around us. The evening light added to the magical moment. In the end, we saw two turtles on a tree trunk and a 4-meter crocodile right by our boat. After about 2 hours, we were back at the starting point and were asked if we wanted to participate in a turtle-something. Uh, yes. We paid about 15 Euros per person. Quite a lot for Mexican standards. It was supposed to start around 6 pm. We waited on the beach and watched the rays jump. The sun slowly set and colored the entire sky and beach in a breathtaking light. The atmosphere on the beach is hard to describe. Now it was time to start. We went with about 10 other people to a kind of garden on the beach. It was fenced and covered. The staff went inside, and we saw different areas. Small squares fenced off in the sand. They dug into one hole and then we saw it... lots of little turtles coming out. The squares were like nests in the sand. There were probably over 40 eggs in each one. They are collected on the beach and brought to the garden so that the turtles can hatch safely. Protected from humans and their natural predators. They picked them up gently and put them in a basket. With a small bowl, we were allowed to accompany the little turtles into the water. One of our absolute highlights. It was already after 8 pm. No taxi in sight. A Mexican woman overheard us wondering how we would get back to Zipolite and quickly offered her private car as a taxi for us. Back in Zipolite, we had dinner. Met two "old acquaintances" and hid. :-) Sometimes there are encounters where just seeing each other once is enough. A small midnight swim in the pool to get through our last hot night by the Pacific.

For us, it was now time to head completely inland. Our friends Mimi and Jack accompanied us a little further into the mountains. Introduced us to a Mexican family. Gave us many great tips and then said goodbye. Hoping to see them again in Canada. The climate actually changed quickly. It became cooler and more pleasant. We found a place high up in the mountains with a view of the Pacific. A breathtaking view, but also super cold. We quickly put on sweaters and socks, enjoyed the view, and later went to bed. The place was right by the road, so the night was very noisy and freezing cold. We looked for a better place the next day but found nothing. We spent the day going from one lousy place to another. There was nothing. So, we decided to keep driving a little further and visit hot springs. The road there was constantly blocked, and we couldn't figure out why. So, it wasn't meant to be. We ended up in Tule, a small town before Oaxaca City. Known for its two huge trees. It was already late, but we needed some fresh air and exercise. We looked at the trees and the church. Actually, we thought it was a kind of park, similar to the Ivenacker Oaks in Stavenhagen. In the end, it was a small garden in front of a church. The trees were truly gigantic (with a diameter of over 14 meters) and impressive - ARBOL DEL TULE. One of the trees was over 2000 years old and had been standing in that spot since the time of the Mayans. Hard to imagine. Maximum time to linger was 30 minutes, if even that. We walked around the small town and ended up at a food market where we had a typical hot chocolate. We spent the night in the city, right near the trees. It was super quiet and free of charge. The next morning, we drove to the nearby campground. Of course, not without getting lost again. It should never only take 5 minutes for us to arrive.

We stood in front of a huge gate that was closed and had a sign that said "All seats occupied"... We didn't know that something like this existed in Mexico. I, Caro, looked at the premises to see if there was really no more space available. It was a huge area, and it wasn't full. I looked for someone to talk to, but no one could be found. I approached another camper. She told me that in three days, a guided RV tour with about 13 RVs was coming, and that's why the sign was put up. She called the owners for us and they made it possible for us to stay for at least three days. Perfect. The campground wasn't beautiful (like vanlife beautiful), but it had a pool, plenty of space, a playground, and good wifi for work. In the end, we stayed there for a week. The tour group had enough space despite us being there. We could walk to Tule and found a delicious frappe shop. We attended a church party, played in the pool, had grandparents reading hour, and enjoyed the climate. Warm during the day and a pleasant 15 degrees in the evening. One day, we also visited Oaxaca City. The best part of this outing was the ride on public transportation. We paid a total of 1.43 Euros for the round trip, about 10 km. An absolute bargain. We didn't warm up to Oaxaca City.

After a week, we went back a little further south to visit a real and apparently very nice Sunday market. We will tell you all about it and our last weeks in Mexico next time.