Mexico - Chiapas
San Cristóbal de las Casas
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If your time is limited, after spending a couple of nights in Palenque return to the Yucatán Peninsula and continue on to Río Bec (see the next destination). However, for those interested in anthropology and delving into the rich culture of the Mayan people, then San Cristóbal de Las Casas is well worth a detour. This should be done as a round trip from Palenque, with a minimum three-night stay in San Cristóbal.Agua Azul: Leave Palenque early in the morning, allowing time to stop en route to visit the waterfalls at Agua Azul. Ask the hotel to pack you a lunch and plan to have picnic here (there are also many open-air restaurants available if you are the adventuresome type). If the weather is warm, you might want to bring your swimsuit for a dip in the river. Although the distance is only about 60 kilometers, it takes over an hour to get there since the road is winding and there is usually a lot of traffic. To reach Agua Azul, from Palenque go south on highway 199. After 9 kilometers the road splits. At the junction, keep to the right on 199 toward Ocosingo and San Cristóbal de Las Casas. As the road climbs into the lush mountains, you need to watch the road markers—at about marker 87, turn to the right at a sign to Cascadas de Agua Azul, a favorite spot for Mexican families. If you are into “local color,” this is it! A river rushes through the rich foliage, forming rapids and waterfalls that drop into tranquil pools of turquoise water. On holidays and weekends the place is positively packed with people: children splashing in the crystal-clear water; babies napping in the shade, women preparing tables laden with food, grandmothers asleep in hammocks stretched between the trees, men chatting while enjoying cold beers, lovers strolling hand in hand, youngsters climbing steep paths to the top of the waterfalls. Note: Don’t even think about visiting Agua Azul during the rainy season, which turns the clear turquoise waters into a muddy river. San Cristóbal de Las CasasSan Cristóbal de Las Casas: After your visit to the waterfalls at Agua Azul, return to highway 199 and continue south. The road climbs ever higher as you travel on for 145 kilometers into the pine-covered hills until you reach San Cristóbal de Las Casas, nestled in a 2,100-meter-high valley wrapped by pine covered mountains. Founded in 1528 by the Spaniards, the town strongly reflects a classic Colonial heritage. There are opulent churches, tree-studded plazas, cobblestone streets, red-tiled roofs, and secreted garden courtyards. However, it is the rich culture of the Mayan people that makes a visit here so special. The clock seems to have stopped, and the indigenous people, descendents of the Maya live much as they have for hundreds of years throughout the hills and jungles of Chiapas. Although colorful to see, this untouched way of living is problematic: Chiapas, tucked right on the border with Guatemala, seems to be a “forgotten” state and its poverty level has ripened political unrest, as evidenced by the Zapatista uprisings in the mid-1990s. There is still unrest, particularly in the countryside, but you have little sense of any hostility in San Cristóbal de Las Casas, a town named for Bartolomé de Las Casas, a benevolent Spanish priest who came to minister to the Indian people in the 1500s and became their compassionate protector. San Cristóbal is one of the most colorful towns in Mexico, not only because of its Spanish influence in style of architecture, but even more so because you see the indigenous people wearing colorful attire. Each surrounding village has not only its own dialect, but its distinct costume with hand-loomed, colorfully embroidered clothing. The girls marry very young, and all seem to have a baby, snugly wrapped in a shawl, tucked on their back. Many of the men are dressed in vests of brilliant colors and hats decorated with ribbon streamers. You will need at least three nights in San Cristóbal, giving you a minimum of two days to explore in town and the nearby villages. You can walk to all of the places within the city, but for the outlying towns, take a tour. Your hotel can arrange either a private guide or an organized group tour. Note: Be aware to use extreme caution when taking photographs. Throughout Mexico it is always polite to ask permission before taking pictures of people, but in the state of Chiapas it is not only the proper thing to do, but photographing people is forbidden by law. When in San Cristóbal, it is almost irresistible to snap a photo of the colorfully dressed people. However, this problem can be solved. Frequently the street vendors will ask you to buy some of their trinkets and will add, “Take my picture?” It is a small price to pay. Sometimes, if you buy some of their wares, the photo is free. Other times, there might be a surcharge, but it is well worth it to have them willingly pose for you. However, the situation is much more stringent in the outlying villages where photographing the indigenous people is strictly forbidden. Your film can be confiscated and you can be arrested. PLACES TO VISIT IN SAN CRISTÓBAL DE LAS CASAS Plaza Principal
Plaza Principal: Your first sightseeing target should be the main square (zócola) which is located in the heart of the city. For later sightseeing, note that the streets all change names as they pass through the square. Sit on one of the benches in the plaza and watch the colorfully garbed people come and go. In the center of the plaza there is unusual two-story gazebo where you can get a snack. A main pedestrian-only street, filled with boutiques and restaurants, borders the west side of the square and stretches for several blocks north and south of the plaza. To the south of the square, the street is called Avenida Miguel Hidalgo, to the north, Avenida 20 de Noviembre. To help you find your way, the following sightseeing is referenced in relation to the Plaza Principal. La Catedral: The cathedral, dating back to 1528, is tucked on the northwest corner of the Plaza Principal. Father Bartolomé de Las Casas, for whom the city was named, was the church’s first bishop. The exterior is brilliantly painted in bright yellow with coral-colored trim. The interior is ornate with many paintings and carving. The small chapel to the left, as you enter, is particularly beautiful. Iglesia de San Nicolás: The Church of San Nicolas is also on the Plaza Principal, located on the northeast corner.Palacio Municipal: The Municipal Palace stretches across the entire west side of the Plaza Principal. This dramatic, long, two-story yellow building, fronted by a parade of colonnades, was built in the late 19th century as the government house. Today, many of the festivities of the town take place in the square directly in front of the palace.Templo de Santo Domingo: You must not miss this spectacular 16th-century ex-convent, which is located about five blocks north of the Plaza Principal. The baroque façade of the pale peach-colored church is richly embellished with intricately carved stonework. If you like photography, arrive in the late afternoon when the church glows in the warm light of the sun. It is a stunning sight.Textile Market: On the west side of the Templo de Santo Domingo is a remarkably interesting craft market. Here the local villagers come to display their handicrafts. The array of colorful wares to buy is overwhelming. Beautiful shawls, hand-embroidered blouses, hand-loomed purses, jackets of natural wools, colorful skirts, belts, lovely table clothes, and wall hangings are but of few of the incredible selection of things to buy. Mercado: About two-blocks behind the Templo de Santo Domingo is a huge, outdoor city market, open every day of the week, filled with vegetables, fruits, herbs, medicines, dry goods, hardware, chickens, pigs—just about anything you could possibly want! This is the place where the local people come to buy and sell. It is very authentic, very colorful. Museo Na Bolom: Located ten blocks northeast of the Plaza Principal, is the Na Bolom Museum, which was the home of Frans Blom, a Danish anthropologist, and Trudy Duby, a Swiss photographer and journalist. They came to San Cristóbal de Las Casas in the mid-1900s and became passionate protectors of the indigenous people, working tirelessly to maintain their culture and environment. The Bloms have passed away, but their home is open to the public. It is now a non-profit foundation and houses a museum with many of the fascinating photographs taken by Trudy, as well as many religious artifacts and archaeological treasures they discovered. The museum can only be visited on a tour (when we visited, English tours were given at 4:30 pm, but be sure to check the time). Na Bolom is also a hotel—the favorite choice of accommodation for archaeologists, artists, and anthropologists. Na Bolom means the Jaguar, and there is a gift shop by the same name across the street from the museum where you can buy souvenirs and craft items. If you are not staying at Na Bolom, you can make a reservation for dinner (the meal is served family-style with the guests sitting at one large table).Museo del Ambar: San Crisóbal de Las Casas is famous for its amber, and about four blocks west of the Plaza Principal, there is an excellent Amber Museum ensconced within an old convent. There are many examples of jewelry, but my favorite pieces are the exquisite amber carvings. Throughout town, you can buy beautiful pieces of amber jewelry at excellent prices. Don’t buy amber from street vendors as their selection of jewelry could be acrylic. VILLAGES TO VISIT OUTSIDE OF SAN CRISTÓBAL DE LAS CASAS San Juan Chamula & Zihacantán: There are many Mayan villages near San Cristóbal. The two most popular are San Juan Chamula (12 kilometers northwest of San Cristóbal) and Zihacantán (9 kilometers west of San Cristóbal). Both are fascinating; you feel that you have stepped back 500 years in time. Although the villages are only a few kilometers apart, each has its own mode of dress and dialect. San Juan Chamula: The main sight in San Juan Chamula is its church, dedicated to St. John the Baptist. Here, in a simple white church with turquoise-colored trim, you find the pagan beliefs of the indigenous Mayan people intermingled with the Catholic faith. You step into the dimly lit church where you see families in colorful costume huddled in small groups on the floor, praying behind an assortment of candles. The church is illuminated by the soft glow of hundreds of candles. The odor of incense hangs heavy in the air. Occasionally you hear the squawk of a chicken that is being sacrificed to the gods. It is almost unbelievable to believe that such old customs still exist. The scene is real—it is in no way a tourist presentation. In fact, all photographs are strictly forbidden. Zihacantán: Your second stop is in the even smaller village of Zihacantán to visit its church. Here the worshipers sit on chairs, not on the floor as they do in San Juan Chamula. The mens’ garb is exceptionally colorful with brilliantly embroidered vests. As in San Juan Chanmula, the pagan beliefs of the indigenous people creep into their religious ceremonies with clay animals (similar to those worshipped in the Pre-Colombian times) used as candle holders. Again, photography strictly forbidden.
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