San Cristóbal De Las Casas

After 30 days in Mexico, we’ve capped off our trip south through the country with a 4-day stay in San Cristóbal De Las Casas. Narrow cobblestone streets, a handful pedestrian only, make for nice strolls through town at any time of day or night. Set up in pine forest mountains, the climate is sunny and warm during the day and cool at night. A welcome respite from the heat and humidity of the coast.

We enjoyed the colorful graffiti art in various pockets of the town. Many supporters of the Zapatista Army of National Liberation live in San Cristóbal, which is a group that continues to fight for indigenous land rights. The group is named after Emiliano Zapato who was a hero in the 1910 Mexican Revolution and remains an iconic figure for activism in the country.

There are 21 indigenous neighborhoods that surround San Cristóbal, adding their textiles, handcrafts, and culture to the feel of the city. We took a horseback ride to one of the villages during their Sunday market. It was great to get out of the city and see the countryside at a slower pace. Luckily, Travis managed to keep control of his horse long enough to snap a few photos.

The dress of the folks in the settlement of San Juan Chamula use a lot of sheep wool from their farms – black for the women’s skirts and white for the men’s vests. Many of the inhabitants believe that photographs steal the souls of the person in the picture, so I only stole their souls from behind. With my fingers crossed. So doesn’t count.

Upon return to the city, we treated ourselves to a night out with boozy shakes of yogurt, coconut, mango, pineapple, and of course, mezcal.

Two churches sit on sister hills at opposite ends of the city, providing great views and some much needed exercise. We tackled one the first day, and the other is photographed below.

Light afternoon rains make the Spanish-colored cathedral really stand out. San Cristóbal takes the cake for most well-kept, good lookin’ Beetles.

On the road south to the border, a few colorful fruit stands make us smile. Adios, Mexico! You helped ease us into this journey, and were kind and gentle. Travis keeps asking when the monkeys start. Nobody knows. Hope you won’t let us down, Guatemala!