Everything written in my guidebook about traveling from Guatemala to San Cristobal de las Casas in was true. All of it. The road, though freshly paved, is somewhat treacherous as it winds up and out of one mountain range, and then into another. The beauty was indescribable, suffice to say that the views offered over verdant green valleys, and thick pine forests were something to gasp at. Although highland Mayans still look similar along the mountain roads between the two countries, the quality of life improves the closer and closer you get to the Mexican border.
Once in town, I could see why many travelers end up staying months. Fresh mountain air, clean streets, beautiful colors and architecture, and a healthy entertainment life makes San Cristobal a very comfortable, if not a little chilly, place to be. Because I knew I was going to be in the city for Dia de los Muertos, I booked my hotel online before I left the states. So I ended up in an absolutely gorgeous hotel, one block from the main plaza, in a suite! It was a treat.
I took 2 trips outside the city, a one day trip out to Sumidero Canyon,and a 2 day trip to the ruins of Palenque which included a stop at the famous Agua Azul waterfalls. Palenque was a highlight! Getting there was a 5 hour journey up and through the cool forested mountains, and back down into dense, humid jungle. There was NO WAY I was going to do that twice in one day like many do, so I found a nice little traveler’s village about 4 km from the National Park.
El Panchan has only one road into it from the main road, and it stops abruptly in front of a check in desk. Beyond this desk, there is a canopied area that houses 3 restaurant/bars, and in every direction from this focal point, is a dirt trail leading to various jungle hideaways. It was absolutely wonderful. At night, people from every different guesthouse establishment would meet in the middle at the restaurants where there was a stage for live music, and people selling things from the region like silver and amber. Another place travelers end up staying longer than they think, El Panchan lured me with bamboo, wooden bridges over tiny streams, tropical flowers, and rain. It was relaxing, and absolutely gorgeous.
But I was more lured by ancient architecture, and spent another day at the ruins. On the way inside, I was met by a guide trying to convince me to hire him. The day before, I was asked to share an English speaking guide, who charged 60 US dollars for a tour. I declined, being more interested in a solo exploration. However, on this morning, I was ready to hear and see more. The guide and I chatted for a few minutes, and I kept telling the guide I couldn’t afford him, and he said he only charged 10 US for a Spanish speaking guide. I told him I didn’t really speak Spanish, and needed an English one. “But you’re talking to me in Spanish right now,” he reminded me, and I started laughing. He assured me he would speak slowly. I’m pretty certain that I got more out of this experience than I would have if the guide spoke English, as I had to focus, and ask questions when he used unfamiliar vocabulary. It was really awesome. Palenque was probably my most favorite new experience on this trip.
Dia de los Muertos
What a joy it was to be in Mexico for one of my favorite holidays! In Guatemala, I could see as some of the preparations were to be taking place. Marigolds covered the hillsides around the city, and farmers were busy gathering them for the markets. People were selling and flying kites around the city and the countryside. I didn’t learn much about the reason behind the kites, and I never saw them in Mexico, so that will have to remain a mystery for me.In San Cristobal, a pretty cosmopolitan city, sugar skulls and special orange drinks were all over the stores. Decorations, for Halloween as well, were displayed in the parks, hotels, restaurants, and homes days before the event.
I visited the city's cemetery on October 31, and watched as families repainted tombs that looked like houses, bring flowers and food, shovels and rakes. The place was swarming with activity and with color. Outside the cemetery, people set up shop, selling pan de muerto, flowers, drinks, stuffed animals, eggs, and much much more. Tile was bleached, fresh green grass spread out, crosses erected. There wasn't the fanfare I expected, but it was beautiful.
The next day, I traveled to 2 Mayan villages to see how the holiday was celebrated there.In San Juan Chamula, men wear either white or black wool felt vests, and women wear black wool felt skirts with a gorgeous purple huipile (blouse). It was freezing and rainy when we got to the cemetery, and standing on the top of the gently sloping hill, I could see dots of black and white and purple amidst graves, all in the ground (which I was later told is how the poor are buried). Musicians played, men were drinking, and golden flowers and this green grass (maybe it was straw?) was spread all over the graveyard. I did try to take a couple photos, but was given the shaking pointer finger after the first one. I didn't stay long here- I felt uncomfortable, like I was intruding on something that clearly didn't belong to me.
From here I took a collectivo to Zincantan. This was a much larger town, and therefore much more spread out. Here, men and women wore black, with shimmery teal and blue woven huipiles and tops for men. Unlike Chamula, where the graveyard just looked like a huge field, the cemetery in Zincantan was high up a mountain, and graves, both in and above ground, stretched up and down the peak like a labyrinth. With the forest in the background, the fog sitting low to the ground, the vibrant clothing, and the freshly painted graves with flowers, it was a color explosion. Although more comfortable here, I still felt like I should hurry up and move on to stay respectful.
Oaxaca is known for it's Dia de los Muertos festivities- people come from all over Mexico and the world to be part of the events. I had originally thought that being in a smaller town, but still with strong indigenous routes would offer me a deeper experience, not altered for tourists. Though this was probably true, in retrospect I think Oaxaca would have been a better choice, because tourists there are invited to the events. Here, though I did get a lot of positive response, I was overtly and overly concerned with being uninvited. No regrets, but I would still like to visit Oaxaca during this time period in the future.
Halloween, by the way, lasts three days in San Cristobal. Lucky kids. They dress up, and instead of saying trick or treat, they sing a little song, saying they are little angels coming from the heavens in search of sweets. If the person gives them a sweet, they scream, "viva la tia/o!".
After the holiday, I scooted out of town. I lost a little steam, and was ready to be warm for a couple of days, and I was ready to come home. So I took an overnight bus to Veracruz and spent two glorious days wandering through plazas, eating amazing new foods,and listening to all sorts of music all evening and night long. There was a rock concert in front of my hotel, a traditional salsa band where older gentlemen, all wearing guayaberas, danced with ladies dressed up for the evening. I went to the beach, which wasn't so spectacular except that it was warm, and nothing beats eating fresh fish while sitting in your bathing suit, feet in the sand.
From there, I spent two days in stunning Puebla, a city prettier, cleaner, and more cosmopolitan than many cities I've been to in the U.S or beyond. Spanish tiles cover many of the buildings, tree-lined plazas can be found around every corner, shopping, restaurants, and museums are all within reach. The food is delicious- my best meal was here in Puebla- a chile relleno stuffed with cheese and vegetables, and smothered in mole. I also tried a delicacy- huilacoche, a black mushroom that grows on corn. Sounds kind of gross, but it was delightful. From Puebla, I was ready to go home.
On thinking about long term travel........
As Eva and I spoke about our previous travel experiences weeks ago in Guatemala, one thing became clear for both of us. The more places on the planet you go, the more you find places to compare to. On the quest to find something new and exciting, you find yourself or someone else saying, “Wow, this looks so much like __________ in Cambodia!” or “Oh how funny, we did something similar when we were in Zimbabwe.” This does something for being comfortable in what could possibly be an uncomfortable environment, but also takes away some of the culture shock, which is part of what we’re looking for when we travel. The enjoyment of the adventure is still strong as the realization of how small the world is creeps into this different-paced ‘daily’ life, but the adventure is very different than that first time. I remember fondly many of my firsts in regards to travel- the first time I realized that English wasn’t going to get me where I needed to be, the first time I saw turquoise water against snow-white sand, the first time I saw a monkey swinging from branches above my head, the first time I met my cousins in Budapest, the first time I saw a traditional celebration that I was deeply moved by but didn’t understand, the first time I saw poverty on a realm so very different from the USA. I remember the first time I tried starfruit in Israel, rambutan in Thailand, coriander in England, ceviche in Costa Rica, mole in Oaxaca; the first climb of an ancient ruin (the descent, maybe moreso), the first sunrise over the ocean and high on a mountain, first hike through the jungle, first ride on an elephant. I’m sure if I had a different set of goals for this particular foreign adventure, I would have had some new memorable firsts. But this trip gave me a different experience, equally as satisfying, but different than what I’d expected. I enjoyed it in a quiet, snuggling with my favorite novel sort of way, rather than an on-my-toes sort of way.
On this trip, I had the opportunity to connect with a family in another country, and to practice speaking Spanish, to negotiate unknowns in another language. I got to see how Dia de los Muertos was celebrated in a city, in the country, including modern practices, and Mayan ones. I learned, again, that everything is possible, if you ask the right questions. I learned that everything you hear and read about a place isn’t necessarily THE truth, but A truth. I learned that I really miss the feeling of initial culture shock- that feeling of ‘firsts’, and will look for a place to explore that at some point in the future. My ‘first’ this time had nothing to do with where I was, but with where I wasn’t- I missed people while I was gone for the first time. That hasn’t happened since Sagie died. When I traveled without her, I had someone (yes, she was a person to me, not a dog) to worry about. But since then, especially with internet all over the place, I didn’t have that feeling of missing people until this time- this was my ‘first’, and a good thing, I think.
I learned a lot about myself. I learned that though I enjoy traveling on my own for short periods of time, I would prefer sharing the experience with someone I know. I originally thought- hey! I can travel around the world for a year by myself!- but I don’t really have the desire to do that. I would like to continue traveling, and see lots of new places, but one region at a time, and with someone, or a group of someones (keep that in mind if you get the itch!). And with that, I close this chapter, to re-open one back here in New Orleans. It's good to be back, and I feel like the luckiest girl in the world to have had what has been available to me in the last 10 months.
Take care, and write soon!
Here's a link to the slideshow if you would like it. There are a few video clips at the end- some of them quite funny.
http://picasaweb.google.com/rebeccaLrobinson/MeximalaSlideshow
