Jim and Deb Haryett: San Cristobal

San Cristobel de las Casas is the only place where we stayed in a hotel which actually appears Mexican. It it an old home that has been converted and modernized quite beautifully. Electrially, however, it has not been updated. I could only find one available outlet in the room, so I could only plug in the TV, the computer, or the heater. Most of the time the heater was plugged in. It was cold.

The city is beautiful with very narrow streets, too narrow in fact for the bus. We had to park and walk about half a kilometre. Here we found an amazing native market, beautifully ornamented buildings and a church full of gold.

We travelled to two small Indian communites, Zinacantan and San Juan Chamula and we finished off the day in a jade museum where we were introduced to Pakal (more later).

The courtyard of our hotel

Most homes are low and long.

Many courtyards have been converted into restaurants.

Zinacantan women wear incredibly ornate
floral shawls. Men wear jeans, t-shirts and
ten gallon hats

Bringing dinner home from market

Shopping Day

Santo Domingo Church from the outside.

The pulpit inside Santo Domingo Church

At the point in history when this church was being constructed, the Catholic Church decided to canonize the king of Spain. He was so grateful the he endowed the church with huge wealth. Most surfaces inside the church are covered with 23 karat gold.

Church in Zinacantan - no Pictures Inside

Posing for Us - a constant barrage of sales pitches

Trucks are decorated a little like in Thailand

Gravestone were decorated with evergreen boughs - now brown

Another Native Market San Juan Chamula

Deb in the central square

The women wear shaggy wool skirts and the men wear
shaggy wool vests / coats - black when it is cold

Church in Chamula - no pictures inside.

We did go into this church and there was a ceremony going on. This was like entering a different and much older world. Candles were being lit and relit constantly and in every corner. Smoke pots were carried about, creating a very cloudy environment. Deb had to leave. Bands were playing in competition with each other. Groups were chanting. Some were praying. Many seemed to be greeting friends and socialising. It was absolute chaos, with most of the people in traditional garb.

When we squeezed our way to the front, we found a small group seated on the flour in front of the alter. Our guide explained that one of the women was a shaman and she was praying for the health of a small child. The mother, a girl of perhaps 15, sat beside her breastfeeding an infant.

When we exited the church, we discovered that a very loud electric band were set up in the churchyard. Men were dancing, singing, and drinking. One man was lying off to the side. He had not yet passed out, but would soon do so.