A Broad Abroad

San Juan Chamula, originally uploaded by peggydaly.

Yesterday was market day in Tenejapa, a TzoTzil pueblo about 25 km NE of San Cristobal.  After some yummy cochinita tacos for breakfast (slow-roasted, seasoned, pulled-pork) I found my way thru the San Cristobal Mercado to the street where the Tenejapa collectivo taxis ($2 ea way) depart.  A wait of about 10 minutes filled the taxi with the other 3 necessary passengers and we set off on the picturesque drive past pine forests and farms where tzotzil Indians raise the long haired sheep that provide their interesting, furry attire.

Tenejapa has a small square with a church and several streets heading each direction – one of which was brimming with weekly market.  There were the usual goods – pirated CDs, veggies, shoes and underwear, etc.  Since there are no/few tourists (except me on this day) I was left alone and not barraged with souvenir offers.  All the merchants had straw and leather bags to carry their wares and I coveted one out loud – so it was emptied of its beans and sold to me.  Later, in the san cristobal market, I found similar bags that were new but I like the smoky smell and irregular color of the one I bought – earned thru use.

I do like being back in MX.  While chicken buses are a fun experience, I like the collectivos that are common in MX.  I also like the music and, of course, the food.  I’ve heard Chiapas is the poorest state in MX, but there is no denying there is a better standard of living compared to Guatemala. I also understand this is damning it with faint praise.  Regardless, I look forward to exploring the area more in the coming days!

My suspicions are confirmed – I like this city better than Antigua.  Of course that’s a personal opinion so save yourself the argument.  Serendipitously the annual “Feria de la Primavera y de la Paz” (festival of spring and peace) is going on this week.  This celebrates 480 years of culture in San Cristobal (+1 ea. yr. ☺).  The stage in the zocolo is filled on and off throughout the day with music, dance and other random acts.

Over the weekend there will be a bullfight – a “lidiando a muerte” or “struggle to the death”.  I’m intrigued having never been to one and was ready to find a ticket vendor when I encountered a protest by local students.  They were earnest, had handouts and to the amusement of all saddled a stray dog with signs protesting the mistreatment of animals – so he could roam around town with the message.   Personally I think their efforts would be better spent on the stray dogs, but certainly bullfights are more glamorous.  It’s why terrorism, with few victims in the west, gets bigger play than all manner of every-day ills and crimes that kill many more people each and every day.  So will I go?  I think so.

The local markets are fantastic.  I have to keep reminding myself that I never wear the embroidered tunics I get on every trip to MX.  Actually, they often end up in my bi-annual salvation army bags so I’ve resisted thus far.  But I’m a sucker for cloth bags/satchels and I’ve gone a little overboard.  but I carry one every time I go out, sometimes 2 if I’m going on a picnic or overnight trip, so I know I will use them…….and the justification commences.

I was absolutely captivated by san cristobal de las casas yesterday when I arrived. Like Antigua it is a beautiful Spanish-colonial city, but with narrower streets, more colorful buildings and edges that sprawl up the sides of the valley it sits in, it has more character. Not to mention that it’s a “real” city with a local population! There is some sort of music festival going on in the square this week and nearly everyone there last night was local.

There is a nice pedestrian mall like the one I enjoyed so much in san jose, CR and as I walked thru it I realized there were the ubiquitous ropas Americanas stores again – while in Antigua all the clothing stores cater to grigos. Then I thought it’s kinda funny that “ropas americanas” stores (which means “American clothes”) really have fashions that are completely latin. I know, I know, I’m just being USA-centric cuz as we all know, this is north America. So in addition to “ropas americanas” that have synthetic tight tops and bottoms I will add “ropas gringas” that have flowing cotton and linen clothes and “ropas indigenous” that have garments that end up on gringo walls as decorations ☺.

So, last night I was so excited about my hotel, Hotel Los Morales. It has unique rooms and casitas that crawl up the hillside with gardens and patios in between. The view of the town’s tile roofs and churches is gorgeous and music from the square wafts up. My room has a fireplace and quaint nooks and crannies. Then I realized I misunderstood the price and rather than being close to $20 it is close to $30. I had negotiated a lower price for staying a week but I guess I didn’t bargain as well as I thought!

Before bed I realized there was no hot water. It was too late to deal with it then so I decided to try again in the morning. Alas, still no hot water. When I inquired and was shown another room just up from mine I understood them to mean that I should change rooms since I understood when they said there were boiler problems. So I moved all my things which was not easy since I’d settled in thinking I’d be there a week. Apparently I misunderstood and when I asked for the key to the other room they told me they just meant I should use that room for the shower! Yeah, little things slip thru my Spanish comprehension. You see, it’s a nicer room and tho the front desk man looked a bit distressed, I’m not going to worry about it now. but actually I will and I know that. I worry too much about being an obliging guest. Silly, silly.

So I slipped just now to one of the many cafés with wi-fi and great coffee, then I’ll poke around to see about getting to different destinations in the area – waterfalls, canyons, mayan villages, blue lakes.

All together I spent about 2 weeks in Antigua.  I am glad I spent a day there after semana santa celebrations ended so I was reminded of what it’s like during mellower times.  It is a bit of a Spanish colonial Disneyworld, but as I said, to a somewhat weary traveler it is a good place to recharge.

I also needed that last day in Antigua to get rid of my traveler trots.  Sorry to be indelicate ☺.  After a 3.5 months on the road I had my first stomach problems.  If anything I’m surprised it didn’t happen sooner since I eat all kinds of veggies – whether they or cooked or peeled or not – and I brush my teeth with the water and take ice.  I think I almost started testing how far I could go.  Kinda silly.  Anyhoo – I was fortunate once more that my illness was not bi-directional.  I tried to let it “clear” on it’s own but broke into my cipro stash after a week.  Overnight it was better so I guess I had some houseguests.

I had been considering how to get to san cristobal do las casas for a few days.  I was ready to get into mexico and san cristobal sounds like a good base for day-trips throughout Chiapas so my best option was a shuttle since the trip is 8 hours if you have no complications (I add that last caveat after experience ☺).  Travel agencies seemed to have one of 2 prices posted:  $45 or $65.  Both said they had a shuttle direct to san cristobal so I went for the $45 one.  I think the difference is that with the $45 shuttle you switch transport at the border which I really don’t mind and I think can make things faster.  Maybe the $65 one processes your paperwork but I can tell you there is VERY little hassle at this border crossing and (sacrebleu!) there is no fee to get into MX.

The only complication (other than the german couple – she had sinus problems and couldn’t have any moving air on her and he had a panic attack when we moved to the smaller van) was that there was an accident or landslide or something that required a detour and made our trip longer. 10 hours to be exact.  But now I’m in stunning san cristobal and I have a suspicion:  it’s better than Antigua!

Antigua Procession, originally uploaded by peggydaly.

i know The Virgin has always been very important to my mother and maybe it is for this reason that her processions moved me the most. the devotion to her here is amazing and the importance of the different advocations (depictions of various events and times of her life – like in this picture where she mourns jesus’s crucifixion as Nuestra Senora de los Delores or Our Lady of Sorrows) and apparitions (appearances during history – like the virgin de guadalupe) is impressive and touching. I can understand the appeal of a compassionate mother-figure and think religion could use a bit more of a feminine touch!

I am moved by profound faith, whether I witness it in a church, mosque, temple or on the street.  I’ve seen sooo much of it the past few weeks.  People dropping to their knees, crawling to the statue of a saint, speaking, praying, crying to it with such intensity.  Just like seeing the simple act of a man lying a mat on the sidewalk to pay to mecca. It makes me tear up.

But it goes beyond faith.  I once got choked up at an Ethiopian new years celebration.  Maybe it’s about seeing a community come together and celebrate, motivated by a common goal or background, or belief.  It’s such a deep human need, isn’t it?  To be part of a community.  Part of something bigger than the individual.  Something that gives purpose.   It’s something I think of often.  Why are there so many different religions around the globe?  One can say “well, I believe in mine because it is true.  It is the one true religion”.  But if that is so, why were all the others created out of thin air? Why, everywhere around the world, wasn’t it good enough to just live life and not worship?   Why do these questions about human nature intrigue me so much!!!??

Antigua Procession, originally uploaded by peggydaly.

Sorry to be irreverent, but it IS part of a family easter story. when i caught this pic i was momentarily struck by how odd it is that i and the guy at the bottom of the pic are drawn to this procession to snap shots of Jesus carrying his cross. the unappropriate thought “smile for the camera” made me think of a family easter story. i guess i was about 5 or 6 when this happened.

as an easter gift for my mom i made a construction paper representation of jesus on the cross complete with a big smile on his face and a rather extraneous accordian-folded tail attached to the bottom of the cross. when i presented to my mom she quietly turned to my aunt and said “look, he’s smiling”. my aunt pat didn’t miss a beat and said “he’s so glad it’s over”.

i hope neither my beloved mother or beloved aunt mind me sharing this story. a sense of humor makes religion more accessible, right? yesterday’s easter processions were almost overwhelming. those in the morning have jesus walking with the cross to his crucifiction. later in the day the processions carry the body of jesus in ornate glass sarcophagi. the bearers wear black rather than purple. today the virgin has several processions and tomorrow – the procession of the resurrection.

Livingston, Guatemala, originally uploaded by peggydaly.

Just got around to uploading some pics from my excursion to guatemala’s carib coast. Me, a journeyman, the girls, polo and our paddler.

After a frustrating bus ride to rio dulce we got a triple room at a place Sharien had stayed before:  Hacienda Tizal.  It’s a nice place on the rio dulce a boat ride across from where the bus drops off (any restaurant on the far side can radio the hotel for a launcha).  It has a wide range of rooms and a good restaurant however the other side of the river seemed to have a better breeze. We just stayed one night and in the morning arranged our boat transportation down river to Livingston.  There weren’t too many boats heading down due to some problems the indigenous people in the region were causing but all went well.

It was blazing hot in Livingston and the walk around town to find a hotel on the first Saturday of semana santa was not fun.  After a false start at the African Place hotel (which is a very decent, reasonable place but not at all near the water) we found a triple with a balcony and view of the river/carib at Dona Alito.  This was such a good find and it’s thanks to Sharien and the big spider she saw in the other place that we persevered.  We stayed 3 nights, toured the areas around Livingston (a garifuna community) and had lots of fun people-watching in the evenings.  It’s a totally different vibe than the rest of Guatemala.

To escape the heat we tried to lay low in the heat of the day, occasionally sneaking into the pool at the fancy hotel down the way.  Our last day there semana santa crowds began to pick up and the tent restaurants on the beaches opened up.  It’s amazing what an important family time this is all around Guatemala.  Our last morning we caught a 9am launcha to Puerto barrios and a 10am direct luxury bus to guat city (6 hrs).  Note:  the beaches along the coast just north of Puerto barrios are FAR better than near Livingston and there were lots of resorts along the way.  If you are looking for beach time in guat I recommend this beach but can’t give details about the hotels.

We got to guat city in the middle of a semana santa procession so getting out was harder than anticipated.  We eventually found a taxi to take us to a major chicken-bus spot and caught one to Antigua.  I said goodbye to the girls and found my way to ahsanti’s guesthouse south of the cathedral.  Tired from a full day of travel I skipped dinner and went to bed!  I have a full week in Antigua before I head to MX – so no rush!!
Read the rest of this entry »