“San Cristobal is
really a captivating city. Even the air, and particularly the deep
blue of the sky, seem somehow different here than elsewhere in
Mexico and the greens are definitely richer than anywhere else in
this country. Anyone traveling here in winter should know that
because of the altitude it can get cold, and freezing at night.
Fortunately, it’s also generally sunny here in winter, and that
quickly warms the air during the day. The Native Americans who come
here from the surrounding villages to sell their handicrafts give the
place an exotic air. If they succeed in selling anything then they
buy one or two items and set off for home. Tourists are naturally
interested in the places they live, so many visit the villages of
Zinacantan and San Juan Chamula. If you don’t have a local guide
then the villagers are likely to act in a stiff, suspicious manner;
it’s not that they’re unfriendly, but they are rather reserved
and don’t generally make friends with outsiders. This is something
you have to accept.” (J.K., 2014)
-------------------------------
“San Cristobal de
las Casas is one of the jewels of Mexico! It’s a long way from any
big tourist destination, but a favorite destination for domestic
tourists and the number of international visitors is increasing
year-on-year, thanks to the airport barely an hour away (in Tuxtla
Gutiérrez)
San Cristobal sits
on an elevation of 2200 meters, surrounded by dense forests, so the
climate here is significantly cooler than in other cities nearby. The
Spanish conquistadors founded the city in 1528, and their influence
can still be seen in some colonial-era architecture. It isn’t as
elegant as Puebla, but the simple, brightly painted houses make it a
charming, attractive travel destination.
What makes San
Cristobal fundamentally different is firstly the architecture, with
colorful houses under wide roofs and planned, perpendicular streets
in the downtown area, but it would be much better to show all this in
pictures, because it’s difficult to describe. The other distinctive
feature is the ‘Europeanness’ or perhaps rather ‘diversity’
which you can experience here.
This was the first
Mexican city we came to since setting off from the far north where we
found some culinary variety! (and not just local dishes). Of course,
you can find any type of cuisine in Mexico City, but while San
Cristobal is a city of just 200,000 people, still, we found a cheese
shop (with both domestic and imported cheese) as well as a French
bakery selling really good French bread (very rare in Mexico!) There
was also a chocolate shop which not only sold handmade chocolate and
candy but also delicious hot chocolate. It’s impossible to list
all the things we found to tempt the eye or the lips.
The main attraction,
however, was the coffee! I’m not really a coffee fanatic, but based
on my experiences at home, I at least expect that my drink won’t be
prepared from twice-brewed coffee (as in Indonesia), that the milk
won’t be burned, and that I’ll get it at a drinkable temperature…
But each to their own, everybody has different tastes. There are
plenty of places in San Cristobal that know just how to brew a good
coffee, so every day we were able to try a new café and taste the
arabica coffee from the surrounding hills.
The city is an
an interesting blend of Native American Indian influences, with their
distinctive dress and folk art (even today, many tribes live in the
surrounding villages) and the businesses which have been established
to serve the growing number of visitors to the city – the large
numbers of restaurants, cafés, souvenir shops, etc. Amid the colorful
throngs at the market, however, it was heartbreaking to see Native
American women out selling goods with tiny babies strapped to their
backs, and sometimes very small children in tow.
The city has three
pedestrian streets, which are all full of shops and restaurants (and
pedestrians, especially around the New-Year holidays), but on the
other streets there’s hardly anybody, and it’s possible to stroll
more comfortably.
The three pedestrian
streets meet on two squares. One of these is a large park, while the
other changes in the evening into a market for handicrafts, where old
women sell embroidered tablecloths, dresses, and all kinds of
beautiful, colorful textiles.
We explored the
city’s surroundings, and visited several native villages, including
some local markets, and biked out to some nearby caves, where it’s
possible to take a boat trip and picnic if you plan it in advance.
The area is so mountainous and uneven that even in the ‘cold’
winter we were covered in sweat, and our kids were exhausted by the
end of the day, but it was worth it. Then in the afternoon we lost
ourselves in the crowds and tasted the delights of the streets. One
pedestrian street leads to a viewpoint, and though it’s a bit of a
slog to get to the top, it offers a fantastic panorama of the whole
city below. Beyond that, we also discovered forests, running trails,
paths, and even a miniature theme park in the area around the city.
Not far from one of
the other pedestrian streets we came to the unique little handicraft
market, where many kinds of handmade textiles were on sale, alongside
beautiful amber jewelry. The shops of the market are ranged beneath a
covered arcade, and among them stands a tiny church which is very
difficult to find, even if you’re quite close – especially since
it was being renovated during our visit. Still, it’s well worth
seeking out! All in all, we found San Cristobal a very unique little
city in the middle of a beautiful landscape!
