Making our way to San Cristóbal de la Casas from Palenque
(Warning: loo talk)
Our OCC bus to Sancris, as the locals call it, was less impressive than the previous ADO buses we’d had. When the driver stopped for food, I rushed off to the banos, only to be handed a bucket of water to flush the loo with. Not only was that pretty grim but the toilet seat was HIGH. It was like ‘Honey, I Exploded the Kids!’ No squatting possible! Eesh. And as you went through this process, you had to dodge the grey mop hitting your shoes as the toilet guy swished his mop over the floors and under the cubicles as people usually spilled their buckets on the way to the loo. Fortunately, there was a sink outside to wash your hands but the tap was fitted like a fountain and the soap was out of a coke bottle with a hole in the top.
The kitchens were makeshift tents and most of the passengers got stuck in, choosing various dishes from the hot canteen, but we couldn’t make ourselves. A packet of crisps and a bottle of water for 8+ hours is slimming, right?
The journey took us through various checkpoints where border police walked up and down the bus and a sniffer dog had a run around in the luggage compartment. (Anna said on her night bus they filmed everyone getting on, face by face!) And then finally, after passing through Tuxtla Gutierrez, we climbed the 2200m up to San Cristóbal.
Esther and Anna arrived the next morning on an overnight bus from Puerto Escondido and after a quick ‘refresh’ we started exploring. We found a couple of gorgeous cafes to catch up in before our walking tour: Sarajevo Jardin and Honora.
San Cristobal has an interesting history which we were inspired by during our free tour that afternoon; it made the city feel relevant and vibrant. The guide was very keen for us to take part in the collective efforts and projects around the city. We visited a lovely cafe for free juice and coffee and then went to La Espirituoso for POX (posh) tasting – their corn liquor. We were given 3 ‘shots’ and the best advice: breathe it first under your chin; kiss the liquor twice to prepare yourself and then breathe out after you drink. It really helped with that burning sensation. Genius. I preferred the dessert version of course! It tasted like mini-egg chocolate.
The next day we visited the tour guide’s project in the hills: El Encuentro Eco Park, a 45 minute walk. It was a work in progress but hopefully they’ll be able to attract the biodiversity they’re looking for. Unfortunately, we learned that San Cris has horrendous air pollution, which put Stewart off – he’d mentioned that he could taste it even before we found out. We think they burn a lot of rubbish and plastics and perhaps after altering the rivers about 15 years ago to prevent flooding (resulting in them drying up) they may have begun a process of imbalance leading to high pollution, not discounting the huge number of old vehicles too. It seems a city of contrasts on that front: constant pollution .v. eco-projects and co-operative farms seen below.
Our big day out was to the Sumidero Canyon. The tour was organised via Esperanza our host at Casa Tequio. It was £28 each. The mini bus picked us up at the hostel at 9am and we set off for Tuxtla. The thought of a mini-bus fills me with dread. I dream of asking if I can drive instead because it’s the only way I won’t feel sick. I survived the trip to the Mirador (viewpoint) of the Canyon – an impressive view despite what seemed like days of winding roads to get there. Unfortunately for me, and the girls at the back who had a bumpy ride, we found that after 20-30 minutes we were going back down the mountain to a completely different place to get the boat! Another 40 minutes in the van. Vom. However, it was all forgotten when we were out on the water. Such a beautiful place and a lovely experience with Esther and Anna. Spying crocodiles, monkeys and interesting birds amongst the breathtaking kilometre high canyon made a perfect afternoon.
The day didn’t end there: our landing point meant we hit the colourful festival in Chiapas de Corzo, which we’d read a blog about, and were treated to seeing many of the hundreds of the townspeople dressed up and gathering for the evening celebrations. We were a little sad we couldn’t stay for longer but alas the mini bus was calling to take us back.
All in all, a fabulous day but my stomach and head were not in agreement. It didn’t help we’d be back on a minibus the next morning to the airport. Not sure why I think I can travel … I should just stay put really. Dreaming of the day we can teleport!