November 2001

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Chamulan indian

Buying machetes

Thursday 15 November

Arriving after dark, we spent an hour searching the busy, narrow one way streets for a suitable overnight car park. We found one that we'd unknowingly driven past three times, underneath the main plaza. The landy fitted inside with no problem but we had to let the back tyres down to enable the tent to be opened without hitting the roof. The shops were still open and the centre was full of stereotypical greasy-haired gringo tourists with khaki trousers, money belts and wearing their padlocked daysacks on their fronts. This, together with the high altitude cold, reminded us once again of Peru, this time Cuzco.

A typical Mexican scene

Santo Domingo church

Awaiting a procession

The procession passes by

San Cristobal was the centre of the 1994 Zapatista uprising so we thought we'd better tool up with a couple of machetes for a measly 30 pesos (US$3.2) each. The indians don't like having their picture taken as they believe the camera steals their soul, even so, we managed to get a sneaky one of an old man of the white wool smock wearing Chamulan tribe.

Heading off towards Ocosingo the cool pine forest mountain scenery gradually changed to verdant semi-jungle and the temperature got noticeably warmer. We stopped in the town to post some letters, the envelopes of which were extra stuck down with some foul smelling glue. After some quesadillos (cheesy tacos), the next stop was the nearby pyramids of Tonina. This is a small area of ruins which are set on a hillside overlooking an army base. One can climb around almost all of the area, and enter underground passages if small enough.

Tonina...

...nice stonework...

Lots of passages to explore

Museum has excellent Maya carvings

Next stop is Agua Azul waterfalls.

 

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