As you probably guessed from my first San Cristobal post, I adore this historic mountain town. There is so much to see and do, and so much worth seeing more than once, that I was excited to be able to go back with a friend, Erika, and her adorable and incredibly well behaved 18 month old son a couple weeks ago. We were so excited and wrapped up in talking that we missed our first bus. But, lucky for us, there was another one 15 minutes later. I "pretended" to have missed the call for our bus because I didn't understand the Spanish announcer. The truth is, no one understands the announcers, even Erika who is Mexican and a native Spanish speaker missed it. But, with little trouble, we were on the next bus.
I didn't remember the sidewalks being so cracked and bumpy the last time, but then again, I wasn't imagining navigating a stroller. San Cristobal is not meant for strollers. If only Erika had bought a traditional baby sling instead of a wheeled stroller. All of the women use slings, and after 20 minutes we understood why. Erika ditched her stroller for the day at our first stop, the trolly tour. I skipped this my first visit and opted for walking, but am glad to have boarded. I love nerdy tours like this one that infuses sightseeing with tidbits of historic tales. I had to focus quite a bit to understand the Spanish, and was grateful to have Erika to reassure me that I was understanding everything. We drove down the narrow roads that felt almost European (which makes sense considering the huge Spanish influence in this part of Chiapas) past a couple cathedrals that I didn't come across on my first trip, including the temple of the patron saint of the town, Saint Christopher. The Saint Christopher temple is on a huge hill, a mini mountain really. The view from the top made the climb more than worth it, even though the church itself was closed.
On our way up the countless steps, we were approached by two young boys. This is one thing that I don't think I'll ever get used to here in Mexico. It is so common to see children asking for money or selling gum and candies. There parents are nowhere to be seen. Kids as young as six and seven seem be taking on responsibilities far beyond their years. These boys didn't ask for money at first, but for us to sign a paper for a project for their school. Then after writing my name and where I was from, they asked if i could donate money to help them pay for school supplies. I passed along a few pesos and we continued our trek up the hill. I really hope the money I gave them goes toward their education, it seems to be the only way to ensure that their lives improve, and the cycle of poverty can be halted.
It's like a different world when you are looking at a town from so high above. There was a refreshing breeze and we quietly looked out over the seemingly calm city. I guess everything seems peaceful when you can't see all the details. It's always so dwarfing to look at landscapes like this, but also reassuring that you are a part of this great place.
Back down in town, we stopped at a candy store to quiet our grumbling stomachs. I had my first traditional candy, a deliciously sweet coconut treat. I can't remember the name now, but it's like a log of coconut and sugar dyed a brilliant pink, yellow or orange.
After lunch we found the fruit market that I missed the first time. Blackberries and raspberries begged to be bought and the only thing I regret is that I didn't buy more. In addition to fruit, there was meat. There is always meat, but not cooked tacos or something tame like that, no, it was chicken feet. I looked down an aisle and there was all sorts of unidentifiable meat sold, out in the open, unrefrigerated. I opted to go down a different aisle. Oh, and there were also flat screen, right in some of the booths. I peaked in and could see some of the vendors catching the Pre-game Superbowl entertainment.
That's right, it was Superbowl, there were specials. Our last stop, the Kitch and Bagel (the same place I saw the flamenco dancer the first time), had two for one and the game on in back. We opted to sit outside instead. I ended my second time in San Cris with a cappuchino and Rompompe (a vanilla-ish liquor that mixes fantastically with coffee) and enjoyed people watching until it was time for us to catch the bus back to Tuxtla.
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