Mexico City

Yesterday I made it to Mexico city after 6.5 hour bus ride from Oaxaca (left at 6:30AM). My guide book for this part of Mexico is from 2004, very old in term of backpacker time. So I decided to stay at the International Youth Hostel near the old city center after reading Brian's newer edition. But the place is like a party zone, loud music. But they assured me it will be quiet by 10PM. Also the place is expensive for a dorm $14 or 158 pesos, which does not make sense in pesos since the exchange rate is around 1$ to 10.7 Pesos, even if you use 11, it should be 156, what a cheat. Anyway after I talked to my dorm-mate, he (from Thailand) informed me that the music did not shut off on Friday and Saturday until may be 2AM! Deeply concerned I started to look for a place to stay for the next 3 nights at around 7PM. Luckily few steps from the youth hostel there is another hostal, no loud music, clean bathroom and $4 cheaper and they use $1 to 10 pesos (the norm throughout my Mexico trip). Only drawback was 12 beds in a dorm compares to 4 in the other one. I was able to get my money back at the first hostal and this morning at 6:30AM I dropped off my backpack in the new place and went to see the Teotihuacan, a large ancient city.

The builders of Teotihuacan, the place of the gods, dated around 300BC - AD 600, still a mystery. It was not just a ceremony center, it also housed artisans, laborers, merchants. It even housed merchants from Maya area as well Monte Alban from Oaxaca.

After the visit to Teotihuacan, I moved my stuff into the dorm, had quick small lunch and went walk around the city. I was told by Jorge that there is a 100 pesos coin as well as a 20 pesos coin mentioned in the book. So I went to the bank and got my hand on the big and beautiful coin. I walk around more, there are so many historic buildings. I even stumbled onto Chinatown, a tiny area, but full of Chinese restaurants. I also found a market where I got half kilo of passion fruits. I also grab some street tacos and afterward I went to checkout couple handicraft markets. Of course I overpaid for the items at the first one. The reason I Iknew is that at 2nd market I saw the same item priced at much lower without even haggling! Tomorrow, I will visit some museums (most of museums close on Monday)

There are very few Internet places at the city center, and all were closed yesterday. The hostal has 'free' Internet, which is what I am using now.

As for yesterday I just walk around the colonial city center, got some groceries. O, I had a Chinese buffet (no comparison to US). I was sorry afterward. I felt bad till may be 10:30PM (after a juice and ice cream sundae). Too much fiber all the sudden, and my body can't process it fast enough, I felt pain, and luckily the small blockage went away. I'll need to lighten up my diet a bit, don't want any medical condition when I only have few days left on my trip.

Oaxaca

The bus arrived in Oaxaca in about 11.5 hours. Luckily during the long ride I was able to get enough sleep in. This time the bus was not as cold and seats a little more reclined. On the bus I met Ana from BC Canada and Brian from England. Ana is taking a break from school and her part time job of car body work. Brian, a assisted living helper, is taking his last backpacking trip before deciding if he is going to move to Cali Columbia.

We tried to find a place cheap near the center of the city, but unfortunately Oaxaca is not as cheap as San Cristobal. We finally find a place where Brian and I each got a single room with shared bathroom for $12, and Ana got a single private bathroom with TV for may be $20. Ana's mom is coming tomorrow to join her backpacking for a month in Guatemala. Brian and I were wondering how Ana who does not speak Spanish, and seems to get into trouble quite a lot (riding is stranger's car etc), smoke pot, is going to handle a more dangerous country like Guatemala. Her divorced mom apparently is copying her daughter's behaviors like smoking pot, etc. This is first time that I heard that the kid is a bad influence on the parent. I guess it is all in the family.

Anyway after a shower, we went out to find a place to eat for lunch, after a looking for a while we settled on a $10 buffet place (which was way over Brian's budget). I was stuffed. We walked around the town center for a little bit before retiring back to our hotel. Then I went to check out the local market to find the local delicacy of fried insects, but I was not able to find it. I saw a wedding photo shoot, a wedding (separate), and a special mass for a little girl, just your everyday life of the city. Although Oaxaca is only about 500 meters (1650 feet) lower than San Cristobal de Las Casas, it felt much hotter. Also it is twice as big and not as charming. San Cristobal de Las Casas has to rank as one of my favorite city or town.

O, I was assaulted by a crazy, while walking in the central plaza. A guy without shirt or shoes, approached me asking for time, so I gave him the time, then he started asking where I am from, but I ignored him and he said Japan. I just keep on walking, then he grabs my shirt and arm and pull me back. I broke free, almost torn my shirt, and stared him down. He did not advance further, if he did I would have punch him out or kick him, he is an old guy, so I can take care him. Anyway, later I pointed out the guy to the tourist police, and she said, yeah he is crazy. It seems in a lot of places that I visited, there is always one or two crazy, either really crazy or drunk. And they tend to signal me out :)

Since I ate so much during lunch, I just had a bottle of apple juice, 3 passion fruits (I think they are now my favorite fruit), and an ice cream from Burger King, which Brian and I went to.

Finally I met Ada (from Copan Spanish school) here. Apparently Brian knew her from some where else as well. I recognized her bright pink sweater even though she was bending down doing something.

Sumidero Canyon

This morning I went on a tour to visit a deep river canyon near San Cristobal de Las Casas. The river was not navigable before a dam was build down stream in the 1970s. It was clear sky with haze, and we stared our tour around 10:20 or so, hard to make any decent pictures. It was also pretty dry, so the canyon wall's vegetation is a bit brown. The boat has no roof, so the sun beat down on us really good.

The high canyon walls are pretty impressive. We saw alligators, and egrets. Anyway I had better boat trips than this one during this journey.

After boat trip we visited a town called Chiapas de Corzo, another unimpressive town.

After returning to San Cristobal de Las Casas around 2:30, I ordered a takeout (yes chicken) for lunch, and afterward wondering around the city visiting some of the churches as well its market. Now I am just passing time before my bus ride.

San Cristobal de Las Casas

This morning I got up to walk around the town a bit in the bright and chilly sunshine. I don't think I have done this since may be Lake Atitlan in Guatemala. The many beautiful churches shine brightly in the morning sun as well the colorful building in the central area. Unfortunately the heavy cloud moved in the afternoon, so no pictures of the church facing the sunset direction. I hoping it will be sunny tomorrow afternoon, before I catch my 10:45PM bus for Oaxaca.

The city was founded in 1528 and is a Spanish-colonial wonder with low-lying haciendas and cobbled streets. The city was made famous when in 1994, the Zapatistas briefly took control of the city to protest NAFTA and rights of the indigenous people. With a population of 120,000 there are many color churches that each with its own color, like the many colors of the houses lined its streets.

After the quick early morning walk through I went on a tour to the couple of the Maya village surrounding the city. One of them is San Juan Chamula, where they followed their own blend of Catholicism, they don't answer to the Pope. In the church, there are no chairs, just fresh pine needles, where people sit. Candles are placed on the table or ground. They worship the western saints, but with a mirror on the neck of the saints. The saints are corresponding to their Maya gods. They offer drinks like coco cola, eggs, chickens (killed in the church), to have their "priests" heal what ever trouble them. Outsiders like us are welcome to visit it, but photos are absolute no in the church as well outside photos of priests and religious objects and ceremonies. People's cameras have been smashed as result of not obeying the rule, and in some case, people got punched out as well. The outsiders are not allowed to live in their town. They bury their dead with crosses. But depend on the age of the person, the color of the cross will be different. Also they bury those that died of nature cause away from non-natural ones (like accident). In additional, they select their own leaders, when someone commits a crime, it is up to the leaders to decide the punishment. The maximum sentence is 3 days in local jail. If the person repeats, then there will be community service added as well. Some of the criminals become local policemen as part of their community service, looking for tourists taking pictures is one of their jobs. It was very interesting to see this kind of belief, almost like that of Amish community mixed with native American in the US.

After San Juan Chamula, we went to another Maya village of San Lorenzo Zinacantan that speaks the same language, but practiced different form of Catholicism. Not chickens, eggs, etc in the church. The inside of their church is more like that of Catholic we know. But they don't perform their Mayan rituals in it, instead they do it at a small temple on top of a tall hill. Anyway this village is known for their weaving and flowers. We visited one the house where they showed us their wares and try black tortillas with green onions, salt, salsa, very good (we were hungry). I tried to buy some cup mats to support them, but they don't have 4 of the same kind.

This was one wonderful tour with good insight into the Mayan culture that you don't see or read.

Tonight I am just to wonder around the city and checkout the festival and shops. Tomorrow morning if the weather is nice, I'll check the local market before my tour of Canon del Sumidero.

Although I am not into food, but I'll talk a little about what I eat during my trip. A lot of places (small city or towns), there are not many choices. Breakfast I usually brought fruits with pastries or bread. Bananas, oranges, and apples are common. Lunch and dinner usually similar, cheap local dishes. Sometime if I arrive hungry in a place, I might go for a "higher" priced meal. Couple times my lunch will be around 4 or so due to a tour, and dinner usually 2-3 hours latter. The #1 meal by far I had during my trip is chicken. Yesterday I was so tired eating more chicken, I went for 2 set meals in couple proper restaurants - fish filets! Luckily the price here is very cheap, the meals cost around $6, including soup, main meal, and dessert. One thing I am missing the most after Jorge mentioned is green vegetable! Central American don’t eat much green at all.