Mexico (Part 23-Final Part) -Last Day in San Cristobal de las Casas
The next morning, Bela at Belas B&B, called her driver to drive us to the airport in Tuxtla Gutierrez, which was over an hour away. It was nice to be able to sit back, enjoy the beautiful drive, and converse with the driver—-in Spanish, of course!
The airport in Tuxtla in very modern. You can see the photo here:
I gorged myself on some nachos and water while I thought about our great week in the state of Chiapas in southern Mexico.
Final comments:
I have been to a number of different cities in Mexico and I must say that San Cristobal is my favorite. It is a delightful town with lots of activities. We felt perfectly safe the entire time we were there. In addition to great restaurants and shops, there are a number of attractions in the area (you already read about San Juan de Chamula).
The easiest way to get to San Cristobal is to fly to Tuxtla (TGZ) and take a taxi to San Cristobal. There are plenty of very nice hotels in San Cristobal. If you want a real experience though, you should try a B&B such as Bela’s.
Hope you enjoyed Mexico. If you have comments you can post them here or e-mail me at ssb11@prodigy.net
If you want some great Mexican food recipes I notice that Dave Cathey, The Oklahoman’s food editor has some great recipes on his web site. You can find it here: http://blog.newsok.com/fooddude/category/mexican-food/
BTW-If you want to check out some really neat stuff about what is happening on the redesigned Newsok.com then you need to check out Alan Herzberger’s update here
View my other travel blogs on NewsOk.com: Colombia: http://blog.newsok.com/thewanderer/category/colombia/ Mexico: http://blog.newsok.com/thewanderer/category/mexico/
Caribbean island of Barbuda: http://blog.newsok.com/thewanderer/category/barbuda/
San Juan with a 5 hour layover: http://blog.newsok.com/thewanderer/category/san-juan-puerto-rico/
Fly around the U.S. for the day: http://blog.newsok.com/thewanderer/category/day-trip/
Mexico(Part 19)The fabrics of San Juan de Chamula, Chiapas
San Juan de Chamula
This was a trip that Helga from the school set up for Carol and me with a private guide.
At the end of classes on Wednesday, our guide, Teresa, came to the school and off we went in a taxi up into the hills to visit one of the most colorful villages in the area–San Juan de Chamula!
In SJC we went into the home of a local family who sold some beautiful fabrics that you can see here in the photos.
Pretty neat stuff, huh? But, we weren’t leaving the house quite yet….there were still tortillas to eat in the kitchen.
Next-Eating REAL Mexican tortillas
If you want some great Mexican food holiday recipes I notice that Dave Cathey, The Oklahoman’s food editor has some great recipes on his web site. You can find it here: http://blog.newsok.com/fooddude/category/mexican-food/
BTW-If you want to check out some really neat stuff about what is happening on the redesigned Newsok.com then you need to check out Alan Herzberger’s update here
View my other travel blogs on NewsOk.com:Colombia: http://blog.newsok.com/thewanderer/category/colombia/
Mexico: http://blog.newsok.com/thewanderer/category/mexico/ Caribbean island of Barbuda: http://blog.newsok.com/thewanderer/category/barbuda/
San Juan with a 5 hour layover: http://blog.newsok.com/thewanderer/category/san-juan-puerto-rico/
Fly around the U.S. for the day: http://blog.newsok.com/thewanderer/category/day-trip/
Mexico (Part 12) Taking the bus from Palenque to San Cristobal de las Casas, Chiapas
At 2 p.m. we left on a 5 hour bus trip from Palenque to San Cristóbal.
Our bus
We had been told that it was such a winding road that we might need Dramamine if we had a propensity for motion sickness. We opted out of the Dramamine and found the journey to be very pleasant. It was one of the most beautiful drives on which I have ever been.. The countryside was stunning with very, very, green hills and many picturesque views.
The countryside as seen from the bus
After 2 ½ hours we stopped in the town of Ocosingo for a 30 minute rest stop.
From behind the gate in the bus yard of Ocosingo
Inside the bus station courtyard they were making various hot dishes for sale. Also there was a little tiny convenience store where you could buy drinks and snacks.
The backpackers are filling their backpacks with snacks
Off the road from Ocosingo are some other Mayan ruins in the town of Toniná. They are supposed to be well worth the drive, but it would have to be another time for us.
Time to leave Ocosingo
Finally about 8 p.m. that night (Sunday) about an hour behind schedule we pulled into San Cristóbal de las Casas. We had reservations at Bela’s B&B for the next 6 nights. I had researched it thoroughly on the internet and had found it had great reviews. Bela had sent me directions to her place, so we just simply grabbed a taxi. As he wove through the town we were immediately attracted to it and knew we had made a great choice.
On my next blog I will give a complete overview of Bela’s
BTW-If you want to check out some really neat stuff about what is happening on the redesigned Newsok.com then you need to check out Alan Herzberger’s update here
View my other travel blogs on NewsOk.com: Colombia: http://blog.newsok.com/thewanderer/category/colombia/ Mexico: http://blog.newsok.com/thewanderer/category/mexico/ Caribbean island of Barbuda: http://blog.newsok.com/thewanderer/category/barbuda/ San Juan with a 5 hour layover: http://blog.newsok.com/thewanderer/category/san-juan-puerto-rico/
Fly around the U.S. for the day: http://blog.newsok.com/thewanderer/category/day-trip/
Mexico (Part 11) Palenque, Mayan Ruins Museum
The next morning after breakfast it was back on the highway flagging down a “colectivo” to head back to the ruins. This time it was to the museum at the entrance to the park. The museum was great. It was very well done.
Musuem grounds, Palenque, Chiapas, Mexico
Checking out one of the artifacts in the musuem
Inside the Mayan Musuem in Palenque, Chiapas, Mexico
We spent the morning at the musuem then caught a “colectivo” back to hotel, checked out, said goodbye to the hotel staff and took a taxi to the bus station in town.
Checking out of the Chan-Kah Resort Village
The bus station is open air, small, hot, and crowded with locals and backpackers.
Passengers in the bus station waiting to buy tickets
From inside the bus station in Palenque, Chiapas, Mexico
We had arrived early, so had extra time. I walked down the street, found a little store, and bought us some water and cookies to tide us over on bus.
Carol waiting to board the bus for San Cristóbal de las Casas, Mexico
At 2 p.m. we left on the 5 hour bus trip from Palenque to San Cristóbal de las Casas.
Next-the winding road to San Cristóbal de las Casas
BTW-If you want to check out some really neat stuff about what is happening on the redesigned Newsok.com then you need to check out Alan Herzberger’s update here
View my other travel blogs on NewsOk.com:
Colombia:
http://blog.newsok.com/thewanderer/category/colombia/
Mexico:
http://blog.newsok.com/thewanderer/category/mexico/
Caribbean island of Barbuda: http://blog.newsok.com/thewanderer/category/barbuda/
San Juan with a 5 hour layover: http://blog.newsok.com/thewanderer/category/san-juan-puerto-rico/
Fly around the U.S. for the day: http://blog.newsok.com/thewanderer/category/day-trip/
Mexico (Part 10) Dinner in Palenque Town, Chiapas
Our goal was to not experience all of our meals at the hotel, so we decided to go into the town of Palenque for dinner. Since I wasn’t sure exactly where the “colectivos” dropped off its passengers in town, we opted to be big spenders and have the hotel call a taxi. . Cost to town was 40 Pesos (USD $4).
Once we were in town, we walked around for 6-7 blocks until we finally found an ATM where we got some Pesos to buy dinner. The town of Palenque is pretty bland, sort of a hodge-podge of buildings. Ok, it’s a little dodgy! Seemed like an assembly place for backpackers who are heading off for other parts of Mexico. It reminded me a lot of Tena, Ecuador that sits at the bottom on the east side of the Andes.
Saturday night downtown in Palenque, Chiapas, Mexico
Using our trusty Lonely Planet guide book we headed for the best restaurant in town, a beautiful open air place named Restaurant Maya Cañada. The service was great. We both had steak for around $10 USD each. Before we left, the restaurant had filled to capacity. We knew we had made the right choice.
Steak Dinner
The dessert was the best part. Check this out:
Half a coconut shell filled with coconut ice cream topped off with a chocolate bar.
After dinner, we walked to the bus station to pick up our tickets for the bus the next day to San Cristobal de las Casas. Since I had originally purchased them on line before leaving the states it was just a matter of getting our boarding passes printed. I didn’t want to chance having to stand in a long line the next day. We would spend the next a.m. visiting the musuem at the ruins before leaving for San Cristobal in the afternoon.
Next-A brief visit to the Musuem of the Ruins in Palenque
View my other travel blogs on NewsOk.com
Colombia: http://blog.newsok.com/thewanderer/category/colombia/
Mexico: http://blog.newsok.com/thewanderer/category/mexico/
Caribbean island of Barbuda http://blog.newsok.com/thewanderer/category/barbuda/
San Juan with a 5 hour layover http://blog.newsok.com/thewanderer/category/san-juan-puerto-rico/
Fly around the U.S. for the day: http://blog.newsok.com/thewanderer/category/day-trip/
Mexico (Part 9) Chan-Kah Resort Poolside, Palenque, Chiapas, Mexico
The pool at Chan-Kah Resort Village in Palenque, Chiapas, Mexico is an absolutely beautiful, free form, rock lined pool.
There were a few other guests around the pool. We didn’t see or hear any other Americans. All seemed to be from Europe. We struck up a conversation with several of them. Most were just traveling around Mexico on buses somewhat like us.
We hung around the pool until a lightning storm drove us back into the casita.
Next-Dinner in Palenque Town
View my other travel blogs on NewsOk.com
Colombia: http://blog.newsok.com/thewanderer/category/colombia/
Mexico: http://blog.newsok.com/thewanderer/category/mexico/
Caribbean island of Barbuda http://blog.newsok.com/thewanderer/category/barbuda/
San Juan with a 5 hour layover http://blog.newsok.com/thewanderer/category/san-juan-puerto-rico/
Fly around the U.S. for the day: http://blog.newsok.com/thewanderer/category/day-trip/
Mexico (Part 8) Chan-Kah Resort, Chiapas, Mexico-The flowers
I have had a number of people ask me about the flora in the jungle on and around the property of the Chan-Kah Resort Village. Carol took the camera out one afternoon and took some pictures so I thought I would post a few of some of the beautiful plants they have on the grounds that she photographed. I don’t know the names so you will just have to enjoy the photos.
All of the casitas have gardens and flowers planted around them like the above picture.
Now, in the next post, I will show you the pool area. Wait until you see it! Beautiful!
Next-The pool of Chan-Kah Resort Village, Palenque, Chiapas, Mexico
See my other travel blogs on NewsOk.com:
Colombia:http://blog.newsok.com/thewanderer/category/colombia/ Mexico:http://blog.newsok.com/thewanderer/category/mexico/
Caribbean
island of
Barbuda: http://blog.newsok.com/thewanderer/category/barbuda/ San Juan with a 5 hour layover: http://blog.newsok.com/thewanderer/category/san-juan-puertorico/ Fly around the U.S. for the day: http://blog.newsok.com/thewanderer/category/day-trip/
Mexico (Part 7) Palenque, the Mayan Ruins-Wow!
Having visited the ruins of Tulum, Monte Alban, Tikal, and Copan on previous journeys into Latin America, I was still impressed with these ruins in Palenque, Chiapas, Mexico! Take a look for yourself.
Being a Saturday, the ruins were really busy with tourists, most seemed to be Mexican. After the two-hour tour we stayed around for an extra couple of hours shooting photos and climbing around the ruins.
Impressive, huh? Post your comments below if you liked these ruins.
After we finished, we caught another “colectivo” on the highway and headed back to the Chan Kah Resort to take a dip in the pool. But first, I want you to see some photos of the flowers on the property of the hotel in the next post(#8). Then wait until you see the pics of the pool in the post(#9) following the flowers! Stay tuned.
Next-The Flowers of Chan-Kah Resort Village
See my other travel blogs on NewsOk.com:
Colombia:http://blog.newsok.com/thewanderer/category/colombia/ Mexico:http://blog.newsok.com/thewanderer/category/mexico/
Caribbean
island of
Barbuda: http://blog.newsok.com/thewanderer/category/barbuda/
San Juan with a 5 hour layover: http://blog.newsok.com/thewanderer/category/san-juan-puertorico/ Fly around the U.S. for the day: http://blog.newsok.com/thewanderer/category/day-trip/
Mexico (Part 6) Palenque, Chan-Kah Resort and ready for the ruins!
The next morning we were up early and had a sumptuous buffet breakfast. There were only about 10-12 other people in the beautiful open air dining room. Here is a photo of the outside of the dining room:
Outside of the dining room
Inside the dining room-
All you can eat buffet breakfast-cost was about 12 bucks.
The ruins were about 4 miles away and we needed transportation. We were told to just walk down the road and stand on the highway until a little “colectivo” comes by and wave it down.
This is the road from the resort that leads to the highway-
“Colectivos” are vans that run up and down the highway, hold about 9 people, and function as an ad hoc taxi service.
Flagging down a “colectivo” on the side of the highway
You get on and off wherever you want and pay the driver a token fee. In our case, the 4 miles to the ruins cost $1 each (10 pesos). He had about 13 people in his 9 person van with most of them being backpackers, some of whom were carrying bedrolls, tents, etc. Several of them looked pretty spacey. This area seems to be a magnet for backpackers.
When we arrived at the ruins we were approached by a guide service asking if we wanted a private guide in English. Carol said “we’ve come this far, let’s do it right and hire a guide”. Best thing we ever did. For 2 hours ($85 USD), our guide took us through the ruins and painted a vivid picture in our minds of how this Mayan civilization lived …..It was incredible! You will enjoy the photos in the next post.
Next Time-The ruins of Palenque
See my other travel blogs on NewsOk.com:
Colombia:http://blog.newsok.com/thewanderer/category/colombia/ Mexico:http://blog.newsok.com/thewanderer/category/mexico/
Caribbean island of Barbuda: http://blog.newsok.com/thewanderer/category/barbuda/
San Juan with a 5 hour layover: http://blog.newsok.com/thewanderer/category/san-juan-puerto-rico/
Fly around the U.S. for the day: http://blog.newsok.com/thewanderer/category/day-trip/
Mexico (Part 5)-Palenque and a beautiful hotel-Chan-Kah!
18 hours after leaving Oklahoma City, we finally arrived at a very small bus station in Palenque, Chiapas around midnight. As late as it was, there was a crowd of people boarding a few other
all-night buses to far away destinations that had names I couldn’t even pronounce.
We found a taxi in front of the station and agreed on the fare of $4 (40 pesos) and away we went, 20 minutes down the highway through the countryside. When we arrived at Chan-Kah Resort Village near the Mayan ruins there was only a desk clerk and a security guard, neither of which spoke English, but we managed to get everything set up and get to our rooms.
Chan-Kah Resort Village is set is a jungle like setting with lots of little casitas spread out in the trees. Here are some photos:
Look at the vegetation growing from the roof of our room
Our sitting porch outside our room
Here are some pics of the walkway through the property. You can click on them to enlarge
The room was large and very simple. We were pleased. We agreed that we had chosen a wonderful property. Take a look at their web site:
Since we were traveling so light, the first thing we did was wash our clothes by hand and hoped they would dry in the humidty. This was all part of the master plan: travel light and wash our clothes as we went. Once you get used to this system, you will never want to travel any other way–At least I don’t!!
I have to admit, my biggest fear about this trip was: would Carol be able to stand up to the rigors of traveling light, quick, washing clothes by hand, buses, language barriers, and be able to deal with the uncertainties and challenges of a trip like this? So far, she had received an A+. It only gets better from here!
Next-The Mayan ruins of Palenque! Incredible!
See my other travel blogs on NewsOk.com:
Colombia:http://blog.newsok.com/thewanderer/category/colombia/ Mexico:http://blog.newsok.com/thewanderer/category/mexico/
Caribbean island of Barbuda: http://blog.newsok.com/thewanderer/category/barbuda/
San Juan with a 5 hour layover: http://blog.newsok.com/thewanderer/category/san-juan-puerto-rico/
Fly around the U.S. for the day: http://blog.newsok.com/thewanderer/category/day-trip/
