9 a.m. Road from Ocosingo to San Cristobal. Very mountainous and populated. 25 speed bumps per hour. Angela called it a topezone. The steep mountains seem to be a little lower. Lots of piles of gravel and sand for unknown uses. Also lots of fresh lumber on the houses, and even fresh fence posts. Huge metal power poles along the crest of the mountain. Foggy. A boy who looked to be about 8 years old watching a small mixed flock of sheep, goat, and cows. Stuck behind a slow truck, with a 9-car line. Used to be common in Mexico, but the freeways in other areas have improved that problem tremendously. Here and now we have very slow traffic. Pine trees with droopy needles – weeping pines.
- Naomi
We’ve seen a lot of artisans. I would love to learn how to do their stuff. There was a lot of intricate bead work. At first we saw it at Agua Azul, and I talked to a couple vendors. They get the beads from San Cristobal, and make the jewelry. A lot of the bags and other stuff come from there, too. A big 100 peso necklace the guy said it took a week to make. I asked if his kids helped with the beading. No, they work on the farm. In San Cristobal there were a lot of venders. Most of them said that they didn’t make their wares themselves, but bought them from individuals. Those who did do their own told me where the bead store was. Yup, found it. Sold bags of beads of different kinds and colors for 40 – 60 pesos. It’s those little glass seed beads. I was tempted to get some, but what wuold I do with a kg of one color of beads? I have some at home.
I really like the belts, too, woven/tied string belts. Lots of people made those. One lady said it takes a day to make one. They’re so pretty! I found the string store, too, 60 pesos per kilogram. And I got some earrings – the girl made them on the spot. See, I wanted them silver, not the metal she had, so she took out the rocks and got out her silver wire and made an earring. The wire she doesn’t buy, but buys the silver coins and turns it into wire. I asked about the amber I’ve seen around and she said they get amber from Russia in Europe, but here they mine it. Cool.
This isn’t an artisan, but I talked to a guy selling candy and gum in a wooden box that he carried around. I wondered if he was hired to do that by some higher ups, since there are a lot of people who do that. He said no, he buys the stuff himself in bulk from a store and just does it all himself. Gusty came up and wanted to see what he could buy with one peso – a little lollipop.
Most of the people are quite friendly, willing to talk and answer questions. We get lots of smiles.
- Angela Martineau
Market day. We started with the market of artesanos and dulcerÃa. The many varieties of homemade candy were heaped neatly at each stall. At first I was disgusted by the flies around the exposed candy. But a closer look revealed that the insects were bees – a good recommendation. I bought a sample of about 8. I bought that Indian outfit that I’ve been admiring, with vertical trim across the hips of the skirt. The blouse isn’t white, but that’s OK. I bought another Indian blouse, different tribe/style, a little book holder, sweaters for all three girls, T-shirts for the boys, and a box for Rachel. Caleb’s t-shirt is the rebel leader Comandante Marcos and his words. The girls bought jewelry.
Then we asked for the “other” mercado. We were directed a few blocks away, to the zocalo. Here we didn’t find a typical mercado, but more tourist stuff. I bought a tablecloth.
Edwin was starving, so once again we asked after the “other” mercado. Again we traipsed several blocks, and finally arrived at the real thing. The 7 stools arrayed before the front board of the stall accommodated our family just right, as Angela didn’t want to eat. Our luncheon choices were various caldos (broths). I had vegie beef, loaded with big chunks of potato, chayote, carrot, and unknown greens – unusually tasty.
Dad and kids went back to mercado #2 so Elena could buy earrings and Virginia could get a string braided and wrapped through a tiny lock of her hair.
Grandpa helped me find blankets – cheaper than in Palenque, so I bought 2. I also bought a skirt and some shopping bags. Grandpa left to go to the car. I said I would look around for Angela. But soon I realized how futile that would be. This market was huge! I realized that Angela was a big girl, and could find her own way to the zocalo. So I set off in that direction, too. Soon I realized I was going the wrong way. So I asked after Calle Insurgentes (street). Following those directions also led me to little back alley places, and I ended up back in that labyrinthine mercado. I changed tactics and asked for the zocalo. The corn vender in the middle of the mercado did look perplexed at my question, but by following her directions, and asking anew at every T or Y I soon found myself on a nice tourist walking road, where I bought pepper peanuts – my favorite. At the 2nd market I also found churros, which I’ve been craving this whole trip.
- Naomi
We are now in Tuxtla. At the mercado in San Cristobal I got bracelets for my friends, a skirt, a sweater, a hand band, and what some people call a “dreadlock” in my hair. But this is woven with lovely blue, white, and shiny purple threads, braided and twisted.
Currently we are looking for the temple. I’m covered in red spots. Some itch, some don’t, and I’m very used to them.
We just got back from walking the temple grounds. There was a lightening rod on Angel Moroni’s head. The guard smiled and waved at us. It felt good to be on holy, familiar ground.
We will now look for a hotel. The hotel we had last night had enough beds and room for the boys to get a mattress. There were also balconies for each room. We are driving in circles – again, looking for a hotel.
- Virginia
Leaving for San Cristobal de las Casas we found the mountains pine covered, clouds and fog and rain with lots of road slices missing due to the recent rains, the most since '78. Lovely country with steep mountain sides at 45 degree slopes or better, 3000 feet or better top to bottom, small farms with slash and burn economy.
Just outside of SCDLC we saw the largest Mexican military post yet. It was huge with razor wire on the newly constructed perimeter fence. I think San Cristobal De Las Casas is a major resistance point for the Zapatista. It appears that now, after a 400 year war, the Mexicans have won.
The town is 6600 feet above sea, pleasantly temperatured, and very old. One hotel advertised "since 1528". Of course the streets are narrow and the buildings are mostly one or two storied, but it is clean and inviting. It was packed with people, people everywhere.
Part of the 'smart kids club' was to learn about each of the states. To help them remember Michoacan I told them about La Michoacana, an ice cream chain with a store on the corner in every major town. As soon as we got parked Elena was standing on the corner in front of a La Michoacana asking for her promised ice cream.
We visited three mercados. Our problem was 'where can we put it all?' Naomi didn't even bother to worry. The tourist mercado had attractive and well priced stuff but few people, because this is not tourist season. The intermediate mercado had good stuff, more people, maybe a little cheaper but I'm not sure. The native mercado, it must have been 15 acres in size, was packed with people and we were the only obviously tourist types I saw. It had lots of stuff, the vegies were clean and attractively displayed. We ate in the center of the place with no guarantee of its quality or safeness but it was good food, good price and nobody got sick. I guess it was the best mercado I've ever seen.
Then we took the autopista to Tuxtla, a major city but no motel showed up so we went to Oxosacautle and found a good one. Gusty is getting tired of the order the trip requires. We dropped 3 or 4 thousand feet into a warm climate, maybe 80 degrees.
- Grandpa
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