Tuxtla Gutiérrez

Tuxtla Gutiérrez, the capital of the Mexican State of Chiapas, is usually just a pass-through for most travelers on their way to San Cristóbal de las Casas and Palenque. However, since we had visited both of those places in 2003, we opted to break up our journey with 2 days in Tuxtla before taking a night bus onward to Oaxaca.

As I said in the previous entry, soccer fans, in town for a Saturday night match of the hometown Club de Fútbol Jaguares de Chiapas had taken the best budget rooms downtown so we settled for a so-so room. First thing Sunday morning we moved to the Hotel Torre, located at the corner of the bustling Plaza Civica. Did I say that Tuxtla was hot; in the 90's both days we were there; therefore the plazas and parks were beehives of activity in the pleasant evenings.

We especially enjoyed the Parque Marimba which features a marimba band every night. The locals really turn out to listen, dance, eat and stroll.

Day One we walked around town looking for vegetarian food and seeing sites.

Day Two, in the morning, we toured the local zoo, called ZOOMAT (Zoológico Miguél Álvarez del Toro), which features animals native to Chiapas; most in large shady enclosures, and some roaming free. An excellent zoo. One of the best we've visited. Highlights were the resplendent quetzals, the jaguars, the anteater, the spider monkeys, the Nocturnal Animal House, and the toucans.

In the afternoon, we took a bus to Ciapa de Corzo intending to take a boat ride through Sumidero Canyon, but it was way too hot and sunny, so we had lunch, toured the few sites, and went back to Tuxtla.

The Plaza Civica.


Parque Jardín de la Marimba. Even before the band started playing, the benches were full and the dancers ready.


Busy street at night.


Newspaper vendor.


Black Jaguar at the ZOOMAT.


This toucan was very intersted in me.


Back of female quetzal. The cage was enclosed with several layers of fence and chickwire, so no good photos.


Anteater.


View from top of church in Chiapa de Corzo.


The famous Moorish Fountain in Chiapa de Corzo.


A meal from one of our sessions at Naturalismo Vegetarian.

Three Nights in Todos Santos?

We left Nabaj in the Ixil Triangle on a sunny day after two days of rain. We had considered spending another day in Nabaj - good food, good transportation, friendly locals - but the plan was to head to Todos Santos for two days of hiking, then to head out after catching the famous Saturday morning market.

But we had some apprehensions. Would Todos Santos at over 8000 ft be too cold? And what about the hotels? The second best hotel in Totos Santos was described by one guidebook as a place a seasoned travel could last 2 nights, others maybe 1 night - the best hotel in town has just 2 rooms. And would we be welcome in Todos Santos. In 2000, an angry mob killed a Japanese tourist.

So, do we extend Nabaj or cut short Todos Santos or skip Todos Santos and head directly to Mexico?

We stick to the plan. And it's a van to Sacapulas, a van to Huehuetenango, and then an epic 40 km bus ride up to the high plains at over 12,000 ft and then down to Todos Santos. Great views from the bus of sheep grazing on the high plains, bullocks pulling plows, and men making adobe. Not to mention that more than a few men and boys on the bus are wearing the traditional costume of denim shirts with bright, colored collars, straw hats with blue bands, and red stripped trousers.

One of the two rooms at Casa Familiar, the best hotel in town was free and we took it. We did check out the 2nd best hotel in town and decided the guide books were right. Three nights for us? No way.

However, our room at Case Familiar was cold and drafty; we had to use a towel and a tablecloth to plug the gaps in the facing leaky doorways; the staff seemed indifferent. The whole town gave us a weird vibe. Can't say exactly what. Maybe our expectations became our reality.

So no hike to San Juan, no hike to El Torre, no Saturday market. We left the next morning after a short walk on the path/road to San Juan. The walk was good; scenic and good for the legs and lungs as it was up, up, up. Many new homes in Todos Santo look pretty prosperous these days it seemed to us. Probably from folks working in the US sending money back. More than one home had an American flag painted on the cornice. The men in town, all in costume, were out in force working on a road improvement project. Very colorful. No photos. They did not seem friendly (or unfriendly); just ignored us. That's fine. You can see photos of Todos Santos here.

Then down to Huehuetenango on the 1:30 bus and a room at the Krystal - a real hotel for a change.

Up early the next morning for another full day's journey to Tuxtla-Gutierrez, Mexico featuring a beautiful ride down the canyon from Huehue to La Messilla with coffee plantations and vistas.

From the bus terminal in La Mesilla, it's 15 minute walk down to the border. Because we left Todos Santos two days early, we had an unplanned excess of Guatemalan quetzales which we changed into Mexican pesos at the border; exited Guatemala with no hassle; then a taxi for 5kms to Mexican Immigration. This time no trouble with Mexican immigration officials.

Caught a collective van to Comitan, then immediately into another collective van to Tuxtla-Gutierrez, arriving at 3PM or so. The van rides were a bit hot and stuffy for me. I miss those drafty chicken buses. haha.

Near the border, the van passed through an impressive military checkpoint. They had their own gates, speed bumps, and luggage scanners!

It took us a while to find hotel as fútbol fans had filled the best budget options, but we got a room at Hotel Fernandos. Whew! Enough of long travel days, its time to enjoy Mexico!

A chilly breakfast on the balcony of Casa Familiar in Todos Santos.


Todos Santos is in a valley. This is the view from above.


On the hills above Todos Santos, the remnants of the traditional harvest of corn, squash, and beans.


And chowing down on some huge Chinese Restaurant portions in Huehuetenango.

The Ixil Triangle

The Ixil Triangle is an area in the Western Highlands of Guatemala where the locals speak Ixil, not Spanish the language of their European conquerors; in fact, even today many local barely understand Spanish. The Triangle is on the tourist trail for its hiking, remote location, and access to indigenous culture. We decided to base ourselves in Nabaj the leading city and transportation hub.

We arrived in a drizzle on Epiphany Sunday just when services were letting out from many of the Evangelical churches in town. The local ladies were looking sharp in their red skirts as they headed home or directly to the main Catholic church for its 6:00 PM service.

NGO's have been operating in Nabaj for 20+ years as the region was hard hit by the civil war, and thus the eating is good for foreigners. We had a burrito feast at El Descanso our first night, and then ate three meals at the newly opened Casa de la India. Plus the local ladies who cook at Casa de la India made the local specialty boxbol, corn dough wrapped in ayote (squash leaves) and boiled, for us.

One day we beat the afternoon rain and hiked over the hill Acul with good views back to Nabaj on the way up, a pasture at the top, and fields of the traditional trio, corn, beans, and squash, on the way down.

The next day we took a minivan west to Chajul, one of the other cities in the triangle, then walked south to Cotzal, the third leg of the triangle, returning to Nebaj by van.

The rain plus elevation made Nabaj quite chilly at night; we switched rooms at our hotel to one with a lower ceiling, thus warmer but not warm. Of course the day we left was warm and sunny. Maybe we should have stayed in Nabaj another day? Stay tuned.

The Nabaj Church at night.


View to Nabaj from the road to Acul.


At the top of the pass, the road runs through a cow pasture. The locals produce cheese.


In places the path to Acul was very muddy as proved by this shot of Sun-Ling wafflestompers.


The women of Chajul wear some cool headgear.


Aloo Curry and bread at Casa de la India.


Boxbol, the local specialty.


The weekly market in Chajul was rainy but did not disappoint.




Plaza and Church of Chajul.


The altar of the Catholic church in Chajul is flanked by figures in local costume.


Women of Chajul.




Plaza and Church of Cotzal.


A tremendous "tipico" lunch in Cotzal.


And finally, another great meal at Case de la India - Paneer Curry.

Chichicastenango Sunday Market

One of the top attractions in Guatemala, according to the guidebooks, is the Sunday Market at Chichicastenango (Chichi). We've been to quite a few weekly markets in our travels so we couldn't pass up Chichi; in fact, we arrived one day early to snag a good hotel room and check out the pre-market action.

Our room #6 at El Arco was maybe the best hotel room in Central America so far: balcony, roomy, tastefully decorated with local textiles and crafts.

Saturday afternoon and evening we checked out the churches, the cemetery, the sacred hill and stone, the comedors, the papas stands; and watched the vendors in the plaza set up very tall stalls, hung with textiles that are sold mostly to tourists. Sun-Ling observed that the many articles for sale are expensive as most are intricate handmade pieces, and there is hardly anything that would "fit" our home or ourselves. That's a common problem with third world markets; that is, the colorful articles look beautiful (often amazing) and are well made, but what do you do with the the jaguar mask, the red and purple hand-woven tablecloth, the local blouse or hat, when you get home?

Sunday morning, we hit the streets of Chichi at 8:00 AM. Most of the action was not buying and selling but porters unloading and hauling, vendors continuing to set up, buses and vans picking up nad dropping off, men and boys crowding the barberias, and shoe shine boys competing for business with ambulatory vendors.

Sun-Ling bought a wool shoulder bag and by 9 we had spotted a few foreign tourists. By 10, many groups of tourists arrived and there was an increase in action all around.

For us, the market was ho-hum. Just another market for tourists. The one thing in Chichi that is unique is the blending of Christian and Mayan religions, but the locals don't seem to be vigorous in preserving that. True, we did see a Sunday morning procession of Mayan elders and Mayan ceremonies at the cemetery, but Santo Tomas church on Epiphany Sunday was 99.9% Catholic. Older guide books say that the front steps and front doors of Santo Tomas are sacred and reserved for elders. Not so any more it seems as locals and tourists led by local guides parade in and out of the front doors in a steady stream, often ignoring the "please no photos" signs inside.

And by noon, we were packed up and on a van to El Quiche.

Chichicastenango, Guatemala, another picturesque village in the mountains.




Setting up starts the night before the Sunday Market.


The stalls in front of the church. The tallest market stalls I've ever seen.


Stalls fill the plaza.


Barberia.


We chowed on pupusas the evening before the market.


Hauling turkeys.


Moving chairs.


Our hotel room and balcony at El Arco.




The market is lively and crowded after 10 AM when tourists arrive.


Interesting cemetery in Chichi with some graves just a mound of dirt and others tombs that resemble Mayan pyramids.

Six Nights in Xela

The plan was to spend 6 nights including new Year's Eve in Quetzaltenango, called Xela by the locals, Guatemala's 2nd largest city. We had no trouble finding a value hotel in the city center; in fact, we found two: Casa Renaissance for 3 nights, then Hotel Real Virginia for 3 nights.

We ate very well in Xela - I may have gained a few lbs. Sun-Ling made noodle soup one night using Casa Renaissance's kithen, and then fried noodles for New Year's Eve. We also ate out for Thai food (noodles and a curry), Singaporean food (noodles and a curry), and local vegetarian plates; not to mention daily trips to Comida Taiwanese for chinese "cong you bing" sold as "Chinese Empanada's" by the Taiwanese owners.

The locals celebrate New Year's much like Christmas with church services and fireworks. The center of action in Xela is Parque Centroamérica, with it's neo-classical architecture, street vendors, and church.

In addition to eating and enjoying the New Year festivities we also made 5 excursions:

- By bus to the Monday Market in Zunil

- By bus to the Tuesday Market in Salcaja; then walked to San Andres Excul and its famous yellow church.

- By bus to the Friday Market in San Francisco El Alto

- Bus to San Martin (aka Chili Verde) then a hike up to Lake Chicabal.

- Walked up to the Santa Maria viewpoint and back to town.

Combination of Neo-Classical and Spanish styes in the center of Xela.


New Year's Eve vendors at Parque Centroamérica.


The Parque lit up for the holidays.


The Zunil Weekly Market.


Great views from the Zunil Cemetery.


Overflow New Year's Day morning service in Salcaja.


The famous yellow church in San Andres Xecul.


Arriving for the New Year's Day procession in centro Xela.


Traditional Masked Dancers lead the procession.


Both men and women carry the shrine.




At the Santa Maria Volcano viewpoint.


Mayan Altars at Lago Chicabal, a lake in the caldera of Volcan Chicabal.


The beautiful church at San Francisco El Alto.


The market at San Franciso El Alto takes up the whole plaza and more, and is very frenetic.




Sunset in Xela from our hotel rooftop.


Cong you bing (Chinese Empanada) from Comida Taiwanesa.


Singapore-stye food.


Veggie platters at Cafe Sagrado Corazon.


Traveler's Tip: There is a direct bus from Panajachel to Xela that leaves every morning at 7:15 AM sharp from the lakeside road near the pubic docks to Santiago. We saw this bus from the rooftop of the Hotel Suena Real, but didn't realize where it headed until the duena told us about it. This saved us a kilometer walk up to the main bus stop. Fare is 25Q. Always good to be the first folks on the bus.