April 5 - San Cristóbal de las Casas

Although we got to sleep late last night, we arose early.  But many of the hotel's guests have gotten up even earlier.  A tour group is clearing out and climbing aboard their bus.  Their rooms are empty, open and ready to be cleaned.  To us, that is a great opportunity to select a better room.

El Rincon Courtyard

Hotel Rincón had nearly doubled in size since our last visit.  The rooms in the newer section are comfortable but similar to each other.  In the older section, where we had prevously stayed, each of the rooms has its own distinctive layout - some small; some spacious.  They have all been renovated but still exude much of their original quality and charm. 

View of Templo Guadalupe from Room 25

We find a room in the older section that fit our needs better:  a second floor room, with a small balcony, a fireplace and a view of the Guadalupe church.   Spacious and private.   For the next three nights, room #25 is our home.

For us, San Cristóbal has been transformed in the 17 years between our visits.  In 1995, we thought of it as a small town - a kind of Antigua (Guatemala) 'light".  Now, to us, it has surpassed Antigua in everything but its setting:  Antigua still has that incomparable multi-volcano backdrop.  


San Cristóbal now has long stretches of pedestrian streets, an abundance of restaurants and shops. Yet it has retained much of its distinctive indigenous/colonial character.

In the 1930's, Greene noted, "This was a cityof craftsmen.  Only one or two stores in the plaza contained manufactured goods.  All up the mile-long street to Gaudalupe were little stores selling identically the same things - pottery, guitars, serapes, candles, white linen, shirts, some of it brought in by the small mute Indians from the hills..."

The pedestrian Real de Gaudalupe is still lined with shops today - only now the street is augmented by restaurants, hotels and travel agencies.  The transformation from our last visit until now stuns us.  But then what would Greene make of all the changes since his last visit?

As we walk through the city we keep turning to each other - over and over again - saying, "Do you remember this?"  We feel as if we had never been here before.   Maybe it was all a dream.  We spend most of the day just wandering: trying to latch on to something familiar.

We have a relaxing lunch at Madre Tierra (Av. Insurgentes 19 - a walking street).  It was recommended by Sonya - who shared a taxi with us from the airport.  And whom do we meet at the restaurant but Sonya and David!  Small world indeed.

Santo Domingo

We check out the nearby state-run Casa de las Artesanías (disappointing), el Mercado de Dulces y Artesanías (don't bother) and the sprawling market surrounding Ex-Convento de Santo Domingo (crowded and filled with mainly low-quality crafts).  The weavers' cooperative of Sna Jolobil (across from Santo Domingo) has an impressive - albeit expensive - collection of woven goods.

We head back to the hotel, rest up and spend time reading or checking e-mails.

For two persons who are somewhat technologically-challenged, we seem to brought a vast array of electronic devices: one Kindle, one Nook, one laptop (actually a 3-year old netbook), two IPhones, one unlocked quad-band cell phone, two Zunes (Microsoft's version - now discontinued - of an IPod) and one IPad.

The e-books are definite space-savers, allowing me to tote along only one soft-cover guidebook; the IPhones have their phone functions turned off but will be used once we are back in States; the unlocked phone is to be used with a local SIM card for local phone calls; the Zunes - stocked with music and pod casts - are indispensable for long, twisty bus rides when reading is not an option; the laptop is for writing the blog, uploading photos and checking e-mail; and the IPad is for e-mail and  researching local information (destination, transportation information, etc.). 

The hotel has wi-fi but reception is spotty and temperamental: it seems to throw me out just when I have just written a lengthy blog post that I am about to publish. If the wi-fi drives us crazy, there are also two desktop computers in the hotel's lobby for guests to use.

But even with all technology, we never turn on the TV and I am never reading (on-line) about news from home.  (Not so for Ross.)   I am immersed in the day-to-day here.  These devices are mainly used as planning or recording tools for the trip.

Cathedral

After a few hours at the hotel, we walk back towards the zócalo (about a 10-minutes walk from the hotel) to seek out a dinner spot.  We go over to Emiliano's Moustache (Av. Crescencio Rosas 7) - a block or so south from the zócalo.  It is a busy spot with a menu specializing in a type of make-your-own tacos.  You chose the fillings - which are served on a large plate - to pile into freshly made soft tortillas.  Reasonable and yummy.  Local predominate here; no gringos the night we are there.

Zocalo

After dinner, we head over to the plaza in front of the Cathedral where there is a fair.  There are booths selling books, food and handicrafts.  There is section devoted to kiddie rides. 

Cotton candy vendor

And, of course, a cotton candy vendor - a vendor with flair: long blue trails of cotton candy leap into the air before he casually reigns them in.  Kids squeal with delight.   Cheap entertainment for us.