Chiapas, Mexico: Pre-departure thoughts

Tour of San Juan Chamula and Zinacantan led by the wonderful Mercedes Hernandez Gomez (with the umbrella).
1995

It has been 17 years since we first fell in love with the colonial mountain town of San Cristóbal de las Casas. Zapatistas still roamed the countryside; Bonampak and Yaxchilán were still only accessible via a dirt road; and tourists could climb Palenque's Temple of the Inscriptions and descend into Pakal's tomb. How much has changed? Well, the Zapatistas are no longer a threat (Zapatista t-shirts and paraphernalia are ubiquitous - so we hear) and Palenque's majestic Temple of the Inscriptions now can only be gazed upon, not tread upon.

San Juan Chamula - 1995

But what else? We are off to Chiapas to see.

We fly out Newark on United (formerly Continental), change planes in Houston and then board a direct flight into Tuxtla Gutiérrez. That's new. Before, to get to Tuxtla one had to navigate Mexico City's airport for a connecting flight. Now we get to bypass all that.

I have brought a small, paperback copy of Graham Greene's "The Lawless Roads": an account of his travels through Mexico during the 1930's. The Mexican government had closed the Catholic churches. He was going as sort of as a spy (for the Cathoic church) to report on current conditions. His ultimate goal: San Cristóbal de las Casas ("Las Casas", as he calls it). It is our goal too.

We will spend the rest of Semana Santa (Wednesday through Sunday) in San Cristóbal. And at the same hotel - Hotel Rincón del Arco - where stayed in 1995. Seventeen years ago we paid about $25US for a room. Now, it's a little dearer - about $70US a night. Then on to Palenque, or Comitán, or Yaxchilán, or maybe even take in a swing on a zip-line swing over the falls of El Chiflón. Follow us and find out.

Palenque - 1995

Recommended Restaurants

San Cristóbal del las Casas

Anabanana (Av. Miguel Hidalgo between Calles Ninos Héroes and Hermanos Domínguez) - Wonderful lunch spot.
Pizzeria El Punto (Calle Comitán 13-A - across from Plaza El Cerillo) - Delicious pizzas and inventive salads.
TierrAdentro (Calle Real de Gaudalupe 24)
Madre Tierra (An Insurgentes 19)
Eliliano's Moustache (Av. Cresencio Rosas 7)
L'Arrabbiata (84 Real de Guadalupe - one block east from where the walking portion ends.) - Great homemade pasta.
Restaurante Italiano - housed in the Hotel Posada Tepeyac on Calle de Gaudalupe No. 40 - Terrific breakfast.
Via Vai on Av. 20 de Noviembre (near the cathedral) - Gelato and other yummies.

Recommended Reading For Travel to Chiapas

"Moon Chiapas Handbook" - The most region-specific guidebook available. Unfortunately, the last edition was published in 2009. Consequently, many city maps are unreliable; many restuarants and businesses listed had either moved or closed. But it contains great cultural information.
"Lonely Planet's Tabasco & Chiapas Chapters" - Available for download from the Lonely Planet website. No need to get the entire Lonely Planet Mexico Guide. Again, good but dated (2009) information.
"Cadogan's Yucatan & Southern Mexico" by Nick Rider. No longer published. The edition I have is from 1999. Obviously, not reliable for specifics of hotels, restaurants and general prices but one of the best written guides to the area.
"An Archaeological Guide to Central & Southern Mexico" by Joyce Kelly. Though the latest edition was published in 2001, it offers detailed information on the major sites and archaeological museums.
"The Lawless Roads" by Graham Greene. Originally published in 1939. Chronicles his travels through Mexico but with a large and final section on the State of Chiapas. Heavy on Catholocism. And some ingrained British prejudices. But you can forgive him these excesses because the writing is marvelous. Served as the basis for his novel, "The Power and the Glory".
"More Maya Missions" by Richard D. Perry. Narrow in scope but offers an abundance of information (and charming black and white illustrations) on the churches in San Cristobal de las Casas and its surroundings.
"Fodor's Mexico 2010" - Not the Fodor's guides of 20 years ago. Better. Their chapter on Tabasco and Chiapas is concise and more up-to-date than the other guides. Yes, it is aimed at higher-end travelers but the guides have broadened in their focus. They are even useful to middle-range and budget travelers. Really.
"Colonial Mexico" by Chicki and Oz Mallan. Short chapter on San Cristobal de las Casas. Great book to own - again, even though published in 2001 - especially if you plan on visiting other Mexican colonial cities.