San Cristobal - Our Initial Impressions of the City

So we have arrived in San Cristobal De las Casas, which is in the state of Chiapas (southern most state) on Tuesday after a deluxe bus ride. We spent the night on the bus but didn`t even mind too much because we were on a "GL" bus. I don`t really know what that stands for. It was the second best bus in first class, if that makes any sense! There was lots of space and the seats recline a lot. We even slept relatively well. And they give you a free pop or water. Ahh the perks! We stopped over in Villahermosa, in the state of Tabasco, where all the flooding was recently. It was exceptionally hot there even though it was early morning. We didn't venture far from the station so we didn`t see much of the damage. Though I am under the impression that a lot of clean up work has already taken place. You could however smell the musty, dirty smells when you entered buildings. The big superstore that we visited had watermarks that were at least 10 ft from the ground we walked on. Incredibly hard to imagine how it would feel to have a 3 hour warning that the downtown would be flooded. And then to be helpless as the water came. So much destruction and simply because they didn`t have the infrastructure in place if there was huge amounts of water.

San Cristobal has been pure delight. Jay had started to feel a little under the weather though. The place reminds us of Westboro, but magnify the scale to a whole section of the city. There are multiple coffee shops and places that serve cakes and pies (which is rare in Mexico). There are organic food places and at least two vegetarian restaurants. I guess you can tell that we miss home when those are the sorts of things that you are drawn to. It is also home to many lively bars and jazzy clubs. Part of the attraction to this city is the indigenous Mayan groups of people that flock here from surrounding communities dressed in their tradition clothes, often selling alot of hand made art. They are so unique and different, speaking their own dialect. This means that the groups of people, though they live only 20 minutes apart can`t talk to each other. I have never seen so many bohemian like tourist either. They are either young like us or retired.

One of the tourist guide books describes this exotic flair as the Guatemalan influence. I guess we´ll gain a better appreciation for this as we continue our travels. The city reminded us of Oaxaca as a city with a very old colonial feel, that is totally geared for walking. It is set in the cool highland forests of one of the big mountain sets in Mexico: the Sierra Madre. This mountain range travels from North to South and this particular one is on the Eastern side of Mexico. This means that the temperatures are quite cool at night, but warm to the 20s C during the day. The bus ride there was awesome for views of quaint farming plots and lush pine forests. It felt a lot like home but set in the mountains!!

Prior to our homestay we had been staying in a hostel where we saved money by staying in the dormitories. The hostel had been recommended to us by some friends. Funny story about our first night there.... After a night of travelling all I wanted was to be alone so I could sleep. Well, there was no rooms available but there was the dorms!!! What does that mean? Well it was a large room that had a second floor built and was converted into several bunk beds. On the second level there was a double mattress. Perfect for us. As it turned out that night we were the only ones up there. The bed was comfortable. In the morning we had the option of a room to ourselves but we declined. The room and the environment grew on me. Once you go through the main door and hallway you come to an open air court yard. We played Chinese checkers there under the stars. It was a fun experience and you meet a lot of different and sometimes crazy people, with great ravel tips and ideas. You appreciate your own private space a lot more afterwards.

We went to the zoo in Tuxtla ( about an hour away)! It was one of the coolest that I have been to. We decided that we wanted to take a day trip and figured it would be too much to squeeze a boat ride through a 800m canyon and the zoo tour in. As toursits and tavellers we are finally learning the valuable lesson of taking our time. Sometimes that means not seeing everything - a difficult decision to come to. So we had to choose and didn`t regret our choice after such a lovely day.

Getting to new places on the cheapest budget is an adventure that we have come to enjoy. We took a new, modern VW van to get to the city for $3.50. The views from the vehicle where of mountains on one side and a desert and valley on the other. When we arrived in Tuxtla we got on a collectivo, which was in a more beat up VW van. We had to ask a few people about which one to take and where to catch it but in no time flat we found ourselves squished in with a bunch of school kids who jokingly asked if Jay wanted a girlfriend. They like to practice English I guess!

The zoo is designed so that the animals which are all found in this state are in their natural habitat. You are probably thinking, well I hope so isn´t that what zoo`s are supposed to do. They had creeks and waterfalls running throughout the park. The monkeys, some of the birds and a few other animals have a home but they are able to roaming around, not the jaguar though! I looked up at one point and there was a monkey playing in the tree above us. We saw tapirs, crocodiles, turtles, lynx, panthers, a whole bunch of furry raccoon like creatures with long or short bodies or tails, hawks, parrots, macaws, insects, snakes and lizards. The two jaguars ( a black one and a spotted one) are the highlight of the zoo. They are found at the far end of the park in an immense cages. The trees found with-in it had barbed wire wrapped around them from about 10 feet up. We have some great pictures. Jay was impressed and he doesn`t really like zoos.

Fair Trade Coffee Anyone?!?!

Ahh we now have a new appreciation for coffee. We have a better understanding about how much work is involed with getting the beans to your favourite coffee chop or a fresh cup of coffee to your kitchen table.

At different times Jay and I each had the opportunity to go coffee bean picking with our Mexican family. Both of us thoroughly enjoyed the day even though we went to two different spots. Following are some of our thoughts and reflections about the similiar expereinces we had. Coffee bean pickingbecomes quite a time for family bonding. We were left with an appreciation for the amount of work that is involved, for minimal compensation (by our standards.)

Part of the allure of coffeee bean picking is getting to the trees. Jay went at the beginning of the season. Together they set off on foot from our small community following paths wide enugh for one person, high on the ridge along the river`s edge. The view is spectacular. Suddenly your appreciation fro the view changes as you look down on the rapids, rather than navigating the waves at eye level. The scenery is just as beautiful but different things catch your eyes.

Coffee bean picking is a family affair. The photos that will be posted with this capture the zest for life and simple shared moments that bring much joy. We felt that alot. As I picked the beans I couldn`t understand what was said but the joking manner that reasonated in people`s voices and the laughter that followed made me smile. Eating lunch was also really fun. When we went we built a little fire with a grill over top of it and the food kept slipping off. They knew how much I enjoyed cooking so thought that capturing my attempt to use a machette while cooking would be pretty funny. That started them off on being funny in front of the camera.

I guess it is the reward for all the hard work that gets done. On the day that I went we picked a total of 180kg of coffee beans. That was between 8 people. I picked about 5 baskets full. You strap the basket around your waste and walk around the tree picking only the ones that are red. The beans were ripe and they had lots off fruit weighing them down. Some of the clusters of beans were above our heads so you gently pull the branch down. I got alot of dirt in my eyes from looking up while I pulled down on the branches. Every once and a while you would hear a branch being broken.

After the beans are picked they are then placed in a re-used grain bag, the ones that carry about 50kg. At the end of our day 7 big bags had been taken out by a horse. The day Jay went they used a donkey. The animal makes two trips and can carries 3 or 4 bags at a time!! We each had to pose on the animal. The donkey was so small or Jay is so big, such that Jay`s feet nearly touched the ground. The family thought that was hilarious. THat was one of the first things I heard about when they got back!

At four o`clock the work stops. It takes one hour to get back to Jalcomulco. And it gets dark at about 6 pm. Jay went by foot but we took a bus to a field that was about20 minutes from town. Now this bus is a "between city" bus that takes anything from bags of cofffee beans to kayaks ( yes we have) . There are two main places that they run from our little town but they will drop you off or pick you up pretty much anywhere in between. It cost $0.50 for our trip. From where we were dropped off we still needed to walk that hour I just mentioned. It still amazes me that they have property so far away from their homes and can take care of it. Usually I have a decent sense of direction but I`m pretty sure that there is no way I could find this little plot of land back.

When we finished our day there was a truck waiting for us that took us back to town. The beans are then brought to some guy in town who has a scale. The family is paid 4 pesos or 40 cents a kilo. If you do the rough math that is 90 pesos a person on a great day of picking. The translation is $9 a day! That is alot of work for not a lot of money. Despite the hard work that is exerted and the small amount of income that is generated we both appreciated that the plants were shade grown. The coffee bean plants are shaded beneath banana trees and other sorts of plants. As the sun radiates down you don`t mind as much.

I thought that I would give you a better picture of how much the money is worth and what you can expect to buy with it. Each month for rent we pay 1000 pesos ($100 C. ) The chepest dinner that we've enjoyed has cost 42 pessos ($4.20 C). A milkshake with fresh fruit and a meat sandwhich costs 35 pesos ($3.50 C). A bottle of Coke costs 7 pesos ($0.70 C) and you can get 1.5 L of beer at a corner store for 20 pesos ($2 C.)

The beans are then taken to another person who has a scale but they are about 45 minutes drive away. It was dusk and this lady was sitting beside a corner store. There was already about 20 bags of beans there. From there they are taken to a plant where they are whisked through some sort of process that removes the outer shell. The beans are then dried out in the sun at two different times for 2 to 4 days at a time. We have passed by one such factory and the drying process is pretty simple. There is a huge slad of concrete that the beans are put on. They must be taken in a night time or then might get wet from the dew and maybe rain. They are "swept" over with these rakes that look like fine combs. The second drying process happens once the main pod has been removed and you are left with the individual beans. The beans are roasted twice a week at this factory.

I`m not sure what happens next. I`m guessing they are sent to cafes and resturants in the area and maybe further, but I just don`t know. My mission is to figure that out. I hope that you have enjoyed reading this. Enjoy the pics as well.

Coffee Picking in Jalcomulco

The Holiday Season Continued

To celebrate anything in Mexico it is essential that there is fireworks. They are shot off at any time of day, usually from the city square. I`m not sure if it is one person`s job or if it is various random people. Let`s just say that there have been lots and lots of fireworks. Sometimes it is one, other times it is several in a row. Sometimes it is every ten minutes and other times it is everyhour. Sometimes it signals that church is starting but we don`t know that schedule!?!?! Often it wakes Jason up but I usually sleep right through it.

Mexicans love to decorate and they go all out. Christmas is no exception. Most homes around town had lights outdoors, with a Christmas tree inside. There are many other knick knacks. They use real flowers in the churches so it smells great inside. There was even one of those big blow up Santa Claus decorations in the main square.

Christmas Day was very relaxing. After a family hosts a large party it is expected that guest will return again in the morning for leftovers. So we showed up as invited for 9:30 but everyone was still sleepy. The leftovers tasted just as good as the day before.

We spent the rest of the day enjoying each other`s company. We read books and did puzzles. The owner of our apartment dropped by with a present for us which was a great surprise. In the evening we joined together with everyone from Esprit for a turkey dinner and there was even cranberry sauce and stuffing with cheesecake for dessert.

The weekend before Jason had spoiled me by taking me into Xalapa for my birthday. We spent the night at a wonderful place that he had reserved. He was full of surprises! I didn`t know he`d reserved a room and upgraded to a suite. He also got a cheesecake mix that we prepared in our hotel . We went shopping (not his favourite thing to do) and he bought me silver jewellery. We even found a place that made great fries. Everyone was happy!!!

New Years was laid back for us. We enjoyed the live band at Esprit`s bar. The music was great. The band finished at midnight when the champagne was popped open. That was when the real celebrations began. Jay had been working alot so we didn`t have a really late night. I did get dressed up, which was fun. Only the second time since we`ve left.

Over all we were totally blessed. Our family here made us feel comfortable and a part of things. The time leading up to Christmas was a little hard. We missed the snow and the many other family events. But we made the best of it and had lots of fun!

Children have to wait until Jan 6 for presents. The day is called "Three Kings Day." That is their gift giving day. Yesterday you could see the kids playing with their new toys outside their homes. They also have this special bread. Everybody cuts their own piece because inside there is little plastic toys. If you get one it means that you are expected to bring a certain food to the next fiesta.

The holiday season

So one of the best experiences that Jay and I have been able to have so far is participating in holiday celebrations here in Jalcomulco. Christmas (which just ended yesterday) combines fiestas, religious pageants , special Catholic masses and is considered a national holiday." And we were able to experience all this first hand.

Starting Dec. 16 and continuing for many days the Mexican peasants and less often people in larger communities carry out a tradition referred to as Posadas. Kids from the community reenact the journey that Mary and Joseph took to Bethlehem and their search for lodgings there. This means that two youngsters dress up as Mary and Joseph. Mary gets to ride a donkey, while Joseph leads her around. Another kiddo carries around a large paper star. People of all ages follow them around with candles as some people sing and play guitars. They travel thru various parts of town, on different streets every night. Families take turns hosting the group and when they complete their tour they share refreshments at that home.

Another distinct tradition is nativity scenes. They are bigger and better then anything you have ever seen and they are everywhere. They are very elaborate. On Christmas Eve Baby Jesus is added. When we attended mass at the local church three young girls dress in white silk present the doll. For the posadas that follow after Christmas, the girls are dressed in the same white dresses. I`d imagine that it is quite an honour for them to have this responsibility.

Mass lasted forever on Christmas Eve (it didn`t start on time and it feels like forever when you can`t really understand too much) . The church was packed with people and many ended up just standing. Once the service was complete we spent the evening with our Mexican famiy and about 15 other extended family members. It was such a treat. We had a great meal of pork cooked two diffrent styles, rice, spaghetti (done the Mexican way), salsas, beans and they made a salad just for us. There was also a hot fruit drink that included sugar cane and other local fruits. They included a Mexican rendition of Happy Birthday at midnight which was also the same time as the meal was served.

The host really wanted us to feel at home and started the night off by saying that we had to accept all drinks and were not allowed to say no. We paced ourselves pretty well. We even found out that there is a good way to drink Tequilla. We enjoyed our visit that lasted until 2:30 that morning. Before we left I was give the responsibility of adding baby Jesus to their nativity scene. Everybody has to kiss the doll first and then it is placed in the manger. The tradition is that once you do it you are expected to do it for the next 2 years. They are certainly hoping that we come back.

Merry Christmas

Though this is a little early we wanted to let you know that you are in our thougths and prayers. Christmas in Mexico will not be the same and I have to admit that I´m missing Christmas at home. Christmas at our house is full of traditions and though we are trying out some new ideas while we are here there are some good ones that just can´t be replaced - mainly all the family dinners. Yes we miss you all.

So before I get too long winded, Merry Christmas!!!! We hope that it is special and amazing however you will be celebrating it. We hope that all the travelling many of you will be doing goes smoothly. May there be lots of fun had, good food eaten and great company enjoyed.

To let you in on what we´ve got planned so far: Christmas dinner wtht Esprit, church on Christmas Eve, we have a pinta Christmas tree ( that has been used as a decoration) which needs to be smashed open and a fiesta ( a party) held by our Mexican WILD family for my birthday.

Our tour from Oaxaca City

After exhausting ourselves trying to find the "ruin" site and still having a few key things that we were interested in seeing, we decided to spend the extra money and take a day tour that visited several different palces. We were not disappointed! The few extra dollars won`t be remembered. Instead some of the great facts and historical details shared by our guide will be. The group was a diverse mix of English and Spanish speakers all of whom were about our age. So we enjoyed the company of new faces and the stories and perspectives they brought along.



First Stop: El Tule

El Tule is the name of a small village which is home to the largest single biomass in the world. Are you curiuos now? What is with all the big words eh? Translation: a quaint churchyard has the world´s oldest and largest tree in it. It is a cypress tree that is wider than it is high ( 59 mwide by 42 m high.) And it is over 2000 years old. The tree is protected currently by an American environmental group.

Second Stop: The Village of Teotitlan and a Demonstration of Weaving

I think this was the best part of the tour. It was interactive and really fun to learn the age old tradition of waeving. The artisans from this part of the country are renowned for their taperstries. The community has also designed an impressive, totally self sufficient system of living. Meaning that the citizens pay taxes so that the government does not interfere and instead they use a system of heirarchy that relies on the wisdom of the elderly.

The weaving tradtition and technique were shown to us by a young guy, who is one of 25 weavers in a co-operative. His mother demonstrated how the thread is made, starting from preparing the lambs´wool to spinning it to dying it, while the son explained and translated it all. He then demonstrated how the loom is used on a piece of his own work. When we get back you´ll have to see pictures because so few words is not doing this experience any justice! Of course they had finished producs for us to buy, which we did. Something else to add to our collection.

Stop 3: Hierve el Aqua

Aqua what? Though the direct translation is ´the water boils´what we sw were petrified waterfalls. Several mineral springs at the top of cliffs form bathing pools but small amounts of water with huge amounts of minerals make their way over the cliff, making layers upon layers of a "crust" from all the minerals. So there is actually no water flowing over, maybe a few drips. What you see appears to be a "frozen waterfalls." The tour guide took us off the beaten path to get a better view and some great pics.

Stop4: Mitla and The Ruins

We´d contemplated spending a night or two in Mitla but because of our longing to get settled back in Jacomulco the visit with the tour would have to do. And it was great, thought the village would have been a great place to spend a bit more time.

This ruin was built in the 12th century when Monte Alban was becoming less important. It is very small and the patterns in the stones are what makes this ruin unique. The ruins are considered the Zapotecs´(another Indian tribe) main religious center. The cluster of buildings that are present ( many were destroyed and some were recently (1940s) even used as the market place) housed specific people (king, priests, etc...)

The designs in the stones were created by cutting the stone perfectly so that they would fit together just so. The stones were then covered in a paint, which used the cochineal insect. The little bugs would form cocoons on the prickly pear cactus, the plants would later be dried out and the bugs pulled off and ground to form a red powder( which is the same that they use to make red dyes for the weaving.) The powder is mixed with water to make a paste and eventually paint. Today people are trying to speculate what the designs created by the rocks symbolize. It was an amzing form of art.

Stop 5: Mezcal Factory Tour

As soon as you stepped out of the van a distinct sort of bitter smell greeted your nose. Ahhhh alcohol. Mezcal is an alcohol that is made from cactus that look like jumbo sized pineapple tops. Tequilla is a type of Mezcal. The core of the plants are baked in an underground pit and then mashed by a donkey powered wheel. This pulp is then fermentated for about two weeks and distilled over a small fire, so that the alcohol is evaporated, cooled and then collected. You are left with a clear liquid that they do all sorts of things to: colour it, flavour it, add condensed milk to it ( so it is like Bailey´s) and sometimes even a worm is added.

We got to try all sorts of samples. Jay liked the stuff straight and aged ( and most expensive.) I liked the fruity, more melllowed out kinds. In the end not a single person from our group bought anything.

Oaxaca City - Our adventures on the bus :0)

Monday we took a trip to Monte Alban, which is an archeological site outside the city. We`d gotten directions on which city bus to take and where to take it from via the lady at the front desk of our hotel. Now remember that the bus system here, though organized in some fashion (we vaguely understand it now) is like nothing back home. It proved to be an important lesson learned when we got on the wrong bus. The name of the bus we got on was "Monte Alban COLINAS" and what we needed was "Monte Alban COL." The difference between the two was where in relation to the ruins they stopped.

Instead of a 20 minute walk each way that the driver promised us, we were hiking for 45 minutes to a hour. But you can´t complain much for a 35cent ride! The driver and his assistant gave us plenty to watch. The traffic here does whatever they want and since rush hour was winding down there was plenty of determined and maybe crazy drivers. When our driver decided the "lane" he was in was not going fast enough, the assistant jumped out and began pounding on the back of the bus, which meant it was safe to back up. This continued until he was far enough back. The bus we where in was at least 10 years old ( and that is probably being generous). The driver`s vision is narrowed because of this great Mexican tapers try that is hanging from the ceiling about 1/2 the window is covered with it. As you can imagine it was quite an adventure.

Visiting ruins is very unpredictable because you never really know what you are gonna find. This set of ruins dated back as far as 200BC, though most of it was built from 300 to 700 AD. Some of it had been touched up or changed over time. However there are a few key features that make it stand out. Monte Alban was a highly organized, Zapotec society that was run by the religious society of the day. It is found on a flattened hill top with an amazing view of the valleys surrounding it. There are many temples, a palace, several tombs and other buildings built our of huge stone blocks. All the buildings have steep walls. It is estimated that over 10,000 people were a part of this community. One building also has carvings and pictures on it that they believe tell stories of what must have happened back then. It is fun to imagine what life must have been like so long ago.