# Easter Week in San Cristobal de Las Casas



## Hound Dog (Jan 18, 2009)

Well it is the 17th and Easter Week which is big here in San Cristobal de Las Casas, is fast approaching so the town, beginning next Sunday will be jammed to the rafters with tourists from all over Mexico and elsewhere. We happen to live here but I would not try to find a hotel room around here from the 24th on for a while because this is one of the most popular seasons, if not the most popular season of the year. Whether one is religious or not, this is an exciting place to be as are many surrounding indigenous commmunities during Semana Santa. If the reader missed it this year, Dawg says plan well ahead for next year for this week of religious celebration encompassing both traditional Christian and Pagan ceremonies. 

This is a good week to hit the road before the highways become jammed and accomodations everywhere in Mexico hard to find. We figure it is a good time for that trip to Calakmul, Lake Bacalar and, maybe Xcalak before the oppressive heat of spring descends upon us and the highways become jammed with celebrants. What makes San Cristobal so well situated is the fact that, unlike most places in Mexico, one can choose among the Pacific shores of Chiapas or Oaxaca or the Gulf or Caribbean coasts of the Yucatan Peninsula or Veracruz State. Then, when one becomes fatigued from all that coastal heat and humidity, it is back to the highlands at 7,000 feet to cool off and enjoy the Easter ceremonies. 

I guess that if one wanted to attend the cermonies in the Jovel Valley and surrounding mountainside indigenous communities, one could find a hotel room in the state capital of Tuxtla Gutierrez and commute up the relatively new autopista to San Cristobal duriing the day. That is about a 45 minute to hour drive rather than the hair raisiing, twisting, precipitous drive up the mountain necessary before the new autopista opened. If memory serves me. that drive took about two hours or more assuming one arrived without plunging off the adjacent sheer cliffs.

For those of you booked to come here, welcome. This is a fun time in the valley and surroundings.


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## Guategringo (Nov 9, 2012)

How long would it take me to drive from Queretaro? I would love to be there for those celebrations as I have been told by some people here that some are similar to ones in Antigua, Guatemala.


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## Hound Dog (Jan 18, 2009)

[_QUOTE=Guategringo;1092502]How long would it take me to drive from Queretaro? I would love to be there for those celebrations as I have been told by some people here that some are similar to ones in Antigua, Guatemala.[/QUOTE]_

I would suggest you take the new Arco Norte from south of Queretaro to Puebla and from there to Orizaba and Cordoba in Veracruz State, down the autopista to Minaitlan and the autopista to Tuxtla Gutierrez then up the mountain to San Cristobal. I would guess a couple of hours from Queretaro to Puebla over the Arco Norte and then about nine or ten hours or so from Puebla to San Cristobal over autopistas all the way except the drive over the libramiento through Tuxtla which is a speedy way through that otherwise huge city with much traffic you will want to avoid unless you are staying in a hotel there. By the way, these time estimates assume you are driving at, say, 110 to 130 KPH when on the autopistas. 

My wife and I have been to Antigua and she just returned from a trip through there. We have not been there for Semana Santa but I would bet the celebrations there are similar to those in San Cristobal. These cities are of similar colonial style. We chose San Cristobal over Antigua as, unless I am mistaken, San Cristobal is a ,much larger city at about 130,000 inhabitants, about 40% of whom are indigenous, and Guatemala seemed more vulnerable overall to narco violence than Mexico or at least that was our lay assessment of the situations in those two countries. My wife sure had a lot of fun in Guatemala and Honduras visiting The Peten, Rio Dulce, Livingston, Copan, Antigua and Lake Atitlan.


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## Guategringo (Nov 9, 2012)

I have already told my wife we are going. We will find a place to spend one night each way to break up the drive not sure where but I will look at the map. I think you are right about San Cristobal being bigger than Antigua, but wrong about the narco violence. Antigua to me is one of the safest places in all of Latin America. We used to walk there are night and sit in the park until midnight or after. I always though San Cristobal was vulnerable to the guerillas in Chiapas. I have been there twice to visit a jade store that one of my friends used to co-own. 
The only thing I do not like about Antigua is the number of expats!!!


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## Hound Dog (Jan 18, 2009)

[_QUOTE=Guategringo;1092529]I have already told my wife we are going. We will find a place to spend one night each way to break up the drive not sure where but I will look at the map. I think you are right about San Cristobal being bigger than Antigua, but wrong about the narco violence. Antigua to me is one of the safest places in all of Latin America. We used to walk there are night and sit in the park until midnight or after. I always though San Cristobal was vulnerable to the guerillas in Chiapas. I have been there twice to visit a jade store that one of my friends used to co-own. 
The only thing I do not like about Antigua is the number of expats!!![/QUOTE]_

When we drive down to Chiapas from Lake Chapala, we usually stop with our pooches in Orizaba or Fortin de Las Flores. From there it is a long haul over the coastal plain to Minatitlan but the full drive from, say, Orizaba to San Cristobal is niot that far so Orizaba, which is two hours out of Puebla, might be a good place for you to overnight as well. 

My wife tells me I am a dunce for telling you that hotel accomodations may be impossible to find in San Cristobal over Easter week and suggests that you look for a place to reserve a room as she thinks with diligence, you will find accomodations in town that week and that is better than having to commute in from Tuxtla. 

I did not mean Antigua struck me as unsafe in the least. I meant that Guatemala as a whole might be more vulnerable to narco takeovers in parts such as The Peten than much of Mexico but that was, as I stated, merely a lay assessment, uneducated at best. By the way, you will also be quite safe walking around San Cristobl in the evenings so do not worry about that. 

If you do come down, let us know your plans on this forum and maybe we can get together for a holiday celebratory drink. Once I hear vfrom you I[ll PM you.

Incidentally, your objection to Antigua concerning the large number of expats is similar to ours regarding Lake Chapala which is one reason we moved down to Chiapas in 2006. As you might easily surmise, do not worry about expats in San Cristobal. Since the Zapatistas teamed up with the Black Panthers, to form the Panteras, they are afaid to come down here but I can assure you it is safer here that at Lake Chapala and the Zapatistas and Black Panthers do not bug anybody except the local government functionaries.


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## Guategringo (Nov 9, 2012)

You are right about narcos making inroads into Guate. There are three of four areas where the narcos have come into Guate in droves - The Peten, San Marcos and Huehuetenango. All close to the Mexican border.

I will let you know sometime next week my travel plans. Probably leave on Friday the 22nd and stay through Monday the 1 of April. My wife has the entire week at her law office and I will just bring along my wireless internet so I can write each morning to keep my clients happy. I will look for somewhere in town as I would prefer to keep the car parked a foot it wherever we go. 

Once we are in town I will also send you a message letting you know. I would very much each a beer or three or a nice Irish whiskey on the rocks. Cheers


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## Hound Dog (Jan 18, 2009)

[_QUOTE=Guategringo;1092674]You are right about narcos making inroads into Guate. There are three of four areas where the narcos have come into Guate in droves - The Peten, San Marcos and Huehuetenango. All close to the Mexican border.

I will let you know sometime next week my travel plans. Probably leave on Friday the 22nd and stay through Monday the 1 of April. My wife has the entire week at her law office and I will just bring along my wireless internet so I can write each morning to keep my clients happy. I will look for somewhere in town as I would prefer to keep the car parked a foot it wherever we go. 

Once we are in town I will also send you a message letting you know. I would very much each a beer or three or a nice Irish whiskey on the rocks. Cheers[/QUOTE]_

Parking the car and footing it is a very good idea in San Crsitobal where the historic city is compact and both private taxis and combis are cheap and always available. For instance, local taxis are unmetered and always 25 Pesos anywhere in town with no haggling required or anticipated. Plus, after about Nine AM. there is no place to park on the street so walking or taking a taxi is by far the best way to get around. town while combis will get you into outlying communiies. We arrive here from Lake Chapala for a few months and park our car in our garage never using it in town for months. 

We are looking forward to that drink in any number of venues from the main plaza to countless outdoor cafes over the historic center or maybe even at Maison Hound Dog which straddles a fine and colorful part of the historic town inhabited by people of all economic stations. An admirable characteristic for a barrio.


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## Guategringo (Nov 9, 2012)

let me know what you like to drink so I do not come empty handed!!! My wife is a wine drinker should I stock up for the week prior to San Cristobal or can I buy Chianti there?

We can meet in town for a drink have dinner and chat about life in Mexico. I like your description of your barrio. I have chosen a middle class neighborhood here in queretaro. I like the real Mexico, just like I did the real guatemala...


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## Hound Dog (Jan 18, 2009)

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Guategringo said:



let me know what you like to drink so I do not come empty handed!!! My wife is a wine drinker should I stock up for the week prior to San Cristobal or can I buy Chianti there?

We can meet in town for a drink have dinner and chat about life in Mexico. I like your description of your barrio. I have chosen a middle class neighborhood here in queretaro. I like the real Mexico, just like I did the real guatemala...

Click to expand...

_Thanks for the gesture of offering to bring something to drink but that is really not necessary. The town will be hopping with the Easter crowd and the main pedestrian streets should be jammed so I suggest we meet for a walk down the Andador to enjoy the lively throng with a stop around the principal plaza, known locally as El Jardin for a drink or two. There are some very well stocked liquor stores and big box stores around town selling a wide variety of wines but, to tell you the truth, we have not sought chianti here allthough there is a large Italian colony in town so it seems reasonable to assume some good chianti is avalable here and there. You might bring a bottle or two of your favorite chianti and if that is too much, we will help you guys finish it off if so requested since we like chianti but have gotten into the habit of buying primarily wines from Chile which are inexpensive and quite popular around here. 

The city has a huge indigenous market that starts a couple of blocks from our house which is fascinating and worthy of a visit as well. I do not know if it is the real Mexico but it is certainly the real Chiapas which has a lot in common with Central America. We buy most of our vegetables there from indigenous villagers who grow them on their own mountainside milpas. A stroll ariound this market is a fun experience so we invite you to join us for a visit.

I[ve never used the PM function on this forum but if you can, PM us and let us know how and when you plan to get here and if you are staying here in San Cristobal or Tuxtla if no room is availkable locally. If a PM is a problem on this forum, let me know with a public message.


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## Heyduke (Jun 17, 2012)

If you can't find a room in San Cristobal then you just aren't looking. As far as the Zapatistas are concerened there is noting to worry about them They are not concerned with tourist. I travel to Zapatista towns all of the time without trouble. Yesterday I was in Pol ho and Acteal and everyone was very friendly. Don't believe anything you read about them. If you want to see some real Easter celebration visit San Juan Chamula or Zinacantan both about 10 miles outside of SC. Easy to reach by Taxi or collectivo.


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## Hound Dog (Jan 18, 2009)

I would agree with Duke on two matters. First, that if you are properly respectful of the local communities and their customs you will be treated respectfully and even cordially in return. Politically oriented movements among the indigenous are mostly concerned with indigenous community rights locally and not tourists passing though the various communities. Secondly, the Easter ceemonies in nearby Zinacantan are worth the easy and inexpensive trip from San Cristobal . Surly Chamula is worth one visit in a lifetime like Fishermans Wharf in San Francisco or Disney World in Orlando. After that, forget it.


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## Isla Verde (Oct 19, 2011)

Hound Dog said:


> Surly Chamula is worth one visit in a lifetime like Fishermans Wharf in San Francisco or Disney World in Orlando. After that, forget it.


Surly Chamula, indeed. Some years I went there with a group of Mexicans, anthropologists working at the local INI just outside of San Cristóbal, whom I was staying with. Unfortunately, some sort of fiesta was going on and most of the local men were pretty drunk. They came up to us and got very aggressive with the couple of men in our group, though they kind of ignored me and the young Mexican woman with us. We high-tailed it out of there before something serious happened!


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## citlali (Mar 4, 2013)

yes as you know they have a major alcoholism problem and they are noot called "perros" by other indigenous group for nothing. It is like other places around if you know somewhere and visit with them or visit them it is a whole lot better than going by yourself.


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## Heyduke (Jun 17, 2012)

Chamula has done a lot of work on the alcohol problem. I go to Chamula a couple time a week and have never had anyone give me any trouble even during a fiesta. Most of the drunks are happy drunks. I have seen the Chamula police throw a few in jail.


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## citlali (Mar 4, 2013)

I am sure happy to hear things are improving but there is plenty more work to do .


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## AlanMexicali (Jun 1, 2011)

Isla Verde said:


> Surly Chamula, indeed. Some years I went there with a group of Mexicans, anthropologists working at the local INI just outside of San Cristóbal, whom I was staying with. Unfortunately, some sort of fiesta was going on and most of the local men were pretty drunk. They came up to us and got very aggressive with the couple of men in our group, though they kind of ignored me and the young Mexican woman with us. We high-tailed it out of there before something serious happened!


That is similar to experiences I had in Rioverde a small city in the state of San Luis Potosi. The small plaza is crowded but a even smaller park one block away is a good place to sit in the shade. I was accosted by a few of the many drunken looking men there while minding my own business. I went there several times because my wife had meetings there for her work and they were all day long.

The last time I went it got fairly bad. That week on the local TV news, in the capital here, they had a spot about this park being a hangout for some beligerant men who are acolholics and the police let it go. I wonder if the local police moved them out of the park after that? Alan


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## Hound Dog (Jan 18, 2009)

An interesting thing about visiting indigenous communities around San Cristobal. We often visit friends and artisan associates from Pantelho to San Andres Laranza to Zinacantan to Oxchuc and myriad points in between and afar even though, among alll the indigenous communities we visit, we particularly dislike the rude and self absorbed, to say noithing of ratty, community center of Chamula which has become an opportunistic and, to us at least, unpleasant tourist zone, a town generally disliked by folks living in their neighboring indigenous communities for several reasons. Belligerent drunks, overbearing local constables and less than welcoming villagers abound and, let us face it, the place is a tourist trap. This Easter season we plan to be sure to visit Zinacantan for their great Easter pageantry and perhaps some other local villages but Chamula can feed on the tourists as far as we are concerned. This sort of attitude problem among the locals iis rather common among places across the globe where tourists flock in inordinate numbers to get a shalllow glimpse of what they think they are experiencing in depth and spend their money on cheap souvenirs probably made in China. To each his own.


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## Heyduke (Jun 17, 2012)

I do understand how some people gt a bad view of Chamula.I use to have one. After hanging out there and getting to know many I have changed my mind. I actually like them now that I understand them better. Just don't expect them to behave or act like us.


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## Hound Dog (Jan 18, 2009)

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Heyduke said:



I do understand how some people gt a bad view of Chamula.I use to have one. After hanging out there and getting to know many I have changed my mind. I actually like them now that I understand them better. Just don't expect them to behave or act like us.

Click to expand...

_I understand, Duke. However, there are many indigenous communities surrounding San Cristobal and elsewhere in the highlands where, despite occasional experiences on the edge, visiting and interracting with local indigenous folks is a genuine pleasure.In my opinion, Chamulans with their greed and often crude and offensive demeanor have more in common with denizens of the French Riviera tourist traps than other indigenous communities in their vicinity and, believe me, we probably spend as much time absorbed in indigenous communities in Chiapas, Oaxaca and other points in Southern Mexico as do you. This Easter week, you take Chamuila.we wiill be in Zinacantan and other points hereabouts. As I wrote earlier, to each his own.

Despite our differing assessments of the character of the miunicipality of Chamula, I admire your involvement with various indigenous communities in the Chiapas Highlands and share your interest ij these fascinating communitiies which, as all communities of human beings, exhibit both positive and negative aspects. It takes time and dedication to understand that as I am sure you do. Now, we we are off to Amantenango del Valle where we always have lunch at the organic restaurant _Mi Cafe _after visiting on business with indigenous associates and friends. Great food grown on premise by the proprietor himself and his staff and family. Try it next time you are there if you have not done so already.


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## Heyduke (Jun 17, 2012)

I know that many people don't like Chamula and thats ok with me. I just returned from Acteal, going to Zinacantan tomorrow and Cancuc Sunday. I travel out to Aguacatenango and Amantenango about once a month and usually stop at Mi cafe or in one of the two excellent restaurants at Teopisca for their Pollo con Mole. Today I had to settle for some very bland pozole at a familys house in Acteal. Bad food good company.


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