carnets

San Cristobal, the last stop in Mexico. It was not really planned like that, but I think you have already warned, we change course without prior notice!

For once, we have a direct bus that enables us to from the evening of Oaxaca in the morning and arrive in San Cristobal. What does not realize the 11 hours in the bus and sleep a minimum, even if it is not super comfortable.

So early that we land on the central square after a first stop in a cafe and this time we have ample time to find a place for the night.

We put our bags to Rossco Hostel, youth hostel, for max 2 days, because we hope to find an apartment for rent.

The city is over 2100 m altitude in the mountains. This gives a relatively cool day of cold weather and at night. It is not displeasing to us!

Soon, we settle into a studio, 15 minutes from the center for a fortnight. Included in the price an alarm clock veeeeeery morning, ie, a rooster who lives just behind our wall!

This allows children to work and find a framework and a more "home." The rest of the time we pass it to quietly visit the city, cafes and markets where we make our habits.

The streets are brightly colored, lined with small low houses type haciendas. Some courtyards that we have seen are beautiful.

San Cristobal keeps many traces of the colonial era while, the living place of many indigenous groups, distant descendants of the Mayas. The Indians who represent much of the population of Chiapas are Tzotzil, Tzeltal, Chol, and Tojolabales Zoques; they descend each day from surrounding villages to sell their products on markets and agricultural crafts. With a little practice, it is easy to distinguish from each ethnic clothes and being much more perceptive, by its language. Chiapas is the poorest state of Mexico as he has great wealth, coffee, maize, cocoa, cotton, oil, gas ... but the indigenous communities have never been supported by the governors and were awarded the less productive land. This was the subject of the Zapatista uprising a few years ago.

Very early in the morning the city comes alive. Men standing on the floorboards of the destination colectivos announce with great fanfare in decibels, pickup trucks with bottles of drinking water through the streets and promise in music through loudspeakers, gas cylinder trucks have, in turn, need not loudspeakers: they hang out on the ground iron rings in a row means that at least 2 miles away! After long consideration, we suppose it ... to ward off evil spirits ... it's cheaper than a speaker phone ... you have an idea? Send your answer to 04 76 56 xx xx contact (toll free off cost of your ISP), Jean-Roch got his and you will advise the next section.

Anyway, this is because this is the poorest region of Mexico, we could identify in San Cristobal, a package of trades disappeared elsewhere.

Many meetings ... French, the city seems to be a landmark of French settled here: baker, pastry chef, artisans, restaurateurs ... and many tourists. We meet a lot of people already experienced in Mexico, the world is small and all the tourists go the same route! Random we cross the street even two French families with a camper, met in Las Vegas and St. George!

But our favorite is that of meeting with Arnaud, sitting at a sidewalk cafe, hidden behind his bike. It is the latter that caught our attention, just think! A Da Silva, white, the same as that of Jean-Roch, it can not be invented in Mexico! Illico we address all six the young man behind the bike, a tall, thin, blonde with blue eyes. He comes from Brussels and Cecelle (his bike) comes from "La Maison Du Vélo". Yves sold it to him shortly after our visit to Brussels and told him about us. The world is really tiny! We remain good two hours talking at the same place, to tell our experiences, our routes, our galleries, our encounters ... Arnaud left alone for more than two years, his challenge is to climb the highest peak of each 35 countries comprising the mainland of Alaska and Mount McKinley, to Argentina and its mythical Aconcagua, using the bike as the only means of transportation.

Arnaud good luck for the rest of your fabulous trip! We wish you much success in this endeavor.

For the first time since our departure, we tested the movie in a foreign language. The opportunity presented itself here in San Cristobal with Kirikou that the children had already seen (in French). Nothing but the cinema is already quite a story! Just a tiny corner enclosed by a curtain in a cafe-restaurant, three sofas arranged in tiers Recycling making at least 15 seats by packing a little, a DVD player and a video projector, and a pair of speakers at least here we had the same 5.1 on small computer speakers. Since we found in coffee, you can even order a drink and eat during the session. Sign of great attendance, a second room is equipped. And besides the projectionist, bartender, cook is French, Royal!

Here, not far from 20 days here, children have well developed in their courses CNED, some tourism, despite everything that had "to do" and "see" in the vicinity. Besides agencies towers abound. We just "lived" throughout our trip to San Cristobal.

We left Mexico after spending a month and a half, mostly on the west side. Our Spanish has improved enough to finally make do mostly with great fanfare gestures. Julie has only one step ahead of the rest of the family, we already knew she was good at languages!

... To be continued ... in Guatemala

Hasta luego

MC

photos

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bonus

Backpackers Hostel Rossco. This is not the cheapest, but if you go through the Mayflowers Hostel in Oaxaca, the boss will give you half price for first night. The hostel has been renovated recently, the patio is great and very nice, wifi, fútbolito, large kitchen, Salsa and one hour free spanish ...

Casa Morada for rent studio apartment, but we realized too late that the bar Natura had ads for cheap rent.

Entropia Bar, located on the pedestrian street Real de Guadalupe. Melina, Sylvestre and Romuald are very friendly and speak French fluently;-)
Pancakes, Botanas, Coktel .....delicious ...
In addition, they are a wealth of information on Central America.

El horno magico French bakery run by really nice young people, their breads and pastries are excellent.

Even the French, the pastry Oh là, là , is not bad too!

The bar Natura makes a good cafe organico 100%.