The long and winding road that leads to San Cristobal
Hi Folks! January 31, 2005 We are in San Cristobal de las Casas in Chiapas, Mexico. We are very close to the Guatemalan border, but will probably spend tomorrow around here. Perhaps take a trip up to Palenque before hitting the road again. We were crawling along at a snail-like pace until we decided to use the toll roads. Now we are like Grease Lightning. San Cristobal is a truly beautiful city... an old colonial city full of great architecture and an amazing cultural history which I will not burden you with at the moment. People are still being quite helpful with directions, especially help with locating our connections to toll roads, called autopistas here. Anyhow, we heard that one of Ancho's siblings is talking trash about the dangers that will befall us in parts ahead. Thus far ETHAN, we still have our spines.
The truck is in decent shape and we are too. Ancho is dying for some fruit right now so we are off to the market.
Much love,
Ancho and Lefty
posted by ancho and lefty @ 4:23 PM
1 comments
1 Comments:
Hello Dr. Gonzo,
In response to your question about Chiapas and whether it has a revolutionary feel.
Today Ancho and I drove the road from San Cristobal to Palenque, and there are some signs of recent revolutionary activity. First of all, there are many political signs because of the upcoming presidential election and different areas upport different parties (PRI, PRD, etc.)and this has been part of the turmoil historically in the first place I suppose.
Also, in one area on the road you enter a place where a sign reads something like, You are entering Autonomous Zapatista Territory, which of course for an anthropologist was really exciting because I have read about their struggle for autonomy. Also, there are postcards here of Marcos... I will try to send you that one. There did seem to be many more police and military around, but there are many police and military everywhere in Mexico it seems. Lots of checkpoints by the military and whether you get pulled over to the curb seems to be some system like airport security in the states. Anyway, we have been waved over twice and both times, they seem rather unconcerned with two crazy gringos from Kentucky who are driving to Costa Rica. Anyway, I am sure all of this stuff will make mamasita lose some sleep, but it all seems rather above board and uneventful to us, who are actually experiencing it after all. So, I hope that answers your question. Also, Ancho commented today, that indeed Chiapas does have a different feel. Instead of the majority of houses being made of concrete, you find many more wooden homes and a sense of despair in some areas. Also, no duh, there are lots of people who are of Maya descent, of course there are many different cultural groups within the large identifier of Maya and this is quite important too.
But, there are not people running around the street in ski masks carrying automatic weapons if that is what you mean. Viva la revolucion, I say.
Much love,
Lefty
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