San Cristobal de las Casas

Young girl in front of the Cathedral
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After a long and challenging chicken bus journey (11 hours and we counted 7 different forms of transport before arriving in San Cristobal...) we made it to Mexico!!! Our last country in Central America before we fly to LA and then onwards to London and Amsterdam.

Apparently one of Mexico's most beautiful towns, San Cristobal de las Casas is stunningly located in the fertile jovel valley at an altitude of 2,110m, with the mountains of Huitepec to the west and Tzontehuitz to the east. The city is a charming blend of colonial architecture and indigenous culture. The indigenous population is today an important part of San Cristobal's atmosphere, many of them earning a living by selling handicrafts in the town's two markets. The center is rich in architectural variety, with excellent examples of baroque, neoclassical and plateresque (a Mexican style characterised by the intricate moulding of facades, resembling the work of silversmiths - hence the name: which means 'like a silversmith').

Hammocks for sale
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Here we tried to find a reasonably priced hostel, but soon found out that prices in Mexico are indeed a lot higher than those in Guatemala or any other Central American country we had visited in the last months! We found a double room with bathroom and managed to negociate a discount of USD 15 and breakfast to be included.

San Cristobal has some pretty amazing buildings. Especially the church and Ex-Convento de Santo Domingo was stunning. It is by far the most dramatic building in the city. It features an elaborate baroque facade in moulded mortar, espcially beautiful when viewed in the late afternoon sun. Outside the church is the main handicraft market, with dozens of stalls selling traditional textiles, handmade dolls, wooden toys and jewellery. We also visited Templo del Cerrito, a small church with fine views of the city and the surrounding mountains. The church is called cerrito (small hill) as it is set on an isolated tree-covered hill.