Road from Palenque to San Cristobal. Mexico, San Cristobal de las Casas is a colorful city with a magical atmosphere. Accommodation in San Cristobal

Cristóbal de Olid, , Linares (Jaen) - , Naco, Honduras) - Spanish conquistador, officer of Cortez's detachment, explorer and one of the conquerors of Central America.

Story

Having found out that the countries of Honduras and Higueras abound in gold and silver, Cortes wished to include these territories in New Spain, which was the reason for the expeditions of Alvarado and Olida. Having decided to capture Honduras by sea, he chose one of his officers for this purpose. The leader of the expedition was the brave and experienced military leader Cristobal de Olid, whom Cortes completely trusted, since de Olid owed his rise to Cortes, in addition, his family and possessions were located near Mexico.

For the expedition, Cristobal de Olid was given 5 ships and 1 brigantine with 370 participants, of whom about a hundred were crossbowmen and arquebusmen, and 22 horsemen. Among those sent, there were five old, experienced conquistadors, however, among the expedition members there were many opponents of Cortez, dissatisfied, in their opinion, with the division of the booty and the Indians. Cortez's instructions stipulated that Cristobal de Olid should board the ships at Vera Cruz, from there head to Havana, where he would pick up the prepared food supplies and horses, and then, without going anywhere, go straight to Honduras, to the natives he was ordered to treat with caution but favor. Then choose a place to build a city with a good harbor, try to find the “Passage”, and also make inquiries about cities and harbors on the other side of the mainland.

The first part of the plan was carried out successfully. In Cuba, Cristobal de Olid was joined by five prominent soldiers who had been expelled for some clashes with the commandant. They gave de Olid the idea to break away from Cortes. Others contributed a lot to this, especially the governor of Cuba, Diego Velazquez de Cuellar, a longtime enemy of Cortes. He went to Cristobal de Olid and agreed with him, jointly, in the name of the king, to conquer and govern Honduras and Higueras. According to their agreement, military command remained with Olida, civil control with Diego Velazquez.

Cristobal de Olid entered into an agreement with Adelantado Velazquez, rebelled and began a war for sole possession of Honduras. Thus, several claimants arose at once for this region, named at that time Las Gibueras- “land of the calabashers” - and subsequently received the name of the sea that washes it - “golfo de las Honduras”, “bay of deep waters”.

Write a review of the article "Cristobal de Olid"

Links

• (Spanish)

Excerpt characterizing Cristobal de Olid

“You need to rest, Your Grace,” said Schneider.
- No! “They will eat horse meat like the Turks,” Kutuzov shouted without answering, hitting the table with his plump fist, “they too will, if only...

In contrast to Kutuzov, at the same time, in an event even more important than the retreat of the army without a fight, in the abandonment of Moscow and its burning, Rostopchin, who appears to us as the leader of this event, acted completely differently.
This event - the abandonment of Moscow and its burning - was as inevitable as the retreat of the troops without a fight for Moscow after the Battle of Borodino.
Every Russian person, not on the basis of conclusions, but on the basis of the feeling that lies in us and lay in our fathers, could have predicted what happened.
Starting from Smolensk, in all the cities and villages of the Russian land, without the participation of Count Rastopchin and his posters, the same thing happened that happened in Moscow. The people blithely waited for the enemy, did not rebel, did not worry, did not tear anyone to pieces, but calmly waited for their fate, feeling the strength in themselves in the most difficult moment to find what they had to do. And as soon as the enemy approached, the richest elements of the population left, leaving their property; the poorest remained and set fire and destroyed what was left.
The consciousness that it will be so, and will always be so, lay and lies in the soul of the Russian person. And this consciousness and, moreover, the premonition that Moscow would be taken, lay in the Russian Moscow society of the 12th year. Those who began to leave Moscow back in July and early August showed that they were expecting this. Those who left with what they could seize, leaving their houses and half their property, acted this way due to that latent patriotism, which is expressed not by phrases, not by killing children to save the fatherland, etc. by unnatural actions, but which is expressed imperceptibly, simply, organically and therefore always produces the most powerful results.
“It is a shame to run from danger; only cowards are fleeing Moscow,” they were told. Rastopchin in his posters inspired them that leaving Moscow was shameful. They were ashamed to be called cowards, they were ashamed to go, but they still went, knowing that it was necessary. Why were they going? It cannot be assumed that Rastopchin frightened them with the horrors that Napoleon produced in the conquered lands. They left, and the first to leave were rich, educated people who knew very well that Vienna and Berlin remained intact and that there, during their occupation by Napoleon, the inhabitants had fun with the charming Frenchmen, whom Russian men and especially ladies loved so much at that time.
They traveled because for the Russian people there could be no question: whether it would be good or bad under the rule of the French in Moscow. It was impossible to be under French control: that was the worst thing. They left before the Battle of Borodino, and even faster after the Battle of Borodino, despite appeals for protection, despite statements by the commander-in-chief of Moscow about his intention to raise Iverskaya and go to fight, and to the balloons that were supposed to destroy the French, and despite all that nonsense that Rastopchin talked about in his posters. They knew that the army had to fight, and that if it couldn’t, then they couldn’t go to the Three Mountains with the young ladies and servants to fight Napoleon, but that they had to leave, no matter how sorry it was to leave their property to destruction. They left and did not think about the majestic significance of this huge, rich capital, abandoned by the inhabitants and, obviously, burned (a large abandoned wooden city had to burn); they left each for themselves, and at the same time, only because they left, that magnificent event took place, which will forever remain the best glory of the Russian people. That lady who, back in June, with her araps and firecrackers, rose from Moscow to the Saratov village, with a vague consciousness that she was not Bonaparte’s servant, and with fear that she would not be stopped on the orders of Count Rastopchin, did simply and truly that great the case that saved Russia. Count Rostopchin, who either shamed those who were leaving, then took away public places, then gave out useless weapons to drunken rabble, then raised images, then forbade Augustine to take out relics and icons, then seized all the private carts that were in Moscow, then one hundred and thirty-six carts carried away a balloon made by Leppich, either hinting that he would burn Moscow, or telling how he burned down his house and wrote a proclamation to the French, where he solemnly reproached them for ruining his orphanage; either accepted the glory of burning Moscow, then renounced it, then ordered the people to catch all the spies and bring them to him, then reproached the people for this, then expelled all the French from Moscow, then left Madame Aubert Chalmet in the city, who formed the center of the entire French Moscow population , and without much guilt he ordered the old venerable postal director Klyucharyov to be captured and taken into exile; either he gathered people to the Three Mountains to fight the French, then, in order to get rid of these people, he gave them a person to kill and he himself left for the back gate; either he said that he would not survive the misfortune of Moscow, or he wrote poems in French in albums about his participation in this matter - this man did not understand the significance of the event that was taking place, but just wanted to do something himself, to surprise someone, to do something patriotically heroic and, like a boy, he frolicked over the majestic and inevitable event of the abandonment and burning of Moscow and tried with his small hand to either encourage or delay the flow of the huge stream of people that carried him away with it.

In the picturesque Jovel Valley, lost among high mountains and fluffy clouds, the small town of San Cristobal de las Casas is comfortably located. The city cannot boast of a history of pre-colonial times; its construction began in 1528, by the conquistador Diego Mazariegos, on the lands of Central America, inhabited by the descendants of the Mayans. Over the course of three centuries, the city's name changed periodically, initially it was called Villa Real de Chiapa de los Españoles, later renamed Ciudad Real de Chiapa.

San Cristobal de las Casas received its modern name only in 1848, in honor of the Christian martyr who patronized wanderers, Saint Christopher, and the prefix de las Casas was given to him thanks to Bartolomeo de las Casas, the first bishop of Chiapas and an ardent fighter for the rights of the oppressed Indians. Well, the locals call it briefly and affectionately Sancris. In the mid-19th century, the city was the administrative center of the state of Chiapas, now recognized as its cultural and tourist capital, and in 2003 it was awarded the status of “magical city”. (San Cristobal in ours)

The Pearl of Chiapas

San Cristabal is undoubtedly the pearl of the state of Chiapas and the most beautiful heritage of the colonial past. This is a city of shoe shiners, hippies, backpackers, tile roofs and vintage cars. It still preserves the special atmosphere of antiquity, with its traditions and rituals.

The indigenous population - the Tzotzil and Tzeltal Indians, are considered direct descendants of the Mayans, they wear bright national clothes and jewelry, and transport goods on carts pulled by donkeys. They speak their own language, but most of them do not know Spanish at all. They earn their living by making and selling souvenirs, clothing and textiles, but the main income comes from the numerous tourists who come here from all over the world. (souvenirs can be purchased on our three-day trip, see)

Architecture of San Cristobal

The elegant, mostly one-story architecture of San Cristobal is a mixture of neoclassicism, baroque and Moorish style, with the addition of national Indian flavor; you want to wander through its pedestrian streets, filled with the spirit of romance, again and again. And almost always, cool air, saturated with unique aromas, intoxicates and makes you dizzy.

San Cristobal gained worldwide fame a little more than 20 years ago, in January 1994, when it was captured by rebels of the Zapatista national liberation movement fighting for Indian rights, and became the center of their resistance.

Sights of San Cristobal

Despite the small area, San Cristobal has a large number of different churches, some of them are more than several centuries old. The main attraction is the Cathedral of St. Christopher, which combines Moorish-style gilding, Indian lace and characteristic Baroque features in its architecture. It is located in the central square of the city, Zocalo. When you come here in the evening, you can become a participant in a fascinating costume show staged by the Indians.

The most beautiful and most magical church in the city, the pink Temple of San Domingo stuns tourists with its stunning carved façade and baroque interior.

The two main viewpoints are the Guadalupe and San Cristobal hills, each of which is home to small churches and, in good weather, offers stunning views of the tiled-roofed city.

San Cristobal boasts museums whose exhibitions will not leave anyone indifferent. This is a museum of amber mined in the surrounding mountains and a museum of Mayan medicine.

Friends! If you have any questions - don't hesitate! - ask them in the comments below or write to me on social networks!

Has it ever happened to you when the only thing left to do was to throw up your hands and say “Not fate”? I think this has happened to everyone. Andyusiks and I had such an “unfate” happen to the town San Cristobal de Las Casas. No matter how hard we tried to see him, we couldn’t really see him. Why? I'll tell you everything in order.

Features of the town of San Cristobal de Las Casas

We knew well in advance that San Cristobal was different from other cities. It is different, if only because it is cool there, because it is hidden quite high in the mountains. Imagine, it's cool! This is the magic word for us after a roast Puerto Escondido and stuffy Tuxtly-Gutierrez flowed like balm to the soul. For some reason, the final part of the dialogue with the taxi driver on the way to the Tusla bus station did not particularly alarm me.

- And where are you going?
- To San Cristobal.
- Mmmm. Cold!

Well, you never know, it’s cold for these Mexicans.

At noon we board the bus. The driver, apparently having the goal of preparing us for all bad weather, turns on the air conditioning to maximum. Okay, we are scientists, with warm sweaters and scarves. We wrap ourselves in them like Eskimos, to the envy of the less perspicacious passengers.

Not even half an hour passes before the landscapes outside the window begin to change dramatically: the hills become higher and higher, the clouds drop lower and lower. The bus confidently gains altitude, making pretzel turns on the mountain road and clearly not intending to give up.

At the end of the time allotted by the schedule, we arrive at the modest bus station of the city with a proud name San Cristobal de Las Casa from (San Cristobal de Las Casaa). We get off the bus and realize that we don’t have to take off our sweaters! Wow, really cool! Neither hot nor cold, but comfortable: a fresh breeze blows, from time to time the sun peeking out from behind the clouds bites your cheek. Why are half the locals wearing jackets?

We look around, take a deep breath and set off to look for housing. We find a hotel room, check in, and only an hour later we realize that the room is cold. That is really cold! We didn’t notice this right away after walking with our heavy backpacks. Wow, there are also two wool blankets on the beds. Hm.

What do you think is happening in the evening? In the evening, a real downpour begins, the kind when it is impossible to stick your nose out into the street, because the water is pouring out of a bucket. It becomes even colder and more uncomfortable. So what were you saying there, comrade taxi driver? Cold?

For the next couple of days, the picture does not change: cold and rain, cold and rain, gray hopelessness. We are patiently waiting for good weather to go on a date with the city. The weather forecast seems to be mocking, each time instilling hope that is not destined to come true: there is no sun, or at least no rain. Only on the third day does the knocking on the roof stop.

Hurry, hurry, hurry, let's go for a walk around San Cristobal!

What to see in San Cristobal

We get out of our hole onto the street: everything around is gray, wet, uncomfortable. Only enthusiasm and curiosity save. There is a whole list of attractions on hand. So, where to start? The first on the way was a church, and more precisely the Shrine of St. Francisco(Templo de San Francisco de Asis).

If earlier we looked into churches to cool off, then we step into this threshold with the hope that it will be at least a little warmer there than outside. But no, not warmer.

Imagine being frozen like that in the middle of Mexico in mid-May. An anecdote, and nothing more!

We leave the church and head wherever our eyes look. They looked, as it turned out, to the side Arc de Triomphe of Carmen(Arco del Carmen). Eh, in sunny weather everything obviously looks more cheerful...

Two steps from the arch of the same name Carmen Cultural Center(Centro Cultural El Carmen). Shall we come in? Perhaps, yes, it’s warmer there, today this is an undeniable plus!

A cultural center is a cultural center: someone draws, someone embroiders, someone plants flowers.

We go out into the street and soon find ourselves on the central tourist street Real de Guadalupe. Andryusiks and I instantly dubbed it the San Cristobal Arbat: everywhere there are cafes, restaurants, shops with souvenirs and clothes, creative characters who give their talents for free or for money, beggars, salespeople. In general, this is where life is all at!

It’s a nice place, maybe you’ll still be able to see it in sunny weather?

San Cristobal is generally a very pleasant town. On all sides it is surrounded by picturesque mountains, precisely those because of which it is so different from other cities both in appearance and in weather. It is even possible to climb a couple of hills to admire the panorama of the city from above. How can you miss such an opportunity? No way! So we are moving confidently towards hill of San Crisobal(Cerro de San Cristobal). Wow, he can be seen in the distance.

Steps, steps, steps, left, right, left, right. Phew! We look back and here it is, San Cristobal in all its glory! That still foggy Albion.

And at the top of the hill a church was built. Ordinary, nothing special. If it were not for the people scurrying around and praying inside. What's special about it, you ask? And the fact that they are Indians. Yes, yes, the real ones! Well, their direct descendants, anyway.

Gloomy faces, unfriendly looks, unusual clothes, sometimes similar to costumes worn specifically for the performance. The area around San Cristobal is said to have the highest percentage of indigenous people in Mexico. Who knows, perhaps this is so. One thing is clear: we have never met so many Indians anywhere else.

We are going down the hill, there are still so many interesting things ahead! If only it didn't start to rain.

The pretty streets of San Cristobal, as cute as they can be framed by the gray, dull weather, take us in the opposite direction of the hill. I don’t want to look at the list of attractions, so we go on a whim. What difference does it make what this church or this street is called? One thing is important: whether you like it or not, whether it evokes some emotions or leaves you indifferent. Oh no! It starts to rain. At first hesitant, then it develops into a persistent monotonous rhythm. We put on our hoods and persistently move on. We waited three days to get out of our room into the light of day, we won’t just give up!

Narrow paved sidewalks and streets, colorful houses, churches, squares - all the delights of a small colonial town.

And everything would be fine, but this discomfort, dampness and dullness does not allow emotions to fully penetrate into the frozen soul. The eyes see, but the heart does not feel.

We are hiding from bad weather in the city hall. Two wet chicks. Mexico, is that how you are? Unfriendly and cold. But a little more sun and San Cristobal could stand on a par with San Miguel , Guanajuato And Queretaro.

- It seems like the rain won't stop...
- No, look, almost nothing is dripping from the sky anymore.
- Shall we go for a walk or go home?
- Let's go further.

No sooner said than done! We paddle along the wet sidewalks towards another hill. It’s still interesting to look at cities from above.

San Cristobal has several features that we have not yet encountered in any other Mexican city. In addition to mountains, cold and Indians, there are also clouds. The kind that descend directly onto the city and literally hug the roofs of houses.

The street took us upstairs. The clouds became a little closer. A mysterious sight, isn't it?

Today our San Cristobal is like this: cloudy, wet and covered in graffiti, with umbrellas and warm jackets.

Out of habit, we look into the courtyard that interests us. Just a hotel, but so picturesque. Lush greenery and dampness reminiscent of Vietnam Hanoi.

Imperceptibly we again go to the center. San Cristobal de Las Casas is a tiny town, you can get around the whole thing in a day, and its central part is even smaller. I would even say that it looks like a toy. A sort of small island of life, sandwiched between the mountains.

Would you like me to tell you about another feature of this city? Roof tiles. It seems that half of all roofs are covered with it. Old, good quality tiles, darkened by time and rain. What could be more romantic?

Romance is romance, but the rain stubbornly refuses to stop, but only gains strength. In this weather, it’s good to sit at home, wrapped in a blanket, drink hot tea and watch a movie. Maybe we can do that? Perhaps we should go home and wait for a nicer day.

Knock-Knock! Who's there? Ahh, it’s the rain drumming on the roof and knocking on the windows, taking only short breaks to gain strength.

Oh, look, the sun has come out, the sky has changed from anger to mercy, and instead of black clouds, white fluffy clouds have appeared. We quickly get ready and leave the house with Andryusiks to combine lunch with a walk around smiling San Cristobal.

We reach the tourist area again streets of Real de Guadlupe(it's just closest to our hotel). This is what she looks like in a more fun version. It’s a completely different matter: it’s immediately cozier, friendlier, kinder.

Here another feature of San Cristobal becomes even more noticeable. For some reason, there are a lot of hippies in this town. Everywhere there are weird-looking guys with dreadlocks in unusual clothes. So they catch your eye here and there: sometimes they play the accordion, sometimes they scare away the local dogs. In general, they are trying to stand out as best they can. Are they making dreadlocks for free somewhere around the corner?

They even sell some unusual toys, look, a bearded giraffe.

The city is clearly not offended by tourists; even now, when the season is coming to an end, the city is full of them. Rumor has it that some people fall in love with San Cristobal so much that they move here to live. Something like the story of San Miguel de Allende.

As you know, where there are tourists, there is entertainment for them.

Even the same Indians here played the role of just an attraction for the gringo. These descendants of proud and warlike ancestors today walk the streets, selling shawls, dream traps, amulets and other rubbish to visiting onlookers or simply begging.

To be honest, no matter how many days we are in this city, the feeling of some discomfort does not leave us. Everything seems nice and nice, but people are somehow unfriendly. There are no those usual curious glances and open smiles. Everyone is gloomy and wary, from the waitresses in the cafe to passers-by on the streets. Maybe it's all about the cold?

What can you do, each city has its own character. But there is no shortage of cute streets with colonial architecture in San Cristobal. Shall we go and have a look?

Oh no! The music played for a short time. Before our eyes, the sky becomes clouded and it starts to rain. We run, we run to the hotel. The second attempt to take a normal walk around the city fails miserably.

For a day, two, three, we watched the same picture outside the door of our cold hotel room: rain, rain, rain. But we wanted to take a ride around the surrounding area and see unexplored streets. It doesn't seem like fate. So San Cristobal remained behind a veil of rain.

This is how we will remember San Cristobal de Las Casas: cold, rain, rare moments of enlightenment, hippies, Indians, mountains, clouds and tiles. To ourselves, we even nicknamed it San Morozal because of the weather and the general feeling. Or could I enter our TOP 5 cities in Mexico If only I had been a little more friendly.

As Andryusiks said, “this city can be safely recommended as a refrigerator.”

Enjoy your walks around San Cristobal, dear readers!

Sheboldasik and four-legged friends

How to get to San Cristobal

How to get to San Cristobal from Tuxtla Gutierrez

To get from Tuxtla Gutiérrez to San Cristobal, you can take the OCC bus. We chose the bus leaving at 12:00. A ticket to San Cristobal costs 48 pesos, the journey takes 1:10. We used the discount coupon again and paid only 34 pesos.

So don't forget about the 10% discount coupons for your next trip if you use ADO and OCC buses. Coupons are printed directly on your boarding pass, so don't throw them away after your trip.

By the way, it is better to check the bus schedule on the Internet; not all routes are shown on the boards posted at bus stations (perhaps only direct routes are indicated).

Where we lived in San Cristobal

This time we had to look for housing locally. We did not find anything suitable for booking in San Cristobal in advance. Having learned from the bitter experience of searching for shelter with heavy backpacks, this time we left our things in the storage room at the bus station. As a result, the search dragged on for three hours (they paid 104 pesos for two backpacks).

There were enough options for budget accommodation in San Cristobal, but we have special requirements: give us a work desk, good internet (which, by the way, not all hotels had in general), and more light. There are also problems with the latter in this city - the windows in almost all the rooms overlook the courtyards, which is why the rooms are in eternal twilight. The availability of hot water has become even more important than usual, because the rooms are very, very cold (the city is in the mountains and it is never hot there). Ask for several blankets at once.

In the end we stopped at Hotel Villa Real. We asked for the most spacious room with a full-fledged work desk for 300 pesos (that’s how much a double room with one large bed costs in this hotel, and we had two of them, although we didn’t need that much, but it was more spacious). Plus this is the only room with a table.

In the end, it turned out that the Internet does not always work equally well, and sometimes turns off completely (I had to constantly ask to reboot the router until Andryusiks himself figured out this mysterious outlet). There were also problems with hot water - it was turned on at a time, that is, during the day there was no opportunity to go to the shower and warm up, which was very, very important, since there was a dubak in the room. Otherwise, there are no complaints about the hotel. It was warm at night under three blankets))

Article text updated: October 2, 2017

We ended the previous chapter about traveling independently in a rented car in Mexico with a report on an excursion to the Mayan pyramids on the outskirts of the city of Palenque. And we still had a long journey ahead of us through the Sierra Madre de Chiapas mountains to the Indian town with the beautiful name San Cristobal de Las Casas, which became an intermediate stop before reaching the Sumidero Canyon National Park (Parque Nacional Cañón del Sumidero). Having read the reviews of other independent travelers, we were mentally prepared for the fact that 250 kilometers of mountain serpentine would not be easy, but we did not expect that the road would be so difficult!

It should be noted that the trip to San Cristobal de las Casas is not only the most difficult of our entire independent travel around Mexico by car, but also the most picturesque. The road constantly winds between mountain ranges, sometimes rising to the clouds, sometimes diving down to calm valleys.

Considering that the roads in Mexico are, for the most part, of excellent quality, a distance of 250 kilometers could be covered in 2-3 hours on the plain. But the trip through the mountains took us the whole day: we got from Palenque to San Cristobal de Las Casas from 10:00 in the morning to 17:00 in the evening.

On the way, to rest, we stopped at some roadside cafe. It would be more correct to say, not at the cafe, but simply, there, in the villages, the Indians put up a grill in front of the house and write in large letters “Pollo Asado”, which means “baked chicken”. So we couldn’t resist the temptingly alluring fried crust.

I must say that the taste of the fried chicken was not at all impressive. Apparently, he waited too long in the wings and came out dry. All that glitters is not gold! Keep this in mind when traveling in Mexico.

Normally, I never get sick in the car, but this time, after driving a couple of dozen serpentines, I started to feel a little uneasy. What can we say then about Katya, who always suffers from sudden braking and changes in altitude! After a few hours of travel, she became “green”: “Leave me here in the mountains. I’d rather stay with the Chiapas Indians than travel another kilometer!”

Seasickness on a mountain serpentine road in Mexico. Renting a car and driving through the mountains is not an easy task. Report on a trip around the country on your own to the city of San Cristobal de las Casas

I didn’t abandon my partner in trouble, we waited a little and continued our difficult journey. We need to talk about one more trouble that awaits tourists in the Sierra Madre de Chiapas mountains during a trip from Palenque to San Cristobal de Las Casas. The state of Chiapas is populated predominantly by Indians and is the poorest region in Mexico.

We read reviews from tourists that said that in high mountain villages, local residents block the road, “extorting” travelers to pay for travel through their territory, forcing them to buy something. And, all the same, when we approached the next village beyond the serpentine road, we saw a teenage girl jumping up from the side of the road and pulling a rope across the road, with tin cans and boards, it became an unpleasant surprise. We stopped, the doors were locked. The children surrounded the car, their grandmother screamed hysterically, demanding to buy something (a bunch of bananas, pineapples). But we had only bought tangerines a quarter of an hour before and didn’t want to take anything.

The situation was heating up. I tried to move. The children became a human shield in front of the car. Granny is already cursing and is seriously angry, banging her hands on the car.

In the end, the wife said: “Touch it slowly”! – and I “pushed” the living shield...

This situation was repeated several times all the way from Palenque to San Cristobal de Las Casas. Later we decided that it would be better to buy something from them: in anger, the children banged their fists on the windshield and waved sticks. At one point, they could scratch the car and we would get problems with the rental office. It would be more expensive...

Once, an aunt was sitting on the side of the road with a huge machete. And the “ambush” is always located at the topes (a huge speed bump), so you can’t just rush through. Aunt was gape and did not have time to pull the rope - it would not have been as fun as in previous cases...

In the afternoon we reached the midpoint on the route from Palenque to San Cristobal de Las Casas - the city of Ocosingo. When I was planning a trip to Mexico on my own, I decided that we could spend the night here on the way back, when we get from Canyon Sumidero to the Agua Azul (Blue Water) and Misol Ha waterfalls, in the vicinity of Palenque . But we didn’t know if there were hotels here; tourists’ reports did not mention anything about hotels.

So, if you are planning your route, know that right next to the “central ring” there is some kind of luxury hotel with bungalows, and I saw several more signs saying “hotel” along the road.

If you decide to spend the night in Ocosingo, you may be interested in the information about the local attractions that I found on the Internet.

• Relatively nearby are the next Indian ruins - the Mayan archaeological complex of Toniná (Zona Arqueológica de Toniná). The largest pyramid has 260 steps and many sculptures. The complex is located on a high hill.
• Although, we dreamed of visiting other ruins, lost in the jungle on the border with Guatemala. The pyramids are called Yaxchilán (Zona Arqueológica de Yaxchilán). In the first chapter of the report there is a map of our trip to Mexico on our own and this attraction is marked with the letter “J" We planned to get there on our way back fromCanyon Sumidero: first we sail for 40 minutes by boat, and then we land in the jungle. There are almost no people, howler monkeys are screaming in the trees. According to reviews - an incredible place! Unfortunately, we got lost in the city of Tusla Gutierrez when we were looking for the Sumidero Canyon and did not end up in this Yaxchilan. But read the reviews of tourists - this place should not be missed in any case if you have already gone on an independent trip to Mexico!
• In the town of Ocosingo itself, you can see the 15th-century church of San Jacinto de Polonia and stroll through the central square. Throughout Mexico they are called "zócalo".
• Tourists also advise going to the local market. It’s a very colorful place, because people wear national clothes: ponchos, woolen skirts, and sombreros.
• In the vicinity of Ocosingo there is also a small cascade of waterfalls and ponds. It's called El Corralito.

We stopped, bought unusually delicious homemade ice cream from a local guy, caught our breath and again rushed to our serpentines in the Sierra Madre de Chiapas mountains.

By the way, this mountain range lasts 350 kilometers. Its highest point is the Tajumulco volcano, rising 4220 meters above sea level. The highest mountain in Mexico is Volcán Tacaná) , serving as the border with Guatemala. Its height is 4092 meters.

In the evening we finally reached our destination - the city of San Cristobal de Las Casas.

Many people write that they really liked San Cristobal. Not so much for me. Narrow streets, gloomy houses... We turned onto Rebel Street (sorry, I don’t remember how to speak Spanish). We saw the hotel Gardens of Light (Jardines de Luz). 2 blocks to the zocalo, ample parking, breakfast. We settled in. Price 500 pesos with breakfast. Breakfast: pancakes with jam and coffee.

We walked around the city.

Here, indeed, are the most interesting, authentic, and cheap souvenirs in comparison with our entire route.

And already the breath of Christmas...

The city is located at an altitude of more than 2 km above sea level. In the evening it was +4 C. I had to get all the warm clothes.

History of the city of San Cristobal de las Casas

The region where the city is now located was inhabited for thousands of years by the Mayan Indians, whose descendants today are the Tzotzil and Tzeltal peoples. In 1528, the Spanish conquistador Diego de Mazariegos defeated the army of Zoques and Chiapanecos in a fierce battle and founded a settlement which he called “Villareal de Chiapa de los Españoles”. Over time, the settlement became the capital of the province of Chiapas. Later, on March 1, 1535, the Spanish crown granted the settlement a coat of arms, and it became known as Cristóbal de los Llanos, in honor of its patron Saint Christopher. City status was received on July 7, 1536, and it was renamed again - Ciudad Real de Chiapa. I won’t list all the names...

In 1994, the Zapatista uprising broke out in the state of Chiapas - the Indians were dissatisfied with their miserable situation and the fact that farmers were seizing their ancestral lands. The protests were suppressed by the government army, but until now, this region cannot be called calm: in the reports of tourists, I came across stories about how the Indians blocked the roads for all transport (however, after a couple of hours of waiting, traffic resumed).

What to see in the vicinity of San Cristobal de las Casas

We stayed in San Cristobal de las Casas simply because we did not have time to get to the capital of Chiapas, Tuxtla Gutiérrez, next to which is the Sumidero Canyon National Park (Parque Nacional Cañón del Sumidero). But, in general, guidebooks to Mexico suggest considering the following excursions in the city and its surroundings.

• Lagunas de Montebello National Park (Parque National Lagunas de Montebello), located 160 kilometers from San Cristobal. The name can be translated as “Beautiful Mountains”. The park consists of 56 picturesque lakes. Here you can ride boats or go horseback riding through the jungle and into caves.
• Las Cascadas el Chiflón waterfalls – located 100 kilometers to the southeast. Consist of two streams. One of them brings down water from a 70-meter height.
• The caves of Las Grutas de San Cristobal are located 13 kilometers south of San Cristobal de las Casas. There is a 750 meter long trail inside. You can admire stalctites and stalagmites.
• You can book rafting on a river with class 3 and 4 rapids from local travel companies.

This concludes the 6th part of my review of traveling around Mexico on my own. In the next chapter I will write a report about how we rafted on a boat along the Grijalva River (Río Grijalva), squeezing between the rocks in the Sumidero Canyon (El Cañón del Sumidero).