CHIAPAS THOUGHTS: Little by little -- dot by dot --a painted bench emerges where there was none.

A work in progress:  It´s progressive 

Travel, great times and art work in progress at the foot of the volcano

Lifes design continues to emerge as I go along.   I've just returned from a trip to San Cristobal de las Casas in the State of Chiapas, United States of Mexico.  It was really fun.  The restaurants from modest-excellent to just plain fantastico and the many open markets, shops and informal vendors in the streets were delightful.  Folk art abundant, bright/somber colors weaving in and out creating high style...dazzling from every point of view, but mostly, exciting new interpretations of apparel and  home/fashion accessories, plus interludes with local cultural awareness and some basics in Maya ¨living¨ we quickly learned through...we were transposed into the passionate/determined understanding of the real history of Chiapas for four days/daze.

This is another church in Zincantan, Chiapas. Managed one photo without going to jail. The photo doesn't begin to do it justice. photo/Joan Fuetsch

I went with three friends and we drove directly to San Cristobal in one day (about 13 hours with a few delays like big trucks blocking the way and the reregistering our car when entering Mexico, the Mexicana way and a few military check points around la Comitan.
  

Maya impressions - a work in progress

We were tired when we arrived in San Cristobal but mostly from taking in the stunning mountain vistas and forest scenery along the way.  Up, up we drove through the northern most mountains of Guatemala, above the cities of San Francisco el Alto and  Hue Huetenango as we encountered dazzling, and sometimes breathtaking-away views that stretched beyond or straight down.  

Very other worldly church in San Juan Chamula, Chiapas. Interior photos forbidden, can go to jail or worse. Floor covered with pine needles, no pews, thousands of candles, the occasional squack of a chicken about to be sacrificed. photo/Joan Fuetsch

The roads were fine (mostly) and we pulled in after dark to a remote part of town (where we had mistakenly booked a hotel that we changed for one near the Central Park the next day)...tired, but ready to live life the Mexican way.  Onward we trudged, not missing a people, place or thing for the next four days. 

Another wonderful trip up Mexico way (btw, there was no violence, no civil unrest, no thieving and no upsetting moments in Chiapas) the whole State purred like a kitten and the prices were great.