Monthly Archives: April 2014

A Spring Festival, San Cristobal, Mexico

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San Cristobal is at an altitude of 2300 meters and is surrounded by peaks, pines and oak trees

San Cristobal is at an altitude of 2300 meters and is surrounded by peaks, pines and oak trees

This annual week long celebration of spring  involves quite a variety of events and runs concurrent with the Semana Santa holiday in Mexico. There seems to be something for everyone including art exhibits, sports,  concerts, parades, cultural events, rodeo’s,  bull fights, fireworks and more. Best of all,  most events are free of charge and in San Cristobal de las Casas the weather is spring like almost year around. For more information and a few photos of event activities, see the gallery below.

local people who have no store of their own set up shop behind the main plaza to sell hand made textiles and crafts
past and present festival beauty queens at the El Gato blues concert
El Gato Blues Band rockin’ La Ensenanza Casa de la Cuidad, they were smokin’
A sidewalk art contest in the main plaza
Folk dancing on stage in the main plaza
Flora, a local artist from Korea sells her unique style of artwork on Calle Hildago, one of the pedestrian only streets in Centro during the festival
At the anniversary celebration of El Jardin de Epifitas, there was a plant contest.
Another exotic plant in the epifitas garden plant contest
a flower decorated frame was set up at all four corners around the main plaza
a marimba orchestra performing on one of two stages set up in the main plaza
a fashion show on the main stage in centro
another model wearing one of the latest spring fashion designs in Chiapas
One of the 2 day events was a National motocross competition
The winner flies over the checkered flag
Almost every event in Mexico will have a Mariachi Band as did the spring festival
There were state soccer tournaments at this field, as well as, basketball and baseball tournaments at other locations in the cities large sports park
Here is a handicapped musician who learned to master the marimba with his feet, performing on the main stage in centro
Here’s a 4 piece jazz band performing at the Casa de la Cuidad with a cover of Dave Brubecks “Take Five”
A trational orchestra on the main stage closing out the festival on the 27th of April

 

Chiapa de Corzo, A Mexican Magic Town

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La Pila

The La Pila Fountain landmark was constructed in1592 with a diamond shaped Moorish design made of brick.

Chiapa de Corzo was once the capital of the state and is now one of Mexico’s  Pueblo Magico’s  due to it’s historical significance. It is located between San Cristobal de Las Casas and Tuxtla Gutierrez on the banks of the Grijalua river. The main tourist attractions here include some impressive church architecture, sumidero canyon and ecological park, waterfront restaurants on the river and the waterfalls of Chorreadero Park. Touring  Sumidero Canyon requires an inexpensive 2 hour boat ride that cruises down the Grijalua river through steep vertical walls that rise up as high as 1000 meters in some places while the park offers hiking, cycling, rappelling, rock climbing and kayaking recreational activities. The  Chorreadero waterfalls and ecological park is only a 15 minute ride by taxi or car  from Chiapa or the waterfront. The main attraction here is  a stream that emerges from a cave which is the end of an underground river and plunges like a waterfall from a height of about 25 meters to form a series of cascading pools for swimmers to enjoy. The caves and underground river can also be explored by arranging a guided tour. Take the guided photo tour for more information about these attractions.

The Santo Domingo Church and former monastery was buildt in the 16 century and is the largest structure in the city
Here’s one of several hotels in the central historic district
a public market behind the church
One of several waterfront restaurants on the Grijalua river
The Temple of Calvario was built in the 17th century but was later renovated in nineteenth century style Gothic architecture
a street muscian entertaining shoppers in the main plaza
a view of the canyon that was carved by the river over a 12 million year period
a view of some rock outcroppings also carved by the river
While cruising along the river, you will see crocodiles and a variety of birds such as egrets and heron’s
Here a look at the stream emerging from the cave where the underground river ends at the Chorreadero Park
a view from the top where the stream emerges from the cave and flows down to form cascading pools of water

 

Rancho Nuevo Ecological Park, San Cristobal, MX

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A Woodlands Trail in the Park

A view of the parks forest and one of the hiking trails

 

Rancho Neuvo Caves

Rancho Neuvo Caves

Located in a beautiful forest on the outskirts of San Cristobal de Las Casas, the Rancho Nuevo Ecological Park  features  an illuminated  2 kilometer walkway through spacious caves with impressive stalactites. Other outdoor recreational activities at the park include horseback riding, a giant slide, a zip line, hiking trails, skating rink and camping facilities. There are also shops selling snacks, souvenirs, a variety of art and craft work as well as a restaurant. For more information, check out the guided photo tour below.

the zip line at the top of this photo crosses over some of the shops and parking lot area.
This trial is used for hiking or horseback riding
Horse and rider wandering through the woodlands
The illuminated cave walkway
one of the cave openings
cave stalactities
More rock formations and stalactites
a few more limestone stalactites
Some of the artisan shops in the park
One of two giant slides also called a toboggan
Rancho Neuvo Caves

El Arcotete Eco Tourist Park, Chiapas, Mexico

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It runs through the park and surrounds the village of San Cristobal

The Fogotico river  runs through the park and down to the village of San Cristobal

Folklore has it that years ago a French soldier named Jean D’Arcotete committed suicide in this park when he was rejected by a local woman that he fell in love while living in San Cristobal de Las Casas and the park is named after this legend. It is one of 7 ecological sites  surrounding  San Cristobal and is typical of the natural beauty which still exists all throughout the state of Chiapas, Mexico. The park is most well known  for a large stone arch that crosses the river Fogotico. It also has interior cavities with stalactites and twisted rock formations that can be explored by visitors. Besides the arch and river that winds through the park there are trails with an abundance of vegation, oak, pine and cypress trees for those who like to hike. Other outdoor recreational activities include zip lines, rappelling, camping or floating down the river on the parks rental boat. There  are also  palapa’s, a snack bar, cafe and pavillion if needed. For a better idea of what this park is like, take the photo tour below.

A view from the road on the way into the park
A pasture at the entrance to the park
A hillside palapa on the way to the swing bridge
Into the forest, next stop is the swing bridge
Here’s the swing bridge that goes to the arch and river
The fogotico river winding its way the arches
The river and arches
a look at the caves inside the arches
An wider opening on the other end of arch
If your tired of hiking at the end day you can always take the take the zip line to the parking lot and be there in 30 seconds
Instead of the zip line you can take the trail back to the parking lot and mingle with the sheep who have also had a rough day of foraging for food in the woodlands
One of the parks trials which has been paved in some areas