Chiapas Slide Show

Now presenting....

the much anticipated....

pictures from Chiapas!

(to be read with an announcers voice)

Hmm... I hope that wasn't too much build up. ;-) It took me a while, but here are the pictures from Jo Ellen's and my recent mini-vacation to Chiapas. Hope you enjoy!

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San Cristobal de las Casas

Our overnight bus arrived in San Cristobal at 6:00am, leaving Jo Ellen and me to wander the empty streets until we found a place open for breakfast. It was a beautiful, bright morning - with great cooler temperatures.

The vendors in this town are abundant and persistent. Many of the women carry their babies 'papoose' style - note the purple bundle on the woman's back. Their clothing is also quite unique - with many of the women wearing traditional black/grey wool skirts.

Male vendors selling toys and balloons.

Taking a break on the steps of the Cathedral. Nothing particularly extraordinary about this picture - except that it's my first shoe shine ever! My shoes were pretty miserable looking, but it surprised me to have the kid say, "Let me shine your shoes - come on - they're SO dirty." Thanks for that ;-).----------------------------------------------------

Chamula

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The first stop on the tour of the town of Chamula was a rather unique graveyard. The lighter colored crosses are for people who died young, and the black ones are for everyone else. There were also graves with a rock as a headstone - for people who did not have enough money for a cross. Sometimes people put more crosses up, to mark the years someone has been buried there - hence the graves with 2 to 5 crosses.

This may look like a picture of trash, but is actually what has been left intentionally at the grave of a loved one. There is a candle burning inside the tin walls, and the fruit and drink on the ground reflect what the person enjoyed in life.

This church in Chamula was started by the Dominicans, but the worship inside is quite... different. While the front is bright and colorful, the interior of the church is a darker, incense-filled place. There are no pews, and the tile floors are covered with pine needles. People who come to worship there clear off an area on the floor and light dozens of tall candles in prayer to the wooden saints lining the walls. There are even two Saint Johns in case one is too busy. They sometimes have eggs for healing and a chicken for sacrifice nearby.

When we entered, I felt a heaviness of spirit - like a something weighing down on my whole body - that I've only felt a couple times in life. These were people of such strong faith, but were placing it in false gods. As Jo Ellen commented, 'They're so close, and yet so far.'

(Photography was strictly prohibited inside the church).

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Zinacantán

This town was near Chamula, but seemed almost like a different world. Their culture is markedly different, run more democratic style and people keep to themselves a little more. If I have this correct, the women in town recently voted to change their traditional dress to be a black skirt embroidered with vibrant purples and blues. They were quite pretty.

The woman below is working on a tapestry. Handmade products for sale.
This young girl is already practicing her weaving skills.

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Cañon del Sumidero

Jo Ellen's super excited about getting to wear these styling life-jackets for our river boat tour of the canyon. ;-) A three hour tour... no, it was actually only two, I just wanted to say that ;-). The wildlife on this tour was an interesting collection of things I've not often seen. Here a large flock of vultures are gathered on the river bank.

Never smile at a crocodile... ;-) And, we'll end this slide show with my favorite picture of the canyon. We navigated through these reeds (or old dead trees? are those called reeds?) to get a closer look at spider monkeys in the trees on the side. What wonders God has created.