I don’t have a Wifi connection in the RV Park so all these posts are a day behind.

Left the Ford dealership at 7am and found my way to the park a singe after last night’s driving. It is almost out in the country, lots of shade trees and there are about 7 other rigs here so Ramona has some one to talk to when I am gone!! It is just over a mile to walk into the city centre and after getting sorted out and having breakfast I packed up and went exploring.

First a little bit of history about San Cristobal de Las Casas, which was founded in 1545 and is nestled in the highland valley and surrounded by pine and oak forests. It is the home to many Mayan Indian tribes and they have their own language, customs and religions.

This area was the scene of militant unrest in the 1990’s and today it seems the Indians do not have all that they should have under federal law.

I have not really visited a city quite like this it has the feel of a Colonial town with many beautiful churches, small streets lined with balconies, many European tourists and 1000’s of Indians who walk the streets trying to sell their local handicrafts. They refuse to be photographed and really are indifferent to me except that they want me to but their crafts. I feel for them and their poverty and I know the solutions are steeped in history but I shudder when I see all the young children, it seems each family has at least 4 or 5 kids, what chances do they have?

I covered most of the downtown area and the churches are beautiful. As I was passing the Teatro Daniel Zebadua they were selling tickets for a performance tonight so I decided to up grade my culture input and bought one.

So this evening I walked again into the centre for the show and it was a show the likes I have never seen before. It was incredibly performed very professional and it was a combination of music, dance, folklore, ballet and history. Without being too blasé it could be likened to the Mayan version of Lord of the dance.

The performers spoke in Mayan but we were all given a program before the show, which explained what the performance was about, and a brief but interesting synopsis is that it is the story of two Mayan tribes, Palenque and Tonina and how they fought and a woman dressed as a man led the victorious side. The interesting point for me being that Tonina is the first ruin site that I am going to on Tuesday and then onto Palenque. It was a great show that I thoroughly enjoyed.

I was shocked to see the numbers of people on the streets after the show, the altitude is almost 7000 feet so it is a little cooler, but still very pleasant and everyone from young hippies, to Grannies, to locals were just meandering about all appearing to be happy and content.

Tomorrow I have booked a local tour to two close by Indian villages where I am told it is another world so really looking forward to that trip.

Another wonderful day and I cannot believe only another two weeks till I pick up my Bro’ and let the fun begin, have a great weekend.. and enjoy the photos of today’s visit to town.