Moved on.... to Chiapas

It was with heavy heart that I left Guanajuato. I became really close to alot of people there, including the Mexican family I stayed with, other students in La Escuela Mexicana (my language school) and several of the teachers there as well. (Photo included of my favorite teachers and some of my classmates, as well as me and Jeff posing in front of our family's house) It seems that no matter how long I stay somewhere, I always end up leaving without having done everything I wanted to do. I guess that is all the more reason to go back someday. I definitely plan on returning to Guanajuato in the future. But it was time to move on.

My next desination was to be San Cristobal de las Casas, the cultural heart of Chiapas, in the south of Mexico. But getting there from Guanajuato was not so easy. So as to avoid a hellishly long bus trip (about 20 hours from Guanajuato), I took a bus to Mexico City where I booked a cheap flight into Tuxtla Guiterrez, about an hour outside of San Cristobal
I ended up staying overnight in Mexico City in order to take the early flight on Sunday morning. I ended up oversleeping a little on Sunday and was in a bit of a rush to catch my flight. If everything went smoothly, I'd arrive at the airport about 50 minutes before my flight (but when does everything go smoothly when you need it to?). I grabbed a quick shower, scarfed the complimentary breakfast and hoofed it to the nearest metro station (but not before making a quick stop at an ATM, which would prove to be a fateful decision).


For a Sunday morning, the subway was surprisingly busy, and my route to the airport would require me to take four different lines. The first time I switched subway lines, I was waiting with a crowd of people to get on the green line. The usual mad rush ensued when the train came to a stop and the doors to the train car opened. Right when I stepped onto the subway car, a middle aged guy sort of stopped right in front of me, rather than continue to the opposite (open part) of the car. I thought this odd at the time, especially since he was blocking my way (me being much encumbered with my large backpack and my smaller one slung over the front of me) and everyone was pushing me from behind to get on the train before the doors closed.
Even stranger, he didn't seem to be bothered that me and everyone else was pushing him from behind. After three or four seconds of this, he finally gave way and I slid past and took a position a little further away. I was a little stressed because I was worried about not making my flight. As I got off three stops later to switch to another line, I went to reach into my pocket to check the time on my cell phone. I discovered that my shorts pocket was unzipped, which was a bit surprising, since I -always- keep it zipped to protect my cell phone and loose change. When I reached in to get my cell phone, I realized that my wallet was gone. Ugghh! I panicked, not really knowing what happened. Then I realized, that the commotion when I boarded the last train was just a diversion to occupy me for a few seconds while some deft thief unzipped my shorts pocket and took the wallet. I was cursing myself for not having returned my wallet to my backpack (after having just taken cash out from the ATM), as I usually do, but in my rush I had put it off. I was so disappointed with myself for being careless and allowing myself to be taken advantage of. So I was faced with a decision: do I continue with my trip and go to the airport, or do I stay in Mexico City and try to sort everything out? My cavalier side got the better of me and I decided to forge ahead and have faith that everything would work out. I was able to get a hold of Matthew, who saved me and canceled my two credit cards that I lost, but I was still without a means to get any more cash (since I had lost my debit card... which in my haste, I hadn't returned to my passport wallet which I keep buried in my small backpack). I have to admit I did have a little trepidation to get on a flight with only 22 pesos (2 bucks) in my pocket and no real way to get any more cash. But it has all worked out (or is working itself out as we speak). When I arrived in Tuxtla Guiterrez, I bummed a ride to San Cristobal in a taxi with two other travelers (thanks Dave and Stacey!). When I arrived, I pleaded with the owner of a hostel to have mercy on me and let me have a room on credit until I could get my situation straightened out. I was starting to get nervous when I had visited my 10th ATM machine in town, none of which would accept my single remaining credit card, and American Express (curse you Amex!).
I finally found a bank that had a Western Union office within, and what's more, it was open on a Sunday afternoon. I was able to get a hold of my parents, who of course graciously bailed their precious son out of trouble (thanks Mom and Dad!). So all is well for the moment, and now I'm just anticipating the arrival of my replacement ATM card. It will probably be a minor miracle if it arrives to such a remote destination, but if you're an unweary traveler, sometimes you have to believe in minor miracles to make it through tough times without getting too stressed out. I'd like to close this entry by saying that this incident of being robbed on the metro -in no way- has changed my feeling of safety while traveling in Mexico. It happened because I was careless and made a mistake, not because traveling in Mexico is unsafe. The same scene could have happened (and I'm sure has happened) in New York, Los Angeles, or London. Although, with my newly honed mad language skillz, I feel the need to rant in spanish: ¡Pinche chilango! En serio, aquel chavo me hacía güey, pero a menos no me metió chingadazos... (sorry for the foul language)

So far, I really like San Cristobal. It's a beautiful colonial city, and reminds me alot of Antigua, Guatemala with the exception that San Cristobal is a bit less polished and much bigger. Like Antigua, it's laid out on a perfect grid pattern, with cobblestone streets. One or two story shops, painted in vibrant colors make up the central part of the city, which is ringed by lush, verdant mountains. There's even a heavy afternoon downpour everyday. All it lacks is the shadow of a huge volcano looming over the city, and it would be Antigua. I should be here most of the week, so stay tuned.