The Sophisticated San Cristobal

As Sara has written, our casita is not the most luxurious.  In our daily visits to the market we are not rubbing shoulders with the upper crust.  Our visits to Chamula and Zinacantan in combis, with the other passengers speaking tzotzil, are not the way most tourists get to those towns.  Cooking our meals at home is not how most visitors here eat.  But, there is another way.

I would be doing San Cristobal a great injustice if I did not share some of the sophistication of this beautiful city.  San Cristobal has a strong connection to the wider world and there is a significant ex-pat community here.  There are also local families with roots going back to Spanish Colonial times that have made great cultural contributions to the city.

Walking through the streets in the center of town, you can never tell what might be behind the unassuming, centuries-old adobe walls.  When Sara thought she might take a Spanish class, our landlord suggested we go to Instituto Jovel.  When we arrived at the address we walked through the door into a beautiful patio completely hidden from the street.

While not taking the Spanish lessons, we did sign up for an afternoon cooking class, just Sara and me.  When Irma, the wonderful cooking teacher, took us to the classroom on another old building on a different street, we were amazed at the beautifully-remodeled facilities inside.  The German woman who owns and runs the language school had purchased the home and was remodeling it into three rental units and the cooking school.  Sara said if we come back to San Cristobal, this is where we will stay.  An interesting side note is that this had been the home of Marcey Jacobson, the American photographer  who move to San Cristobal in the 1950's and died there at the age of 97 in 2009.  Her photographic works were published by the University of California.

Our cooking class was in the kitchen of one of the rental units.  Below is the cooking-school kitchen soon to be completed.

This morning, we visited the Casa de la Ciudad.  It is city-owned venue for seminars and conferences, and has gallery display space as well.  The building itself was originally a private home; in 1915 it was converted by its owner into a normal school.  The interior has been restored, and is stunning.  There currently is a display of modern fantasy art from around the world, along with a permanent collection of some of Marcey Jacobson's work.  This weekend, also, there is a conference of social scientists from universities throughout the country.  Hardly what comes to mind when most Americans think of Mexico.

As I have gone on photographic expeditions around town, I have noticed many attractive hotels.  Again, street appearance is often deceiving.  Yesterday I think I found the place that even the most demanding guest would fine acceptable.  We may try to go to dinner in their restaurant on our last night here.

In addition to fine hotels, there are many fine restaurants offering cuisines from around the world.  We have eaten at two Italian restaurants, both of which are owned and run by immigrants from Italy.  I have been told that the Argentine restaurants are very good, also.  In keeping with the eco-ethic of the State of Chiapas, there are several organic and vegan restaurants in town.

And, for those who do not want to bargain in the crafts market, there are some very fine shops.  Of course, the prices are significantly higher and, in some cases, so is the quality.

So, you see, there is much more to San Cristobal de las Casas than might initially meet the eye, and more than one way to enjoy it.