JUCHITAN: We had originally planned a stop in TUXLA GUTIERREZ but we find the city to be a little too industrial and decide to move on. We continue towards the coast and cross the SIERRA MADRE DE CHIAPAS. Its a long drive through winding roads up to an altitude of 3700 meters. The crossing of the SIERRA is an eerie experience. We had found this to be the case two years earlier. The roads of the SIERRA are very isolated, and seem to form a lonely bridge between two civilisations: That of the still relatively untouched CHIAPAS Indians and that of the Tex-Mex "Cowboys" near the coast who live off the never-ending traffic that drives north-south and back along the endless Pan American highway. We reach the legendary Pan American highway late into the night, and wonder if we will find a descent hotel to stop for the night. The highway is basically a two lane road that starts down in the north of Chile and works its way up to the United States. Goods work their way back and forth, south to north and back, in huge double and even triple trailer trucks. Occasionally, we come upon a parking area where dozens of truck are parked for the night, seeking safety and security together, close to a rest stop or little restaurant where they can get food for the night. For a while we wonder whether we will have to stop for the night in one of the parking lotsalso… At about 22:00 PM, Christian suddenly pulls over and screeches to a stop in what appears to be a fairly quaint little colonial style motel. We get a very clean air conditioned room, with two double beds, but no hot water, in this recently opened hotel for $30 a night! After a quick and pleasant dinner, we're off to sleep after an exhausting day. The next day we reach JUCHITAN in less then two hours. JUCHITAN is a city on the border of Chiapas and Oaxaca. The locals look more like cowboys then Indians. We have the feeling we have left the soft and peaceful civilisation of the Chiapas Indians behind us. We are back in Mexico! We rush to the zocalo (yet another one for Christine) and then visit the local market. Great colours, and some very disturbing smells! Notice the pictures of the now retired Good, Bad and Ugly (hpim362) and the Seven Mercenaries (hpim363). Clint Eastwood was nowhere to be seen! This completes the archaeological and cultural first part of our journey. We have brunch in a very pleasant colonial hotel near the zocalo and get back on the road to embark on the second leg of our journey: Sea and sun (The third S? Keep in mind we are travelling with the kids…)  

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