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caroljruby

Dec 30, 2006, 4:46 PM

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Retirement Heaven

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I'm retired and I want to know the pros and cons of moving to either Guanajuato (visiting there in January) and San Cristobal de las Casas (love it). I speak Spanish fairly well.

(This post was edited by caroljruby on Dec 30, 2006, 4:48 PM)

Rolly

Dec 30, 2006, 4:50 PM

Post #2 of 12 (4459 views)

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Re: [caroljruby] Retirement Heaven

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That's easy. Pick the one you feel comfortable with. Don't be influenced by what others like. I doubt many would like where I live on the desert, but it suits me just fine. And that's all that counts.

Rolly Pirate

E-visit me http://Rollybrook.com
On Facebook as Rolly Brook

caroljruby

Dec 30, 2006, 5:09 PM

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Re: [Rolly] Retirement Heaven

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Rolly, where do you live?

sfmacaws

Dec 30, 2006, 5:41 PM

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Re: [caroljruby] Retirement Heaven

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If you plan to stay there until the end, consider the hills in Guanajuato. That would be a very difficult city to negotiate if you were not completely able bodied. San Cris is much flatter, both of them are at an altitude that could be a problem if you aren't used to it.

Jonna - Mérida, Yucatán

Bubba

Dec 30, 2006, 6:23 PM

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Re: [sfmacaws] Retirement Heaven

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Sfmacaws makes an excellent point.

There are few more beautiful places than Guanajuato. When seeking an alternative place to buy a home and get out of the Lake Chapala area after five years in Mexico, we considered, among other places, Guanajuato, San Miguel de Allende, San Luis Potosi, Merida, Veracruz and San Cristobal - which is the town we chose. After visiting San Miguel, the town was clearly out of the question for us despite its beauty. On the other hand, Guanajuato is a magnificent town but both claustrophobic and vertigenous. A city that challenges the senses and traps one in horrendous traffic through impossible thoroughfares. An ant´s nest without easy escape.

We chose San Cristobal for a number of reasons I won´t go into here but here is what is important. The town is mostly level with only a few moderate hills within the urban zone itself. It is blessed with extraordinary colonial architecture and a fine mix of indigenous and mixed race and Spanish cultures. It is a sophisticated town recently made more accessable on its high mountaintop by a new autopista from Tuxtla Guterriez and is surrounded by highland Maya communities of exquisite beauty. But it´s high and cool and not for everyone. You must decide what is important to you.

(This post was edited by Bubba on Dec 30, 2006, 8:57 PM)

Rolly

Dec 30, 2006, 7:26 PM

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Re: [caroljruby] Retirement Heaven

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Carol, I live in Lerdo, Durango which is just across the Rio Nazas from Torreón, Coahuila. Where the desert meets the mountains. Poncho Villa country. Check out my website for a grand tour.

Rolly Pirate

E-visit me http://Rollybrook.com
On Facebook as Rolly Brook

Moisheh

Dec 30, 2006, 7:58 PM

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Re: [Bubba] Retirement Heaven

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Bubba: Can you tell me about the new autopista? We have been on the old road twice. We were in a modern truck with a big camper and it was hairy but no problem with 4 wheel disc brakes. We are considering a return to San Cristobal this winter but are now in an older motorhome that dos not have an exhaust brake. That old road would be trying for our beast. Is the new road 4 lane? Wild curves? Steep climbs? Long downgrades?
My wife wants to know if they blew up the mountain!!!

Moisheh

raferguson

Dec 30, 2006, 8:05 PM

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Re: [caroljruby] Retirement Heaven

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I would have to agree with the consensus, that downtown Guanajuato is not a city that is easy to get around. The last time I drove in I hired a taxi at the edge of the city to lead us to our hotel. A two dimensional map is hard put to explain the three dimensional street system. However, the suburbs of Guanajuato, such as Marfil, may offer a compromise, getting you out of the steep streets, bus fumes, etc.

Guanajuato seems especially rich in cultural events, such as the Cervantino. Guanajuato is the capital city of the state, which San Cristobol is not, and that factor, along with the university, means that Guanajuato will have more cultural events.

The one time that I was in San Cristobal it was very cold and wet, which I understand is typical around Christmastime.

You should definitely look at climatic data before making a decision. My guess is that Guanajuato has a better climate, overall.

If you want to be around indigenous people (Indians), then of course San Cristobal is the place.

But I like both cities, you probably will not go wrong with either one. I am especially fond of Guanajuato, but it did seem pretty polluted on my last visit.

Richard

http://www.fergusonsculpture.com

Bubba

Dec 30, 2006, 9:36 PM

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Re: [Moisheh] Retirement Heaven

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Bubba: Can you tell me about the new autopista?

Moisheh:

This new autopista is a glorious engineering achievement. It has cut the distance from Chiapa de Corzo (suburban Tuxtla Gutierrez on the beautiful Grijalva River) to San Cristobal from about 75 to about 45 kilometers and is a cut in the side of the mountain that climbs straight up about a mile in 30 minutes. It is an adventure to drive this two lane toll road with wide shoulders and the toll is now $35 Pesos. The vistas of the valley below and verticle cornfields and pine forests and heroic cuts in mountain passes must be seen to be believed and then after climbing through various climatalogical zones one descends into the valley occupied by the long isolated city of San Cristobal characterized by surroundings they would call favellas in a Brazilian city with a center of Spanish colonial beauty and a climate subject to changes one would expect in a mountain town at 7,200 feet rom rain to fog to crystal blue skies and temperatures in the 70s fahrenheit.

The drive up the mountain should be a breeze and the road bed is not particularly curvey. However, it is extraordinarily steep. You may run into peasoup fog/clouds but will find the normally scary local drivers respectful of the dangers of this phenomenon and they will back off if you find yourself in that situation.

This ain´t the tropics as you know but an area surrounded by pine forests and indigenous villages cultivating verticle cornfields in red clay mountainous topography. I don´t see why you can´t make it. Even though it is only a two lane road, the shouldes are wide and could accommodate your camper if you overheat.

They did not blow up the mountain but they sure as hell cut a swath in it. What an adventure.

caroljruby

Dec 31, 2006, 3:31 AM

Post #10 of 12 (4397 views)

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Re: [Bubba] Retirement Heaven

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Thanks to all for the information on Guanajuato and San Cristobal. I was in San Cristobal in 1993 and wondered how it has changed since then. I remember that it was August and the streets were full of young Europeans. After a trip to Palenque, I returned to find the streets empty. It was the last week of the month and everyone went back to Europe. My friend and I ate breakfast often at Casa del Pan. I still remember The Gypsy Kings on the stereo. It was the first time I heard them. The American couple who owned the restaurant had just moved down from D.F. where they had lived for years. According to my guidebook, Casa del Pan is still there. I'm looking forward to seeing Guanajuato in a couple of weeks. Perhaps I can head for Chiapas in February or March.

Moisheh

Dec 31, 2006, 4:58 AM

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Re: [Bubba] Retirement Heaven

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Bubba:

Thank you for that descriptive reply.

Moisheh

caroljruby

Dec 31, 2006, 6:41 PM

Post #12 of 12 (4340 views)

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Re: [Rolly] Retirement Heaven

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Rolly, I checked out your website and really enjoyed the photos and all the information you have provided. It sounds/seems like you're really having a grand time, relaxing with your two furry friends in La Republica.