San Cristobal gives up its fruits, we partake

Afternoon of our first full day in San Cristobal. After some frustrating phone calls between Jessica and American Airlines, we learned that our bags had landed, or would soon land in Tuxtla, and we taxied down the mountain to retrieve them. Sure enough – I say this despite never for a second, until seeing the bags in the lost and found closet, thinking it more likely that the bags would be there than that they would not – there they were, and 3 hours and $65 later ('at the cost of' might be more accurate), our belongings were ours again. Huge success.

Around noon, a former Reedie and one-time tenant of this property stopped by on her way through town to show us around some of the trickier aspects of S.C. living: what to do when the city stops refilling your water tank (because water is scarce), when the natural gas tank needs replacement, etc. This was some help, but her greatest contribution to our well-being here, I'm sure, is the wonderful little weekly organic market that she told us about, where we shortly set off to and bought nice cheeses (not a common thing in these parts), hand-made crackers, chocolate, tortillas and vegetables. Comestible inspection later revealed these items (those that we got round to trying, anyway) to be delicious. Already two huge successes, and it was only about 1 o'clock.

Now we are relaxing a little bit, enjoying our bright, airy living room (pictures soon, really), and view, making some little trips out for this and that, and learning what we can about the first real day of college football season. Which I'd better now get back to.