urprisi ng Chiapas Winding through Mexico’s most Mayan state Tani Dabbs Cenrributing Writer It was just after 1] a.m. on a Sunday, but business was unexpect- edly brisk at the Restaurant Familiar E! Vercel del Paladino. The tour bus tire, and while driv guide supervised its repair in the bright Mexican sun, we passengers headed for the well shaded restaurant patio, ordered cervesas all around and discussed what Httle we rmonkey. tor oxamples ad works to protect Chip. cousystems, Considered ong orth nt zoos mn Latin sinall t CONTA the rest are in cmvircnmentsy thar resemble them mative habitats, BARO UE facade of Santo Domingo church in San Cristohu! was added in the 17th century. knew abour Mexican politics. We were exploring the state of Chiapas and had stopped to change the tre in Ocosingo, the first town to be taken by Zapatista fore in 1994. A ceasefire had been in effect for several years now, the struggle tor political change and peasant rights being waged with words rather than bullecs, su if we had encountered any Zapatistas, we wouldn't have recognized them without their masks and AK-47 rifles. Mexico’s southernmost state and one of its poorest, Chiapas sits on the border with Guatemala. Of its 3.4 million inhabitants, about 700,000 are descendants of the Maya and other ethnic minorities. It’s a region that cannot be visited in a hurry. Leng and sometimes grueling drives are required to negoti- ate the rugged yer beauritil landscapes between cities. Flat tires are not uncommon. Even without the uncer- tainties of an active revolu- tion, Chiapas turned out to be a place of surprises. The first came shortly after our flight landed at Aeropucrto Teran in Tuxtla-Gutierrez, the bustling state capital. We boarded our tour bus and headed straight for, of all things, a zoo. Despite Chiapas having the highest concentiation of animal species in all North America, many are threatened or in danger of extinction and most live in inaccessible areas, so visitors are unlikely to see them in the wild. Zoologico Miguel Alvarez del Toro, or ZooMA’ breeds certain species 292 Mackay Rd. Among the mamnuls in sidence are pumas, ocelots stic zopilote rev, the lated turkey and the al, sacred bird of the is Canyon, Outside the pretty coionial town of Chiapa de Corzo, site of the first Spanish settlement in the THE Temple of the Sun exhibits the best preserved roofcomb at Palenque. About three dezen of the 500 structures at Palenque have been excavated. 'N. Vancouver « 988-1675 area, Visitors con board small passenger launches tora pleasant (ve hour 35 kilome S622 miles) trip along the arialva River bet canven’s P00 metre loth-contury Chiapans hurled themselves by che hundreds inte the gore rather than subnut te Spanish domination. Samidera a place v fiers seen. Visitors cai spot cor Morants, cyrets, herons, vul tures and other birds feed: atthe river's edge, while the boat operator can point out the accasional crocodile lurk ing near shore, The road between ‘Puxtla- Gutierrez and San Cristobal de das Casas winds into the Chiapas highlands, where mints drift im and out of pine forests. Brilliant against this back- ground are the blouses worn by Tzotzil women that we pass, embroidered in purple, magenta and teal. Before reaching San Cristobal, we take a detour into the past. San Juan Chamula, 10 kilometers (6 miles) northwest ¢ Cristobal, is a town of Tzotzil origin that has changed little with the centuries. Hts people continue to live, dre SOT ES OTe Chamula's litthe w church, trimmed like a cake in teal and gold, are lined with brightly painted wooden cabinets. Behinc their glass Jungle page 34 Friday, September 17, 1999 - North Shore News — 17 e . THE Cathedral in San Cristobal de las Casas is one of the city's m colonial buildings. Photos Tont Dabbs The first phase of the Lions Gate Project is underway withconstruction along the Stanley ‘Park Causeway and preparatory work on the Lions Gate Bridge. Deck replacement will begin in January 2000. STANLEY PARK CAUSEWAY SINGLE CLOSURES July 1999 — june 2000 Closure of one traffic lane on the Causeway may be required during sveeknights, Sunday through Friday, 10 pm - 6 am, Motorist: are asked to observe speed limits and construction signs. Bripce & CAuUsEWwaAy SIDEWALK CLOSURES The east sidewalk of the bridge is closed until mid ro late October 1999, Use the WEST sidewalk. The west sidewalk will clase after the east sidewalk reopens. To ensure the satety of all sidewalk users, cyclist: and pedestrians are advised of the following: © Watch for detour signs for alternative roures to access the west sidewalk. © Cyclists dismounr when meeting other cyclists or pedestrians. Please note that the east sidewalk along the Stanley Park Causeway is also closed. Cyclists are advised to follow detour signs to alternate rour * FOR ADDITIONAL INFORMATION ON The Lions GaTE Project,please call the Information Line at (604) 473-1500 or Toli Free 1-877-473-0202, or visic the Lions Gate Web Site www lionsgatebridge.gov.be.ca | Godel TarciahctoBBy! ASV RR EERO eR RASH TEMALAR ED Oe Oe HEME RECA RR EDA ES Db irre ee HARDEE TASER AL EERE KD HOARE OS.