August 14th, 2006 | The lowdown by Heather Way

The New Kid in the Park

I've just moved to Tuxtla Gutierrez, the capital of the state of Chipas, in the south of Mexico. I'll be here for a year, teaching English and sharing insider information about this medium-sized city nestled in a canyon.

The first thing that one might say exemplifies Tuxtla are its parks, the most well-known of which are Marimba Park and the Plaza Civica. The latter, on the Avenida Central across from the San Marcos Cathedral, hosts a medium-sized market where one can drink Jamaica (pronounced Ha-my-kah) or rice water, purchase produce at extremely cheap prices, or just take in the sights and sounds. If you're looking for a bigger market, cross the street and walk down about 4 blocks past the church.

Marimba Park, so-called because of the Marimba dancing that takes place every evening until about 10pm, is an integral part of life in Tuxtla. Locals dance, some nightly, to a live Marimba band, and their smiles seem to radiate. If you're lucky, you'll see the man who swings a cloth to the beat.

For 15 pesos, you can take a Panoramico bus for a half-hour ride up above Tuxtla. The view is best at night, and truly demonstrates how Tuxtla has grown over the past few decades to encompass most of the valley in which it lies.
Enjoy the view.