We left San Cristobal early in the morning.
A truck with gas cylinders in the back with a chain hitting the cobbled road so as to appeal customers woke us up.
Some taxis...
First people filling eateries for a breakfast. Tourists from the West...
We slept maybe three hours after coming back late from the party. I heard crow of roosters when trying to fall asleep. The last night locals celebrated the full moon.
We were are waiting for a bus. Mornings here are as chilly as evenings.
Five hours of drive in front of us...
Palenque isn't far away from San Cristo, maybe 200 km. Still, the road is curvy, mountainous...
Let's go sleep.
Finally we arrived to the jungle.
The climate got hotter and more humid.
The climate got hotter and more humid.
No mountain pine. Thick, tropical jungle.
Some settlements on the back. Some of them with signs of Zapatistas.
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| Jungle in Chiapas, on the way to Palenque |
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| Jungle in Chiapas, on the way to Palenque. Agula Azul |
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| Jungle in Chiapas, on the way to Palenque |
The closer to some tourist atractions like Agula Azul or Misal Ha, the more indigenous children on the road. They have their stands on the back, trying to sell fruit, handicraft, junky souvenirs. Some of them are running along our bus, waving with the goods they want to get rid off for few pesos.
Palenque.
I heard that only Tikal in Guatemala and Copan in Honduras are equal to Palenque in term of the beauty and magnificence.
Before entering the ruins zone, you are again in the street market. Among the vendors you can notice another group of indigenous people. They are wearing white tunics and long black hair cut in a fringe. The Lacadones? Maybe... They number less than 1000 and live in the Lacandon Jungle. Their traditional religion is animist, but most of them have abandoned it in favour of evangelical Christianity.
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| Palenque, in the jungle |
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| Palenque, in the jungle |
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| Palenque, in the jungle |
Ruins. Hundreds of ruined buildings are spread over 15 sq km.
Palenque is a Maya city that flourished in the 7th century. It fell around 800 AD. The ruins date back to 100 BC.
Many tourists. Some of them are meditating on the grass, exposed to the Sun, right under the pyramids.
It is the Temple of the Inscriptions which draws you attention first. The largest Mesoamerican stepped pyramid structure in this place. It houses The Tomb of Pacal. Pacal the Great was the most famous ruler of Palenque. You can see his image carved in stone, as well as images of other rulers and gods.
15 sq km of ruined buildings in the foothills of the Chiapan highlands. But only a fairly compact central area has been excavated. The forest around the temples is as before home to monkeys, toucans, ocelots.
You are listening sounds of birds and crashing waterfalls echo.
Palenque is a Maya city that flourished in the 7th century. It fell around 800 AD. The ruins date back to 100 BC.
Many tourists. Some of them are meditating on the grass, exposed to the Sun, right under the pyramids.
It is the Temple of the Inscriptions which draws you attention first. The largest Mesoamerican stepped pyramid structure in this place. It houses The Tomb of Pacal. Pacal the Great was the most famous ruler of Palenque. You can see his image carved in stone, as well as images of other rulers and gods.
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| Palenque, ruins in the jungle |
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| Palenque, ruins in the jungle |
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| Palenque, ruins in the jungle |
15 sq km of ruined buildings in the foothills of the Chiapan highlands. But only a fairly compact central area has been excavated. The forest around the temples is as before home to monkeys, toucans, ocelots.
You are listening sounds of birds and crashing waterfalls echo.
The dense jungle still hides undiscovered temples.
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| Palenque, in the jungle |
Excellent photos.
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