Chiapas - Mexico

After my (mis)adventures in Merida, I got back on the road and headed west, leaving the Yucatan and heading into the neighboring state of Chiapas. In contrast to the modernized Yucatan, Chiapas is a heavily forested region who's inhabitants consist of poor, rural farmers and small Mayan communities. Tucked back in the foothills of this province, lies the secluded Palenque ruins and my reason for coming here.

To be honest I was about ruined out, but I was told that Palenque was not to be missed, for the ruins and for the local counterculture that also takes refuge in this remote area. I took an overnight bus and landed in Palenque town at 5am. There, I ran into a set of french backpackers I had met in... you guessed it, Valladolid (Gay Perri), and together we took a taxi out to El Panchan, a cluster of cabañas, hotels, and restaurants, set back in the jungle a few Kilometers from the ruins.

We were let off at the entrance and walked down a small dirt road, pushing its way through the dense bottle-green jungle, toward the encampment. Day broke as we walked and a tiger stripped sunrise rose above the treeline. Howler Monkeys dangled in the canopy, welcoming us with their morning territorial roars- I don't know if you've ever heard or seen a Howler before, but they are about the size of a large domestic house cat, but capable of producing a howl so loud, that it leads you to believe that a large Tyrannosaurus is lurking just behind it in the trees. It's terrifying when you first hear it. We found a nice set of cabañas on the southern fridge of the 'village,' owned by a chatty old Mexican lady and, after a little siesta to get our whits about us, we made our way to the ruins.

They were refreshingly different. While most Mayan ruins are quiet similar in their structure, built on a large, flat grid around a plaza with a temple at one end, maybe a palace at the other, Palenque breaks the mold. Probably because they couldn't clear and flatten the land needed for the classic design in this mountain bound area, they instead built their towering edifices in small groupings that hugged the hillsides and were plotted in small valley plains. The result is a hidden labyrinth of limestone dwellings, observatories and temples cloaked in shadows, tucked behind rivers, and sunken below mountain ridges. It reminds you of what you used to think ruins looked like when you were a kid, like in Raiders of the Lost Ark. At times, walking the curving paths through the thick, humid jungle that guide you through the park, I felt like I was being transported back to ancient times and half expected to encounter a group of Olmecs hunters or Mayan warriors, or other indigenous groups that used to roam these lands.

That evening, we returned to our cabañas to find our little 'village' alive with people and attractions. Long haired hippies were hawking hemp woven jewelry along the road, skater Mexicans were performing Poi (fire dancing) to rhythmic drum and bass tunes. We ate dinner in one of the nicer restaurants, Italian fare, accompanied by live music and even a clown show (odd, but entertaining). I liked the vibe, even if it was a bit crowded and maybe even a little trendy.

After another day or two checking out other attractions in the area- waterfalls, swimming holes, and caves- the Frenchies and I bused it west to San Cristobal, another tourist hot spot in Chiapas. I was having a good time with my companions, even if there wasn't a whole lot of conversation between us. Of the three, only one spoke English and it was passable at best, and, since I don't speak french, we communicated mostly in Spanish. This was great for practicing the language no doubt, but we couldn't hold in depth, socially and politically stimulating conversations. So, aside from a few comments here and there, they spoke french and I didn't speak at all. I didn't mind though, it was nice not to half to feel compelled to speak all the time.

Anyways, San Cristobal, a small colonial city situated in the higher elevations, it had a cool crisp air and was a welcome change from the the humid jungles to the east. There really wasn't a whole lot to do here, there were waterfalls to explore, we did that. There were lakes to swim in, we swam in them. And there were caves to venture in, and we ventured. But, as nice as it was, one can only take so many amazing lakes, waterfalls, caves... before you get desensitized to it all and it becomes normal and even a little boring. Plus, I was loosing my beach tan and longed for the cool refreshing waters of the Pacific Coast, my next stop along the gringo trail.