Blogs from Palenque, Chiapas, Mexico, North America - page 2

4.5. Wir verbringen den Tag im Bus. Die Fahrt bis Palenque im Staat Chiapas dauert neun Stunden. Wir schlafen, lesen, schreiben Tagebuch, betrachten die vorbeiziehende Landschaft. Meist sind die Strassen von dichtem Gestrüpp gerahmt, manchmal sieht man aber Weiden mit buckligen Rindern, mageren Pferden und struppigen Ziegen, die Zaunpfosten haben Wurzeln geschlagen und bilden mancherorts dichte Hecken. Im Süden tauchen am Horizont Hügel auf, wir fahren an Seen vorbei mit bewaldeten Ufern. Einmal fahren wir durch dichte Rauchschwaden, vorbei an einem lodernden Buschfeuer. Mitten im Nirgendwo werden wir gebeten, unser Gepäck auszuladen und in einer Halle durchleuchten zu lassen. Jeder Fahrgast muss einen Knopf drücken, ein Zufallsgenerator. Bei einigen leuchtet ein rotes Licht auf, diese müssen ihr Gepäck durchsuchen lassen. Wir begreifen nicht, wozu das Ganze sein soll. In Palenque ... read more

Took Mex 186 to Escarega Junction, driving along way in dense treed surroundings with few towns. Two Military checks, no problems and no Entry.Hit a Cuota at Usumacinta 40 pesos. Road sign watch for monkeys and turtles was interesting. WE got rain 2nd time since Jan 5 , it lasted 10 mins. The Palenque Maya City of Temples about 500 miles southwest of Mexico City. It lies in Northern Chiapas, near the bottum of the highland over looking a vast plain. It was occupied at least as early as 500BC and reached its peak by th 17th century.Also known as the Pakal of the great, it was this reign that Palenque recouvered from failures of weather and disease. The Panels in the temple of the inscriptions include a text that is amoung the longest known from ... read more

Ik was gisteren laat thuis dus had ik geen tijd om te schrijven, maar hier is het verslag van gisteren. Ik zou dus om 5 uur opgehaald worden met een busje. Nou wist ik dat ze het hier niet zo nauw nemen met tijd als in Nederland. Dus ik zorgde dat ik een paar minuten eerder aan de straat stond dan afgesproken voor de zekerheid. Uiteraard was de bus niet op tijd. Sterker nog om kwart voor zes was de bus er nog niet. Ik was uiteraard best boos dat ze me vergeten waren en dus belde ik het kantoor op. Ik kreeg echter niemand te pakken want, wie gaat er om 6 uur in de ochtend al op kantoor zitten. Dus ik droop weer af en ben maar weer in bed gaan liggen om in ... read more

Today was another long 9 hr day with a relatively short 220 km trip to Palenque firstly stopping at the normally shimmering blue pools and waterfalls of Agua Azul. Slow trip due to more winding roads dropping nearly 2000 mtrs from misty mountain forests through rain forests almost to sea level all the while negotiating over 600 speed bumps along the way to slow cars as they pass through small indigenous communities. All the way the temperature was increasing as we descended. These villages are very poor & not well looked after by either the state or federal government's & survive on growing their own corn, beans & raising chickens. Education is only to primary level. Agua Azul waterfalls are know for their turquoise colour which comes from the limestone-rich content of the water however recent ... read more

Palenque town is compact with lots of places to stay and eat and easy minibus access to Palenque ruins. Not much else around aside from crafts as far as I could tell. Spent 3 nights, 2 would have been better but I was frazzled after 2 all day journeys in 3 days, first from Lanquín to Sayaxché then Sayaxché to Palenque. After Palenque I hit the Caribbean Coast at Playa del Carmen and the nearby ruins at Tulum which were not impressive and today the ruins at Ek' Balam near Valladolid which were very cool and not mobbed like Tulum most likely owing to the fact that's it's a bit of a production to get there but well worth it. US$ ≈ 13 Mexican pesos (M$) Accommodation and food Arriving late after the interminably ... read more