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Background: The site of advanced Amerindian civilizations, Mexico came under Spanish rule for three centuries before achieving independence early in the 19th century. A devaluation of the peso in late 1994 threw Mexico into economic turmoil, triggering the worst recession in over half a century. The nation continues to make an impressive recovery. Ongoing economic and social concerns include low real wages, underemployment for a large segment of the population, inequitable income distribution, and few advancement opportunities for the largely Amerindian population in the impoverished southern states. Elections held in July 2000 marked the first time since the 1910 Mexican Revolution that the opposition defeated the party in government, the Institutional Revolutionary Party (PRI). Vicente FOX of the National Action Party (PAN) was sworn in on 1 December 2000 as the first chief executive elected in free and fair elections.

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By nicole21
September 19th 2006

A mexican excursion

North America » Mexico » Chiapas » Palenque

a waterfall in the rainforest at the ruins

We left Puerto Escondido in the afternoon on the bus to San Christobel which took 12 hours and then a 5hour bus to palenque where we spent a night and went on a day trip to visit the mayan ruins and waterfalls that palenque is famous for. For $10 we had a private mini bus that took us to the mayan ruins where you can explore old palaces and tombs unfortunatly it was a misty morning so the pictures are kind of unclear, we were then taken to misol ha which is a huge waterfall where some of the film predator [View Full Entry]

who puts a tree in the middle of a walkway?

By Francois and Tom
September 19th 2006

Life in the jungle....

North America » Mexico » Chiapas » Palenque

"Intresting"
Oh ya ya ya

Well, here we are in Palenque. A Mayan ruin site. I dont really have much interest in the ruins but I guess we should really see them as were here. For the past two nights we have been staying in a jungle cabana. Its full to the brim of moths, I swear, at night its moth central. It has a thatched roof so anything can get in. It didn't bother me so much in the day but when night came I was pretty pathetic. I was ok at first but then the moths joined us so Tom decided to burn the [View Full Entry]

By Kat Liam
August 29th 2006

Mexico - Palenque

North America » Mexico » Chiapas » Palenque

In 30-something degrees....
While we were gasping for breath and resting every few steps in the shade, these guys manicured the acres of grass around Palenque

Our journey to the Mayan ruins of Palenque started with a rush to the bus station. We had to take 4 different subway lines and no time for mistakes. We arrived with minutes to spare and a chance to find some liquid yogurt and some churios (Mexican donuts). Our new Volvo coach entertained us with DVDs and air conditioned us into semi conscious comas. We stopped for some road side gruel, beans, some kind of poultry and fried platano (big tasteless brother to the banana). We were then approached by an attractive lady introducing herself and welcoming us to her country? [View Full Entry]

Liam looking deceptively cool in his shades

By Seeta
August 22nd 2006

From El Salvador to Guatemala to Mexico

North America » Mexico » Chiapas » Palenque

Famous Temple ruins in Tikkal, Guatemala
The Mayan temples at Tikkal are the largest in the world, and many remain hidden underground. This one, Temple of the Jaguar (i think) is pctured on seemingly every National Geographic! It was also th... [more]

Well, Steve and I have arrived safely in Mexico-- yay! We´re finally on the last leg of the journey....Just one more week to go. I really wanted to post some pìcs of the cool things weve seen and done, but it appears that my camera cable got lost/left behind at some point, so no more pics until I get home..... ): Here´s a brief re-cap of what we´ve been up to. After sucessfully taking Ticabus from Nicaragua through Honduras, we managed to get across the El Salvadorian border (phew!) and spent the night in a dingy little hostel in San Salvador [View Full Entry]

By Scottp
August 4th 2006

Palenque to San Cristobal

North America » Mexico » Chiapas » Palenque

Palenque

After Campeche we were off to Palenque for more ruins, 100 BC-240 AD, but this time set in thick jungle and my favorite to date. The town of Palenque was not really a pretty site, looks like one of those places that doubles in size every year. An overcrowded and disorganized place with lots of character, so I liked the place straight away! The town is in a middle of a valley, so surrounded by beautiful scenery and reminded me off a lot of the towns in S/E Asia. The first night it rained like I never seen before. A big [View Full Entry]

By Enigma
July 31st 2006

Mazunte -> San Cristobal Dela Casas -> Tonina -> Palenque

North America » Mexico » Chiapas » Palenque

Chamulan Church
San Juan Chamula, near San Cristobal....

San Cristobal De Las Casas This is an affluent settlement, about 12 hours by bus from Pochutle (near Mazunte). I took an overnighter and arrived at about 8am. This town has the typical Zocalo layout (town centre) with lots of shops and so on and plenty of tourists (too many for my liking). I managed to take a look a the local live music scene which was a mix of Samba and Rock and Roll, an interesting combination. There were a number of salsa clubs (which are in just about every larger town) however these dont get going until after [View Full Entry]

By BomBom
July 30th 2006

Palenque

North America » Mexico » Chiapas » Palenque

Mayan Museum
this is from the Chetumal pics, not Palenque at all

What can I say, I can´t think of anything right now. Palenque was some time ago now. The pictures may have to do most of the talking for me. I only stayed in Palenque for two nights and three days. One night in the town, which wasn´t very interesting, just as the guidebooks said. I stayed one night in a hotel within the grounds of the site, it was really nice but quite expensive. The site was amazing and surrounded in the most amazing array of green (trees and plants) truely beautiful. This is where I also started to notice red [View Full Entry]

By Char
July 25th 2006

In the steps of the Mayas

North America » Mexico » Chiapas » Palenque

Street in San Cristòbal

San Cristóbal de las Casas San Cristóbal sits high up in the mountains in the southerly state of Chiapas, just a few hours from the Guatamalan border and it´s cool climate so different from other ´nearby´towns in Mexico that it´s like a different country. The overnight bus - 12 hours from Puerto Esconidido - was no where near as traumatic as it had threatened to be, although I am glad it was too dark to see the cause of the winding roads. Actually, despite the near-arctic conditions on board, I slept a lot better than I did the last 2 nights [View Full Entry]

The waterfall whose name I cant remember - something like Miso-Ha

By Katharine
July 25th 2006

Palenque, hot and damp in the jungle!

North America » Mexico » Chiapas » Palenque

Palenque

A short bus ride from San Cristobal and we've arrived in the hot, sweaty jungle.. EVERYTHING is very damp after a night of rain under a thatched roof, our clothes smell and our books are curling! No rooms where we originally wanted to stay, so are staying in a sweet but fairly basic room in the middle of the jungle - on the road out of Palenque on the way to the ruins. Shared bathrooms on the camp site (no so nice!) .. but lovely to be able to hear the jungle sounds.. though a few too many spiders webs and [View Full Entry]

By cheryl_r
July 24th 2006

Palenque, Mexico

North America » Mexico » Chiapas » Palenque

Scary bridge in the Jungle

Palenque, Chiapas, Mexico. 22nd July - 24th July. After a windy, but gorgeous scenery, 5 hour bus journey we arrived in Palenque and took a taxi straight to the Lonely Planet's recommended jungle cabanas....which of course were all fully booked. So we found an alternative in a place called Mayabell. We got a room for USD20 per night, which had a thatched roof, a bed, a ceiling fan and not a lot else except cobwebs and small creatures! The shared bathrooms were pretty grim, they have a large swimming pool but again the cleanliness is to be questioned. The food was [View Full Entry]

Travel Blog » North America » Mexico » Chiapas » Palenque