Leaving Jungle

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Feeling un-inspired for things to say. So just going to give you all some brief news and fill you in for the last few days fo travels.

We lazily booked ourselves onto a full day tour from Palenque that took in three sights, being bussed between and left us in San Cristobal at the end of the day. Hassle free. Or that was the plan, Isla's bag was very nearly lost by the tour group though, so we add some heated Spanish arguments in the middle of the day, but all was later resolved.

Palenque ruins are beautifully kept. The lawn is neatly mown between towering temples, the plaques are well translated and they even comb the stones on the path in between people walking along them. Ot feels more like a city park than an ancient religious ground in the Jungle! But the quality of the grounds are reflected in the quality of the Mayan stone work. These temples are better preserved than those of Tikal (they were also discovered long before) and you can still see the stone carved pictures of pipe smoking leopard skin clad King's with their little inscription in Mayan Glyphs underneath saying who they are and why they are smoking. Some even have a little colour left. Unlike Tikal the Jungle is kept at arms length and you can see from one temple to the next quite easily. So the experience is different.

Back in van, Isla's bag not there, but then you know about that, and straight to Misol Ha, which is apparently the waterfall that is used a lot in the filming of The Predator. Have to watch it sometime. A 60m waterfall plumets into an equally deep pool creating a bubbling swirling mass of water with plumes of spray hosing the tourists slipping round the back of the falls. You can go right round, and get right soaked. You can even swim right under the falls, lie back and take in a awful view of a whole river pouring on top of you. But you can't breathe for all the spray in the air.

Try to dry off and back in the bus. Next stop, Agua Azul. Which was not azul (rainy season is pretty much in full swing here and all the shit from up stream is being swept down) but rather a murky green. This is a stunning array of waterfalls that extend for half a mile along the length of the river. We had just three hours to explore, but you could spend a week or so. Falls like these become a game with you trying to see just how far out in fast flowing waters you dare climb, and into what pools you dare dive. But the blogs are still coming so we didn't push it too far.

Arrived in San Cristobal, as predicted. But found it to be cold! In fact I am typing with frozen fingers.

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