Biting the bullet, we become tourists and take a tour bus from San Christobal to the ruined Mayan site of Palenque. We were going to ride, but we have already overstayed our Mexican visas by a month and another 6 days for the round trip starts to look like taking the Michael. As it's a side trip we feel OK at not riding, but that's a point of view that is set to change. Especially when we need to leave at 6am in the morning. I hate mornings!
A few miles into the journey, Sue also changes her mind. The road is a lurching, rolling series of hairpins that goes on for 220kms as the road descends the mountainside down to the sticky jungle plains 2000 metres below. She does not travel well on buses and spends the 6 hour journey turning various shades of green.
For those of thus that can look out of the windows, it's just a fantastic series of views as we descend in the early morning light through cloud filled valleys. Later the clouds lift and and are shredded by the hot sun to reveal stunning vistas. It would have been a great ride.
On route we stop at 'Cataratas de Agua Azul' (blue waterfalls) - a beautiful series of cascades with inviting sapphire pools of cool crystal water where you can swim....
Fine smelling restaurants within earshot of the babbling waters invite us to linger, but the bus is leaving soon so we take the lovely walkway at the side of the river instead....
Next stop is the 35m cataract of 'Mizol-Ha'....
Where you can walk behind the falls and up a winding stair to a dark grotto....
Palenque is one of the most extensive and best known of the Mayan ruins. Fifteen square kilometers of jungle hid over 1400 buildings for nearly a millenia until a Spanish priest discovered the site in 1773. Now over 500 buildings have been unearthed from beneath tropical leaf and vine....
Palenque was first settled around 100BC and saw the height of it's power with approximately 8000 people living here around the 7th Century when 'K'inich Hanab Pakal' ruled over all. He and his son 'Snake Jaguar' built many of the most inposing temples and plazas. This is The Temple of the Inscriptions where Pakal's tomb was discovered. With 8 levels and rising 25m, the stair is the tallest here and is hugely impressive. You can almost imagine the firelit ceremonies carried out by masked high priests on the high altar, below a thousand heads thrown back to gaze upwards in awe. If Mel Gibson in Apocalyto is to be believed, these were ritualistic human sacrifices - a blood offering to the gods, with the bodies cast down the stair, bloodied and beheaded....
Scholars debate the meaning of Mayan art carved into stone tablets, and of the glyphs found in many of the building and on the sarcophagus of Pakal's tomb....
Amazingly (I think), you are free to climb the stairways and wander inside some of the ancient temples, though not all take the opportunity in the 100 plus degrees of mind melting heat. This is the view from atop the 'Templo de la Cruz' (Temple of the Cross) towards the Palace complex with it's observatory tower and gives some idea of the scale of this massive site....
'Templo de la Sol' (Temple of the Sun) set against the ever encroaching jungle backdrop has Palenque's best preserved roof comb.
We have just two and a half hours at the site - including time for lunch, and this is the main reason I hate coach tours. You could easily spend an entire day here and jogging through the site taking snaps on the move so you can catch a bus seems at odds with the gravitas and history of this civilisation defining setting. There is no time at all to visit the on site museum for an insight into the culture, and maybe some explanation for the mysterious abandonment of the site around 900AD.
It's a bit tragic really and the fact you can camp here increases our regret at not having the extra days to cycle here and spend enough time to do it justice. Still they have some nice flowers to rush past in the botanical gardens....
6 comments:
Man, really want to know how can you be that smart, lol...great read, thanks.
You made a few excellent points there. I did a search about the topic and almost not found any specific details on other websites, but then happy to be here, seriously, thanks.
- Lucas
ed hardy clothing
ugg boots
michael kors outlet
hermes outlet
true religion outlet
foamposite shoes
nfl jerseys
mcm outlet
oakley sunglasses sale
coach outlet
air max 2015
north face jacket
coach outlet online
ugg boots
air max 90
michael kors outlet
true religion jeans
burberry outlet store
cheap mlb jerseys
ray ban sunglasses
nike soccer shoes
police sunglasses
babyliss pro
chrome hearts sunglasses
michael kors outlet
michael kors outlet online
michael kors wallet sale
mulberry handbags
swarovski crystal
timberland shoes
cheap ugg boots
michael kors online
longchamp handbags
uggs outlet
mulberry handbags
air max 90
cartier sunglasses for men
0805jianxiang
air jordan 13
coach outlet
coach outlet online
timberland boots
louis vuitton handbags
nike outlet store
coach outlet
uggs outlet
celine outlet
jordan 3 infrared
cheap rolex watches
adidas yeezy 350
tods shoes
louis vuitton outlet
cheap uggs
coach factory outlet
michael kors outlet
cheap oakley sunglasses
retro jordans
ugg boot uk
ghd hair straighteners
jordan 3
canada goose coat
canada goose sale
asics shoes
toms outlet
ray ban wayfarer
canada goose jackets
cheap uggs
coach outlet
north face outlet
coach outlet
toms outlet
michael kors outlet
louis vuitton paris
uggs sale
jordan 8s
louis vuitton
nike air max pas cher
abercrombie kids
chenlina20160831
Coach Outlet http://www.coachstoreoutlet.us.org
Christian Louboutin Shoes http://www.christianlouboutinshoe.eu.com
Valentino Shoes http://www.valentinoshoes.eu.com
Michael Kors Outlet http://www.michaelkorsoutlet.us.org
Coach Factory Outlet http://www.coachfactoryoutlet.us.org
Coach Outlet Online http://www.coachoutletonlinestore.us.org
Coach Purses http://www.coachpurse.us.com
Kate Spade Outlet http://www.katespadefactoryoutlet.us.com
Toms Shoes http://www.toms-shoes.name
Hermes Belts http://www.hermesbelts.us.org
Louis Vuitton http://www.louisvuitton-outletstores.us.com
Fendi Handbags http://www.fendibelt.us.com
Giuseppe Shoes http://www.giuseppezanotti.eu.com
Michael Kors Outlet http://www.michael-kors-outlet.us.com
Stephen Curry Shoes http://www.stephencurryshoes.us.com
Salomon Shoes http://www.salomonshoes.eu.com
North Face Outlet http://www.northfacesoutlet.in.net
Coach Outlet http://www.outletcoach.in.net
North Face Outlet http://www.northfacesoutlet.us.com
Burberry Outlet http://www.burberryoutletstore.us.org
North Face Outlet http://www.north-faceoutlets.in.net
North Face Jackets http://www.outletnorthface.in.net
Skechers Shoes http://www.skechersshoes.us.com
Toms Outlethttp://www.tomsoutletstore.us.org
North Face Outlet http://www.northfacestoreoutlet.us.org
Nike Air Max http://www.nikeoutlet.us.org
Nike Hoodies http://www.nikehoodies.us.com
Marc Jacobs Handbags http://www.marcjacobshandbags.name
Marc Jacobs Outlet http://www.marcjacobsoutletstore.us.com
Jimmy Choo Shoes http://www.jimmy-chooshoes.us.com
Jimmy Choos http://www.jimmychoos.in.net
Burberry Belt http://www.burberrybelt.us.com
Louis Vuitton Belt http://www.louisvuitton-belt.com
Salvatore Ferragamo http://www.ferragamo-belt.us.com
Marc Jacobs Handbags http://marcjacobshandbagsoutlet.blog.com
Lululemon Outlet http://www.lululemonsoutlet.us.com
True Religion Outlet http://www.truereligion-outlets.in.net
Tommy Hilfiger http://www.tommyhilfigeroutlet.us.com
Michael Kors Outlet http://www.outletmichaelkors.eu.com
Coach Outlet http://www.outletcoach.eu.com
Red Bottoms http://www.redbottom.in.net
Kevin Durant Shoes http://www.kevindurantshoes.us.org
New Balance Outlet http://www.newbalanceoutlet.in.net
Adidas Outlet http://www.adidasoutlet.in.net
Coach Outlet Online http://www.coachoutlet-online.eu.com
Stephen Curry Jersey http://www.stephencurryjersey.us.com
Vans Outlet http://www.vansoutlet.us.com
Ralph Lauren Outlet http://www.ralphlauren-outletstore.in.net
True Religion Outlet http://www.true-religionoutlets.in.net
ED Hardy Outlet http://www.edhardyoutlet.in.net
North Face Outlet http://www.northfaceoutlet.eu.com
UGG Outlet http://www.uggoutlet.us.org
UGG Outlet http://www.outletugg.in.net
North Face Outlet http://www.northface--outlet.us.com
Ugg Boots Sale http://www.uggbootssale.in.net
UGGS For Women http://www.uggsforwomen.us.com
Skechers Go Walk http://www.skechersgowalk.us.com
Adidas Yeezy Boost http://www.adidasyeezyboost.in.net
Adidas Yeezy http://www.adidasyeezy.us.com
Adidas NMD http://www.adidas-nmd.us.org
Coach Outlet http://www.coachoutletinc.us.com
By reading the article material very very well and this is very useful.
cara menggugurkan kandungan 100 berhasil
cara mengatasi telat haid
tanda tanda kehamilan 1 bulan
kalkulator masa subur akurat dan berhasil
masa subur wanita sebelum haid
penyebab sering keguguran
Post a Comment