AprIl 1, 2013: Monday*** Palenque was a very tropical place south in Mexico and we were there to visit the famous Mayan pyramid secretly hidden inside a lush green forest of the region, toured the interesting falls of Misol-Ha; and enjoyed the roaring cascades of the Cascada del Agua Azul. It was a jampacked one day tour of the region but it was worth it. It was the last leg of our tour and I tried to be sure not to miss out on all the beautiful places before we signed up for the tour.
We checked out at the hotel in San Cristobal at around 0700H and hired a taxi going to the bus station planning to leave early at 0800H and arrived in Palenque at around 1400H because the ride going to Palenque is almost six hours. When we got to the bus station we inquired for the next bus going to Palenque and we were told by the ticketing lady that the next trip will be at 0830H.
We bought two tickets for the special bus and waited for it to arrive. At 0830H we were told that the bus will be delayed and that we have to wait until the bus arrives from Tuxtla or Oaxaca. At 0915H the bus finally arrived and was readied and prepared for the trip. Ten minutes later they told us that the bus could not leave because there was some engine problems so we have to wait for another available bus coming from Tuxtla. We waited there not until one hour after the alternate bus arrived. We were accounted outside and we started to line up and then instructed us to come up one by one.
The bus finally left at 1030H, so that means that we will be arriving there almost late in the afternoon. The bus ride was quiet and I grabbed the opportunity to take a good rest by covering my eyes with a night cover so that I can recuperate from my hangover from last night's partying. I don't care if I will be snoring in the bus as long as I am well rested when we arrived in Palenque.
While sleeping in the bus, I felt the the road appears winding because the bus was snaking the narrow twisted road sharply and I was been shaken side to side of my seat as teh bus turns left to right of the road. It was a smooth ride and not bumpy at all. I can also feel that my body had become lighter as the altitude gets higher and I've been more sleepy and felt more soporific because of the gradual oxygen depletion as the bus slowly ascend the mountain. I didn't even care how long the trip was as long as I am well rested when we arrived there in Palenque.
We arrived in Palenque at around 1630H and the sun was still scorchingly hot at that time. The town appears very rustic and the bus station was just a minute one. We then called for a taxi after we alighted from the bus and indicated to the driver the hotel's name where we were staying. The hotel was just few blocks from the bus station, we didn't even know not until the driver had dropped us off at teh front gate of the hotel. We then inquired at the reception and gave the lady at the counter our reservation number then we filled up some paperworks and then we were given the key to the room.
The resort was very spacious and nice and there were foreigners soaking themselves in the front pool during this very hot day. I wondered how long they were there in the water because it was very humid at that time there. We took a long nap at the room nursing our fatigue from the bus trip as well as our hangover from the last night's party. Now it's an apt time to recover from all those long walking and enormous lack of sleep. We also took the much needed shower to cool us off from the humidity outside as well as turned on the air conditioner to a magnificently full blast. Hehehe.
We slept like a baby after we ate at the mess hall downstairs. At 2000H my friend woke me up and asked me if I wanted to roam around the town and party and I said yes. We then changed and then called for a taxi to drive us to a Mambo Restaurant wherein we can see the fire dance that was a hit there during that Monday night as what was recommended to us by the waiter at the mess hall during dinner. Ten minutes later we arrived at the restaurant located at the outskirt of the town. The restaurant was packed when we arrived and we called for a table and ordered some margaritas and beer as well as some munchies to go with it.
At 2300H the fire dance started and there were men and women dancing over the fire, tossing the fire, and eating fire. It was a very heart thumping dance and a very spectacular one. I enjoyed it much because most of the guys have nice oiled bodies with firm six packs. It was very captivating to see them eating and tossing fires. Me and my friend loved it so much. We left the restaurant almost midnight and we were very drunk. I then slept soundly that night not knowing what had happened that night when I woke up the next day.
We woke up at 0600H the next day and my friend had called the front desk to schedule for the tour which will pick us up at 0800H. We readied ourselves and then went down to the mess hall at 0700H to have a breakfast and then waited for the van to pick us up for the tour of Palenque and the nearby vicinity. At around 0800H the van came and we hopped in immediately. I think we were the last one being picked up because the driver had convened to us the places we will be going for the whole day. He told us that we will go first to the ruins of the pyramids in Palenque, then go to the waterfall in Misol-Ha, and then culminate our day at the roaring cascades of the Cascadas de Agua Azul.
PYRAMID RUINS IN PALENQUE: First stop was at the Mayan ruins in Palenque. This famous pyramid site well known to the world was secretly hidden in a lush rainforest in south Mexico. The area alone was vast and huge, consisted of 1620 acres of lush green forest. The driver told us that he will drop us off at the north side and then pick us up in three hours at the south side near the museum. He handed us maps of the area and I studied it fully well to get oriented to the places we needed to go.
We were dropped off at the north side parking and the parking was been full of buses and vans loaded with tourists. The parking was packed and the vendor area were teeming with people eating breakfast before going inside the forest. It was a pandemonium there at this time of the day because all the tourists were lining up and queueing for the tickets at the entrance. It was crazy there at that time.
After taking our breakfast there at the kiosk we decided to line up at the entrance. The line was not that busy so we entered the park with ease. The entrance was not that of a long walk. We were guided by a concrete path going to the mouth of the park and when we were near the mouth of the park a magnificent site had been laid and spread in front of us. The ruins of the pyramids had been naturally presented to us upon entering the mouth of the park and it was a very striking scenery. The ruins were very captivating spanning horizontally at our midst from east to west and were very beautiful and magnificent to look at.
It was so hot there but I just can't stop clicking my camera to capture good pictures with nice angles and perpectives for my online albums. I was enticingly captivated of the vastness of the park and I meticulously studied the map and told my friend that we needed to take time perusing the area because I don't want to left out something since we were there already. Anyway the driver had given us three hours to roam around the place. And it was a pretty ample time to roam around with much inclination to the details of the individual structures.
The park were teeming with people and as we tread ourselves going east to west inspecting each single pyramid structures individually the scorching heat of the bright sun had gave a toll on us. I was already been sweating a lot so I took off my white Inc. polo shirt and just let my grey undershirt on which was already soak with my perspiration. It was very uncomfortable but my excitement about the place had overruled and masked my uncomfortableness.
We passed by the "Temple of Inscriptions" which was formerly the home of the Mayan's high priest. It looked stunning nearby and it looks like a mystical huge palanquin from a distance sans the handles. The little house on top was the most beautiful and intricate among the pyramids in there and it had depicted that only a royal can live there which according to my massive online readings had been discovered a lot of gold and precious stones there especially in a tomb hidden underneath there. The pyramid was been cordoned for the public because they were protecting the structure from the effects of erosion as stated in a latin caption at the entrance.
Since we could not explore the temple we then crossed the nearby "Imperial Palace" and explored it thouroughly especially its nooks and crannies. It was also a massive structure complete with a receiving chamber, magnificent rooms, playground, mess halls, and meeting rooms. The ruins were so majestic and I was lost several times in roaming the whole place. It was crazy cool and I like it despite of the hot weather that was quite uncomfortable during that time and the eager tourists crowding the building.
After perusing the royal palace we then moved to another site seeing another group of pyramids on the west side of the park on top of the intricately manicured hill. There were three beautiful pyramid structures there which was similar to the "Temple of Inscriptions" but appears a little bit smaller than the latter. We also tried to climb and peruse each one individually and meticulously explored it's bowels and innards. I was fascinated on how the Mayans had been thriving in this beautiful and serene place and it was very interesting to know about it.
After seeing and climbing each of the three pyramids we were very very tired so we rested at the bottom of a shady tree appreciating the beautiful pyramid structures of the enormous park. After our quick rest we then crossed an open court where the Mayan people were playing. There were two grassy courts in front of us and it appeared like a rectangular court with high walls on both sides where we had gathered was the site where they were playing the life and death game which I forgot what they call it. I was wondering how many adept players they were sacrificing there after being defeated by their equally skillful opponents. It was harrowing to know that kind of game had existed but at the same time curious about its death defying rules.
After crossing the huge court we then looked for a restroom for us to leak out and then went inside a lush green cool forest and saw more small groups of minute pyramids. The forest was very thick and it was cool there so I told my friend to make our tour there longer. We passed by a small stream with a small man-made falls and a small hut at the side. We then ambled inside the forest and then continued looking for more pyramid groups.
It was almost 1100H when we decided to leave the bowels of the forest and continued to amble west going to the library museum where we will convene and be picked up by the driver. We passed by some edgy slopes, grassy cliffs, and downward man-made spiral stairs on our way out of the forest or park going to the libary museum where we will all meet later. It was a long walk but very fascinating. The tall trees inside the forest were huge and old and I appreciated the beauty of it. It was arcane. Few minutes later we were at the back of the forest and then heartachingly exited the park which had culminated our long tour inside the park and forest.
We then gathered in front of the big tree near the libary and by 1200H the driver had picked us up so that we can still continue the trip around Palenque and the surrounding areas or region. Next stop will be the Falls of Misol-Ha.
LA CASCADA DE MISOL-HA: From the ruins of teh Palenque pyramids the driver had picked us up at the meeting site at the big tree near the library museum. From there we drove almost like two hours going to Misol-ha where we were disembarked at the entrance of the falls.
We ambled inside the little compound and were surprised with a very stunning waterfall falling from a cliff nearby. The lake where the misty clear water from the falls fell was just very miniature but the water down there appears so magnificently blue and clear. We continued ambling towards it and we found a concrete stairs going down the lake.
We went down the stairs and stayed at a little stage down there near the small boulders where we posed and took plenty of pictures of the magnificent falls nearby as our backdrop. The weather was kind of humid and hot at that time (just like the one at the pyramids) and I was already drenching in sweat but I really don't mind it.
We went back up and look for another way to go near the falls and the nearby caves. We saw a lot of tourist lining up on a one-way traol going near the rocky border right under the falls where we can see the falling water swifting underneath the hollow cave. The temperature there was cool because of the mist created by the clear falling waters. I still continued to get more pictures of the falls from different angles and I just can't stop clicking my camera and capture a lot of beautiful pictures.
When we reached the mouth of the small cave in there we were dismayed because they were charging the tourists just to go inside and see the innards of the cave. What a ripoff actually. We heard that the cave becomes narrower when you go inside so we decided not to go inside then because it was really hot there during that time and I can't stand the humidity anymore.
We went back through another route and waited at the parking lot where the van had waited for us and where we will convene after one hour of touring the falls. We left the place at around 1430H and then we drove another hour going to Agua Azul which they say was more stunning than the Misol-ha Falls.
LA CASCADA DEL AGUA AZUL: After a one hour drive from Misol-ha the van stopped at the entrance of the famous cascades of Agua Azul. The place was also teeming with people and tourists just like the ones at the pyramid ruins. I can personally feel that the place was also well-known because of the crowded parking lot overfilling with huge tourist buses and vans loaded with hundreds of awestruck tourists.
After alighting from the van, we ambled quite a bit silently into the walkway going directly inside the location of the cascades and from the entrance we can hear the loud roaring and splashing of the cascading waters from the distance. My heart thumped greatly as I anticipate to see the enormous white cascades looking like melting snow from the slopes of the hilly area flowing magnificently on the numerous natural basins from the top of the hill going down its base. I was so excited to see it in person and was amazed and mesmerized seeing it personally in reality.
At the entrance, the walkway was filled with stalls of vendors and restaurants selling their products and memento items to the walking and perusing tourists and I can hear the loud splashing of the water rapids as they heavily dropped from the boulders of the descending river from the top of an inclined hill. The site was magnificent because the water was clear and aquamarine in color. The roar of the cascades appeared like growling or rumbling thunder from a distance. People of all walks of life had adorned the place sporadically enjoying the wonders, mysteries, and the mysticism of the place.
The climb to the hill were composed of stages or levels and there was a makeshift platform for the tourist to have pictures with the roaring cascades as the beautiful backdrop. We gradually climbed the hill taking our time and making use of the platforms to get tons of pictures for my online album collection and I just wont stop clicking my camera to capture a lot of pretty pictures.
My boyfriend and I continued to amble going up the hill and stopped at each platform appreciating the beauty of the cascades from different angles and perspectives. It was very beautiful there and we even perused and inspected the place thoroughly. When we reached the topmost portion of the hill we even crossed the makeshift narrow wooden bridge and checked out the numerous smal and large basins of aqua-blue water from there. We even took our shoes off and waded at the inviting waters enjoying the cool feel of the blue waters as they rapidly run down the hilly incline.
We were playing at the waters like small children, laughing and splashing water at each other, wetting each other to cool us off from the warm and humid temperature of the weather. It was a very candid way of enjoying our visit there and I like it very much. When we got tired of roaming around we re-took the previous route we've passed earlier and went out of the cascades looking for a place to eat for we were starving at that time.
When we got out from there, my boyfriend found a restaurant with a middle-aged woman cooking some "empanadas" with different fillings consisted of cheese, chicken and beef asada, chorizo, chili, etc. It was very delicious when coupled with the pickled cabbage, jalapeno peppers, and carrots. I ate three of those delicious "empanadas" and my boyfriend had bought me also a whole coconut nut where I enjoyed sipping it's tasty juice. I was heavily stuffed after that. He even had the flesh of the coconut carved out and sprinkled it with powdered chili, salt, and squeezed lime. I didn't know it was that yummy.
After eating we climbed down the hill along the rows of stalls and restaurants perusing some souvenir stores trying to chose some memento items for my friends back home. We took our time in shopping for the souvenirs because we still have one hour left before leaving the place and to gather at the meeting place as well.
We continued ambling down and continued to roam around the place trying to be observant of the people around us who were also very eager and excited to see the roaring cascades. The place was really crowded at that moment and it looks like a fair ground there at that time. I felt so lucky to go there and my boyfriend was also happy seeing me excited and fulfilled.
We went back to the meeting place where our van was parked waiting for us to leave and go back to the town of Palenque. When all were accounted well, the van left and drove back to the town. The drive back to the town from Agua Azul was more than two hours and the passengers appeared more tired and quiet inside the van.
We arrived at Palenque at around 1700H and the van dropped us off at the gates of the resort where we were staying. We went directly to our room and packed our bags and belongings and then went down to check out at the reception area, for we will be leaving tonight back to Mexico City via a long hour bus drive.
At the reception area we called for a taxi to drive us off at the bus stop and then we bought two tickets going to Mexico City but the bus receptionist told us that there was no bus leaving Palenque directly to Mexico City. She advised us to pass by Villahermosa first then from there we can connect directly to Mexico City. My friend did exactly as what the ticketing lady had told him and soon after one hour we left Palenque via a chartered van going to Villahermosa.
Our visit to Palenque was a success, visiting the most awesome and beautiful places of the region. It was the best part of my trip in Mexico and I never regret deciding to go there. I thanked my friend for bringing me there and roaming me to the beautiful and famous places of Chiapas State where the beauty of nature abounds. I felt like a lucky person during that time smiling of my very fortunate opportunity. It was the best feeling I've ever felt ever since. Thanks be to God!
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