Agua Azul and Palenque

  Palenque, Central Mexico and Gulf Coast, Mexico
Friday, November 14, 2008

Friday, after finding out late last night that some tourist buses visiting one of our destinations for the day, Agua Azul, had been robbed the previous two days running, my enthusiasm changed to more than slight apprehension. The tour group was assured that it would be ok and that there would be police there today. Given this I decided to go or it.  It felt a little like going behind enemy lines, a cavalcade of tourist buses snaking through the beautiful lush mountainous jungle. The drive itself was worth the money.  We arrived at the danger zone and not a policeman or car in site.  Ah well we're here now... we got to the site and all was well. We spent approx 90 minutes walking around the beautiful aqua-marine coloured falls and some even ventured for a cool dip.  Following that we moved on to some more waterfalls, Misol-ha, closer to Palenque, themselves very different but also quite beautiful.

Agua Azul 1

Agua Azul 2

Agua Azul 3

Misol-Ha

The Mayan ruins at Palenque are one of the more popular sites in Mexico and is very well maintained. Set in the middle of jungle with Jaguars crying in the background and the constant clicking of crickets it felt so real, almost too real like a Hollywood set. It was very easy to imagine what the site looked like in its heyday and the ruins are in fantastic condition. (Again the Spanish did not find this as it was buried deep in jungle.) We stayed there as the sun went down and this just added to the enchanting feeling. A truly amazing magical place! All in all another day of non stop money shots!

Overlooking the site

InsideThe Palace

I could really feel the heat and humidity here in Palenque and hope it is not as bad on the coast. (Just for Brian's benefit: the temperature today was about 30c and the coast this weekend is due to be 32+c). 

Tonight once again I was on a night bus, an 8 hour journey to Merida.  My body is now starting to adjust to sleeping upright and it was not long before I drifted off. Not long and not for long... I awoke to a flashlight in my eyes. Beyond the dazzle was the young face of a military guard, he couldn't have been more than 16. He ordered something to me in Spanish, no idea, but I assumed it meant get off. Was this the "El Capitán" moment Brian had been warning me about all along??

Outside everybody poured off the bus and we were surrounded about approximately 20 heavily armed military guards. It was one of the many infamous military checkpoints scattered around the Chiapas region of Mexico, part of their anti-drugs drive as huge amounts are trafficked from Guatemala into Mexico and beyond through these roads. Luckily this one was brief and only a few had their hand luggage checked while the dogs gave the luggae hold a good going over. I have heard stories of people being stopped 3 times a night and delays of a few hours to their journeys. (These guys should be working the Olympics, every medal one would have been an honest one). Unfortunately I have no photos of this incident as I thought it best not to push the topic with these guys if my dodgy Spanish, it may have genuinely turned into an "El Capitán" moment.