Deidre in Mexico

Now in Palenque, in Chiapas State in the Yucantan Peninsula of Mexico. It is one of the many archeaological sites of the Mayan people, and is amazing to be in a dense steamy jungle with masses of buildings excavated, and masses more still hidden by the jungle. Today we explored the ruins and walked into the jungle, seeing howler monkeys in the trees, hummingbirds, toucans, spiders, lizards and lovely water falls, mahogony trees being strangled by ficus, just like other places.

Yesterday I went to some water falls nearby, huge rivers and lots of cascading falls, warmish strong flowing water. At one place we took a log raft across the river, only 4 of the group of 10 or more were willing to cross the river like this.

We went out to a fire show, thought I was back in Byron, a place called El Panchan, a bit of a place for alternatives near Palenque, also heard some great music, lovely latino songs and love ballads, with carribean influence.

Tonight I go by bus to Merida down south, fly out early next morning for Arizona. Everything is going well. There was a huge storm last night and thunder like I have never heard before, not like the rolling tanks in the sky but cracking sharp and as if it was tearing through the jungle and whipping up the hills and searching for something. I was staying in a jungle lodge very close to the ruins at Palenque. What amazing constructions and use of power, labour and beliefs. Till Arizona, Deidre