The Armpit of the Universe

Now in a town called Palenque, in Chiapas state. I'm being polite with the title. There are high points and low points with every journey, but yesterday I felt I'd reached the low point. Still, journey not over yet. Don't want to jinx myself into finding myself in an even worse position. 

Palenque is the closest town to an archaeological site of the same name: a ruined Maya city of several pyramids. We had two hours to explore the ruins and the forest -- in 38 degree heat. I was soaked through all my clothes. It was like walking around in an oven. 

Earlier that day we visited two waterfall sites. I went for a swim in the first one: Cascadas de Agua Azul.

What a delight! First swim of the trip. You know, I'm not a great swimmer, but when the temperature is over 30 I can be tempted. And it was very beautiful in the cool water. 

We had a limited time to visit the site, so we (a Swiss couple called Hana and Michael and myself) bypassed the restaurant where the other people on the van were having breakfast and hightailed it up to see if we could see the five cascades. 

Time passed too quickly and we were back in the bus, off to the next waterfall: Cascadas de Misol Ha. I'd already changed out of my cossie so decided to forgo a second swim, even though it was hotter than hell. I wanted my brunch by then, so after a quick reccie and a few photos, I left the group to sit in a steamy restaurant, and have a Corona shandy and a sandwich. 

Then it was afternoon, and after another long windy drive at break neck speed, we (two Mexican couples, the Swiss couple, four English lads and myself, found ourselves in Palenque, the Maya ruins. Very hot! Very, very hot! What can I say? If I'd been at home, I wouldn't have left the house. Not my kind of weather at all. But, it's always hot here. No winter. This is the tropics. Anyway, without a lot of enthusiasm, I walked around, listening to the insufferable guide, with a Mexican couple. 

I stayed last night in the nearby town of Palenque, rather than taking the four-hour drive back to Cristóbal de Las Casas with the Mexican couple, Yola and Cristo, in the photo. I had purchased my flight ticket back to Mexico City from the airport close to here, so I was stuck. I had to stay here. 

As I said at the beginning, putting it very delicately, Palenque is the pits. Last night as I walked around in the steamy cauldron of the town, unable to block out the raucous noise, I wondered what it would be like to sleep here. At least the room in Hotel May Rue has air-conditioning. It is very noisy, but it does cool the room. 

The room was too noisy. I wasn't able to sleep for the noise seeping into the room from the town, until 11. Then suddenly the noise all stopped, except for a few barking dogs, and I was able to sleep to the white noise of the aircon. 

I'm off downstairs to see what there is for breakfast. Then I'll pack and hail a taxi for the airport.