Playing 'Dora the Explorer' among Mayan ruins

Palenque
Set among the jungle in the southern state of Chiapas, las ruinas (the ruins) are positioned perfectly between hills and cacades (waterfalls). It was raining during our first visit, even though the camera is waterproof some shots show the mist on the lense.

Above and below - Palenque was the first site we visited so we were in awe of these complete structures.  All were built by hand, and pre-date the advent of the wheel, and obviously the builders didn't have the benefit of anything mechanised.  The core is built with a wall of little rocks cemented together and then rocks with a smoother 'finish' are used as a kind of facade.



Steve in front of Templo de las Inscripciones. Photo doesn't do it justice but it was one big puppy.

Different angle showing Templo de las Inscripciones again ont he right, and the profile of El Palacio  in the left foreground.

The view from inside Tumba de la Reina Roja (Tomb of the Red Queen), the only pyramid structure at Palenque that would-be explorers are able to walk into.  Her majestys' remains were uneartherd in 1994, still coloured red as a result of pre-burial treatment with cinaabar.  Beyond the very thin walkways all you could see are a few rooms and empty tombs.  But it was a surreal experience when you think how old these structures are.

Set deep in the jungle, a house-like structure was built around this tree.  It was raining when we were there the first time so it was nice walking around in the mist.  Also because of this rain, and the fact that we were there quite late in the afternoon, there was barely anyone else around, so you felt like you could have been the first ones to have been here in years!  Which made it all the more buena onda (way cool)!

Like the touists in this photo, we invested a few pesos in some disposable rain coats...good investment.

The trade-mark tower of El Palacio

The main structure of El Palacio

Chichén Itzá

One of our books on Mexico called this site a bit of a Mexican  Disney Land with money changing facilities, food stalls and souvenir shops set up out the front and the book even pointed out that it doesn't bode well when you enter a  thousands-of-year-old site via turnstiles!  But like all the other ruins, at Chitchen Itza they've well and truly jumped on the tourist band wagon (and considering the conditions most of the locals live in you can´t blame them  for trying to get some money out of this tourism trade).  Walkways and entrances to the sites were all lined with local vendors spruking the benefits of their 'unique' products (all 'unique' from the same one supplier(!), although in all fairness there were a few stalls with genuine one-off and hecho de mano (hand-made) items).  But then we saw las ruinas, and we could tell why lonely planet says that even the most jaded touristas are impressed by this site.  And it was definately clear why it is one of the wonders of the world....

El Castillo  or Kukulcán, the most photographed pyramid in Mexico.  We were there early before the crowds.  About 2 hours after this was taken there would have been about 100 people in this photo alone.

Grrr....  a sample of the detailed sculpting at the bottom of the pyramid

Same pyramid as above but a different angle

The work of the craft back then was so detailed considering the lack of sophisticated tools; guess they didn´t have too much else to do though...

This goal ring is in the Chitzen Itza Juego de Pelota (ball court), which was much grander than its 'poor cousins' at ruins throughout the rest of Central America.  We think that maybe the weekly fixtures were played at Palenque (photos above), as well as Uxmal and Tulum (photos below), with 'the finals' saved for Chitzen Itza...(-;

This section that was part of the Grupo de las Mil Columnas (group of many columns)...makes sense!

Another structure part of the Grupo de las Mil Columnas

Naughts and crosses, a popular past time for 1000s of years.  There was of course a specific meaning an significance of these that wasn't about the game....but we just liked the image.

A sample of the products (above and below) on offer.

Parts of all the ruins we visited are still being excavated today

It was pretty cool to be able to get right amoungst the action in some of the structures

Uxmal
Pronounced 'oosh-mahl', this site was definately the most chilled, just like the guidebooks say! Located over a large area (so it felt like a real city) in the middle of a more arid part of Mexico than the other sites.  Legend has it that the local provedores would run from here to Tulúm (photos below) to get fish.  This is an 8 hour bus ride away so I am not sure how fresh the fish was when it came back....

These were everywhere, we nearly steped on quite a few.  Not to mention the Iguanas...

Those crazy characters again, this time featuring in a fun shot of the big-ticket Uxmal pyramid (Casa de Adivino, the magician's house).

One of the 4 structures (with detailed carving still intact) lining the boundaries of the Cuadrángulo de las Monjas (the Nun's Qudrangle)

Overlooking Cuadrángulo de las Monjas from another structure

Another side of Cuadrángulo de las Monjas.  It was a cracker of a day with not a cloud in the sky for our visit.

View up the staircase to the amazing carvings in the roof cornices of the Palacio del Gobernador (yep, you guessed it, the Governor's Palace - you're really catching on with this Spanish now!)

The extensions sticking out of the wall are actually noses of faces that were carved on the side of the Palacio del Gobernador.  The faces represent the rain god Chac.  Carvings of the big-nosed Chac were on at least one building in every site we visited.  Those cheeky ancient Mayans were nuts for noses....

El Palomar, or The Dovecote, so named (according to Lonely Planet) due to the lattice pattern in the roof comb which resmebles Moorish pidgeon houses that were once built into walls in of houses in Spain and northern Africa.  We'll take their word for it...

The Uxmal ladies had a facination with the male anatomy.  Now they get their own little Palapa (hut) to better preserve them for a few more years.

Tulúm 

Location, Location, Location.  Although just a small site, it was positioned on cliffs overlooking the azur waters of the Carribean, with constant sea breezes.  We totally got why the guidebooks said we'd want to tear up our return ticket home after coming here (-:

Does this really need a caption?....How's the serenity?!

Oh dear, two clouds in the whole sky...

¡Aye chihuahua!  Petrina has actually heard that phrase used by Mexicans during our time here.  Funny.

Dora (Petrina) enjoying the Tulum serenity

The ruins in Tulum weren't as grand as the other sites we visited, but with that view (see photos above), who cares!

Random, but this is how Mexican´s whipper snip.  A machete or a knife, although brush cutters are sold we have not seen one in use.  This fella was doing a ripper job at Tulúm, the grounds were way-neat!

On the carribean coast is where I'd choose to call home too if I were those aguilas

Seriously......There is an artificial base now, but once upon a time, the main ingredient for chewing gum was made from this tree (-:

On our way to another lot of ruins.  We have spent over 100 hours of our time in Mexico on buses.  So much so that now 

It's ironic really...we spent nearly three months on our feet and constantly walking for most of the day at the orphanage, then switched to doing a stupid thing like sitting on overnight buses around the country every few days!  When she sits down for more than half an hour, Petrina's back is like ''what's this sitting business?''and objects loudly.  We have a few other injuries from our time in Mexico too - Steve likely has a pinched nerve in his hand from surfing, Petrina has incurred some kind of trauma to her elbow due to falling on wet tiles at the orphanage two months ago (yes, still sore!), as well as our many cases of gastro, and parasites and head lice!

Exploring the Jungle
The following images are from play-time near Palenque.  On one of our trips we stopped of at Agua Azul and Miso-Ha.  Both were Cascades (waterfalls) in the jungle that were apparently home to Toucans.  These however seemed to be very elusive.

Agua Azul or Blue Waters...OMG, the water...it was like, so, like, blue....(-;

Steve playing Tarzan in the jungle at Agua Azul

Behind the waterfall at Miso-Ha as aslo seen below.  Freezing, but Steve just had to do it.

Petrina contemplating Miso-Ha

This sign was close to a Toucan as we got....... Boo!

Speaking of exotic birdlife...for our day trips to Chitzen Itza and Uxmal, we were based out of the beatiful but busling Yucatan town of Merida, which is home to Toucans.  Even though it was completey out of season, boy were we lucky to see some of these graceful aguilas up close....(-;

Talk again soon amigos, S&P