Ruins in the jungle, why yes, I think we will. There are many places to stay inside and outside of the park where the ruins of Palenque are located. We opted for in the park camping at Maya Bell that also offers palapas, cabanas and even a tree house with a slide as a means to get down. After a dip in the jungle stream-fed pool, we made dinner as the sun was dipping below the horizon and as the night set in, so did the fireflies. A carpet of blinking Christmas lights surrounded us as we happy ingested our Mac n Cheese with chorizo. Simply amazing. Running into our New Zealand buddies before getting to the campground, we rode to their place for a few bottles of wine over some story swapping. A great way to start our trip in Palenque.
5am the first morning in Palenque we were awoken by the sounds of the howler monkeys. These animals sound much more ferocious than their small stature would indicate. Their roar carries through the jungle and woke us each morning before sunrise. If I had not known about these monkeys prior to arrival, I would have definitely been intimidated.
The second night at Maya Bell, we were sitting in our chairs (Alite chairs that Ryan picked up while in Alaska. A great purchase that was worth every penny to get us off the ground, pack down small and are extremely comfortable) when a tour bus full of teenagers pulled in. Bummer. One bus load would not have been so bad but that was just the beginning. Within an hour a total of 3 tour buses and close to 200 teenagers joined our campsite. We went from being almost the only tent campers to not being able to walk to the bathroom without stepping on a tent or dodging the awkward flailing teenager. It was one of the most amazing things I have seen and will gladly not see it again. Teenage boys running and yelling to their buddies in their almost changed voices. Girls screeching as the bugs cloud their lights. Thankfully it lasted only one night and they were mostly gone before we even started our day or could take a picture.
Palenque ruins were simply spectacular. 16 square miles of land, buildings that do not look 1500 years old, ruins sitting amongst jungle with a stream and waterfalls running through. I only wish we had our books to sit and relax. We spent three hours exploring all the nooks and cranny's before cramming in the last few minutes at the museum where they hold all of the delicate artifacts. Every pedal was worth these few exploring hours. I would give anything to travel back in time for a glimpse of the everyday life of these Mayans.
5am the first morning in Palenque we were awoken by the sounds of the howler monkeys. These animals sound much more ferocious than their small stature would indicate. Their roar carries through the jungle and woke us each morning before sunrise. If I had not known about these monkeys prior to arrival, I would have definitely been intimidated.
The second night at Maya Bell, we were sitting in our chairs (Alite chairs that Ryan picked up while in Alaska. A great purchase that was worth every penny to get us off the ground, pack down small and are extremely comfortable) when a tour bus full of teenagers pulled in. Bummer. One bus load would not have been so bad but that was just the beginning. Within an hour a total of 3 tour buses and close to 200 teenagers joined our campsite. We went from being almost the only tent campers to not being able to walk to the bathroom without stepping on a tent or dodging the awkward flailing teenager. It was one of the most amazing things I have seen and will gladly not see it again. Teenage boys running and yelling to their buddies in their almost changed voices. Girls screeching as the bugs cloud their lights. Thankfully it lasted only one night and they were mostly gone before we even started our day or could take a picture.
Palenque ruins were simply spectacular. 16 square miles of land, buildings that do not look 1500 years old, ruins sitting amongst jungle with a stream and waterfalls running through. I only wish we had our books to sit and relax. We spent three hours exploring all the nooks and cranny's before cramming in the last few minutes at the museum where they hold all of the delicate artifacts. Every pedal was worth these few exploring hours. I would give anything to travel back in time for a glimpse of the everyday life of these Mayans.
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