Palenque

Ruins at Palenque
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We arrived in Palenque at about 7am with no accomodation booked but a rough idea that we wanted to stay out of town and on the way to the ruins, which are in the jungle! So we headed for town and got on a "collectivo" headed for the ruins, just us and a couple of locals. Collectivos run from one of the main streest about a five minute walk from the bus station, every 15 mins between 6am and 6 pm and cost 10 pesos - about 50p. It´s about a 15 min ride all the way to the ruins (depending on traffic) and they´ll stop pretty much anywhere along the way. We just said the name of one of the hostel type places we´d seen and got them to drop us there. About 10 mins up the road the collectivo stopped at some kind of check point where we had to pay 40 Pesos each to go any further - we were the only ones on the bs that paid so figure it some kind of entry fee into the "park" that locals don´t pay, but we got a wrist band and were on our way again.

MORE ruins at Palenque
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Dropped at the Mayabel we then found out that they had no rooms, but the lady said that if we came back at 1pm they should have soething. So we left our bags in a utility room there and set of for the ruins cos it was still early enough to beat most of the crowds there. As we had already paid to get in to the "park" we figured it couldn´t be that far to the ruins and we would walk rather than wait for the next collectivo to pass. MISTAKE! It´s probably not all that far but it´s up a very steep and winding road and it´s about 10 mins into the walk that I start to curse Mexico for selling cigarrettes so cheap that it´s almost rude not to increase my 10 a day habit to 20 a day!) Don´t know what Dunc´s excuse was but we were both......... very tired when we got to the entrance to the ruins. and had probably narrowly escaped death once again. as we approached another check point type thing we wondered if we were about to be charged again, and decided to just smile nicely and shout buenos dias to the men on the gate. Not sure if they were supposed to charge us but the men with big guns seemed so bemused by our stupidity that they just said buenos dias and waved us through!! 45 pesos entry each and this time we´re allowed to climb them!

Waterfall off the beaten track at Palenque ruins
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There seems to be more ruins here and the setting is amazing. I preferred Palenque but Dunc prefers Chichen Itza - I think just for the one big pyramid. The ball court here was tiny, either that or the one at Chichen Itxa is ridiculously large! Won´t go on about the ruins too much. (will try and attach photo´s later - cant´preview them in this internet cafe to know which ones to add). On the way out there´s a lovely walk through the trees down to a beautiful waterfall. apparently you can go further into the jungle where the pools and waterfalls just get better but you can only do that with a guide and we didn´t really fancy it.

Cabañas at Mayabel Palenque
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All this was done by about 10 am so we decided to take the collectivo back to the town and get something to eat until we could check in to Mayabel. The guide book we had gave Palenque quite a bad write up and Dunc didn´t think much of it but I think they´re a bit harsh. It´s a decent place with plenty of cafes restaurants bars etc. I guess like someone said I wouldn´t recommend that you go there just for the town, but if you´re going to see the ruins it´s worth50 pesos to go wander round the town. We opted for the "find the place that has the most locals in it" approach to finding somewhere to eat and it paid off again.

Pool at Mayabel
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Fed and watered we wandered round the town and popped oto the internet to check out accom options for San Cristoabal (our next stop) and then it was time to go back to the Mayabel to check in. Lovely ensuite cabaña with a swing on the porch, and a pool where we spent most of the afternoon.

Dinner and live music and dancing (other people not us!!) then bed and on the road again to San Cristobal de la Casas, about 5 hours on the bus we think!