August 19, 2015
The Mayan ruins at Palenque are very impressive. I arrived early in the morning, just after they opened, and before the tour buses arrived. Once again, as I parked, I was approached by several people wanting to “watch” my bike for a fee. Once I put the cover on the bike, they lost all interest.
Here’s another tip: by arriving right at opening time, not only do you beat the crowds and the tour buses, but all of the vendors are still busy setting up, so they don’t have time to constantly approach you and try to sell you trinkets.
The Temple of the Inscriptions
The building above is known as the Temple of the Inscriptions due to the second longest known Mayan inscription being inside the building atop the pyramid. Reading the history of this place gives a real “Indiana Jones” feel to it: This temple was built as a funerary temple for K’inich Janaab’ Pakal, who ruled from 615 to 683BC (he was 12 when his mother resigned as Queen and he took over as King). Although the temple was studied for over 200 years, it wasn’t until 1952 when Alberto Ruz Lhuillier, a Mexican archaeologist, removed a stone slab from the floor of the temple and revealed a stairway filled with rubble. Two years later, when the rubble was cleared, it was discovered that it led to Pakal’s tomb.
Temple of Doom? Pathway to the tomb…
The Palace
Lloyd came with me to Palenque. It’s his kind of place.
This is another temple that hasn’t been excavated yet. You can see how much work it is to dig out and reconstruct this stuff. They say only about five percent of the ruins at Palenque have been excavated at this point.
Gratuitous selfie, again.
I wonder what language the serious inhabitants speak.
I didn’t see any howler monkeys while at the archaeological site, but I heard them.
On the way from Palenque to Tenosique, I crossed this bridge. All of the bridges in Mexico, no matter how small, have names.
I wonder if the guy who named this bridge was poking fun at the civil engineers or the construction crew that built the road. The bridge kind of sags in the middle. The name of the bridge: The Hammock Bridge.
On into Tenosique for my last night in Mexico.
I know you’re jealous….
As usual, I’m just a few days too late for the big Cheese Festival in town. Looks like a good one.
By the way, as a side note, I spent some time last night interpreting the note that was handed to me at the road block demonstration yesterday on the way from San Cristobal de las Casas to Palenque. It seems that the protesters are upset about the elections that were held in June, and feel that a corrupt government exists in their area now and are calling for changes. I can understand that. I’d start by taking away the fireworks from the guy at the church in San Cristobal. There’d be a lot fewer angry people if they could just get some sleep.
I don’t know whether I have this right or not but where noise exists as more of a distraction and nuisance in our culture it seems to be more energizing in Latin American cultures. Just my impression.