Early February 2012 spent wandering the grounds of jungle-clad Mayan ruins deep in the Chiapas region of Mexico. This area is most recently famous for the Zapatista campesino uprising of the 1990s led by sub-commando Marcos. You probably remember his black balaclava pipe-smoking image gracing the covers of many media outlets during that period of time. Although the activism has mellowed over the years, one can still feel a strong Zapatista presence in this region as evidenced by the signs dotted here and there which read something along the lines of "this is Zapatista territory." Correspondingly, the Mexican military presence is also very strong, particularly on the major routes heading to the nearby Guatemalan border. Sorry - no pictures of them. One Danish tourist got hauled off our bus for taking video footage of a military checkpoint and was made to delete it all.
Our first stop in the Chiapas was Palenque where we stayed in a jungle-surrounded $15/ night cabaña not too far from the ruins. Every night there I was lulled to sleep by the sound of jungle insects and the haunting call of howler monkeys off in the distance. The howler monkeys are like the protectors of these magical ruins and are every bit as mystical.
Before heading to the Palenque ruins, we took a tour to see Yaxchilan down the Usumacinta River on the Guatemalan border then headed to Bonampak on the edge of the Lacandan jungle of Mexico.
What makes Yaxchilan particularly special is that the only access is by boat down the river... otherwise the place is surrounded by jungle.
Here is a shot of one of the beautiful buildings which I imagine, sits empty of humans and enjoyed by bats and the howler monkeys when the rest of us are gone. This is the lofty and regal Acropolis which stands tall up a steep set of steps, above the rest of this site.
Then to Bonampak where we are greeted by some of the Lacandan people who have full control over access in and out of this particular area. The Lacandan are an amazing group of indigenous people who wearing striking white tunics and who were never colonized by the Spaniards. They lived peacefully and in harmony with their jungle home until the 1950s when outsiders started to make inroads into this jungle area, some in search of agricultural opportunities and wood sources. Since then their jungle home - and traditional culture - has been under constant threat. We could tell that the Lacandan people who mind Bonampak had a definite reverance for the place. To enter the rooms where these astonishing ancient murals are found in one of the temples, men were requested to remove their hats. These are sacred and powerful places.
Then we returned to Palenque, an astonishing site. The sacred energy resonating through this site is reminiscent of Machu Picchu. The most famous building of this site is probably the Templo de los Inscripciones which is a massive temple and tomb-site for a king by the name of Pakal whose jade-clad tomb was found deep within.
What I really appreciate about these ancient Mayan cultures is the reverance for the natural world and the knowledge of the stars and planets. They were truly connected to their environment. The ceiba tree according to Mayan beliefs is said to hold up the heavens and is a very sacred tree. I love how certain trees have grown right on top of some of the ruins of Palenque, spreading their intricate roots around the ancient blocks....
And now we are in San Cristobal de las Casas, a very pleasant city in the Chiapas. We have rented a place here for a month. More soon....
Our first stop in the Chiapas was Palenque where we stayed in a jungle-surrounded $15/ night cabaña not too far from the ruins. Every night there I was lulled to sleep by the sound of jungle insects and the haunting call of howler monkeys off in the distance. The howler monkeys are like the protectors of these magical ruins and are every bit as mystical.
Before heading to the Palenque ruins, we took a tour to see Yaxchilan down the Usumacinta River on the Guatemalan border then headed to Bonampak on the edge of the Lacandan jungle of Mexico.
What makes Yaxchilan particularly special is that the only access is by boat down the river... otherwise the place is surrounded by jungle.
Here is a shot of one of the beautiful buildings which I imagine, sits empty of humans and enjoyed by bats and the howler monkeys when the rest of us are gone. This is the lofty and regal Acropolis which stands tall up a steep set of steps, above the rest of this site.
Then to Bonampak where we are greeted by some of the Lacandan people who have full control over access in and out of this particular area. The Lacandan are an amazing group of indigenous people who wearing striking white tunics and who were never colonized by the Spaniards. They lived peacefully and in harmony with their jungle home until the 1950s when outsiders started to make inroads into this jungle area, some in search of agricultural opportunities and wood sources. Since then their jungle home - and traditional culture - has been under constant threat. We could tell that the Lacandan people who mind Bonampak had a definite reverance for the place. To enter the rooms where these astonishing ancient murals are found in one of the temples, men were requested to remove their hats. These are sacred and powerful places.
Then we returned to Palenque, an astonishing site. The sacred energy resonating through this site is reminiscent of Machu Picchu. The most famous building of this site is probably the Templo de los Inscripciones which is a massive temple and tomb-site for a king by the name of Pakal whose jade-clad tomb was found deep within.
What I really appreciate about these ancient Mayan cultures is the reverance for the natural world and the knowledge of the stars and planets. They were truly connected to their environment. The ceiba tree according to Mayan beliefs is said to hold up the heavens and is a very sacred tree. I love how certain trees have grown right on top of some of the ruins of Palenque, spreading their intricate roots around the ancient blocks....
And now we are in San Cristobal de las Casas, a very pleasant city in the Chiapas. We have rented a place here for a month. More soon....
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