The language classes in San Cristobal were a success! After spending most of a week there, we headed “downhill” to Ocosingo and onward to Palenque. The trek took five days, although we could have easily done it in half the time. We saw two different Mayan ruin sites and made it past a road-block protest. However, Daisy took her turn at being sick.
San Cristobal de las casas to Palenque
Jason with instructor Laura and fellow student Carmen
The Spanish lessons were well worth the time and cost. In case you’re wondering, it is relatively inexpensive – for US standards. I signed up for 15 hours of group class over 5 days, and the total was M$1320, or US$90. I had a class size of 1 or 2, and had two very different but both knowledgeable instructors. I enjoyed the opportunity to practice speaking — and I’m sure Daisy enjoyed the break from giving the lessons herself!
This tarantula is out of the cage at the bug and insect museum!
So what did Daisy do during the week? Yes, she was busy too. The first couple days she took care of our hostel choice and related things while I was still sick. Then, she finished a final(?) draft of a paper. Impressive, no? All this while sipping coffee along the pedestrian streets and people-watching! It was strange to see the many, many tourists wandering around in hippy-style clothing. We called them the ‘raggedy-baggedies’ since they reminded us of the alternative-living-surfer-dudes that we saw in Tofino, British Columbia. The mornings were for studying and work, and the afternoons for recovering and wandering the streets or going to museums.
Raggedy-baggedy pants in this one!
We love the festive streamers on the pedestrian streets
When it came time, we were very excited to get back on the bikes and out of town. However, it was then Daisy’s turn for gastrointestinal distress. On day 1 out of San Cristobal we made it about half way to our intended destination – through a lot of up hill, menacing dogs, and way way too many speed bumps! We stopped in a town of 40 thousand-plus people, which was (of course!) in the middle of a large fiesta. After a bit of asking around (and difficult navigation) we arrived at the other side of the fiesta and finally found the two small hotels. Unfortunately, there was only one room available. It had dirty sheets, no electricity, and no hot water in the shared bathroom. There wasn’t even space for the bikes! After an unintentional detour on a dirt track to get back to the highway, we collapsed at the local medical center and they allowed us to camp there. It was a night filled with typical fiesta sounds, but we were tucked away safely.
This dirt track got really steep before we found the highway again. Needless to say, it didn’t end up being a shortcut!
Our resting place for the night – boxed in by tables, benches, and vehicles!
On day 2 we made it to Ocosingo (no uphill actually…) and got Daisy parked in a hotel to help her feel better. I spent a few hours in the afternoon taking a collective bus out to the ruins of Toniná. They were great – 7 terraces of buildings and pyramids built up and into a hillside. You were allowed to wander wherever you wanted. I even made a few Mexican friends!
Model of the ruins at Toniná
Looking up at the hill and 7 terraces
Looking down from the very top
I really was up there!
Jason chillin’ with two new friends. Apparently my blue eyes were attractive…
On day 3 we thought we were going to leave Ocosingo, but soon found out we weren’t going to make it anywhere. We left our hotel and biked about a mile to a large grocery store. From there we went up a couple steep hills on our way to the edge of town. Daisy was really feeling the stomach pain, so we decided to stop. I checked out the nearby hotels, which were all more expensive than the one from the previous night. We limped back to our hotel and were happy to move back in before they got the chance to clean our room! The internet was functional there — until the power went out for the whole town. We spent all afternoon and evening reading our kindles in the dark.
On day 4 we successfully exited town. Part-way through the day’s ride we ran into a looong line of parked cars. Immediately we wondered if there was a road-block ahead, as there was when we left Oaxaca. Sure enough, there was! The reason for the protest was that the Mexican government has taken Agua Azul out of the hands of the locals, so they are no longer getting the tourist revenue. In any case, we were able to barely sneak through. As we walked through the barricade, one guy was stopping us but a few others told him to let us through. Whew. The good news was that the traffic was really light afterwards! We decided to skip Agua Azul, and head on to Misol-Ha, another waterfall in the area.
Back-up from the road block
Jungle and farms. The blue river down in the valley is the one that agua azul gets it’s name from. It is blue.
Daisy enjoys a coconut water “to go”
Jungle converted to corn fields
Misol-Ha waterfall
On Christmas Eve (day 5) we arrived in the tourist town of Palenque. It was bustling! We did our food shopping, and then went to the hippie-ish enclave of hotel/hostels called El Panchan on the road to the ruins. We got the last room at the Jungle Palace. Although we didn’t see any monkeys, we sure got our share of jungle rain! We spent that afternoon at Palenque viewing many, many pyramids and other structures. The tourist load was a bit lighter than usual, but the stone staircases were definitely a bit more treacherous! The sheer number of ruins (and Mexicans hawking their wares) was very impressive.
On the way to our room in the back of the “Jungle Palace”
Big building and reconstructed tower at Palenque
One of several large pyramids at Palenque
Daisy inspects the spot where the door hinges went
Looking back at several ruins from the top of another
Jason’s precarious position while he took the previous photo
Waterfall with limestone-like cavern formations on the walk to the museum
Next up: the rush to Merida and visiting there with Daisy’s parents for a week.
Happy New Year to the Philtron’s from Lisa Peklo in West Friendship- so enjoying your blog updates. Safe travels
Thanks, Lisa, and Happy New Year to you too!
Hi Jason and Daisy … hope you are feeling better now, Daisy … have a safe and fun trip … and a good visit with Daisy’s parents too … love your pictures you put on … thanks so much … Happy New Year to you both… from cousin, Kendra in Indiana
Thanks, Kendra, and Happy New Year to you, too! Daisy is now feeling better. :)
I’m loving this adventure from just outside Wash DC in Vienna VA. It’s beyond what I’d do, but you make feel as though I’m there. I trust the stomach bug stays away. God Bless! Jim Wright
Glad to have you along for the ride! The stomach bug is finally getting better after a visit to the doctor and a round of anti-parasite medicines. We’ve certainly had the full Mexican experience on this trip!
Spectacular photos! Merry Christmas and Happy New Year to you two! Hope Daisy is feeling better and that you have a great time with her parents!
Hugs, Millie
PS Final draft of paper in the midst of all , is so amazing!
The best part is that my adviser, erm, collaborator, had no further changes. Next step fancy journal submission!
Happy New Year! Good health and happy trails to you both! And thanks for all the great posts.
Thanks Toby! Happy New Year to you too. We just got a great little postcard from Aviva, courtesy of my parents. I will be sure to send her a note. I hope Bellingham is treating you well – sometimes we just dream of visiting, but know that we won’t be back there for at least a year. Oh, the price we pay for living the dream…
Misol-Ha waterfall photo—Are those small spots on the rocks and in the water people? If so that is a BIG waterfall! Happy New Year.
Yes, those small spots on the lower rocks are people! The water falls about 100 feet.
Hello, Jason and Daisy — Guess what? I stayed at the Jungle Palace, too! I had forgotten about it til I saw your photo. It hasn’t changed a bit! And either has Palenque — ha ha. Enjoying seeing many places I visited years ago! Happy new year! Love you.
That is so cool Cathy! I think I would have enjoyed the Jungle Palace a bit more without the gastrointestinal distress, but at least they had really nice bathrooms…
Haha, that is great! Yes, it didn’t seem like they had done any renovations recently.
I enjoy every one of your blogs. I hope that “Montazuma’s Revenge” has run its course and that you are both healthy and keep safe in the New Year. I thought I was going to die when I got sick in the Yucatan, but recovered after about five days. I love Mayan ruins.
Glad you’re following along! Daisy is all better, and we have been happy to have seen some great Mayan ruins in the Yucatan. More pics in the next post, of Uxmal and others.
Happy New Year to both of you! Aunt Delores, your mom, and Patty stopped in to see my parents, Ed and Ruth Calary. We happened to be spending a week there for Christmas vacation. It was so good to see them. Keep the e-mails coming!
Happy New Year to you and your side of the family as well! I hope the trip up to PA was great, and not too cold. :)
Hola, chicos. Veo que México da mucho de sí, cada día me gusta más.Las fotos son maravillosas. Nosotros acabamos de llegar de El Hierro, no es tan exótico pero resultó muy agradable y descansado. Disfruten. Feliz Año Nuevo. Bs
Xiomara – pense mucho en ustedes durante las navidades. Les echo de menos muchisimo! Hoy fuimos a un mercado y habia potaje con lentejas y me recordo de Javier. Ya nos queda muy poco tiempo en Mexico, pero tenemos muchas ganas de empezar la segunda parte del viaje: Chile! Besos para todos.