Palenque to San Cristobal

I was actually woken in the night by howler monkeys, which was nice to get back to then got up early to be at the Palenque ruins before the heat and the crowds.  The site itself is like a cross between Copan with the carvings and Tikal with tall temples but more shaded by the forest than either. Many of the buildings also had the stone roofs at least partly restored giving a better sense of what they were like in use.




After the ruins I visited the site museum, which holds the famous tomb of Lord Pacal. I wasnt able to take pictures inside but it is truly impresive. And in case anyone has read the same trashy conspiracy magazines as me, the carving on top does not show him in a spaceship.

This took most of the morinng but the bus to San Cristobal left at lunchtime so I decided it was time to get back into the mountains.  We climbed steadily uphill for five hours into a different world full of pine forests and hills.  Part way up I noticed a school by the side of the road "Escuela Autonomous Zapatista", I dont think Ive knowingly been in insurgent territory before but there were no signs of revolution in progress.

San Cristobal itself seems wonderful from the colonial architecture, like being back in Antigua to the cool climate and the view of the hills, I immediately accepted the four nights for the price of three offer in the hostel and look forward to exploring the area.