Bonampak and Yaxchilàn
At 6am on Sunday morning (May 12), we trudged in the dark jungles to an unmarked van and headed off with a dozen others to the southeast border of Mexico and Guatemala. We were embarking on a long day's journey to see two more jungle-covered ruins. We stopped off for breakfast at Valle Escondido, somewhere on the highway between Palenque and who knows where. It turned out to be an amazing hut set admist more jungle, with beautiful log tables and chairs. We filled up on eggs, beans, freshly-squeezed juices, and the awesome Chiapan coffee. Best part of all? Beautiful and clean bathrooms!
After making sure our stomachs were full, we set off again on the Carretera Fronteriza, only stopping a few times for various guards armed with VERY LARGE GUNS; AK47s sound dangerous - I'll say it was those. :) (Kris is now laughing - I wonder why.)
A few hours later, we arrive at another thatched-roof complex. More food? We thought. Yes, but they were just taking orders so that they would be prepared for us after our journey into the jungles to find the ruins of Yaxchilàn. Again, extremely clean bathrooms!! Yay!
We had arrived on the border town of Frontera Corozal. It's a quiet tranquil little place with clapboard houses and thatched-roof huts. After ordering food, we went down to the "docks" of the Usumacinta River, and hopped on a boat, similar to the long-tail boats in Thailand. We rode for a peaceful hour of just the sounds of nature, and hopped off at the bottom of a long staircase. We had arrived at Yaxchilàn.
The ruins were absolutely fantastic - they were so hidden that we had to hike through jungly paths, and we even had to enter a ruin filled with bats (and no lights!) to get to the main plaza! We saw howler monkeys swinging above the ruins, and then had to uncover brush to see the signs to more ruins that used to look over the river to Guatemala (before the jungle took over again!).
Leaving Yaxchilàn, we got to see a crocodile in the river! Then, after eating back in Frontera Corozal, we later went to a final ruin of Bonampak, about an hour from Yaxchilàn, which is known for its amazingly well-preserved frescoes. We also saw some of the weirdest bird nests ever!!
It was a fun-filled adventurous day, and we were glad to sink into our beds, falling asleep again to the sounds of howler monkeys and jungle birds.
After making sure our stomachs were full, we set off again on the Carretera Fronteriza, only stopping a few times for various guards armed with VERY LARGE GUNS; AK47s sound dangerous - I'll say it was those. :) (Kris is now laughing - I wonder why.)
A few hours later, we arrive at another thatched-roof complex. More food? We thought. Yes, but they were just taking orders so that they would be prepared for us after our journey into the jungles to find the ruins of Yaxchilàn. Again, extremely clean bathrooms!! Yay!
We had arrived on the border town of Frontera Corozal. It's a quiet tranquil little place with clapboard houses and thatched-roof huts. After ordering food, we went down to the "docks" of the Usumacinta River, and hopped on a boat, similar to the long-tail boats in Thailand. We rode for a peaceful hour of just the sounds of nature, and hopped off at the bottom of a long staircase. We had arrived at Yaxchilàn.
The ruins were absolutely fantastic - they were so hidden that we had to hike through jungly paths, and we even had to enter a ruin filled with bats (and no lights!) to get to the main plaza! We saw howler monkeys swinging above the ruins, and then had to uncover brush to see the signs to more ruins that used to look over the river to Guatemala (before the jungle took over again!).
Leaving Yaxchilàn, we got to see a crocodile in the river! Then, after eating back in Frontera Corozal, we later went to a final ruin of Bonampak, about an hour from Yaxchilàn, which is known for its amazingly well-preserved frescoes. We also saw some of the weirdest bird nests ever!!
It was a fun-filled adventurous day, and we were glad to sink into our beds, falling asleep again to the sounds of howler monkeys and jungle birds.
At the restaurant, Valle Escondido, looking at one of the log tablesand the stone-covered buffet counter.
This is what we looked at while eating breakfast - jungle!
Our lunch spot - a thatched-roof, open air restaurant,complete with resident parrot.
The bathrooms at the second restaurant - they were beautiful,and more importantly, incredibly clean!
The boats waiting to take passengers along thecrocodile-ridden Usamacinta River. Guatemala begins
somewhere in these jungles.
River launches.
Jungle people.
Hyacinth in the jungle.
We had to climb through this part of the ruins toget to the main plaza.
Inside the ruins - notice the small black thingshanging at the apex of the roof - those are the bats!
We made it to the other side!! Safe and away from the bats.
Sometimes, we also had to hike up oldstairs in the jungle.
Beautiful ruins amidst a beautiful setting.
Howler monkeys surrounded us as we explored the ruins.
The long march upwards to the main building.
We made it to the top! Check out the intricate architecture.
The main building with its amazing architectural designs.
We love Yaxchilàn.Leaving Yaxchilan:
Our sighting of a baby crocodile!
Most rural Chiapans still live in huts like this one.
The primary school in Frontera Corozal. Their library waspretty much the same size as the one at our school!
Typical clapboard houses in rural Chiapas.
A Lancondan man in traditional garb. One of the options for thetour we were with is an overnight stay in a Lacondan
village. He was the host for some of the folks in our van.
These were the crazy bird nests. The birds would swoopin into the top of these dangling sacks. I forget the name, but
they're black with amazingly brilliant yellow undersides to their
tails or wings.
The view of Bonampak's plaza from atop the main building.
One of the many preserved frescoes in Bonampak.
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