Continued from My Mexico Trip, Part 5: Veracruz to Palenque.
We rose to the twittering of birds and the unmistakable calls of howler monkeys coming from high up in the tree tops. My son and I quickly got ready and took a stroll through the lush forested grounds of the hotel, then headed for breakfast. On the way we saw an iguana with a bloody nose. Perhaps it had a run-in with a dog. But it plodded steadily on, where ever it was headed, unfazed. I admired its pluck and resilience.
Today we would be visiting the famous Maya ruins of Palenque. Located in the state of Chiapas, Mexico, where the gulf plain meets the rising mountains of the interior, it is an area of heavy rainfall and dense forests. Palenque was occupied from around 100 BC, reached its peak from 640 to 730 AD and was largely abandoned by 900 AD. The jungle took over until it was rediscovered and investigated in the nineteenth century. The forest covering was peeled back revealing magnificent buildings from a bygone era. But, only a very small fraction of the area has been explored and archeological digs continue. Who knows what the future may reveal.
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