Back from the Jungle...up next...the Beach

Cooking dinner at Hostal Babylon in San Cristobal.







Getting ready for the bus trip to Palenque.




hello all!
Relax people, i am fine, my face did not blow up like in Peru thank you very much. I am trying to update as much as possible but remember i am also trying to get away from the everyday and relax. So calm down Canada. To make it up to you, i have taken the time to post a lot more picutres. And by popular demand...pictures of me ofcourse!!!!

We have just arrived back to San Cristobal de las Casas from Palenque and will be heading to the coast tomorrow night on an overnight bus.

Palenque was amazing! We stayed right in the jungle outside of town in El Panchan which is a little backpackers oasis with a bunch of cabanas and hostals all set in the jungle with iguanas and howler monkeys!!! ahha We didn{t see any monkeys but we heard them...crazy!

Anwyay, we arrived in El Panchan and we were looking for a Palapa (which is a thatch roof hut to string up hammoks since this is what Dustin did last time he was here and it was innexpensive and fun.) We never found the palapas and were a little discouraged (i was happy because i didn{t want to sleep in a hammok outside while getting eaten alive my malaria carrying mosquitos.)Just then, a van pulled up with a friend that Steve had met (yeah for friendly Steve) and they were all staying at a place called Jungle Palace. We were hot and tired and told Steve to go check it out and he scored us an awesome cabana with a private washrooms, hot water, and a sweet balcony that overlooked a stream. We used the balcony often to have some drinks and play cards and also to hang my clothes line; although noghtin dryes very quickly in the humidity of the jungle.

The second day in El Panchan we pretty much just hung around el Panchan since it rained for almost 24 hrs. i would say. It was nice and relaxing though. There was also an amazing restuarant (DON MUCHOS!!!) with live music and a fire show at night. It was set in the jungle ofcourse with a large thatch roof and open air eating area. The Italian food was great which was a welcome relief from so many tacos, quesidillas and tostadas (that all pretty much tast the same!). Last night i had an awesome thin crust pizza!

Yesterday we went to the Mayan ruins in Palenque and after i lost Dustin for a bit i had a chance to draw since the day was overcast but not raining. The ruins were obviously very impressive especially because of the junlge backdrop! I should admit that after seing quite a few ruins from ancient civilisations (Machu Pichu in Peru and Angkor Wat in Cambodia as well as the Great wall) They all kind of begin to look like a lot of stones placed together in some unimaginable way! I still very much appreciate the opportuinity to see them but i think i need to brush up on the history of the stones a bit more!!!! I do know that Palenque was first occupied around 100 B.C but it wasn{t until 1837 that the ruins were properly documented and investigated by an archeologist from New York. When we were walking throught the ruins i was thinking how crazy it would be to make it thought the jungle and come upon this lost world. I encourage you to google the ruins if you are interrested because that about all the history i can handle for the day!!!!

It is nice to be back in San Cristobal at the Hostal Babylon with the Italian owner Alexander and our Mexican friend Eder who are very friendly. Tomorrow girls stay free for Valentines day (unfortunately we are leaving) but it is also the President{s birthday so we will have a party before taking a 10 o{clock bus to the coast.

NEXT STOP Puerto Escondido (The beach!!!! for the rest of the trip!)





Dustin playing with headlights while we were bored. Classy guy.




Fire show at Don Muchos.







Steve and I at the Palenque ruins.





The ruins again. (Dustin is the little speck sitting sitting on the ruins to the left center; its hard to see him!)






There i am going up to our Cabana! Awesome Stairs.






Dustin and i hanging out on the cabana balcony.



Dustin and Steve playing cards on the rainy day.