Palenque, Chiapas Mexico

After saying goodby to San Cristobal, our private driver, Belisario Bolom, took us on a car journey through the jungle and over the mountains. The six-hour drive felt like two hours.  We were captivated by the scenery and glimpses of daily life in the villages and towns along the way. About halfway, we stopped for a break overlooking Ococingo, a town at an elevation of 2,500 feet in the valley below. We reached Chan-Kah Resort Hotel, our lodging in Palenque, just in time for check-in, a late lunch, and our welcome cocktail.  The setting sun gave us our first encounter with howler monkeys. Their loud and unfamiliar calls echoed throughout the jungle. At first, we didn’t know what we were hearing, but a quick Google search revealed that howler monkeys make a very loud, very creepy sound to mark their territory. 

The ancient Mayan city of Palenque was founded around 100 BC and reached its political peak between 500 and 700 AD under rulers such as King Pakal the Great. Warfare, overpopulation, and resource depletion led to its abandonment around the ninth century. The city lay concealed by dense jungle until modern excavations began and is now a UNESCO World Heritage Site.  We carefully climbed the steps of the Templo to explore the burial chamber and admire the excellent views of the ancient city and the jungle below. 

We learned so much; however, two facts stood out.  Palenque contains one of the most extensive collection of hieroglyphic texts found in the Mayan world.  Some of these tablets have been moved to the archeological museum in Mexico City; but several remain on site.  The Mayans were also impressive engineers.  They built an underground aqueduct that diverted the Otulum River to supply the city with water and feed a complex subterranean indoor plumbing system. It is amazing to think this engineering design was constructed 1,500 years ago.  For more about Palenque, follow this link Palenque

We were hot and sweaty when we returned to the hotel and the pool was so inviting.  We couldn't pass up the opportunity for a swim and some lounging by the water - a rare pool day for us!

That's the wonderful, delicious, restaurant on the other side of the gorgeous pool.  See why we just had to take a dip!

San Cristobal De las Casas, Chiapas

Eager to explore the Mexican state of Chiapas, we flew Aeromexico from Merida to Tuxtla, then boarded a shared shuttle to San Cristobal de las Casas.  A short taxi ride from the shuttle drop-off brought us to Casa Na Bolom, our lodging for the next three nights.  Traveling between destinations has been exciting but a little nerve-racking. We’re used to having our own vehicle or renting one, so we’re learning to relax and go with the flow—though sometimes that’s easier said than done.

At 7,200 feet, San Cristobal de las Casa is a vibrant highland city in Chiapas, Mexico famous for its well-preserved Spanish colonial architecture, stone-cobbled pedestrian corridors, and deep indigenous Tseltal and Tsotsil Maya heritage.  We were anxious to explore this wonderful city, enjoy the perfect weather, and drink some delicious Chiapas coffee. 

On our first day, we followed the very narrow sidewalks to the Templo de Santo Domingo de Guzmán where we found the Centro de Textiles del Mundo Maya, which showcases remarkable Indigenous weaving traditions. We browsed the textile market, watching artisans weave and sew at their stalls and shopped for the perfect huipil, a beautifully embroidered blouse. 

In the afternoon, we explored the Casa Na Bolom, which is also our lodging.  Casa Na Bolom (meaning "House of the Jaguar" in the Tsotsil Maya language) is one of the most culturally vital landmarks in San Cristóbal de las Casas. Na Bolom was built in 1891 with the original intent to be a monastery; however, for whatever reason that dream did not materialize and the building was sold several times until 1950 when Danish archeologist Frans Blom and his wife, Swiss documentary photographer Gertrude Duby Blom purchased the property for their home. Today, it functions as a cultural center, a museum with amazing Lacandon artifacts and many of Trudy Blom's original photographs, an active non-profit cultural research foundation, and a rustic boutique hotel.  That's our room upstairs.

Our second day was all about coffee. San Cristobal lies in the heart of the region’s high-altitude coffee-growing territory and has become a world-class specialty coffee destination. We signed up for the “Farm to Cup” class at Historico Coffee Shop, ranked 35th among the world’s top 100 coffee shops. It was the perfect introduction to the history of Chiapas coffee and what makes it special and so delicious; and included a tasting of three coffees prepared three ways. After the 2 hour class we enjoyed people-watching in the central plaza.  The celebration of the Dia de Muertos was in full swing.

Wish we could stay a few more days to wander the streets and enjoy the coffee but it's time to move on to our next Chiapas stop:  Palenque.  

Our next adventure:  Mexico and Guatemala!  After flying into Cancun, we took an ADO bus to Tulum, and then a taxi to our first lodging in Mexico: Dos Ceibas, a beautiful and affordable Mayan Holistic boutique hotel right on the beach. We thoroughly enjoyed our rustic yet luxurious stay.  Sand paths led to various accommodations, the pool, the restaurant, and to the beach.  We had an upstairs room with a gorgeous patio (and a wonderful neighbor!  Shout out to our new friend from North Carolina, Lisa).

While in Tulum, we visited two Mayan ruin sites:

Zona Arqueológica de Tulum: A coastal site used by the Mayans for trade and commerce (notably trading in obsidian and cocoa).  Tulum is considered a "contemporary" or modern site dating from 1000-1200 A.D. as it is a later development.

Muyil: Nestled in the jungle, Muyil is far less touristy than Tulum. We walked through the jungle of the Sian Ka'an Biosphere Reserve to discover ancient structures, including the impressive El Castillo.  A boardwalk path through the wetlands led us to a lagoon.  Along the path we spotted an anteater and a fox and lots of mosquitos.  

To move between the city of Tulum and the Hotel Zone where our hotel was located, we selected Colectivos as our mode of transportation.  A Colectivo is a shared van used by locals to get around Tulum and the Riviera Maya. While Colectivos take slightly longer than taxis, they are far less expensive and a great part of the travel experience.  The door on the van in the photo wouldn't close so it swung open and shut on the very bumpy roads! The broken door also helped provide a breeze, which may be why no one really cares if it slides back and forth during the ride.  We didn't.

After a comfortable and affordable 4.5-hour bus journey from Tulum, we arrived in Merida, the cultural heart of the Yucatan. Merida is also the capital and the largest city in the Mexican state of Yucatan.  It was founded in 1542 by the Spanish conquistador Francisco De Montejo and built on the site of the ancient Mayan city of Tho’. The city boasts a rich blend of Maya and Spanish heritage, evident in its beautiful colonial architecture.  The Cathedral de San IIdefonso is one of the oldest cathedrals in North America, constructed between 1561 and 1598.  The Spanish used the stone from the Mayan city to build the cathedral.  

Our visit coincided with the Festival De Las Ánimas and the Dia de los Muertos (Day of the Dead). The historic Gran Plaza, a convenient 5 minute walk from our hotel, was bustling with events and markets, celebrating the occasion. Each night, the streets came alive with music, street dances, and the tantalizing aroma of traditional Mayan cuisine.

We attended a demonstration of an ancient Mayan ball game called Pok-ta-Pok, an ancestral Mesoamerican ballgame that the ancient Maya played for over 3,000 years. Beyond being a sport, it held profound religious significance, symbolizing the cosmic battle between light and darkness.  The announcing was entirely in Spanish, so we had to look that part up!  The game itself is a mixture of soccer and basketball.  The players use their hips to hit the ball through the hoop and the crowd goes wild when a team scores just like any ballgame.

 

For our last day in Merida, we embarked on a day trip to Uxmal, a UNESCO World Heritage Site.  Uxmal, a Mayan site dating from 800 A.D. was, at its peak, home to 25,000 inhabitants.  It was like exploring an ancient city with distinctly different neighborhoods.  Although climbing the Pyramid of the Magician or the Great Pyramid is not allowed, we could climb the stairs of the Governor's Palace.  The intimidating but short climb was worth the effort for the amazing views!

 Before embarking on our international travels, we had a special mission: to take our three-year-old grandson, Teddy, on his special trip with Pappy and RuRu, no parents allowed.  After collecting Teddy and his suitcase, the three of us left for a four-night adventure in St. Louis, Missouri. 

Our first destination was the St. Genevieve National Historic Site. Nestled along the Mississippi River, this city holds the distinction of being the first permanent European settlement west of the river. Teddy diligently worked and earned his Junior Ranger badge, which he proudly displayed on his Junior Ranger vest, which was already adorned with numerous badges from various National Park sites.

We arrived in St. Louis and settled into a family-friendly hotel in Fenton, Missouri. Our next stop was Gateway Arch National Park. Teddy was captivated by the “funny” elevator that whisked us to the top of the arch, where he spent a delightful time gazing out the windows at the cityscape and the river below. Afterward, we embarked on a relaxing paddle boat tour on the Mississippi River. While Teddy mostly slept in his stroller, the hour-long tour provided a peaceful respite.

The following day, we visited the City Museum, a place that defies description and demands to be experienced firsthand. It’s a massive, whimsical architectural playground and museum, constructed entirely from repurposed industrial and architectural salvage. We spent the entire day, from open to close, exploring its nooks and crannies, and everyone, including Teddy, thoroughly enjoyed the architectural marvel.

Our final stop was Grant’s Farm and the Ulysses S. Grant National Historic Site. Grant’s Farm, an historic 281-acre family park and animal reserve, was once farmed by President Grant and is now owned by the Busch family. Teddy delighted in feeding the animals and admiring the majestic Clydesdale horses housed in the stables.

After an exhausting but very, very fun time, we returned Teddy to his parents in Tennessee.

 After returning from the Alaskan cruise, we spent a few days in Texas with family and friends before heading north to spend a week in Oklahoma. All the years we lived in North Texas, we paid little attention to Oklahoma.  What a surprise!  There are many fascinating things to see and do!

Our first stop was the Chickasaw National Recreation Area near Sulphur, Oklahoma. This area is so significant in its natural beauty and resources that it was first designated as Platt National Park in 1906. Nestled in the Arbuckle Mountains, numerous natural springs with crystal-clear waterfalls flow into Rock Creek, which feeds into Lake Arbuckle. The area was eventually re-designated as a National Recreation Area, encompassing the lake. We saw many families escaping the heat and enjoying several swimming holes along the creek.

Our next stop was Oklahoma City—or as the Okies call it, "The City."  We booked a guided tour of the Oklahoma City National Stockyards, which is the largest stocker and feeder cattle market in the world and actually the last of its kind in the US.  Every Monday and Tuesday, thousands of cattle are sold and millions of dollars change hands in the auction arena. Our tour group included two cowboys from Ireland, and it was fascinating to hear them exchange experiences with our guide, who has worked at the stockyards for 47 years.

After the tour, we had lunch at Cattlemen's 1910 Cafe, which has been serving lunch to cowboys since, well, 1910.

Our next stop in Oklahoma City is the National Cowboy & Western Heritage Museum. It is a vast museum dedicated to Western art and the story of the cowboy, covering everything from real-life cattle drivers on the range to the history of the rodeo to western frontier towns to Native American history to Westerns on the big (and little) screen.

On our way to Ponca City, we stopped in Guthrie, OK, and toured the Scottish Rite Temple. Built in the early 1900s, it is one of the 3 largest in the US and absolutely beautiful.  It is massive at 400,000 square feet.  Yes, four hundred thousand square feet!  

Ponca City was the home of E.W. Marland, founder of Marland Oil Co. (the precursor to Conoco Oil). We toured both of his homes: his 10,000-square-foot Grand Home and the magnificent 40,000-square-foot Marland Mansion, built in 1921. The Mansion is truly amazing and well worth a visit.

On the way to Bartlesville, we drove through the Joseph H. Williams Tallgrass Prairie Preserve. The drive was beautiful, and we were lucky to see the bison herd up close. They crossed the road right in front of and behind our car, so we parked and enjoyed the quiet moment while watching them.

Woolaroc is the remote hideaway of Frank Phillips, founder of Phillips 66. The estate features a drive-through exotic animal park (a zebra, an ostrich or two, and an African deer),  a museum, a restaurant, and a historic lodge. The museum houses an eclectic collection of Western and Native American art and artifacts.  We really enjoyed walking the grounds and having lunch at the cafe.

On to Bartlesville and something truly surprising.  A skyscraper!  And not just a skyscraper but the only skyscraper designed by architect Frank Lloyd Wright. The Price tower was built in 1956 for the H.C. Price Company.  It's not open for touring but we did tour the founder of Phillips 66, Frank Phillips, house.  It is beautiful, but we got so involved with the stories on the tour that we failed to get a single pic. 😒

From natural beauty, cattle, bison, art, oil barons homes, and a Frank Lloyd Wright skyscraper we left Oklahoma with a new respect for Texas' neighbor to the north. Oklahoma, we are sorry we neglected you!