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.