Palenque - The Ancient City

Another Mexican state, another set of pre-Hispanic ruins for us to explore. This time we had entered the realm of the Mayans.

Palenque, one of the most important Mayan cities of the Classical Period (250 to 900 A.D) was the capital of a powerful dynasty that ruled the modern day states of Chiapas and Tabasco. It is famous for is architectural and sculptural works as well as the well preserved hieroglyphic inscriptions that have been used to provide invaluable information to help understand the history of this culture.

Set within the backdrop of the dense jungle this is like no other ruins we have visited so far on our trip. As we explore further we find more treasures to be discovered in the trees which have hidden the temples for hundreds of years.

There is a magical feel abut the place with butterflies of all colours and sizes dancing around our feet as we walk the steps to get the best views of the site.

Our visit quickly becomes a feat of endurance as the blistering heat and humidity prevents us from walking. We are briefly treated to the luxury of the small air-conditioned museum only to exit to a wall of heat and air.

The site is huge but most of it is still being excavated, thankfully the main temples only cover a small area. We leave this historical wonderland dripping with sweat, ready to jump quickly into an ice cold shower.