A country´s worth of driving
A brief stop at the world´s fanciest Walmart to load up on provisions, then the 9 hour drive to Palenque.
Countless Mexican villages (each with several dozen annoying "topes," Mexican speed bumps), rivers, bridges, and 4 Mexican states, we arrive in Chiappas. Finally some mountains! The Yucutan is beautiful to be sure, but it is flat and covered in rocks. We got to see the Gulf of Mexico, though, which was great.
One exciting first-time experience: we got stopped at military checkpoint. The soldiers searched our van; apparently they were stopping everybody and searching for drug smugglers. Since groups of rich, white gringas make poor smugglers, they didn´t keep us too long; only about 10 minutes. It was still an eye-opening experience to be standing next to a man with an assault rifle who is most definitely willing to use it on you if you step out of line.
Palenque is in the mountains, and is pretty much a tourist town. Hotels, restaurants and gift shops. We checked into the Hotel Xibalba, unloaded, then went to dinner next door at El Huachinango Feliz. I had the most amazing fish and shrimp ever! They cooked it wrapped in banana leaves. Superb!
Finally, internet access. I can let my family know I am still alive, and fill out my adventures of the past 3 days. I feel bad that my leather journal isn´t getting any use yet on this trip. Probably tomorrow at the ruins.
For now it is time to shower off the bugspray and go to bed.
Rooms are large and comfortable; single or doubles are available for 350 pesos (about $35 USD). There is also a large "cabin" in the back with 5 single beds plus a hammock and small kitchen area.
Rooms are air conditioned and kept clean. There was a small problem with some ants making a path between our window and mirror, but seeing as the hotel is in a jungle region, some allowances for fauna must be made. A troop of howler monkeys woke us up in the morning, which was more a memorable experience than an inconvenience.
The staff was extremely friendly, and willing to help day or night in finding a good restaurant, arranging day tours to Mayan sites, and providing other information. A continental breakfast is available for a small price in addition to the room fee. Internet is available in the lobby (in fact, the night is to be commended for setting up and logging on to the computer for us very late at night, and letting us use their office computer the next day when the customer computer was down.)
The manager was very accomodating, letting us split our 2 night stay into one night, and then a separate night several days later on our return trip.
For the price, it can't be beat. I would definitely stay here again.
It is right next door to the Hotel Xibalba, so it is an easy choice if you are staying there or any of the surrounding hotels. There are two levels, a downstairs divided into an inside and outside dining area, and an upstairs covered porch. I highly suggest sitting upstairs outside. The sounds and music from other restaurants and bars in the area give the whole place a fun atmosphere.
For a meal, I heartily recommend the "Filete de Pescado Relleno des Camarones," fish filet stuffed with shrimp. They cook it all together wrapped and served in banana leaves. I liked it so much I ordered it again a few days later on our return trip (though the second time they did not serve it in banana leaves; I guess it depends on who is in the kitchen that night.)
Everything my travel companions ordered looked amazing as well. No one had any complaints about their meals except that there was too much food! A few people couldn't finish it all, even though they wanted to.
The staff didn't seem to mind that we hung out after our meal, even though the restaurant seemed to be closed when we left.
For 55-75 pesos ($5.50 - $7.50 USD) per meal plus drinks, this is absolutely a bargain. A mountain of good food + cheap = great place to eat.
