Mexico: part IV

Yes it's not over! Well soon... this is the last part of my trip. Can't believe it was so long ago already. But I can't complain since I have wonderful memories, great pictures and some nice small reminders such as earings and bracelets. If you want to read the other parts of the travel, here is part I, part II and part III.

So! The date is now January 4th and on that day I have tried all the possible means of transport: taxi, plane, taxi, bus and taxi again. Going from Mexico City to Tuxtla Gutierrez and then Palenque in the Chiapas region. Left Mexico around 8AM and arrived at around 1AM... Long day. 

On the following morning, I eat breakfast, take a "colectivo" (one of these volkswagen mini-buses where in Europe you can have 8 people, slightly more in Latin America), get my ticket, find a personal guide and here we go, let's get blown away by this magical place. Palenque is one of the highlight of this trip, truly. OMG, that's all I can say... 

After a few hours on the spot and a quick visit to the museum to see a tumb and some jade masks (impressive), I go back to the city and wait for my bus to take me to San Cristobal de las Casas. And from 30 to 13 degrees... although I knew it, I still got a bit of a chock when I got out of the bus, brrrr! 

San Cristobal is another highlight of the trip. It's a small town right in the maya region and a lot of maya people living in the small villages around come to the city to sell their handicrafts and their harvests. The women still wear traditional dresses with different colours and patterns for each village. It makes the city very colourful and very vibrant.

There are a lot of tourists, mainly backpackers in the city but somehow you don't see them everywhere as they melt naturally in the crowd. It's very different from Yucatan and Cancún where you have the Americans on one side and the locals on the other one. Here everyone mix and respect each other.

There is an amazing market where I bought almost all the presents for my friends and family there, very convenient to have it on the last days of the trip, hehe! I stayed there 1,5 days and I wish I could have stayed longer but with some company, I think I missed a part of the great thing about San Cristobal. Go out in the evening, talk with people, hang out... Who wants to go back with me? ;) 

After San Cristobal, I went to the Canyon del Sumidero, the last thing on my list. It was a bit strange since I was the only foreigner there but that doesn't scare me away. Hop! On the boat, put some sunscreen (sun+ water = bad combination), sit tight and here we go! The scenery was impressive and I saw some cool animals. I saw some crocodiles! Ok they were sleeping but still, hehe!

On the following day, I sent my postcards (which took approximatively 2 months to arrive, I had given up upon and thought they were lost for ever...), flew back to Mexico city, had a great lunch with my friends, met Carlos & Alba for a last drink, back to the airport and back to Sweden via Paris. In economy this time. Trust me, the difference is big... Especially the room for the legs. But if they send me back to Mexico in economy tomorrow, will I go? Hell yes! Can't wait to go back...