Raks***a´s Revenge

We arrived in Palenque on the overnight bus from Mexico City at 8.30 am and, after a cup of coffee that tasted coffee-free (yes that´s coffee not caffeine), caught a ´collectivo´ (a small rickety minibus with doors that didn´t close) that took us to a small jungle area with accommodation about 4.5km out of town called El Panchan. So hot and humid and no breeze. We had read about a place called Raks***a´s – accommodation with an adjoining vegetarian restaurant. Found Raks***a´s ok and booked in but then realized restaurant was closed. Our accommodation consisted of a rickety building, and our room was on the 1st floor, accessed only by an outdoor slippery wooden staircase with no hand rail. No air con in the room so everything was sticky from the humidity, even the bed sheets! We have the place to ourselves – above us is an area for hammocks but it is deserted, and underneath us is the staff quarters. Since the vege restaurant is closed, we eat out at Don Muchos – reached from Raks***a´s by crossing a wooden bridge. Very picturesque, especially when all lit up at night. Not so nice, however, was the appearance of a huge black spider on one of the outside toilets – scary!

The next day we visited the nearby Palenque Ruins and were able to climb up all of them. Baking hot day, the sweat was dripping off us in bucketfuls! No breeze either and really humid. Nonetheless, we tackled the long steps to each and every temple. Realised halfway through the day that our decision to skip breakfast, combined with the weather conditions and losing salts and water on every step led to dizziness but we blamed the altitude of the steps and blondeness! Lisa got most excited by 18th Century Spanish graffiti not the much older mayan stuff! On the exit path we saw some really pretty waterfalls with smooth rocks. Charlie annoyed photographers by jumping up and down on the rickety wooden bridge.

Collectivos became too expensive (at 50p) so we walked the 4.5km to Palenque from El Panchan and walked back, was dark for the latter part. Always adding that little bit of danger!

Skin needed much nourishing after a day like this so Lisa opened her brand new pot of organic JASON Moisturiser. Nicely moisturized she put it away then decided to have a little bit more and the whole pot slipped out of her greasy paws and the next thing we knew globules of goo were falling from the ceiling. The pot had ricocheted off the floor spreading half the contents all around the room. After cleaning the floor a glob remained on the ceiling and threatened to descend in stalactite formation! Of course this was followed by the days first sniggering fit. We had just worried about not sniggering that day, thankfully we had our medicine!

We had read how Palenque was the wettest region in Mexico. The only rain we had felt dripped off our noses in sweat. We were treated to a demonstration of just how wet it can get as a huge tropical storm blew over us that night. We awoke to massive flashes of lightning and deafening thunder. Lisa thought that Raks***a´s was collapsing (not too unbelievable!) but it turned out to be Charlie turning over in bed. The next morning we stared out the window at the once pretty clear streams which had swollen into filthy brown rivers.

On leaving El Panchan to go to Palenque bus station we were quoted a price for a taxi at 40 pesos. So we said yes, as it was raining and we had heavy bags. They asked for a 50 peso deposit, smelling a scam but having no way out we handed it over. The taxi driver arrived and collected the money from Don Muchos. We re-confirmed that the price was 40 and climbed in. On arrival we asked for our ten, but were told that it was to cover the cost of the phone call when Don Muchos called him for us. Having no other way to get the 10 back we accepted defeat and angrily waited for the ADO bus to Merida.

Final Thought: El Panchan is a beautiful setting, although far too humid to spend any length of time at considering it had no pool. Raks***a´s, although a nice idea, will soon collapse. Lonely planet travel guides are obviously written by people with no standards. Nice ruins and fabulous to climb all over. However, greedy taxi driver marred our last night. So it loses marks here.

Mark out of 10 = 5.5

Next time… Valladolid.