It rained. Not the polite domesticated rain that we are used to, or the so called "flash floods" of Mebourne or Sydney, but real wild jungle rain that started late one day and did not stop. We had already bought our tickets to see the water falls, so figured that once we were wet through, we were wet through. Now Mexicans try to sell you everything. You can be walking on a jungle track and a little girl will appear from nowhere with a broken plastic colander containing some bananas and biscuits, but just you try to buy an raincoat or umbrella. Anyway we got soaked and stayed soaked for hours.
The photo to the side is of Misol-Ha (used as the location for the film Predator). The only problem is that the picture is from the internet. This photo was taken on a nice clear day. By the time Tony and I got there it had been teaming for almost 18 hours. The water was torrid and the sound was deafening.
We went on to Agua Clara (English translation: Clear Water) and it was far from clear. The next stop was Agua Azul (English translation: Blue Water) and it was not blue. The day before some other folk had been swimming in the pools and enjoying the water. We just stood back in awe and the water tumbled by with the occassional tree bobbing up and down. Eventually we found a place we liked and settled in for a long lunch.
When the bus dropped us back at our Cabana (4 km from town) the priorities were to get dry and have a nap. We woke a few hours later to find that the internet was down at the hostel village, some bridges were flooded and the busses has stopped running. This morning the cook at the hostel told us that this was the best time to visit Palenque because it is the dry season!
One thing to be said for hippies is that they have some idea about food. In the middle of the jungle, they have built a real Italian pizza oven, someone taught these Mexicans how to make pizza and they paid attention. Tony declared his dinner to be just as good as iCarusi in Holmes Rd Brunswick. High praise indeed!
At about three in the morning Tony realised that it had stopped raining. He got up to find the source of some very loud non-human sounding snoring. He was convinced he was going to find some kind of primate in a tree, I was convinced he was going to find a drunk backpacker. He found nothing so we will never know.
Right now I am in a laundry-internet cafe, what a good idea. I had to thow my shoes away and my leather sandals are in a poor state anyway. Further, they do not stand a chance of getting dry. So my mission will be to get something to eat and find some shoes.
2 comments:
Hi Greta
how amazing to meet someone from Mowbray. Six degrees and all that. Are you getting tired of travelling at this stage?
we are so envious and admiring of your trip and experiences. you left cuba just as the election is taking place - did you realise? is castro revered in the way we imagine or is that just western spin?
getting ready for the term here. busy, interesting days. summer school at geelong last fortnight a great experience and lots to tell you. looking forward to seeing you soon.
lots of love
Debbie
Hi Greta, have just read your blog a loud to Alex who is lazing about in bed. Great to read about your travels. Colette is down the beach with Bronwyn and her kids having a great time. Alex is going to Eileens tomorrow to have 3 teeth extracted and then braces on next week. I am busily trying to catch up with things around the house before school starts. Alex is playing at the Eltham Jazz festival on Saturday evening
Saturating the news at the moment is the death of Heath Ledger. He was 28 and they are not sure how he died. Maybe too many sleeping pills. The last 10 days has seen the stockmarket fall dramatically. Uncle Ron's house will sell in late Feb. I can't remember when you said that you would be home but we will have to go out for your birthday. Penny is organising a lunch at her house in Feb on a Sunday which should be fun.
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