The view from the top
Bonampak
From Palenque and on our way back into Guatemala we paid for a tour to see two other Mayan sites, the first being Bonampak. Bonampak a pretty small site really and you only need 30 minutes there, but what marks this as a worthy visit is it's murals which are set in three rooms half way up the main acropolis. They depict various forms of torture and sacrifices all in a brightly coloured narrative. The view from the top of the acropolis is pretty cool too looking out over the canopy of the nearby jungle. In the early morning while we were there, the atmosphere was amazing, with distant exotic bird calls and monkeys echoing from mile around.
Lucy at the steps of the main acropolis at Bonampak
The murals at Bonampak.
Yaxchilan
Next up is the mayan city of Yaxchilan, which is only reachable by a 30 minute boat ride along the Rio Usumacinta. The ruins are nestled deep within the jungle and as sunlight pours through the thick foliage and the howler monkeys holler loudly from the tree tops, we realise that this is an utterly unforgetable experience.
Temple at the top of the acopolis
Another temple. This one had bats inside.
Stone tablet with engravings
On the boat ride back
Ric & Luce, you guys are continuing to have great adventures. The Mayan temples look amazing esp the one you had to reach by boat. Wish we were in Mexico. Though Thailand isn't too bad - we've seen the North and the South and now just chilling in Chiang Mai before heading to India next week. Miss you guys!
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