Travel: Americas: Mexico:Bonampak and Yaxchilan

*Click thumbnails to see full size photos.*

Early one morning we headed out with archeolgist and guide Chris Powell of the Maya Exploration Center for more discoveries. After breakfast in the jungle at the Valle Escondido Restaurant. Our first stop was at the small but lovely Bonampak site. The acropolis is shown here.	Bonampak, "Painted Walls" in the language of the native Lacandon, is famous for its murals. This is of musicians during a ceremony. The colors are still quite vivid. One theory is that the site was a training ground for artists.	The fine art of Bonampak is also visible in the remaining carvings, including this stele which depicts a blood-letting ceremony.

One can actually fly into Bonampak on this air strip. Click here to see the plane that took of during our visit.	Nature also displayed its artistic talents at Bonampak, in this large moth.	On to the border with Guatemala at Frontera Corozal. The rustic but charming Escudo Jaguar, operated by local indigenous people. Follow the links to see room and the open-air dining area.

We passed this orange iguana and its mate as we headed up the Usumacinta River to the archeological site of Yaxchilan. We also saw crocodiles and heard howler monkeys.	Our comfortable covered boat was the first to arrive at the site the morning we visted.	We could see the stairway to the acropolis as we walked toward the restored section of the site. To get there, Chris would lead us through a maze of totally dark hallways, past sleeping bats and huge, long-legged spiders.

We were alone, except for mosquitoes, in the park-like plaza of what was once a major trading center for the Maya.	Since Yaxchilan was on a tropical river, it was not surprising to see a crocodile honored in the remaining sculptures.	As usual, the main buildings were at the top of a long stone stairway. This was the "lower acropolis" with another further up the jungle-covered hill.

Note the rare stele carved from a stalagmite in the lowerrightt of the photo of this ceremonial building with its beautiful roof comb.	The stele with the lord, left, is marked from where incense has been burned in front of it, probably in fairly modern times. The front of the stairs had a series of ball game carvings. This has either two dwarfs or the two hero brothers from the Popol Vuh, a Maya creation story.

A small lizard blended into a nearby tree trunk.	As we were leaving, we saw other visitors for the first time.	On the way back to Palenque, we made a stop at the beautiful Mishol Ha waterfalls.

Palenque Bonampak Yaxchilan Comacalco Teotihuacan Villahermosa Mexico City