Mexico Part 6. Central Highlands of Chiapas, The Gulf of Mexico
Saturday, 29 September 2012 9:44 am
Friday 28th September:
Asking around we find out there is a political demonstration in the town that has shut down all access roads.
We wait for a couple of hours, ask more questions (with no Spanish) and are told it could be 4am tomorrow...or the next day !!!
We elect to turn around and find a small road into town. San Cristobal is a busy town and the heart of the most deeply rooted indigenous Mayan descendants in Mexico.
The city is also a hotspot for the Zapatista rebels who tried unsuccessfully to overthrow the government in 1994.
In San Cristobal there is no sign of anything and we head to the only RV park via so,me very small streets.
Temperature is cool and we find the isolated and quaint RV park,so hoping for a quiet night.
Soon we have a fire going in the rotunda and all is good.
Camp 229: Camping Rancho San Nicolas
Cost: MXP 150/vehicle (75/person)
N16* 43.246 W092* 40.246
Today : 203 Kms.
Trip Total: 87,858 Km
Old but clean, Free WiFi available.
Saturday 29th September:
Last night was a cool 13 degrees and pleasant.
Our mountainous drive takes us through many indigenous villages where the women are dressed in traditional brightly coloured purple or blue robes
We respect their tradition and resist the taking of photographs.
Road side stalls constantly try for our attention to sell us bananas and oranges.
At 2000metres the pine forests trees are covered with a thick growth of epiphytes including these beautiful red bromeliads.
Lunch is at the Aqua Azul cascades amidst a very jungle setting
Now the locals are getting perhaps a little quirky in their sales technique.
One lady pulls a string across the road in an attempt to stop the traffic whilst the other offers bananas
Perhaps one of our nicest camp spots in Mexico.
The temperature is mild, and no traffic noise.
A beautiful jungle setting, great waterfall and cool swimming hole.
Topping that you can walk behind the waterfall and deep into a limestone river cave, where there is an underground waterfall.
We will explore that again tomorrow.
Camp 230: Misol-Ha Falls Camp
Cost: MXP100 for the 3 vehicles after two entrance fees of 15 &10/person
N17* 23.577 W092* 00.038
Today : 203 Kms.
Trip Total: 88,061 Km
(US/C/A$1 = 13 Mex Pesos)
Sunday 30th September:
This morning we all adjust our vehicle brakes, the mountain cornering and the constant slowing for the numerous topes ( village speed bumps) has meant some adjustment.
That done and with torches and our small cameras in zip lock bags we headed off behind the waterfall.
The rocks were covered with moss as we headed towards the opening behind the waterfall where the water was gushing out.
With head lights on, the water is cold as we feel our way into the void.
About 50metres in we can hear the underground waterfall.
The water we are wading through is up to our waist and the noise is deafening.
Everything is black except where out head lights shine.
The room is filled with spray, and it takes some manoeuvring to finally get this shot which is a combination of four frames.
Now refreshed from a cool morning swim we do our final descent from the mountains onto the costal plain.
At one of the many army security checks we see these pet monkeys and ask if we can photograph them. ...no problem.
This one is a bit of a show off !
Even posing for the cameras.
The costal area is low and swampy. A little beef cattle and some attempt of rubber tree plantations but mostly low wet grasslands.
Finally the aqua coloured Gulf of Mexico jumps our at us.
White beaches follow the road and we try to find a shaded area for camp.
Not so easy.
Not so much shade but right on the beach. Fishing was useless but swimming in the warm waters most refreshing.
Camp 231: Gulf of Mexico Beach Camp
Cost: Nil
N19* 10.645 W090* 54.444
Today : 302 Kms.
Trip Total: 88,363 Km
Tomorrow we head to the Yucatan Peninsula and the Mayan Ruins