I left the Trailer Park La Merced in San Cristobal de las Casas on Sunday, September 27th around 8:00 to go to Agua Azul at 64 km away from Palenque. But alas I was stopped shortly after 9:00 by a stopping on the road #199 at the Oxchuc village. The villagers claimed seems to me it elections to replace the corrupted town council. The stopping was raised towards 13hOO while passing in front of the strike picket I had to pay 500 pesos as foreigner! And my vehicle was tagged on the hiding places spare wheels: Fuera Maria Gloria. About ten kilometers further on a new stopping which was raised around 16:30. But the strike picket was much harder it claimed me 1000 pesos. Then while passing in front of a guard of honor my vehicle was stone-throwing, spangled windshield and broken rear view mirror. I reached Ocosingo after 6 p.m. I found a bivouac on roadside in front of a house whose occupants accepted my parking. Chiapas is always more or less in rebellion.
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On Monday morning I left my bivouac around 7:00 to be stopped around 8:00 at a new stopping. I discussed with the strike picket in my approximate Spanish by recalling that I was French. It was announced that the stopping would be raised at 18:00! Members of the strike picket came to my vehicle to discuss and I showed them the damage by Oxchuc and by the following village. They told me that here it was muy tranquilo. Then oh surprised around 10:00 a member of the strike picket proposed to me to pass while paying 500 pesos, of course I accepted. At 11:00 I was in Agua Azul to visit the impressive waterfalls. I remained on the spot to consolidate the damage of my truck while waiting for the Mercedes-Benz garage in Cancun where I had taken rendezvous by email from San Cristobal to carry out the periodic revision of the 50,000 km. Assessment of the three stoppings 2000 pesos (approximately 110€) of baksheesh, a windshield star and a broken rear view mirror. Conclusion never to cross Chiapas during a election time. Here altitude is approximately 220 meters. I found again a wet heat…
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At about ten kilometers away from my bivouac of Agua Azul on Tuesday, September 28 I encountered a new stopping, certainly it was the last one before Palenque. I paid 200 pesos, racketeers continued, but the price decreased. In the village there was a police car. I called the police officer and I explained to him that at the entrance of village there were robbers who had extorted me money to pass. He answered me that it was political. I put my finger on his plate of Policia. It turned his heels! I arrived at the entrance of site of Palenque shortly after 9:00. Heat and moisture paid the visit painful and weak lighting the unspecified photographs. The site was occupied towards 100 BC, but its flourishing time was from 630 to 740 AD. After 900 AD the site was abandoned in the most sprinkled area of Mexico. The discovery of the site is allotted to Alberto Ruz Lhuillier. The gallery shows the pictures of the most important monuments, then the video gives a panoramic view of Plaza of Palacio by beginning with Templo XI then Templo de las Inscripciones and Palacio with its tower. Finally Museo de Sitio exhibits objects coming from the site as well as the Pakal's sarcophagus. Shortly after 12:00 I settled at the Trailer Park Mayabell with all the conveniences except Wifi connection!
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On Wednesday, September 30th I started from Palenque, Chiapas, to go to Villahermosa in Tabasco, TB. I had the surprise shortly after the junction of Mex #199 with Mex #186 to pass in a glowing complex of the customs for a control. Then about ten kilometers further on a army control. But in Chiapas, nada de nada, strange, no. Is it a lawness zone? Arrived at 10:00 at Parque-Museo La Venta I visited it in two hours making the dead end on the zoo part of animals out of cage. It is an initiatory trip in a luxuriant forest with a troop of wild mosquitos. The Olmecs culture developed between 800 and 400 BC. It is characterized by the gigantic heads. The Lonely Planet mentions that the Tortuguero stele is in the Museo Regional de Antropologia. This Maya stele announces the end of the world on December 23rd, 2012 in the comput of Maya time. While arriving I noted that the museum was closed for the installation of a temporary exhibition. I presented myself to the entry by mentioning that I was French of passage and that I would like to see the Tortuguero stele. The hostess went to get information and came back with the authorization to make me a private visit of the stele and exhibit under installation. What a attention! Then around 14:30 I failed on the carpark of Walmart to lunch. A violent storm fell down on the city and lasted more than one hour. I decided to bivouac on the spot.
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After the visit of Parque-Museo La Venta I decided to make an escapade until the site northwards of Villahermosa. But at the entrance of village I was again blocked by a demonstration. After a discussion with a member of the strike picket, I passed without untied purse, phew! The museum at the entrance of site exhibits objects of the Olmec culture. Of course the most remarkable parts are in Villahermosa. There too an initiatory trip develops on the site with objects on their place of excavation. I shortened the walk under the violence of the attacks of mosquitos in organized bands. I returned to Villahermosa to spend the night on the carpark of Sam's Club close to Walmart.
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On Friday, October 2d I left before the daybreak the Sam' S club parking to return to Edzna in Campeche. It was a long driving day, 445 km, without any interest. Moreover it had a violent storms with a quasi worthless visibility, very dangerous with Maxicain paradas. I bivouacked outside the park in front of the gate. I was attacked by the mosquitos which went inside the cell of my truck.
Saturday as of 8:00 I undertook the visit of Edzna under a hot sun but continued by voracious mosquitos and wading in soaked grass of the dew of the night. The site is enough thin to be seen in two hours. I remained at the entry to put the pictures and the video on my website.
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Then I arrived at Campeche around 13:30 in search of a Trailer Park Trailer and/or of a cybercafé. The tourist office informed me that there was no trailer Park Trailer in the town of +830,000 inhabitants and information to find a cybercafé were erroneous. I walked during nearly two hours to find one by questioning the tradesmen! I bivouacked in front of Secretaria de Tourismo vis-a-vis Golfe of Mexico.
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On Sunday morning the October 4th I started from Campeche before the sunrise to arrive at Uxmal around 9:30. Uxmal was an important city which governs several neighboring cities, Sayil, Kabah, Labna etc. Its architecture represents a good example of the Puuc style. It took two good hours to traverse the site before the crowd of the tourists in this first Sunday of October. While walking on I became acquainted with a French-speaking guide, Patricia. It was a rapture to listen to the purity of her French. While arriving at Merida around 14:00 I have the disappointment to note that the Rainbow Trailer Park was closed. Opposite at Liverpool Shopping Center I discussed with the security car which authorized to me to spend the night in a corner of the carpark. The journey into Mexico is finishing out of water of roll!
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