Monday 2 January 2012

welcome to the jungle


Our second day in Palenque and we opted for an early morning jungle tour, the morning before we had organised the trip with the same "official guides" who took us around the ruins - It was all planned out and as such valued customers we were to have a private tour complete with transport with a local Mayan guide who knew all the flora and fauna, and even the English speaking Mario from the day before as the guide did not have a sufficient level of english - according to Mario. The next day Carlos, our Mayan guide arrived on his own telling us we had to ensure we had ten pesos for the local bus (our exclusive transport) but that we couldn't go for half an hour (early morning to catch the best birds) because we were to be joined by two spanish ladies and could then have the tour in Spanglish. We had been suckered but went anyway and managed to see some good stuff.


It was difficult to see stuff in the canopy but we caught a good glimpse of a wandering spider monkey


The waterfall was very pretty - The highly mineral rich water left deposits that looked not unlike the volcanic hot springs in Mammoth, Yellowstone. Carlos said that he had kidney trouble from drinking the water over such a long period.


actively destroying the fragile ecosystem - I am looking for work as an investment banker when I return


We finished the tour with a hot tamale


Roadside hawk - no seriously this it's actual name


skipper


Green Iguana, It shook its wattle (dulap) to regulate temperature - (I am not sure digi-binoing will take off like its scoping counterpart. 


We walked around the ruins again as we had missed the museum on the first day - this rope was covered in dragon flies for some reason


The museum is home to the impressive tomb, taken from the ruins to help preserve it


The highlight of the day was watching the howler monkeys


Caterpillar levitating

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