Tacos are wonderful things

My first solo travel in Latin America did not disappoint. As I needed to renew my Visa, I headed to Mexico. San Cristobal de las Casas and Palenque, both in the Mexican state of Chiapas, brought adventures, friends, and fabulous food. I was a little anxious about the solo travel... finding hostels in each city, public transportation between different places... but excited to try it on my own. The trip had its negative points... including an unfortunate incident with my pants at the border, the downpour that proved my belt solution to the pants problem to be inadequate, that whole pesky bed-bug issue in Pelenque that I have feverishly fought off and defeated (I think!), and being told it was my lucky day by a man who said he would blow my f**king head off if he had a gun and a bullet when I wouldn't give him money to take care of his "lost passport" problem (perhaps this is a positive, as no gun and bullet were present).

San Cristobal is a beautiful colonial-style town, with lots of travelers and lots to do. Palenque is a city where tourists get in, do the two local attractions- Mayan ruins and waterfalls- and get out! Swimming in Misol-Ha falls was fantastic. I have never been so close to a powerful waterfall. The ruins were breathtaking, as all of the ruins sites I have visited just amaze me. In San Cristobal, I visited a Mayan natural medicine museum, getting to watch a 12-minute rather graphic video on Mayan childbirth. I also bought drops that are a natural remedy for cold sores (called "fuego de la boca- fire in the mouth) that also conveniently work for eye infections. From San Cristobal, I took a boat ride through the vast walls Canon del Sumidero and visited a rain forest style zoo.

Though I met cool people to do some of this stuff with, making the arrangements and travel on my own was good for me. Getting from San Cris to Palenque involved public transportation and switching in the middle, with me being the ony gringo the entire trip. And a little frustrating arriving in 100-degree Palenque (San Cris was in the 70's during the day) to find out I was too late to take either trip that day and was going to have to stay an extra night in this not overly-inviting town. Things always work out though, and that evening I met my new Aussie friend, a 57-year-old man riding his motorcycle from Chile to Alaska. We hung out for the rest of the time in Palenque and he was actually heading to San Cristobal next, so we had time together there as well. With a bit of job-hunting luck, I may meet him in Cali this summer.

As the date needed to renew my Visa was just before the start of spring break for the kids, I got to spend a week in Mexico. The next few days here in Antigua are going to be filled with processions, music, and colorful rugs decorating the streets for Holy Week and Easter. Monday is my last day at work, and Wednesday I head to Honduras to begin my journey home. The travel bug has hit me, though, so let's see what the summer brings!