Palenque, CHIAPAS, SOUTHERN MEXICO

The Palenque Ruins must be amongst the most impressive ruins I have seen. Not because I think the Mayans had a better qualified builder 2010 years ago (compared to the Aztecs or Incas), but simply because of the lush tropical rain forest which enshrouds this archaeological marvel.

Situated close the the Guatemalan border in the far south of Mexico (in the Chiapas province), the Mayans who once thrived here ruled most of southern Mexico and Central America. Indeed a very powerful empire at the time (around 100-900 AD). When walking around these vast ruins, you can only imagine what life was like here at that time -- when tens of thousands of tribal Mayans lived here. Oh, and it really feels like Indiana Jones territory!! While I heard the howling of many Howler Monkeys....I didn´t see any Tucans (which I expected to see).