Mexico Easter 2003 - Part 10: Agua Azul, Misol-Ha and Bob

The world is a book, and those who do not travel, read only a page.

Saint Augustine

13 April - Agua Azul, the waterfalls of Misol-Ha, Palenque and Bob

Today was very eventful, in many kinds of ways. After a very long drive down bum-crunching and kidney-jolting roads from San Cristobal we reached the very scenic 7km. river stretches of Agua Azul (the turquoise waters) and its many waterfalls. Unfortunately today, Semana Santa started for the Mexicans, which basically means that many Mexicans get out of town and head to places like Agua Azul to swim, eat and fiesta. We eventually got a nice spot on the river for ourselves and I dipped straight in with just my briefs (forgot the swimming trunks): into the fresh waters.

Following this I feasted on barbequed chicken (pollo a la plancha) with salsa which was mouth-watering. We continued driving in the van towards Palenque (it’s getting way more humid). En route, stopping at the fantastic waterfalls at Misol-Ha, which was less crowded than we thought. I tried with everyone else to get very close to the falls. I trekked a little further away from Misol-Ha to see where the river goes.

On reaching Palenque we entered our palapas at Maya Bell, near the famous Mayan ruins of Palenque. This campsite and the people here have lit a candle in my mind, so it merits a special description.

Maya Bell Trailer Park/Restaurant at Palenque

The place is heavily populated by New Age hippies, jugglers, bongo drummers and musicians. The sounds are those of birds, guitars, insects, and howling monkeys is sometimes all you hear, a restful Zen. People (some of whom have lived here for years) are an especially open community that is devoted to forgetting about the world and finding purpose and soul in their lives. A lot of Mexicans on holiday are camping here too. The food at the restaurant and live music is free spirited. This is not merely a place to stay, this is a place to find the human inside you that was lost, to sleep with Nature, to get high on nothing but what is around. If I didn’t have many other ambitions, I could live here for a long time and never worry about the outside world.

In dedication to a very fine campsite in Mexico, where we have two nights.

The first thing I did is buy a hammock, some of the best in Mexico. It was the first extra large one my amigo put up for me which I bought straight away. It was in Jamaican colours, it was comfy enough to die in and I named it Bob after Bob Marley. I played music and talked like I was in a New World as a new person to so many spirited, beautiful people that I lost count. Everywhere, you find yourself talking to someone - and it ranges from sexy Italian backpacking hippies to whole families of Mexicans and their kids. The night had more life than the day, the howling monkeys came out as me and Tosh settled into the hammocks in our palapas and I had the kind of sleep I dreamt about when I first thought of paradise.

There was not many mosquitoes, but in rainforest this thick it is taken for granted to expect hairy spiders and beetles and all sorts of creepies. They did no harm. For the first time in my life, I actually felt like an accomplished hippie. All these people had a lust for life, which they breathed into me, like they gave me natural respiration.

I woke up early once in my hammock on this night, feeling like a magic mushroom had made a home in me. The moon is blue and bathes all the thatched palapas with sweat, so that they send their colours back to the moon, as if the celestial moon was talking to Maya Bell. What could the moon be saying to Maya Bell? This is the spirit heaven, I’ve found it in the brown mud.

Photos from this day

At Agua Azul

At Agua Azul

At Agua Azul

At Agua Azul

The waterfalls at Misol-Ha

I tried with everyone else to get very close to the falls

I trekked a little further away from Misol-Ha to see where the river goes

Nice group photo at Misol-Ha taken by an Indian family

And this is the Indian family with me and Toshi

The only photo I have of Maya Bell when we first got there. There is a juggler behind Bonnie, a Frenchman who is walking away. He plays bongos very well.