Brittany St Jordan Thread - One Place To Post All Things BSJ

[youngblood61]

Zombie attack prevention in a dress and heels

Are you a Walking Dead fan?

[saifan]

Zombie attack prevention in a dress and heels

Nice grouping!

[Brittany St Jordan]

You can read all of the chapters leading up to this one on my blog

Chapter 12 - Keys

Everything that I have written up until now has been the back story of the various influences I had in my life that guided me into where I was heading. This was no longer life based on the rules and influences of others. It was now my very own compilation of learned experiences all piled into one huge ball as I set off on an adventure of a lifetime. Going to Mexico was more than a vacation destination. This was my personal spirit quest completely cutoff from everyone and everything I ever had in my life. There was no phone, no laptop, no cameras, and no means for anyone to track me down. I even had my passport tucked away inside of a frequency blocking wallet of sorts so that the RFID chip in it had no way of being traced. I was officially off of the grid.

The backpack that I had chosen for this trip was to be used as my portable nomadic home while I made my way to Palenque. It was just the right size to fit the sparse amount of stuff I was taking with me and yet big and heavy enough that most baggage handlers would look at me with a sense of awe and disbelief when I would let them try and pick it up. The pack was designed for the long distance carrying of heavy loads and along with my new hiking boots and socks, carrying my entire world on my back was effortless as could be. I had packed it up a couple of times and walked around my neighborhood before my trip began to ensure it was all set up right as well as to condition my body to carrying a pack once again.

The week leading up my leaving LA was filled with a lot of preparation and mentally preparing myself for leaving behind my entire life as I knew it. I had no idea what I was going to encounter or what would be happening. All I knew was that I had to do this alone. Everything had been packed and repacked over and over again to ensure optimal hiking for extended periods of times. I spent a lot of time talking to John and ensuring that he and Bumper would be okay once I was gone. The final thing I added to my pack was a handful of crystal hearts I bought at the local spiritual shop down the street. I had put these in the front pockets of my the waist wrap on my pack so that as I encountered people through my journey I could bless them with a crystal heart.

The only way I can really explain my feelings at this point is very zen. There was a complete sense of peace and harmony from within myself that flooded me constantly. I had found my spiritual happy place that I had no idea I was even looking for. It all just happened and the more I embraced it the more invigorating it became. It was this flood of enlightened energy that was a tidal wave rushing through my very being and at the same time very calming as it erased any anxiety that had ever been there. All this came from my discovery of sacred geometry as it was the one thing that finally bridged the gap between my logical scientific understandings and my contradictory beliefs in faith.

Sacred geometry can take an entire lifetime to study and explain all on its own. The basic idea to it I that from a single point there becomes a barrier surrounding it at equal distances which creates a circle. Then any area on that circle a new point starts a new boundary and becomes a second circle where both boundaries of these two circles fall exactly in the center of each one another looking like an offset English numeral eight. The center of the next circle is at any of the intersections of the first two and thus begins and infinite pattern of interwoven circles. This is where every geometrical and mathematical possibly begins. From one small central point into an infinite number of possibilities.

When delving into the correlations between sacred geometry and religious texts is where things get interesting. The thing about sacred geometry is that it has been used by ancient civilizations that predate almost all modern religions. The “Flower of Life” symbol has been documented all over the world and all of the people who have ever used it all call it by the same name even though there was no internet 25,000 years ago. In whatever dialect they used they always called it the “Flower of Life” It is the symbol that holds all geometric patterns of the elements that create everything in this world. I found this to be some of the most fascinating information ever and I decided to see where it would take me.

I would quickly find myself learning more about chakras with the flow of energy around and within the body. It was this concept of energy vortexes that lead me to the gem of vortex mathematics. Again, tons of mathematical principles thrown into the mix. People can be easily swayed but numbers are always true. Thrown in some Fibonacci and the Golden Mean, which are close but different. The golden mean is the perfect distance between the center of a spiral to each intersecting point in a straight line from the center outward like a nautilus shell. Whereas Fibonacci is length A plus length B equals length C such as the fingers of humans. The smallest bone plus the middle bone are the same length as the bone connected to the the knuckle. This is where sacred geometry holds the dimensions for everything.

Lots of math and tons of meditation make for a very clear open mind. Neither of which are earth shattering in their own regard as they have both been used for a very long time. It just so happened that the manner in which I was introduced to them and how they both effected me when used together completely changed my world as I knew it. All of that math then added to astrological cycles along with well documented Mayan and Aztec knowledge of cosmic events is what made me choose to go to Palenque.

These were the predominant thoughts running through my head as my plane made its way over Mexico and headed for Cancun. My plan was to land in Cancun and start walking from there. This trip was slated for ninety days. I had three months of hiking and camping all across Mexico already mapped out via Google Earth and now written down in the back of my notebook. I had no GPS or mapping device. I had my compass that told me what direction I was going and along with the stars at night and the sun during the day that was all I was going to use. As my plane began it's final decent into Cancun all I could do was smile and thank whatever cosmic forces blessed with the ability to be taking this voyage into the great unknown.

It was great seeing all of the tourists making their plans for parties that evening as I was prepping for throwing my nomadic home onto my back and heading far away from the sandy margarita and corona soaked beaches of Cancun. Before I could go anywhere I had to make it through customs first. How difficult could one person with one backpack be to get through customs? When you tell them you have no plans to stay in a hotel and no contact information they tend to get a little worried as I found out.

I politely explained to the girl at the customs counter that I was walking to Palanque she gave me the “You fucking crazy gringo” look I had seen so many times before when visiting Tijuana. She called her supervisor over and I once again explained to him using my fingers on my hand in a walking motion and holding up two fingers fallowed by the word Palanque. Turns out he actually hablo ingles really fucking well. After convincing him that I was not a drug mule or smuggling weapons up my rectum he looked at the girl, shrugged and said “blah blah yeaa yeaa Forrest Gump hahahahaha” and they both burst into laughter as I was granted access to Mexico.

After clearing customs I hopped a cab to a market on the other side of Cancun so that I could get something to eat and stock up on water and snacks before it got to late. This was where I would learn the most valuable lesson I can pass along to anyone who visits Mexico. Toilet paper is a commodity. Want to use the public restrooms? Go for it but those few sheets of TP are going to cost you and you better make sure you save one square so you have something to dry your hands with when you wash them. Being that I'm taller than almost all of the people in Mexico, when you throw in the giant backpack I can only imagine what was going through the minds of the folks watching me try and squeeze my way out of the bath and navigate a flight of stairs barely wide enough for me without the addition of my pack. If nothing else, at least I would be comedy relief for the locals as I made my way to Palanque.

I went easy on the tacos as I had no idea when or where my next restroom facility would be available. I could barely pronounce the word for bathroom properly let alone try to figure out how to say “Can you please help me? I seem to have shit myself.” in Spanish. This was just one of the little things that me know that I was no longer in comfy confines of the world in which I was once a part of. Gone where all the privileges of being a white person in the US as I was now the foreigner on my own in country where I stood out like white girl hiking through Mexico.

I had heard so many horror stories of this person being abducted and that cartel killing people and so on and so on. There was one thing about me that really propelled me through all of this and kept me going forward with each step of my feet on the ground. I had no fear, of anything. All emotions can be boiled down and derived from either acting out of fear or out of love. I had driven the fear out of my system way before reaching Mexico so now my heart and thus my world was one of nothing but love. This was my only protection. My faith of the love within me for the world around me.

Walking through the parts of Cancun away from the tourist area was definitely a welcoming experience as I headed out on my journey to Palenque. Being away from the photogenic vacation brochure properties let me witness exactly how life in Mexico really is. It's a simpler, happier way of life than what most people give the people of Mexico credit for. My first 5.6 miles of trekking from Cancun to the outskirts of town solidified that this was definitely the place where I wanted to be.

It was right after that I second guessed myself and thought I should be on the next highway south of where I was so that I could make my way to Chichen Itza in the next four days. There were very few roads that were going in that particular direction so I decided that the next intersection with a southbound street I was taking it. This was where my faith in being surrounded by love creates a world of love of around me would be immediately tested. To say this street was a little intimidating would the understatement of a fucking lifetime.

The street that I chose to walk down had a tiny grocery mart on the left right on the corner and that was the only light on the entire street. I had no idea how far the road actually went as I all I was focused on was getting to the highway where I wanted to be. The road itself was a combination of solid dirt and rocks scattered with friends and neighbors who all appeared as vast shadows moving always just out of reach of my vision. One foot in front of the other was my only option as I passed through what could have easily been the last street I would ever walk on.

At the end of the street was a small church with a wall that had a path leading around it through the woods. Well, I made it this far so lets see what we have on the other side. The path was well worn into the vegetation so even though it was totally dark out with no lights it was still very visible against the plant life growing on either side. As I continued down the path a sound became louder. It was a mechanical cacophony of noise bellowing through the air and with each step it only grew louder and louder until I was there on the grounds of an excavation company of some sorts.

The area was wide open with the actual mill running off to my right as I was skirting the property to search for a road continuing on the other side. There was no road. There were however guard dogs. A pack of barking guard dogs letting anyone who may hear them that someone who wasn't supposed to be there was trespassing on their property at night. The dogs were the least of my concerns. None of them were in the vicious snarling mood so they were of no worry. It was whoever would hear them and how many of their friends that would be joining them that got me looking for another way out of the place.

Instead of backtracking I went away from the mill and followed the tree line until I found another dirt road. I could see some lights so I figured I would meander my way down there and see what I could find. Maybe even find someone who can give me directions to where it was that I was wanting to go. I put my thumbs in the webbing of my waist belt on my pack and moseyed on down the dirt road to what would appear to be an entrance for a much larger portion of the excavating company. There would also turn out to be actual security guards watching the gate for the excavating company.

“Si hablo ingles?” I inquired to which came a resounding “No, no.” from both of the guards. I attempted to break down the language barrier by getting out the handy little Spanish/English dictionary I brought with me and pointing to each word of the sentence I was trying to form and showing its Spanish equivalent to my new compadres. Evidently they were in no mood for a quick class on bilingual studies so they found the one guy working who could speak some English and had him come to the gated area.

I explained to him that I was heading to Chichen Itza and would like to pass through to the other highway so that I could continue on my journey. With surprised laughter mixed with smidgen of tact was a resounding “No!” There was no way I was going to be able to detour through their property and so my only hope at this point would be to head back out to the road I had turned off of that got me here in the first place. As I was putting my pack on he asked me if I was alone and I confirmed I was traveling solo. He told me “I should watch out because there are bad men out there.” As I shuffled the weight of my pack up on to my back and clicked it into place I replied to him “I have yet to meet them.”

It was back through the noisy mill area with barking dogs and past the dark church. Back on the dirt road where no the shadowy bodies were all indoors where the sounds of revelry could be heard as I trudged my way back to the main road. Feeling mildly defeated I decided I would walk back to Cancun for the night and get some sleep. A few steps back towards the city my belt decided it had enough fun for one day and promptly broke. Being that all of my other clothes were packed away inside my bag and my pants were no longer able to stay in the upright position they were designed for, my only choice was to hail a taxi for ride back.

Hailing a taxi, simple as any other time I have had to do so. Taxis and buses were going all over all the time so they were always available. Trying to tell someone who speaks zero English that I wanted to go to the bus station was a whole different story. I simply told him “Centro” as that would get me downtown. As we passed a bus I pointed to it and excitedly let him know that was what I was looking for. We ended up being able to Communicate enough to at least get me a block away from the main bus station in Cancun. After a some quick intuitive engineering of my belt I was able to at least walk the rest of the way there without my pants falling down every other step.

I ended up walking through a little carnival area where vendors where selling the usual trinkets and food. It was a flood of lights and music that was welcomed by all of my senses after my little voyage down the dead end road to nowhere. It may have October but the weather was quite warm so the night air felt really good as I walked the edge of the carnival area on my way to the bus station. I may have had to return to restratagize a few things but this was making it well worth it.

The main bus station had buses going right to Chichen Itza. Only thing was the next one wasn't until after 8 am the following morning. Being that it was barely ten o'clock this was going to be a long night of sitting, sleeping and preparing for the rest of my trip while waiting in the bus station. Lesson one, the pronunciation of Renae in Spanish is way different than English so when trying to provide my information for my ticket I was in for a crash course on being a gringo. This would be where I learned to simply ask to use the keyboard or write my name on paper for the clerk to enter into the computer.

As I was sitting on the floor with my feet resting up on my pack a gentleman with his family struck up conversation with me about visiting Mexico. This was really nice that a total stranger would be willing to strike up a conversation with the gringo in the corner while waiting for the bus. Then in the midst of the conversation he called me “Sir.” What, what the fuck? I hadn't had that happen to me on a long fucking time. To his credit I was in ball of sweat lounged back with boots up the air. I had a bandana on my head to keep my hair back and sweat out of my eyes. So for all intensive purposes I could see where he was confused momentarily. This was also my cue to dig out some fresh clothes and go use the rest room to freshen up.

For the remainder of the night I was making use of the snack shop and even found a map of southern Mexico with the Mayan ruins annotated on it. This was going to be most useful. It turned out that I was in fact on the right highway when I veered off for my impromptu shortcut to nowhere. Something told me though that sleeping in the bus station was going to be a little better than the side of the road that particular night. Once I got all of my next day travel plans arranged and was all freshened up it was time to catch some shut eye. Or at least five minute intervals of sleep until the security guard would wake me up.

It was a long night of very little sleep that came to an end as the sun came beaming through every single window as only happens when right next to a coastal area. All of that light be reflected and refracted off of every single surface before searing through my retina was quite the indicator that the day had officially begun. The second sign was the hungover tourist trying to get on buses to head out on their own little personal day trips so they could be back in time to get drunk and pass out on the sand yet once more. The cacophony of voices from every possible country serenading the echoing innards of the bus station can put any live musical production to shame. I was definitely awake by this point.

Those last fifteen minutes before boarding seemed like fifteen light years. I was destined for Chichen Itza that day and the excitement of my travels there was building my level anticipation ten fold every second I was forced to wait. When they finally opened the gate I handed pack off to the baggage guy and watched him struggle with it like a small cat trying to juggle a brick. He managed to get it into the storage area but you could tell he was confused as how in the fuck I even picked the thing up to hand to him. Once the bus was loaded it was time to sit back and take in the sights. The sights of the inside of my eyelids.

I was awake long enough to go past the point where I turned around the previous night and to check out a little bit of the countryside as we left town. At that point I was out and dreaming all the way to Chichen Itza, except for the checkpoints. This was when I learned that Mexico has military checkpoints all over the place. It would turn out that the buses were rarely ever messed with as mostly local used them for traveling from town to town. I was counting my blessings that everything happened the way it did and I was on that bus instead of walking through those checkpoints. Something tells me an English speaking gringo with a giant backpack would make some real fun with a bored checkpoint guard.

As the bus wound its way to Chichen Itza we went through this village where everyone lived in wooden huts fashioned out of trees and on each of these primitive little huts was a satellite dish for cable TV. I was astounded that even in a life of primal simplicity there was still the need to see whatever was being pumped through the TV for entertainment. The real shocking realization was this was the very similar way in which I had been raised in a small town glued to the TV when I wasn't outside going on adventures.

We finally arrived at Chichen Itza which is the one Mayan location turned into a national symbol of tourist trap dejour. Almost every publication or travel ad featuring something of the Mayan nature is most likely part of Chichen Itza. This place is “the” Mayan to visit when making the rounds to see the various ruins through Central America. The thing about it is the sheer scale of everything. It is fucking huge. The actual land that it covers is immense but the size of the ancient stone buildings and artifacts is enormous. Every bit of built for a distinct purpose for every part of Mayan life.

The most intimidating thing to see was the handball court. I felt like a tiny action figure surrounded by the immense walls in which these games were carried out. It was a one on one game where, as depicted in the glyph, the loser was sacrificed and spirit set free. Death was an honor to the Mayan people as they saw it as the beginning to something far greater than this existence. So to lose at these games was really to win in a way.

There was also the sacrificial alter at the top of one of the staircases on another building. It was being repaired so it was closed off but I could still see the stone slap that countless of Mayan people were beheaded at as their spirit was released from this world. There were toppled over pillars of stone along one edge that were now impromptu rock stools under the trees in which to sit on. This was a very intense experience to be sitting there on a piece of stone used to create this building that was part of this city whose people understood science on levels beyond what many can even comprehend today. Sitting there absorbing the energy of this magical place as I looked in awe at the creation of the once great city that had now been long abandoned and crumbling before me.

The building which looks like a turret is actually designed and aligned with every cosmic cycle ever recorded. Everything about Chichen Itza is designed based upon solar and cosmic events but this building, Caracol was an ancient observatory unlike anything ever imagined to exist. Without getting into the whole how did it get there theory of it all, this thing is a sight to behold. From its watchtower dome the secrets of the sky are able to be deciphers and give meaning to what is otherwise taken for granted as random occurrences of astral events. What was even more intriguing was how many people walked by this structure as it is one of the more worn down ones and gave it very little thought.

Chichen Itza will give Disney a jealousy fit of rage when it comes to marketing. There are vendors on every path selling anything you can possibly associate with even being vaguely Mayan in any way whatsoever. Amongst the enormous group of vendors there was one I was actually looking for. Before going to Mexico I had watched a documentary on the current Mayan descendants and how they make a living. One way is sell little touristy trinkets and handkerchiefs to people visiting the grounds. One of these people in the movie was a very elderly lady who survived by making her living this way.

She was one of those unmistakable people who you are unable to confuse with anyone else. So, when I finally saw her it was a relief to know that I would be able to help contribute to to helping her sustain her and her family for another day. The little hand-stitched Chichen Itza handkerchief she sold was ten pesos which was like a dollar in US currency. I handed her a fifty peso bill, hugged her and thanked her for my newest addition of memorabilia. Knowing that such a simple act could help make her day a little better was way better than any trinket I could stick in my pocket to remind me of this experience.

After being beaten by the sun and walking past every possible monument several times to take it all in it was time to leave Chichen Itza and continue my quest to Palenque. Luckily there was a travel office right there so I was able to purchase a bus ticket and proceed to wait in the parking lot enjoying the nice Mexican weather of hot and humid as I sat there pondering all of the things in which I had been able to experience and witness within my first forty-eight hours in Mexico. To say that I was blessed would be like rice is white, overtly obvious and only marginally able to convey the feelings running through my existence. This was definitely a good beginning to the greatest journey of my life.

Palenque and Chichen Itza are nowhere close to one another. My bus ride would be an overnight voyage from one to the other. I would finally catch up on sleep that I had been derived of the previous night. When the bus finally arrived in the town of Palenque, which is separate from the ruins, it was before sunrise. We got off of the bus and there I was just a few miles shy of my actual destination. Although I had taken a bus this far I would in fact be walking to Palenque just as I had planned. Before I left the town I took a little touristy lap around to check things out as people were waking up, business opening and children going to school. Once I was finished taking in this experience it was time to go to Palenque.

There is a stone pathway that leads from the town all the way to the ruins. It follows the road and periodically changes sides of the road but it is still there. The little over four mile hike was my final leg of the trip that was to lead me to this place of mystery and wonderment known as Palenque. Why did I choose this place? Better yet, why did it choose me? What would I see while I was here? Who would I meet while I was here? What secrets of Palanque would be revealed to me during the course of my visit to this magical wonderland tucked beneath the jungle canopy? The only way to find out was to finally get there.

[Brittany St Jordan]

My latest scene released on Shemale Yum

[youngblood61]

Just saw the vid, hot stuff Brit!

[Brittany St Jordan]

Just saw the vid, hot stuff Brit!

I have yet to see it so I will have to take your word for it.

[Brittany St Jordan]

You can read the preceding chapters on my blog

13 - A New World

Being that Palenque is up a little higher in a more mountainous area there was a blanket of fresh morning mist hanging in the air. The slight chill of the moisture felt good as I continued my trek while the sun was attempting to conquer the mist as it rose to begin the day. The crystal hearts mixed with the coins I had placed in with them were now playing together in unison as they created a soothing rhythmic beat with each step I would take. A very subtle sound without being overbearingly loud to distract from enjoying the natural beauty which surrounded me from every angle. Everything was a new sensation to whichever sensory organ was fortunate enough to be transmitting the blissful messages through every neuron in my body. This was an amazing first day and a very blessed welcome to Palenque.

Everything that had ever been a part of what defined me as the mortal being I once believed I was had all been flushed away. All of the hatred and anger built up over the course of my life had all vanished. Being able to process the world around me in such a profound new way made me feel instantly connected to the natural world around me in brand new ways. There was a great spiritual connection and sense of oneness with everything I could see. I was now spiritually bonded at my core with the world around me. Life as I had known it would now be forever changed.

This had been a process that had been set into motion back when I was in California. It was now finally taking place and materializing with each step I was taking. The clarity of mind, the high vibrational spiritual energy and the embracing of a whole new method of experiencing life were all culminating within me at this very moment. Invincibility is about the only way I could describe this, this lack of fear, this heart full of love, this new spiritual awakening that I had no idea would ever happen to me. This is nothing that was ever planned or sought after. It all just sort of happened as I continued down the path all alone yet surrounded by and joined to the world in which I could sense in every way possible all around me.

The only thoughts going through my mind where of astonishment and amazement as I was now getting closer to Palenque. The stone path which I started walking on back in the town was still going along the side of the road. I passed several camping areas along the way once I made it through the entrance to the National Park. I decided to keep on walking as I made this far so I wanted to finish my journey by actually walking to Palenque. About a mile before the main gate is the visitor center and museum. After this the road gets steep and has a couple of really sharp curves in it. There is that saying about the last little bit being the most difficult, well, this was definitely a good way to test that theory.

My only strategy was to keep putting one foot in front of the other until I made it to the top of the hill. Right as I made it to the final turn I was able to see the tourist area with shops along the entire edge of the parking lot area. At the far end of the parking lot was the entrance to the ruins. I did it, I fucking did it. I finally made it to Palenque and I arrived by walking just as I said I was going to. What I was unaware of was what time it was in the morning. I made it to Palenque alright, however, the doors were still closed.

The security guy working the gate spoke zero English so I got a crash course in Spanish whether I was ready for it or not. After some repeated attempts to inform me of what time the ruins opened I caught the word ocho and knew that the park would be opening at 8am. For someone with limited exposure to Spanish, when it spoken in full on grammatically correct form it is difficult to figure out where sentences break into individual words. It may have taken a few rounds to figure it out but I finally got it. Oh, and the tickets were sold at the museum which was about a mile back down the hill and then back up the hill once the gates were open. Yes, I definitely got my exercise in for that morning.

One of the things I noticed right away is that there are several rivers and streams running all around Palenque. Which means at any given point in time there is a soothing sound of water running. Combined with the birds of every possible size and color adding their own little something to the symphony of mother nature there were also the deep gurgling turned shrill squall of the spider monkey's roaming through the forest. All of these sounds blended together while they cascaded through the mountainside covered in jungle canopy made for the most blessed welcome I could have dreamt of upon arriving in such a miraculous place.

Once the museum opened I made my way inside to purchase my ticket to Palenque. This would be second portion in my continual lesson of the Spanish language. Luckily this time my lack of comprehension set off a few bells for one of the guys working there and he happened to speak English. Thanks to my interpreter I now had my ticket in my pocket and was on my way back up the hill to the gate of Palenque. It was still early in the day so there was no rush to see how fast I could get there. I was still taking it all in as every moment was presenting me with something completely new to bring a smile to my face and and an overflowing sensation of happiness within my heart.

This time when I got the gate I gave my ticket to the girl working at the counter and handed my pack over the security guy to stash away my nomadic home for the duration of my visit. All I took with me on this very first venture to Palenque was a water bottle and my desire to finally behold the majesty that was my purpose for this journey. Upon entering the gate, the path of small rocks leads to an ancient stone staircase which leads up to the open area of the ruins excavated and open to everyone. This area is only a very small percentage of the actual ancient city that was once a thriving place of civilization before the bible was even a concept in the collective minds of its contributing writers.

Walking out into the open area and seeing the temples for the first time was one of wonderment and awe. These ancient structures stood amongst the jungle as a testament to a time when people and nature lived in harmony with one another. The blue sky overhead made this one of the most visually invigorating experiences I had ever witnessed. Being that I left all of my technology behind, such as cameras, allowed me to really enjoy the moment rather than capturing it with the perfect photo. Better than the photo is the memory I will always have of this. Seeing these ruins that stand as a monument to a ancient thriving society is something that will be with me forever.

The first temples, which include the Temple of The Inscriptions, were roped off as they were being repaired. The Temple of The Inscriptions is the final resting place of Pakal, who was the king that ruled for almost seventy years and is said to have been responsible for turning Palenque into the city it once was at the height of its glory. Although I was unable to actually venture up to the top of the pyramid, it was still a very somber moment to be able to stand there and look upon the resting place of this once revered leader of Palenque. Just the simple act of standing silent in front of the temple I was able feel the harmonious energy that still flows through this hallowed ground today.

Following the foot path while looking over the Palace to my left, I continued walking across the bridge over the aqueduct. This aqueduct was constructed as part of the city and is still there with the mountain spring water still flowing through it today. With the water and plenty of trees at this particular area the trinket vendors all swarmed to this little section. Most of them selling the same exact items as the vendors at Chichen Itza except with Palenque stamped on or carved into them instead. Once through the sea of trinket temptation I was going up another set of stone stairs on my way to the next set of temples.

The interesting part of all of the staircases is they each have their own drainage gutter built into the side of them. The bottoms of which are rounded out so the gutters look like very tiny slides. I can only imagine some small forest animal stepping into one and ending up at the bottom wondering what just happened to them. These stairs went up into the woods and while getting to the top of this set of step was when the spider monkeys started howling and were much closer than before. Hearing the fierce growling of the spider monkeys was a much appreciated addition to this first visit at Palenque. It was a nice breath of life flowing through the otherwise somber energy of the ruins. It let everyone know that the jungle around us was most definitely very much alive.

Coming out of the cover of the jungle I found myself in another open clearing. There was a smaller temple to the left and two of the tallest temples in front of me and off to my right. The one to my right was still covered mostly by jungle so it appeared to be built into the side of a very steep hill. This is the Temple of The Foliated Cross. The other is the highest point one can physically get to in the currently excavated ruins. This is the Temple of The Cross. Some of the best vantage points for viewing the outlining areas set atop the stairs to each of these temples. Oh, how I love those stairs.

The one thing every structure has in common is the way in which the stairs are constructed. Narrow on the top and very tall is the only way to describe them. Each step upwards requires bringing the knees almost to the chest. Just a few of these steps make a great workout and yet there were a couple hundred that made getting to the top a moment of celebration for anyone their first time there. The great gift of pure natural wonderment that was to be seen upon getting there made it all worth it. I could see the end of the world in one direction and get a whole new appreciation for the jungle surrounding me in the other.

There is no other place that sits up so high offering such a grand view of everything and yet feels perfectly safe while peering down at the area below. There is no trinket, picture or memento that even come close to the harmonious feeling I got while sitting there atop the temple and surveying all that my eyes could see. The deep rich greens of the jungle and grass with a bright blue reflecting the deep seawater from distant coastlines made for an image that is now permanently burned into my memory. To top it off, the sound of the spider monkeys and various birds made this one of those moments in life that nothing can ever replace.

Going down the stairs is just as cumbersome as going up. Except now there was the whole bouncing down hundreds of stone steps involved. Making it back down to solid ground ground, I looked up at marveled at the task in which I just endured and came out unscathed in the process. To think, that people who were members of this city did this every day. The entire city is sat in a mountainous area and the terrain is very unforgiving. There are changes in elevation all over and each of them is conquered by a system of finely crafted stairs and gutters. The Mayan folk who were a part of Palenque had to be in peek physical shape compared to most civilizations at that time.

Following the trail down another set of steps I was now right across the aqueduct from the palace while still covered by trees. This was yet another exciting moment to behold. The area had a whole bunch of stone benches under the trees where a stream was running on one side and the aqueduct down the other. It was a very peaceful and calm little place to sit and take well deserved rest before continuing on with the explorations of the day. Once the break was over, it was time to visit the Palace.

The Palace is a huge structure that was built and added to over many generations. The ruins that are left are just a minor shell compared to what it looked like at the peak of civilization in Palenque. Even though this the case, the Palace is still an amazing piece of history and to be able to openly peruse its grounds was an honor of the highest regard. The outside courtyards, tunnels, subterranean rooms, secluded lookout areas, glyphs carved into the stone and the painstakingly amazing architecture still give this building a small glimmer of the robust life it once had.

Once I finished taking in all that I possibly could of the the Palace I went back over where I first started at the first group of temples. Earlier there were tours floating around and now the area was free of large groups being shuffled through in order to make it back to their bus on time. While I was standing there I noticed there was an opening in the woods which turned out to be a hiking trail to walk through and take in the sights and sounds of the natural jungle life around Palenque. My first little introduction to such wildlife was a small lizard hanging out at the edge of the sun and the shade.

There was a tour guide coming through to give a guided tour to a couple from France. When I mentioned the lizard the tour guide knew exactly what kind it was and showed it off to the French couple before he could scurry off into the jungle. This tour guide also gave another quick lesson about a plant that grows fruit shaped like bull testicles. It would turn out that these send a lot of tourists to the hospital because the sap in them is used as a very powerful adhesive. This tour guide was Jose and this would be just the first of many meetings we would have throughout my stay at Palenque.

Jose let me know that the trail was open to anyone or you could hire a guide to give you the instructed tour along the way. Since Jose was already doing a tour I decided to tail them and stay within earshot of what was being said but far enough away to keep from disturbing them. I ended up catching up to them when they were taking a break near some water. This happened to be one of the many springs that fed into the streams of Palenque. I took this opportunity to refill my now empty water jug and did so without any filtration at all. Just pure Mayan spring water straight from the source.

People can say what they will about the water in Mexico but this was some of the freshest water I've ever had the pleasure of drinking. There was no flavor to it all which meant there was nothing in there that shouldn't be. I continued to marvel at the amount of shells collected in the water by all of the freshwater snails. The thing about snails is they are very easily killed off by pollution and there were thousands of these creatures all throughout the water around Palenque so they were also my little barometer on how refreshingly good the water was that I was drinking.

As Jose took the couple further up the trail I decided to follow another portion of the trail in another direction. This trail was actually more of a network of interconnecting trails that went all through the jungle and some even went by waterfalls in certain areas. To call this a nature hike would be a severe underestimate of how naturally beautiful it truly was. What made even better was seeing the ancient ruins of Mayan building poking up and still covered by jungle. What was once a thriving city was now reclaimed by the jungle covered mountain to which it calls home.

As I made my way out of the jungle I found myself back at the vendors area at the parking lot. I grabbed myself some fruit and headed into the ruins to enjoy my lunch. I made my way to the area to the left of the Palace where I had yet to venture to. I found a smaller building along the edge of the trees to sit in the sun while I refueled for the rest of the afternoon. While walking up the remnants of what was once a building I saw a large black iguana sunning itself there on the rocks. He was in no mood for company so he ducked under the rocks and watched me climb over top of him to get to my spot where I would enjoy some much needed food.

Once I was done eating I walked around the rest of the ruins rather quickly as I knew there would be more opportunity to come back and see them all again. When I was back by the entrance gate I was approached by a tour guide and he offered to take me on the nature trail to where the spider monkeys live. This was definitely something I wanted to experience and even if it was going to cost me a little bit I was ready to pay the fee. I knew that any of the money I was spending on these side attractions was helping out that person provide for their family. This was how they earned their income and I had no qualms helping them as much as I could.

I forget the guide's name so for the sake of the story I will call him Monkey Man. So me and Monkey headed off into the jungle and much like the tour I tailed I was shown various plants and animals and told their history as how they played a part in the ecosystem of Palanque. One of the most interesting sights was a tree over eight hundred years old whose trunk spanned in three different directions as it covered the remains of Mayan buildings covered under thick jungle plants. Another exciting tid bit of information Monkey told me was that the local magic mushrooms were well worth trying should I be able to get my hands on some. Even in the remote jungle of Mexico there are people who know to experience mother nature at her best.

He stopped me and told me to smell the air. “Smell the monkey.” he said. As I took a whiff of the air it was definitely different. Monkey's rarely bathe so you can smell them easily when they are upwind. We followed the smell until we heard them in the trees above us. We looked up and there they were, spider monkeys eating leaves from the canopy of the trees. Mr. Monkey let me be with the spider monkeys as I sat there and took it all in. I sat there staring up and watched them eating their favorite delicacy in their own natural habitat. This was way better than any trip to any zoo I had ever been on.

As I was down below the monkeys one of them dropped a leaf from it's hand. I watched it float down towards the ground as I twisted and turned all the way down. Once it finally made its way to the ground I slowly walked over to pick it up. I was cautious to keep from frightening the monkeys away. As I picked it up I looked at and immediately took notice of the bite missing from the leaf. The fresh saliva still glistening around he area where it was just in the spider monkey's mouth only a moment ago. This was such a thrilling experience. Chills, goose bumps, energy and every happy good feeling all into one giant ball of bliss was what went through my body. It's the little things like this that makes moments in life cherished and blessed in ways that words can never fully express.

I decided it was time to leave the spider monkeys be and so we turned back on the trail and headed to the parking lot once again. I paid Mr. Monkey for the visit with the spider monkeys as well as gave him one of the crystal hearts I had in my pocket. Granted, he got to see the monkeys everyday but I wanted to thank him in a way that he would remember and know exactly how grateful I was for the tour he gave. He also let me know that they had other tours to areas outside of Palenque and I let him know that I would think it over but at that moment I had to go find a place to sleep that night.

At the bottom of the hill was a camping area that actually sat on the edge of the Palenque ruins. I made the walk just over a mile to the place that would become my new home while I was in Mexico. It was a quaint little resort called Maya Bell. They have modern cabanas, a dining area and all that stuff I left in California. What I was looking for was a nice quite place to put my tent and they had plenty of space for that.

The camping area was a bunch of stone foundations filled with dirt and covered with cabana roofs. There was a row of bushes and trees that operated this area from the rest of the resort so it really felt like being off and away from everyone and everything. Just what I was looking for. The spot I decided to go with had slightly lower sides to the roof so it would likely keep out most rain should it start coming down. The cabana roof was also a nice little addition so there would be no need to hang tarps over my tent. I dropped my pack, grabbed my water bottles and sat there taking in the scenery. This was now my home.

The camping areas loop up and around the trees and have a big open space in the middle in case of severe storms it's were everyone is supposed to gather to get out from under the trees. The nice thing about the open area was all of the insects and birds who would be constantly swooping and buzzing all around. This was my front row seat to the great show on earth, mother nature.

Putting the tent up was quick and simple. Now I had a place to store my stuff while I went to eat. The restaurant at Maya Bell has no walls. It is open air and all of the spiders, bugs and lizards are right there enjoying there breakfast, lunch and dinner right along with with everyone else. Harmony truly is an amazing thing to behold. Ordering my dinner would be one of those things where pointing at the menu was way easier than trying to pronounce words I could barely read. Everything was in Spanish, everyone only spoke Spanish and I was too hungry to try and learn Spanish right there on the spot. That chicken fajita was the best chicken fajita to ever grace my taste buds so the slight language barrier was of no concern at all.

The sun was starting to go down so I had just enough light left to do some quick writing in my journal before it got too dark. Then, as the sun began to vanish beyond the jungle, the spider monkeys started what would be a nightly ritual of howling to let each of their little clans know where the alpha male was and where to join him. The hum of the evening insects floating through the grass and trees was soon the only sound still audible as I finally wound down for some sleep at the end of my first day in paradise.

[Brittany St Jordan]

My blue princess dress that I was a gift for my birthday. Big cuddly and fuzzy thank you to Alex for sending one of the pretty dresses I had listed on my wishlist. You can see all of the photos from this set on my blog.

[youngblood61]

Looking so lovely Brit!

[youngblood61]

Great pic Brit!