Viva Chiapas!

Having taken the night bus from the coast of Oaxaca into Chiapas, I think I may have missed out on some breath-taking scenary. Thankfully I was able to enjoy it today though, on the exhilarating journey from San Cris to Ox Chuc, a small pueblo here in Chiapas. I went in the SUV of my host´s friend, and it was a bit of a wild ride through the hills, occasionally slamming over the many speed bumps that are so common here in Mexico.
As I mentioned, the scenery made it all worth the while, as everything is so lush and green. We passed through many small towns and through never-ending farmland and corn fields. The rolling hills, as they say, were splendid. The countryside is plastered with tall pine trees and the air is so fresh and unpolluted. After being dumped off in Ox Chuc, we hopped onto a colectivo truck the rest of the way to Ocosingo, where Vladimir´s mother lives. From there, we drove a few minutes outside the town to the Mayan ruins of Tonina.
Although I´ve seen my fair share of ruins, especially those of the Mayan variety, Tonina is quite impressive. The ruins are built on a hill, and span a small area, although I´m told that they are in the process of being uncovered. Tonina is more engaging than other ruin sites because you are able to enter some of the buildings, for example the labyrinth, and you are also able to climb to the very top of the structure. About halfway up the hill is a rather small opening into the ruins, which if you have the guts to squeeze into, leads into a tomb. I, being brave, squeezed myself right in there and tunnelled through into the cool, damp space that at some point in history held the remains of Mayan loyalty. Too cool.
The surrounding area is what makes Tonina so captivating though; as I mentioned it is comprised of lush green hills and plots of farmland for as far as the eye can see. We sat a long while at the top of the ruins, gazing out at Chiapas, soaking up the warm sun. It really felt like the top of the world at the moment. I don´t think I would have left if not for the nawing hunger from not having eaten all day...