“The earth has music for those who listen.” – William Shakespeare

CHIAPAS PART 3

 TONINÁ MAYAN RUINS

Today’s outing includes a spectacular manmade creation; the other, a grandiose gift of Mother Nature’s. Two extraordinary sites in one day: a lesser known, massive, ruined city of the Mayans, known as the Toniná Archaeological Zone, and the Cascadas de Agua Azul, or The Blue Waterfalls; both breathtaking, ancient wonders.

A long touring day was ahead of us. On the map, the scenic route looked reasonable enough: 149 kilometers or 92 miles one way. Then reality struck – speed bumps, or topes, one at a time, slowing us down to a bit of a long slog. Driving through México, though, is always interesting and fascinating to watch, listen and sense the country’s dynamics at work. Speed bumps – here we come!

I felt for Mr. Joyce, who was driving a standard transmission, and spent the entire day in a relentless cycle of shifting-down… then up… then down again. By the end of the drive, I’m convinced he and the clutch had formed an intimate, emotionally complicated relationship. The man deserves a medal to the pedal.

I did experience an epiphany – for somewhere deep into the topes abyss, I turned to David and made a solemn vow: I will never again complain about the speed bumps in our town. Excessive as I once thought they were, they are mere polite suggestions compared to the aggressive, character-building topes of Chiapas!

Joyce warned us that access to Toniná was uncertain. A country road turnoff led us onto a rocky drive along the approach road. It’s slowly being upgraded in anticipation of future tourist growth.

All of a sudden, dark shadows began peeking out from the forested highlands. There, arising like a mystical vision were the Toniná Pyramids; announcing their majestic presence, 75-meters tall (think a 20 -story building); sitting atop a massive platform with seven levels.

Rising from the lush, green Ocosingo Valley, its stepped silhouette looked less like ruins and more like a man-made mountain, immense, and commanding. From afar, its scale was unmistakable. All three of us felt it: a shared, unspoken thrill. Even if this was as close as we’d get, it was extraordinary to witness.

It’s odd and strange that this rural, so far out of the way ancient site wasn’t more known and easily accessible. There was hardly any vehicles out there.

We arrived to find the official access road closed due to an ongoing legal dispute over land ownership; leaving us with no guarantees of admittance. Imagine that, this remarkable Mayan masterpiece wasn’t open to the public!

We were about to resign ourselves to admiring from afar vs. close-up. But, this being México, where nothing ever operates in strict black and white, there arose a kaleidoscope of possibilities (you just have to find the right color).

As I’ve mentioned before, Joyce has a sharp, keen sense of dealing with people as anyone who comes in contact with him become instant amigos. With his mindset and social ways, he’s able to achieve the impossible; always in the most amiable, agreeable manner. Watching him “work” is awe-inspiring as he melts the roadblocks in his way. Gotta love the guy!

After a brief exchange with a local resident, Don Manuel, who turns out to be some sort of relative of the landowners, there followed a magical revelation – there appeared a man with the keys to unlock the gates and gain entrée to an unofficial backroad access. Hooray for us!

We stopped in a fairly deserted, dirt parking lot to await further instructions. Thankfully, we didn’t come this far for nothing. Whatever coinage exchanged hands, it didn’t matter in the least.

For then, we were onto the brown dirt road that led to the Land of Oz or Po, Toniná’s original name. Once past the gate, we drove another ten minutes, with Don Manuel onboard leading the way. He and Joyce chatted just like old amigos.

Soon enough the final gate was before us and once the pearly gates were opened, our final obstacle was crossed, and we entered upon the grounds of a beautiful and serene hacienda, a quiet ranch where time seemed to standstill. There, a few weathered vaqueros leaned against fences, cows grazed lazily in the pasture, and the jungle pressed in from all sides, thick and alive. We’d arrived (almost)!

With our guide in tow, and not another soul to be seen, we set off, privy to an amazing experience. Continuing down the cow path – dodging cow pies left and right, and across pastureland, there appeared a narrow jungle trail worn smooth by centuries of use. Here we became “Raiders of Ancient Stone Terraces” that emerged beneath our feet as we plodded onward and upwards.

Poor David! Huffing and puffing, he kept a stiff upper lip, but was game; we flanked him all the way as support. It was hot, the forest hushed, and every step felt deliberate, almost ceremonial. After about twenty minutes, we reached the rear of the acropolis.

Barbed wire marked the boundary – a modern reminder of the Toniná Archeological Zone’s unresolved land issues. A lone guard sat high above us on the structure. Don Manuel spoke softly with him, and then, almost casually, the wire fence was pulled aside for us to gain entrance to the property.

The Pyramid loomed massively before us. It’s built directly into a hillside; its immense, terraced acropolis rises 75 meters above the plaza (246 feet, or 20 stories), and is composed of seven stacked platforms, crowned with temples, palaces, and ceremonial spaces.

Unlike Palenque, graceful, refined, and poetic, Toniná feels strategic and muscular. It’s taller than the Pyramid of the Sun at Teotihuacan near Mexico City; yet here there are no crowds, no grand avenues, just jungle, silence, and stone.

What followed was nothing short of breathtaking. From the back of Toniná, the entire Ocosingo Valley unfolded below us in a vast, green sweep. The scale, the silence, the sense of deep time – it all settled in at once.

What made the moment even more powerful was knowing that this was only part of the city. Toniná has never been fully excavated; much of it remains hidden beneath jungle and earth.

Toniná flourished from roughly 400 BCE through the 10^th-century CE; reaching its height during the Classic Mayan period. Its name comes from the Tzeltal and means “the stone house,” forming an artificial mountain.

Historically, Toniná was a city shaped by conflict. It was a powerful, militaristic rival of Palenque. The city ultimately captured Palenque’s ruler in the 7^th-century, a decisive moment that shifted regional power.

For a fleeting moment, it was easy to imagine what the first explorers must have felt when they emerged from the forest and came face-to-face with this monumental city. But there’s no way to easily describe how it felt to be standing before the Toniná Pyramid; imagining the ancient people that stood here and the city that lies buried deep just below my feet and spread out before me in the valley.

Once back down, there’s a small museum, fairly modest in scale, but rich in context. It contained a handful of original finds, and finely crafted replicas; offering a glimpse of Toniná’s sculptural and ceremonial existence. Most of the site’s major discoveries now reside in Mexico City’s awesome National Museum of Anthropology.

So, you may be wondering what the cost of this colorful adventure was – about $60 USD. It was a small price for the rare privilege of walking through the Mayan jungle and arriving at Toniná as it was meant to be encountered: slowly, reverently, and with a sense of wonder that no official entrance could ever provide.

To this day, the powerful imagery remains instilled within my mind, and conjures up further awe of what mankind can achieve, and leave behind a legacy that becomes part of México’s colorful heritage.

Cascada Azul

Not to be outshined by Toniná, The Blue Waterfalls, Las Cascadas de Agua Azul, are one of the state’s most iconic, natural landmarks, located in the municipality of Tumbalá in northern Chiapas. Our afternoon was already slipping away by the time we reached the falls, leaving us limited time to enjoy some of nature’s beautiful waterscapes.  

The Xanil River cascades over tremendous limestone terraces, creating pools of luminous turquoise and blue; the colors produced by mineral-rich waters that catch and reflect the light. The scenery was stunning, especially in the late afternoon glow, when the colors deepened and the sunshine streamed through the surrounding jungle, softening into shadows.

There were a few brave souls splashing about in the water (kids mostly), and yes, you can bathe close to the falls, but this is mountain-fed water, and despite the warm day, it was decidedly cold. On a hot summer afternoon, though, I could imagine nothing more refreshing than slipping into those inviting, blue pools.

What struck us most, once again, was how few foreign tourists were present. The area was lively, but mostly Mexican families and local visitors; laughing, swimming, lingering. It felt authentic, unhurried, and refreshingly non-touristos.

After a while, it was time to return back to the city, and a five plus hour drive, much of it along winding, mountain roads; and yes, those darn topes bogging us down in the nighttime.

It had been an almost surreal day: trekking through jungle to reach the upper levels of a Mayan pyramid in the morning; standing high above the Ocosingo Valley by midday, and ending the afternoon beside calm, cascading blue waters.

From ancient stone and deep history to pure, elemental beauty, Chiapas had given us everything in a single day. As we drove into the night, tired and content, it was hard to believe that jungle, stone, and water fit so perfectly into a single, unforgettable day.

As seen from the road…