The old road through these mountains is almost deserted now and in poor repair. It was once the main route down the coast to Mexico City. I traveled this road in 1966 with my '62 Cadillac pulling a 23 foot Avion trailer.

At Sumidero Canyon near Tuxtla Gutierrez, it appears that the earth just cracked open as adjoining tectonic plates buckled. Even though a river flows through this canyon, the canyon was not created by erosion.

Near Palenque, the river drops out of the mountains. Swimming in the tranquil pools is a frigid experience, but many try it. One can picnic on the grassy banks and camp nearby. This water comes from melting snow near Ocosingo.

Sunbeams streak out from behind a nearby island at sunset.

At first, I thought the tree were dying because they were so yellow. The color comes from thousands of butterflies clinging to this special type of tree found only several places in Mexico; here and near Valle de Bravo. This area is under the protection of a National Park.

The plates which form the earth's surface have split and turned on edge, revealing the layers of deposits of an ancient seabed.

Around the turn of the last century, onyx mining was in full swing here. One of the largest single pieces was a bathtub carved for a patron in San Francisco. It was hauled to the coast and put on a sailing ship for the trip to California. This church is made of blocks of onyx.

Once Patios (11 squares) was once a Nunnery, now a group of tourist shops..

The only pyramid in Mexico to have once held a body: thought to have been the architect/priest who designed it.

As this picture was taken, the bishop, government officials, and the Zapatista rebels were inside negotiating an end to their war. Note the TV satellite dishes on the news crew's van. In front of another wall of the church, the sidewalk was covered with candle wax from prayers offered for the success of the meeting.