Another Pemex night- at least its safe

Between Palenque and Oaxaca City 

Pemex gas station - April 25, 2009

Not many tourists make it as far south as Palenque and it's a shame because it is a fascinating place and being in the jungle has an ambiance all its own. Everything grows big there ( including the bugs) and it feels very exotic. The eerie sound of howler monkeys in the trees helps too.

The photo of the tree with the orange blossom is just one of the thousands that  are just coming into season all over Mexico. It is quite the sight  to drive over the hill  into yet another dusty village and be greeted with this shock of color all through the town. If I lived in Mexico I'd have a whole yard full of these! I love them.

Another thing we love about Mexico is the entrepreneurial spirit that is evident everywhere but especially along the highways- strategically placed at the topes. You might as well buy something if you have to slow down to a near stop anyway. One litre of ice cold fresh pineapple juice - $1.

Delivered right to your door. 

Camping between Palenque and Oaxaca is not possible and the trip is too long to make in one day so we opted for the super ubiquitous Pemex gas station. These are widely known to travelers as safe, dependable places to sleep overnight in an emergency. We spent our very first night in Mexico at a totally basic one just across the border. Hollis was so upset about this he insisted we put him on a plane and let him spend the next 6 months with his Grandparents. 

This one was pretty slick. The boys had a kiddie play area ( even 12 year olds have a hard time snubbing it after a long hot day in the van) laundry service was available, the restaurant served our favorite beer (24 hrs a day!) and the showers worked. 

With nothing better to do in the evening the family hunkered down on the sidewalk to eat a  $7 roasted chicken dinner ( for 4) and watch SpongeBob on the portable DVD player. Our activities seemed to cause quite a stir at the truck stop. The laundry lady watched Sponge Bob with us through the open window as she folded our underwear and  a large truck full of young Mexican men parked right beside us and watched as well. Was it SpongeBob or the novelty of the DVD player that intrigued them?

Anyway... it was apparent that the guys were staying right where they were all night and that we would have NO privacy. When  SpongeBob ended we moved the van to the other side of the restaurant  where the armed security officer had suggested to us in the first place. It turns out it was a good move as Remy noticed all eight of them  still  asleep on the same sidewalk the next morning. 

-Liz