Again we travel

March 16th, 2010

Woke up early to enjoy one last breakfast in the jungle with our new Mexican friends from the state of Tabasco. The six of us sat together and talked like old friends until it was time to start packing. We exchanged email addresses and hopefully one day we will meet again. Then it was time to go.

At 9:00am we pulled our things once again over the limestone paths, packed the van and hit the road. It was another hot day and we were all thankful we would get a stop at Aqua Azul , a beautiful swimming spot with crystal blue waters, waterfalls and small rapids and currents, on our way to Palenque.

On the way we passed through three different check points. We were asked to step out of the van at two of them. Our driver spoke with one of the military men telling him where we were from and where we were headed, us three girls lined up alongside the road and Gary spoke with a different military man while yet another went through our things in the van. The man handled our things very gently and they assured us this was protocol to reduce trafficking of illegal drugs, alcohol, firearms, wild life and immigrants.

About 10-15 minutes later we were able to get back in our cars and drive away. We all noticed the manner in which they handled us and our belongings and compared it to the way they treated Mexicans or other dark skinned people. Often they will rampage through their belongings, ripping and tearing things apart. They will tell them to get out of the cars and sometimes force them to lay face down on the ground until they are finished. It is shameful and upsetting to think that the colour of your skin can dictate the amount of respect in which people of authority treat you with.