This morning I was getting all of my stuff packed up and this girl Karen (from Switzerland) came into the hostel and was like, "Is this hostel any good?" And I said, "No, I{m going to this way better place right now". So we went to El Panchan together and have been hanging out all day and it{s been great.

First, El Panchen is a group of restaurants and Cabanas in the jungle, close to the Palenque ruins. Even this Internet place is there. It is like summer camp in the jungle with wine and coffee. Karen and I are in a cabana, in beds, that has a screen and fan.

I spent all morning at the Palenque ruins which really were phenomenol. Really amazing. And even cooler than the really big ruins were the partially excavated ruins that had huge trees growing out of them in the middle of the jungle.

Then all afternoon I lay in a hammock from the second floor of a restaurant, and read and watched gekkos and weird bugs. At one point it started to pour and it was so peaceful and really a great moment. I{m reading "The Republic of Love" by Carol Shields and it is the most romantic, beautiful love story I{ve ever heard of.

Brad got a job in Thailand teaching english, math and physics??!! He{s there right now and I guess he{s not coming home anytime soon!