every year someone dies from falling... okay its not that scary, but still

 

1 person? that doesnt sound bad...i wonder how many people climb that thing a year...i bet its still safer than driving

 

Interesting... Coba was much less crowded than Chichen Itza. Coba, while one of the largest sites, is only about 10% excavated and it is a LONG walk back to that pyramid. It was even a decent bike ride.... if anyone ever goes, definitely pay the few dollars for the bike rental! There were only a few people milling around at each of the excavated places at Coba, whereas Chichen Itza looked like the mall the week before Christmas! I could totally see someone taking a tumble at any of the ruins. Thankfully the Mexican govt isn't like ours or the sites would be ruined with railings, safety guards and probably not even allowed to be open since it isn't handicap accesible. It was funny to see all the people afraid of heights/open spaces who climbed up the pryamids but were clinging to the stairs or the side of any structure at the top. I was walking along the edge freaking them all out.

Yes, I know going to Chichen Itxa is cliche', but I have always wanted to see it and we stayed at a resort right next to the site and just walked over the next morning before it got crazy crowded. We even snuck back in at dusk to get a few pictures without the crowds!

 

you're not allowed to climb chichen itza anymore, some fool died a few months back and now climbing it is banned.

 

Get out! I hadn't heard that! So glad I got there when I did!

Edit: I just relayed that to the friend who I went there with and she had this to say:

"that's called natural selection,you don't prevent it!"

 

Climbing those things are scary, but going down is 10X worse. I remember being passed up by these Indian girls and they were basically running down the stairs! I was like "holy smack!" One slip and it's good by world.

Sam

 

^ That's the tallest pyramid???

 

Please note I said *in the area*. Not claiming it is like climbing a sky scraper, just noting it is the tallest Mayan pyramid in the Yucatan. It is 42 meters/138 feet tall. Here is the view looking down and out over the jungle:

You can see a person standing down at the base and another behind and to the left.

 

yea i remember climbing chicen itza, similar views but looking down from the top you cant even see the endits like you're floating a giant square... I ran up the stairs passing everyone up but ended up climbing down basically on my ass scared i'd trip

 

lol.. we really do get "off topic" in off topic