Chichan Itza!

[Rodatam]

you cant climb the chicken itza????? O_O
bah... i was planning to go there someday but =\

 

[bdonalds]

you cant climb the chicken itza????? O_O
bah... i was planning to go there someday but =\

It is totally, definitely, profusely, titillatingly worth it. I only had 3 hours to spend there on my trip, and I could have easily spent 30. Climbing the pyramid was fun, but it was only a minor part of the trip. Chichen Itza is the most amazing place I have ever been....

 

[Ogrelord]

the Hanging Gardens still exist.....it just have been expanded to almost every balcony of every flat in nearly all the metropolitan cities in the world.

 

[steelviper]

you cant climb the chicken itza????? O_O
bah... i was planning to go there someday but =\

You could climb it in the summer of '03. The tour guides were always saying that "This is the last year people will be allowed to climb up the temple," but after hearing that a few times I had started to think that was just tourist trap stuff. Looks like they finally shut it down.

It's not that bad going up it, but climbing back down was pretty scary. The steps are really narrow and it's a pretty steep drop. The "safety" equipment consisted of a big rope that ran down the middle of the steps that people would use as a hand rail (mostly for climbing down). I wonder how many injuries/deaths happened there...

 

[Older than Dirt]

Just get youself an official "Chicken Inspector" badge and take a clipboard and pen.

 

[bdonalds]

You could climb it in the summer of '03. The tour guides were always saying that "This is the last year people will be allowed to climb up the temple," but after hearing that a few times I had started to think that was just tourist trap stuff. Looks like they finally shut it down.

It's not that bad going up it, but climbing back down was pretty scary. The steps are really narrow and it's a pretty steep drop. The "safety" equipment consisted of a big rope that ran down the middle of the steps that people would use as a hand rail (mostly for climbing down). I wonder how many injuries/deaths happened there...

They made the same claim in the Spring of 04 when I wasw there...I guess they finally did shut it down.

And regarding injuries..our guide made it a point to remind us that we weren't in America anymore, and if we fell that we couldn't sue anyone over it so proceed at your own risk. Hmmm...I wonder if my country will ever be so advanced as that...imagine....making people take responsibility for their own actions...brilliant! Whoops...I just spilled coffee on my balls. Gotta go call my laywer, see you later!

 

[Raneday]

I went to Chichen Itza in 2004, the last year you could climb it. It's not tiring, but damn it's steep. Going up isn't a big deal, but getting down can be a chore, especialy if you are afraid of heights!

Check out my pics...most of them are from Chichen Itza...

http://nardvark.com/mexico/

Nice pics. Thanks for sharing.

 

[Knightly_]

When you stand in front of Notre Dame and look to the right you can see this well known religious zealot:

 

[NovaKart]

Here's my photos of Aya Sofia. They're from the inside which is really more attractive. I'm "special" when it comes to computer technology so let me know if I should change the size and all that. I've got photos of the Forbidden Palace, the Apostolic Palace, the Great Wall and the Dai Miao (sort of). More of the Aya Sofia too and the Hippodrome in Istanbul (not really a wonder I know).

 

[Tylerryan79]

Great pics! I went to Cancun and also went to the ruins. When I was there you could climb to the top, there was a thick rope to hold onto when climbing up/down(its very steep coming down). Did you get to go inside? Its a temple inside the temple, exact replica almost if memory serves me right.

 

[NovaKart]

The first one here is part of Mt. Tai, what would be the Dai Miao in Civ. There's lots of temples there and this one really just looks like a typical Chinese temple, could be anywhere, but it's on Mt. Tai.

The other two are of the Great Wall, from the Badaling section, the best restored one.

 

[NovaKart]

I'd love to go to Chichen Itza some day. I've been to Iximche and Quirigua in Guatemala. They're really not in such good condition though. Quirigua doesn't really have anything interesting except for the huge steles there. I didn't have time to go to Tikal, it's way up in the north of Guatemala and you have to take a plane to get there. It's supposed to be really spectacular though.

Some friends of mine in Guatemala, when they were building their house, they found some old Mayan artifacts underneath. Just little figurines and bits of pottery. They kept them cause they figured if they gave them to a museum the people there might just sell them.

I went to some minor temple near Cozumel once too. It was steep and had the rope to help you climb too.