Adventure of the month

As expected, I could not spend a week in the Yucatan exploring Mayan ruins and not visit Chichen Itza. Prior to 7/7/07, it was already a pretty popular attraction drawing about a million tourists a year, but since that date when it joined the exclusive list of new 7 world wonders, the crowds have doubled, as have the vendors and quite sensibly, the restrictions imposed to protect the site from its own popularity. All structures are now roped off, any kind of climbing is strictly forbidden and many of the important sculptures and carving have been removed to museums throughout the world. It is enough to make me selfishly bittersweet. On one hand, I am happy that unlike other sites (ie Machu Pichu), there is a proactive effort at preservation going on. On the other hand, the experience here can not compare with that at Uxmal and Kabah, where one feels like they have an entire site to themselves, free to wander and explore, Indiana Jones-style, free from salesmen peddling fake silver or...