Pyramid of the MagicianRuins at Uxmal. Yucatán, Mexico. The bus ride from Mérida took slightly under 1-½ hours, during which I read. I arrived shortly after opening and before any tour buses, so I was able to get some pix without any tourists.

I climbed the Pyramid of the Magician, which was easy enough to get up, but scary up on top because of the steep angle and the height. I cautiously made my way around the top, then spent close to ½ hour shooting pix of the site—it’s a good view. I tried to remain calm for the nerve-wracking trip down. I used the chain for support, but didn’t fell as secure as I would have with proper climbing protection.

I did some more exploring around the site, including a short trip on a trail out to the disappointing Temple of the Phallus. I finished up in the air-conditioned theatre of the tourist center watching a couple of videos of the area. I left at 11:10 when it was too hot for me, but more tourists were filtering in.