Wednesday, July 20, 2011 - Giza, Egypt

Yesterday I started my "personal vacation" part of my summer as I flew from Istanbul, Turkey to Cairo, Egypt for a quick whirlwind tour of the pyramids, Cairo, and Alexandria, Egypt before heading home to start the new school year.  And this morning started the first of my three-day tour - the pyramids!

I actually saw a glimpse of two of the three pyramids from the car window as I was heading to my hotel in Giza (a large suburb of Cairo just southwest of the city).  Based on my reading, I knew they were literally right at the edge of the city, but until you actually see the city end and the pyramids in the desert start, it's really hard to picture.  I had also been warned not to set my expectations too high since they were not as impressive in person and I was kind of expecting it to be how it was for me as a kid when I saw just how far away and small the heads on Mount Rushmore were.  However, there was nothing disappointing about seeing the pryamids in person and I don't know why that book (or maybe it was a person) stated it as such.

They literally are right in Giza, and the desert is right there, too.  The desert sand remined me of the kind of desert you see in cartoons where the characters are saying "aqua!" but just with a lot of trash thrown around.  The pyramids were as impressive as I had imagined in my head. 

In Giza, the three most famous pyramid of Egypt are found.  The largest one (but from the skyline it doesn't look like it) is called the Great Pyramid of Khufu or Cheops.  It is about 4600 years old as it was completed in 2570 B.C.  There are about 2.3 million limestone blocks that are estimated to weigh about 2 1/2 tons each making up the pyramid.  I spent a little time climbing around the pyramid (as much as they will let you) and while you can go inside this pyramid, I chose to wait and go into a smaller one that I was going to be able to take a few pictures (and it would cost less!).  I voted to start the day early, because I knew it would be hot, but nothing - from living in Arizona or traveling in Greece and Turkey for 5 weeks in summer - could prepare me for this desert heat.  Oy vey.

Cheops - The Great Pyramid - with it's missing top.  This is the largest and tallest of the Giza pyramids even though the one next to it (Chephren) seems taller in person, but that's just because it is built on a higher evalation.  Can you see the opening in the front middle?  That was an entrance made many years ago when they were looking for a way it, but it lead to no where.  The actually opening of the excavations is just below that and is much smaller.  There were just two tombs found in the actual pyramid, and only one was filled with the King's mummy.

Proof that I was actually there!

The pyramid to the right of Cheops is called Pyramid of Khafre or Chephren and it is believed to be the son (or possibly the half brother) of Knufu.  It seems larger than Cheops, but like I mentioned, it's just built on higher ground.  You can see from the top of it still that the original pyramids were all three encased with a white stone covering, but only part of it still remains is found on Chephren.  This pyramid is closed to tourists and you can only get as close to it as the road.  It is so close to the Great Pyramid that I didn't even get a picture of it on it's own. 

Chephren is the "son pyramid" to Cheops and is the taller looking one on the right.  Can you see the original covering on the top still left?  That was once covering the entirity of all three pyramids.

The last of the three pyramids in the Giza area is the Pyramid of Menkaure or Mycerinus.  It is the smallest of the three and again, like Chephren, you are not allowed to visit the pyramid itself currently.

Here are all three.  Cheops on the left, Chephren in the middle, and then Mycerinus on the far right side.

Proof, again, that I was actually there.  This is NOT photo-shopped!  :-)

Had to take part of the classic photo-trick pose!  Yes - it was a little sharp on the top, but nothing a little band-aid on the finger couldn't help!

From the place where I took these pictures, my tour guide also arranged for me to take a half hour camel ride as well.  Yes.  A camel ride, throughout the desert, past the pyramids.  Yes.  I did that.  Yes.  I was pinching myself the whole time.

The camels resting and getting feed alfalfa before taking on a lot of riders.  Some just pay to get up, take a picture with the pyramids in the back, and then get down.  Some pay to go for a quick 10-minute ride.  Others...like me...pay for a 30-minute ride and head out into the desert a ways for some more picture shots!

Me - up on the camel.  The getting up and getting down is the hardest part.  You have one holder for your left foot, nothing for your right, and one little 4 inch thingy in front to hold on!  I kept envisioning falling off and into the sand.  Can you see all three pyramids in the background?

An attempt for a self-portrait during the ride.  I think the camel hit a pot hole while I was taking it!  I know my hair is all over the place, so there must have been some wind out there, but it was not a cooling or comforting breeze at all.  Just saying.

My view.
My camel.
My leader..Oozer.
Oozer knew just enough English to find out everything important about me.  (Like most store-owners, street vendors, and waiters here and many places).  Where are you from?  Do you like it?  Are you married?  Do you have kids?  Are you happy?  If, yes, happy, then how about you pay me more tip!

Me in front of the pyramids from another view from the camel ride.  Can you see all three?  The small little three in front are called the "Queen's pyramids" and each of the three pyramids have them. 

Like my headdress?  Oozer wanted me to wear it for the pictures once I got down half way on the trip.  Then he made sure to click a ton of pictures, and check that I was happy, and check that I was going to give him more tip then the agreed upon amount my tour guide had pre-arranged.  :-)

Our next stop was to one of the Queen's Pyramids so I could have the claustrophobic experience of climbing down one of the pyramid shafts into the steaming hot chambers. 

Here is the "little" pyramid that I climbed into.

The pyramid climb - narrow, steep, and HOT!  This is looking from the bottom up to the exit.

And...the last stop (in the same exact area) was to see the Spinx.  As you enter the Spinx area, you walk through the once-ceiling covered ruins of where the mummification process once took place.  The original limestone walls are still present and quite impressive, as well as the marble floors.  Then you see the Spinx.  There are actually several Spinx's (simply Greek word to describe the large half-man, half-lion momuments) in Egypt, and this is the second largest, but the best preserved.  The nose of the Spinx was taken off or destroyed at some point.  Most historians and Arabs blame Napolean.  It also was once painted with several different colors as well.  The head is man, but the rest of the body is lion - with paws, and even a tail.  The ears were specifically striking to me for some reason and the tour guide told me they were about 1.2 meters long and the mouth about 2.4 meters wide. 

It is believed that the Spinx was to go along with the Pyramid of Khafre because of how it is lined up with the pyramid.  In Arabic it is called the Abu al-Hol (which means Father of Terror) and the ruins for a temple to Abu al-Hol was located directly in front of the Spinx's face.

From this angle you can see the long paws in front and back paws and tail.

I was so astounded to actually be here that my hair was literally standing on end!  :-)

This pose was my tour guide's idea.  LOL.  I had to climb up to just the right spot for me to do this.  Classic, huh?  :-) 

Coming back down the ramp up to the Spnix.  Can you see the pyramid in the background?  This was the tunnel that they would have taken the bodies to the mummifaction process....which was quite detailed, long, and kind of gross for a non-medical person like myself!

And...that was it for today.  I was so happy to have it be a quick, quick morning and that I had nothing else planned for the day.  I enjoyed the rest of the day out at the hotel poolside and am so thankful.  Tomorrow I head into Cairo to the Egyptian Museum (mummies!!!), the Citadel, and the famous bazaar.  Anyone want a little fake Spinx or pyramid?