The pyramids are the sole survivors from the ancient 7 wonders of the world dating from 2570BC and today we saw them. Actually, I first saw them on Saturday from the plane.
The three on the Giza Plateau were built by father, son and grandson: Cheops, Chephren and Menkaure. From a distance they don't seem so big and their beauty is mired by the urban sprawl and pollution that spreads right up to their door stop. Pizza Hut and KFC are right next door to the sphinx.
Up close though, they were awesome, the largest stands 146 metres high and we had to pinch ourselves to make sure we were really here. The three pyramids at Giza are empty - grave robbers - so we only went into the second one, although I think if you are willing to pay and aren't claustraphobic you can enter all three. So we ventured into the Pyramid of Khafre (Chephren) which still has some of its original white limestone casing on the outside.
It was quite claustrophobic (although, not as bad as the tunnels in Vietnam) and I was glad we didn't have to bend over double for too long. We went down a tunnel and then up into the burial chamber where the large granite sarcophagus was as well as the graffitied names of the first two people to disocver the chamber in the 1800s (apart from the thieves). I couldn't really breath and just wanted to get out of there.
Next we visited the Solar Barque (boat) museum. We had to put on these stupid slippers before entering, maybe because a guy was mopping the floor. Here we saw an ancient wooden boat that they believe was buried with the pharoah to provide transport in the next world.
Just after we exited we saw a camel sitting down (there are hundreds of camel and horse hustlers about which you have to run away from) and I told Jon to stand next to it for a pic. Suddenly, an enterprising Egyption ran onto the scene, picked Jon up, and put him on the camel. Before we knew what was happening, Jon was being led off into the distance and I was chasing the guide telling him to bring him back. In the end we took some photos and then the guy demanded way more money than we wanted to give him, especially considering he abducted Jon. We walked off. I then went on an official camel ride with the group.
The sphinx is at the bottom of the causeway of the pyramid we went into. There were a million tourists all trying to take photos of them pretending to kiss the sphinx or put their nose in the shot so it looks like the sphinx's missing one - classy stuff. Naturally, Jon wanted some too!
Aftera local lunch of Kushari (a bowl of carbs which is a national delicacy: rice, noodles, macaroni, lentil, onions and tomato sauce all mixed together. Not sure who invented that) we visited the Egyption Museum and sallall of Tutankhamuns treasures - amazing jewellery and use of gold. We also saw some mummified cats, dogs, crocs, cows, falcons and monkeys - revolting yet strangely facinating. It takes some people nine months to examine everything - we did it in a couple of hours. There is just too much to take in and we were stuffed.
Late in the evening we boarded a sleeper train bound for Aswan (16 hour journey). I don't think they have ever cleaned it, especially the toilets (a little better than the Java ferry - there wasn't a sea of human waste on the floor, at least not at the start). Every time our carriage door was opened (this was frequently as locals seem to prefer to constantly wander the carriages instead of sleep and never shut the door) a putrid waft of urine and defication floated down the aisle. With the magical help of medication we slept until around 8am when it became uncomfortable apparent that the air con was broken in first class. I woke up in a puddle of sweat wondering if I could avoid using the tolet for another six hours - unfortunately, I couldn't. Thank goodness for disinfectant spray. Now I am sitted cross legged until Aswan.
Photos and the last two posts will be uploaded in a few days as we are about to float down the Nile for 2 days. I think I am going to be bored.
The three on the Giza Plateau were built by father, son and grandson: Cheops, Chephren and Menkaure. From a distance they don't seem so big and their beauty is mired by the urban sprawl and pollution that spreads right up to their door stop. Pizza Hut and KFC are right next door to the sphinx.
Up close though, they were awesome, the largest stands 146 metres high and we had to pinch ourselves to make sure we were really here. The three pyramids at Giza are empty - grave robbers - so we only went into the second one, although I think if you are willing to pay and aren't claustraphobic you can enter all three. So we ventured into the Pyramid of Khafre (Chephren) which still has some of its original white limestone casing on the outside.
It was quite claustrophobic (although, not as bad as the tunnels in Vietnam) and I was glad we didn't have to bend over double for too long. We went down a tunnel and then up into the burial chamber where the large granite sarcophagus was as well as the graffitied names of the first two people to disocver the chamber in the 1800s (apart from the thieves). I couldn't really breath and just wanted to get out of there.
Next we visited the Solar Barque (boat) museum. We had to put on these stupid slippers before entering, maybe because a guy was mopping the floor. Here we saw an ancient wooden boat that they believe was buried with the pharoah to provide transport in the next world.
Just after we exited we saw a camel sitting down (there are hundreds of camel and horse hustlers about which you have to run away from) and I told Jon to stand next to it for a pic. Suddenly, an enterprising Egyption ran onto the scene, picked Jon up, and put him on the camel. Before we knew what was happening, Jon was being led off into the distance and I was chasing the guide telling him to bring him back. In the end we took some photos and then the guy demanded way more money than we wanted to give him, especially considering he abducted Jon. We walked off. I then went on an official camel ride with the group.
The sphinx is at the bottom of the causeway of the pyramid we went into. There were a million tourists all trying to take photos of them pretending to kiss the sphinx or put their nose in the shot so it looks like the sphinx's missing one - classy stuff. Naturally, Jon wanted some too!
Aftera local lunch of Kushari (a bowl of carbs which is a national delicacy: rice, noodles, macaroni, lentil, onions and tomato sauce all mixed together. Not sure who invented that) we visited the Egyption Museum and sallall of Tutankhamuns treasures - amazing jewellery and use of gold. We also saw some mummified cats, dogs, crocs, cows, falcons and monkeys - revolting yet strangely facinating. It takes some people nine months to examine everything - we did it in a couple of hours. There is just too much to take in and we were stuffed.
Late in the evening we boarded a sleeper train bound for Aswan (16 hour journey). I don't think they have ever cleaned it, especially the toilets (a little better than the Java ferry - there wasn't a sea of human waste on the floor, at least not at the start). Every time our carriage door was opened (this was frequently as locals seem to prefer to constantly wander the carriages instead of sleep and never shut the door) a putrid waft of urine and defication floated down the aisle. With the magical help of medication we slept until around 8am when it became uncomfortable apparent that the air con was broken in first class. I woke up in a puddle of sweat wondering if I could avoid using the tolet for another six hours - unfortunately, I couldn't. Thank goodness for disinfectant spray. Now I am sitted cross legged until Aswan.
Photos and the last two posts will be uploaded in a few days as we are about to float down the Nile for 2 days. I think I am going to be bored.
1 comment:
It's a few days on, so you'd have been on your Nile cruise. I hope you weren't bored! Your tales have been interesting - full of taxodermy, faeces and medical problems - yes, definitely interesting. Take care guys.
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