Monday, April 9, 2018

Egypt, Part Two - Great Pyramids of Giza

The centerpiece of our trip was a visit to the Great Pyramids of Giza. We were met in the morning by a certified Egyptologist who served as our guide to tour the pyramids on our second day in Cairo and to the museum the following day.







I didn't have many expectations and unfortunately didn't have a lot of time to do my own homework before traveling to Egypt. For example, I didn't even really know you could go inside the pyramids, but we started off our visit by entering the largest of the three Great Pyramids.

The passage was narrow. You had to bend at the waist and climb a wooden plank at a 45 degree angle for several hundred feet before the passage opened up and one could stand up right. After much deliberation, only Peter and I ended up ascending the shaft that lead to the burial chamber, approximately 2/3 of the way to the top of the tallest pyramid. 


Sam and Clem didn't have to stoop over to fit in the passage like I did. 


When we reached the burial chamber, we found a small room with perfectly smooth grey walls and sharp corners. The sarcophagus was at one end of the chamber, but I didn't get the chance to look. 

On the verge of tears, Peter immediately wanted to turn around, and we left the chamber straight away. Anyone would be understandably anxious under all that stone. Come to find out later, it was the lingering threat of mummies that lead to many of their fears, founded or otherwise. 






When we emerged from the pyramid we were lead to our camels for a ride to see the Sphinx that would end at the boat museum. 

Of the five of us, only Peter had ridden a camel before (in Petra), so this was a first, and for me, the highlight of the trip. 










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