MK's Travels: The Pyramids of Giza

Well, it happened. I've crossed off one of my life's to do's... I've been to the pyramids!!!

Me and Kate doing a silly pose that the Tourist Police demanded we do

I don't even know where to start, other than it was incredible. The whole ride out there (40 minutes in cab) I was so excited. When I saw the first pyramid peeking out from above a building I didn't know what to do with myself. I appreciate Kate not shooting me for being so giddy.

Once we get there we immediately start getting haggled about tours and trips. We find some guy who offers camels, and decide we want to see them before we get on them. After almost a half-hour of haggling (This was all Kate and her amazing Arabic speaking abilities) we finally get two camels. We found out camels smell, have bad gas, are mean, and aren't comfortable to ride. Of course, if I was one of these poor animals being abused in the desert, I probably wouldn't be very nice either.

We go into the park illegally through a hole in the gate... nice. I couldn't keep my eyes off of the pyramids. Six of the nine in Cairo are at this location. They are absolutely stunning. You thought they were big? They are bigger. Bigger than anything I could imagine. And thinking of what they must have looked like 5,000 (5,000!!!) years ago when they were covered with a smooth limestone just blows my mind.

Our guide, Mohammed, was 20.

The Great Pyramid (farthest to the right in my picture) is the oldest and the largest of the three pyramids in the Giza Necropolis. The oldest and only remaining member of the Seven Wonders of the World, it is believed to have been constructed over a 20 year period concluding around 2560 BC. The Great Pyramid was built as a tomb for Fourth dynasty Egyptian pharaoh Khufu, and is sometimes called Khufu's Pyramid or the Pyramid of Khufu.

The Great Pyramid is the main part of a complex setting of buildings that included two mortuary temples in honour of Khufu (one close to the pyramid and one near the Nile), three smaller pyramids for Khufu's wives, an even smaller "satellite" pyramid, a raised causeway connecting the two temples, and small tombs surrounding the pyramid for nobles. One of the small pyramids contains the tomb of queen Hetepheres (discovered in 1925), sister and wife of Sneferu and the mother of Khufu. There was a town for the workers of Giza, including a cemetery, bakeries, a beer factory and a copper smelting complex.

A few steps south-west of the Great Pyramid lies the slightly smaller Pyramid of Khafre, one of Khufu's successors who is also commonly considered the builder of the Great Sphinx, and a few hundred metres further south-west is the Pyramid of Menkaure, Khafre's successor, which is about half as tall. (but still tall!)

We were lucky to have clouds in the sky when we went... the pictures are very dramatic. Usually it's just plain 'ol blue.

The generally accepted estimated date of its completion is c. 2500 BC. Although this date contradicts radiocarbon dating evidence, it is loosely supported by a lack of archaeological findings for the existence prior to the fourth dynasty of a civilization with sufficient population or technical ability in the area. Regardless, it's incredible!

After we got off our camels and back at the "entrance" Kate and I met up with Nic. We went to the Pyramid's "Sound and Light Show." It was hilarious. Very dramatic music, laser lights on the pyramids, very silly commentary. But it was fun and I'm so glad we went.