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Published: September 13th 2008
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Sphinx
This is the largest and most famous sphinx in Egypt...... and he gave me a kiss!! Have spent the last few days exploring Cairo where I have done the must do's guide to Egypt. Yesterday we headed out to see the first Pyramids ever built. I was consumed by my visit to Memphis, Egypts oldest Capital City, where we viewed many artifacts including the monstorous figure of King Ramses II. This particular area in mostly populated by egyptian people and is therefore unable to be excavated by archeologists. Many of the homeowners have conducted illegal excavations under their homes to reveal many of the treasures of Memphis. They dare never to speak up about their findings for fear that the government will take the land so most relics are now on the black market. The government never pay them a cent if the land is taken. I seriously don't blame them.
Can you belive that there are about 80 million people living in Egypt and a baby is born every 24 seconds here. They only occupy 6% of the Egyptian land as most of it is desert. This place suffers from major over population and the driving! They are mental! I've just learn't to close my eyes.
Today I saw the Pyramids of Giza, which
One for the Physie Girls!
I could not resist..... had to do it! Watch out Jen they may use my photo on the cover of this years program! is why I play on the words and call it 'The Tourists of Giza.' There are people everywhere.... I mean everywhere. Goodluck getting a shot without a tourist. The pyramids are sooooo close to the main city, in fact you can see a pizza hut restaurant from the pyramid itself, as clear as day. The sphinx was incredible. I just can't get my head around how they moved the gigantic blocks to build the pyramids. I bought a ticket to walk through the pyramid but when I got there I guess you could say that I chickened out. The opening is tiny and it was really, really hot. I knew I would see nothing down there and just simply thought, why am I about to bend down low for 20 minutes only to come out the other side with a sore back. Unashmedly I turned around. But I did take about 5 steps inside tne entrance so technically I have been inside a pyramid!
So I did the unthinkable and stricked a classic physie pose while at the Pyramids. I could not resist...... mind you, am a bit worried... the flexibility ain't what it usually is. My muscles are
still aching from that leg lift.
Why we do things in the past is often a mystery and I found it really interesting to learn about the pyramids was how they came to loose their outer shell of rock. You can see at the top of one of the pyramids there still remains the outer layer. Apparently in the 1900's when they were building up the city of Egypt, instead of buying new sandstone to build with they (whoever had the authority to do so) decided to take the sandstone layer from the pyramid and use it construct new buildings. Go figure!
One thing that no one seems to talk about when they go to see the Pyramids is the museum which holds the ancient boat that was unearthed. This Cedar boat is an incredible sight and well worth the extra cost. They even have remains of the original ropes and tools that were left in tomb to help assemble the boat together in the kings next life. I actually thought of my grandfather when I stood in front of this grand thing. As a keen fisherman and someone who dabbled in the art of building his own
boats I know he would love to see the workmanship, especially considering they did not use one single nail.
My day continued to get better when I visited the Museum of Egypt. My mind is still running crazy with the concept of statues, jewellery and sarcophicaces been 5000 years old and I am looking straight at them. Most amazing was the collection of Tutankarmen. FAR OUT! I can not believe what they found when they discoverd this tomb in 1922. Imagine finding such treasures. The words "are you #$* serious" come to mind. Clothing, jewellery, furniture, statues, food, weapons, tools, even two mummified babies which are thought to be his children that died at birth. Tutamkarmen was 9 years old when he married his half sister who was 13 at the time. They have great photographs of the tomb as they found it and the mask is beautiful. Unfortunatley you are not allowed to take your camera into the museum but photos would never do justice to what I have seen today.
I also saw the mummification museum which has the body to Ramses. Wow, wow, wow. The bodies are so well preserved, especially Ramses who still has
Ancient combines with Modern
Check out how big those blocks are! hair, fingernails and teeth. One of the mummified princesses also had her pet baboon mummified to be with her. You see so much detail in their faces.
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