Advertisement
Published: August 28th 2007
Edit Blog Post
The stones that built them...
This is a view looking up at one of the great pyramids from the bottom of it. So amazing that these huge pieces of stone were moved and placed to create these structures. We woke up early on Saturday July 14th and headed to the Great Pyramids, which was only a short drive from where we were. Some of the information that Mahmoud gave us included the following:
The biggest one is the 5th one built, and it took about 20 years to build.
There are enough blocks of stone in the Great Pyramid to build a wall around France 3 meters high and 1 meter wide.
X-Ray machines won't work inside the pyramids because it has some sort of magnetic waves that prevent it from working.
Inside the Great Pyramid - they believe there are still more hidden rooms.
They found old graves near the Great Pyramids, and the bodies had suffered from back or arm injuries - so it is thought that they helped to build the pyramids.
Camera were not allowed inside the pyramid, so when I went through it, I did my best to account for what exactly it looked like inside the pyramid.
"When you enter, the temprature is only a little warmer inside. There are additions to the tunnel we enter - such as light bulbs, steal beams, and a stair platform. We go up a
The Three Biggies
These are the three largest pyramids at the Giza site from a site a little ways away. tunnel, where we have to bend over as we make a climb about 30 meters before we're in an area where we can stand again in order to climb an additional 15 meters. It is steep and hot, and the path is barely big enough to let two people fit across at once. Many people stop as they go up and down to take a break, and this climb is not for the weak of heart.
"At the end is a large room about 5 meteres wide by 9 meteres long with a 6 meter high ceiling. At one end is a 10 foot long 3 foot wide block of broken stone, which has no cover and is chipped on one side (and it's like a huge chip, probably about a square foot worth). It is thought that it was the casket of the King who built the pyramid, but there was no body, no lid, and only one inscription found indicating that the pyramid was his. The room is only lit by two faint flourescent bulbs - so the room is fairly dark and muggy.
"When I stopped in the first area outside of the tomb room -
where I could stand-up - at the very top there is very faint paint (white) where it looks like it used to be painted with some hieroglyphics. The walls are smooth in some parts, and there is graffiti where people have etched their names, etc (this is a common theme thoughout the trip).
"At the bottom of the first set of stairs heading downward, when you can still stand up, there is a tunnel that leads under the stairs and goes straight. you can see it leads deep into the heart of the structure - possibly to the queen's room, but is blocked off. Along the way there are holes dug out in the rock where it probably held statues and gold and other valuables for the afterlife.
"It was amazing to be inside."
The two great pyramids that are smaller are the King's son and grandson's. The three little pyramids are the queen's tombs. There are three other pyramids, which it is believed were for a mother, grandmother, and daughter.
After we had taken some photos from a scenic point and stopped up close to some of the other pyramids, we then headed to the
The Guards
The guards were everywhere... not only were we escorted by an undercover agent the entire time we were in Cairo, but there are armed guards posted at every site. Sphynix, which is very close-by. Near the Sphinx is where they mummified the bodies in a little temple-like area. They would put milk on the lips of the dead body to start new life. the indents in the floor - there are 23 for 23/24 hours of the King's life - where there was a statue. In this area, each of the pillars in the room are 18 tons each.
The Sphynix was devised to represent wisdom by a human head, and power by a lion body. The Sphinx was made out of one piece of limestone - obviously a huge piece. Between the legs of the sphinx is a piece of granite that has the story of the king. Erosion was caused by sandstorms and the structure has actually been restored a couple of times.
Mahmoud was talking to us about the different types of granite used in building - black, gray and rosebud and how most things made of granite were made from the rosebud.
While we were at the Sphinx, we went down the street toward the bus and there were three little girls - probably about 6-9 years old trying to sell postcards.
Shameless Plug...
Yep I was there. :) They were absolutely adorable, and one of them asked me for my pen - So I gave it to her. According to someone's travel book, the children like to get pens from tourists, because they're unique looking compared to the pens that they have. Then they hung out with Ginny and I talking to us about their hair color and their life. It is so friendly, regardless of whether they are trying to sell something or not. After unsuccessfully trying to find the bus, while a few of the others in the group went and rode camels, others of us hung out at a coffee shop, which was outside. It was completely surreal to be sitting under a tent, having a coca-cola, and in the background in plain view and pretty close to us, are these huge piceces of history (i.e. the Pyramids and Sphinx).
The afternoon was spent at the Cairo Egyptian Museum, but we returned to the Sphinx and Pyramids that evening for a lightshow. We had just arrived at the pyramid light show, and coming in I had my backpack, which a guard checked as I walked through the metal detector, and he told me he
Inside the main part...
This is the part of the temple where the body was mummified. had to check it for bombs, guns, or a bazooka - ha ha. The irony is that he wasn't joking.
There was a band of bagpip players dressed in ancient Egyptian garb who performed before the lightshow began - this just seems like a contridiction. The show itself was okay and worth seeing, but nothing exciting. It's strange to me how it's become such a tourist site and I often wonder if while this is amazing to see if we're mistreating some of the sanctity that should exist in regards to these monumental structures of history and culture.
One of the interesting things is that almost everywhere we've gone Egyptian soldiers guard the areas and they're not packing little handguns, but instead carry Uzis - automatic mini machine guns. I have never seen a weapon like that up close and loaded - it's a scary world we live in.
Wow... at the end of the day, I can't believe just how much I've seen and done in the course of 1 day here. It feels like three days worth of information and time, but it's been one long day. There's been so much information, and I feel
Camels...
While I did not ride a camel, many others did, including my mother. They are definitely all around and fun to take pictures of. :) like I've only captured a small piece of it. I'm exhausted - unbelievably exhausted, but how incredible it's all been thus far!!! Just wow... especially seeing things I've seen in history books for my whole life, and then being there - up close and personal with ancient history - 5000 years ago history!
Advertisement
Tot: 0.046s; Tpl: 0.011s; cc: 7; qc: 22; dbt: 0.0265s; 1; m:domysql w:travelblog (10.17.0.13); sld: 1;
; mem: 1.1mb