Visiting the Pyramids of Egypt

We started the first day of our Road Scholar tour with a trip to the areas of Dashur, and Giza.  I think most people associate pyramids with Egypt.  However, I had no idea there were so many of them. There are more than 100 pyramids in Egypt.  Most likely there are even more pyramids buried in the sand.

The first pyramid of the day is also the oldest in the area, the Bent Pyramid.  The angles of the pyramid aren't quite right, so it wasn't a success.  As you can see, it's crumbling.

The architect of the Red Pyramid, also in Dashur, got the angles correct. This is the first true pyramid.  We climbed to the entrance, but did not go in.

From the entrance of the Red Pyramid I was able to look into the distance and see even more pyramids.

Near the Great Pyramid, smaller pyramids for wives and sons.

The Great Pyramid of Giza is in the distance.  Taylor and I climbed to the top, through a long narrow corridor, at times bent nearly double.  It was a challenge, and we did it!

Getting to the top, I worked up a sweat.  The reward was a small dark room, with an empty coffin.  It was well worth the effort.

Steamy conditions in the pyramid. Taylor forgot to bring a sweat head band on the trip!

Climbing down from the top of the Great Pyramid of Khufu I met  this Syrian woman.  She was unhappy with her husband for making her climb to the top, only to find nothing.  I think the claustrophobic tunnel wasn't her idea of a good time. 

Now that we visited so many pyramids, it's hard to keep them all straight.  While the pyramids are fascinating, I also found that the scenes around me were also intriguing.  Here are some images that will stick in my memory of my introduction to Egypt.

This is my idea of classic Egypt- camels and pyramids.

Crossing the irrigation canal.

Morning in the coffee shop.

Happy to be in Egypt, and learning that the sun is bright - sun hats and sun glasses mandatory.

First Day in Cairo

The first day in a new country is always a little disconcerting.  Jet lag, new foods, new sights, new sounds.  Instead of using this condition as an excuse to hang out at the hotel to recover from jet lag, we decided to get a little preview of Cairo on our own.  Tomorrow we begin our tour of Egypt with Road Scholar.

With the help of the doorman at our hotel, we hired a taxi to take us to downtown Cairo.  It is about an hour drive through hair raising traffic.  The driver let us off at the Egyptian Museum.  We all agreed to meet in four hours for the drive back to the hotel.  Before he would leave us, our driver made us promise not to talk to strangers, be careful in the traffic and do not agree to "go shopping" with anyone.  We followed all that advice, although we spoke to a few strangers.  Interestingly enough, these strangers wanted to take us "shopping."  We didn't do it though.

We walked through Tahrir Square and nearby neighborhoods.  It was stirring to contrast this area crammed with cars and busy people with the revolutionary fervor and subsequent blood bath of just a few years ago.

Tahrir Square

Exploring the neighborhood hear to Tahrir Square

The Museum was a throwback to the 1930's style of museums, a bit of the Field Museum when we first lived in Chicago.  Acres of dusty cabinets with treasures from thousands of years ago, some things obviously mislabeled and untouched by any curator's hands for decades.

The Egyptian Museum

Finally, returning to our room and flinging open the curtains, we realized that we actually have a view of the pyramids.  Over the swimming pool, across the busy road with the crazy traffic are three pyramids in a row. Wow.

The star of the show.