Today was jam-packed with many places that we wanted to see while in Cairo, since we only had one day to get everything in before moving onto the next city. Yes, this vacation is a whirlwind tour, lol. The day started at 7am with us headed with our driver and guide to the Open Air Museum of Memphis. It's a small museum, but has some incredible statues of Ramses II that have been well preserved. Our guide who was very passionate about the history of Egypt, told us that thanks to Frenchman, Jean Francois Champollion, deciphering the hieroglyphics of the Rosetta Stone, it unlocked the history of ancient Egyptian civilization. You learn about the Rosetta Stone as a kid, but forget it as you get older. It's nice to get a refresher course.
The next stop on our busy day in Cairo, was Saqqara. Here we got to see the Step Pyramid of Djoser and the burial grounds. Walking amongst the ruins and seeing all the rich history that once lay buried beneath the sand is quite amazing. I keep envisioning what life must have been like as I listen to Hesham, our guide, talk about how the afterlife was more important to ancient Egyptians, which is why the kings built these monstrous pyramids and burial grounds that could house things they took with them into the afterlife.
In Saqqara there are numerous carpet schools. Children come and learn how to weave silks and wools into carpets. The carpets have intricate designs and no two carpets are the same. Some of the carpets depending on the fabric used and the size of it can take 13-18 months to create. I got a chance to try my hand at weaving a carpet and I have to say I sucked, lol. I could not get the technique down, but I did make the little girl who was trying to teach me laugh so that was a plus.
Finally, after debating over what carpet to buy at the carpet school, we made our way to the pyramids. This was to be the highlight of our day. It's what most people come to Egypt to see. The night before when I saw it loom out of the darkness at us, like some otherworldly thing was amazing, but in the daylight when you see the precision, the detail, the amount of stones it took (btw, I've heard it's over like 2.3 million stones that make up the main pyramid), it's crazy and my mind has a hard time fathoming the amount of people it took to make these things a reality. And many have said that today we are still incapable of making something that would come close to the precision of the pyramids. What was their secret? Yes, as you can see, I'm in awe and wonder.
After checking out all three pyramids from the outside it was time to ride a camel. I wasn't apprehensive until I got on the camel and of course you know camels have a mind of their own. While Desi kept throwing her hands up and making comments like, "Look ma, no hands!" I was hanging on for dear life. I really didn't feel like my saddle was on securely. I was sure at any minute it would slip to the side and I'd go tumbling off, lol. The one picture where I actually looked serene while sitting atop the camel is on my instagram.
Once I finally got off the beast we decided to head inside the Menkaure pyramid. Tight spaces don't scare me, but I have to say going down the steep, narrow staircase into the depths of the pyramid did make me a bit claustrophobic. You get to the bottom and it feels like the air has been sucked out of the place, but you forget about this as you take in a space that is older than you can believe. You imagine the ancient Egyptians carrying in the body of the king along with all that is to be left as an offering, and you can't believe you're standing in the same place.
We ascend back to the top and we're off to pay the Sphinx a visit. We do the obligatory "kissing the Sphinx" photos and then wave to the Solar Boat as we hightail it to the Egyptian Museum. Unfortunately, they don't allow cameras inside so I have no pics to show you, but we did take one of the outside. This museum houses so many artifacts and antiquities. The ones I couldn't wait to see were the objects that had been pulled from King Tutankhamun's tomb. One of the few tombs that had still been found intact in the early 1920's.
With our visit there complete we finally had time for an actual meal. We had some great Egyptian food at a local restaurant and then made two more stops: a local essence and perfume maker (where everything is 100% pure, not diluted). Below, you can see a man blow a glass bottle into a perfume bottle. Then we went to a shop that sells real papyrus, not the stuff they try and sell you outside the pyramids (*whispering* that's banana leaves, beware, not the real thing).
Once I finally got off the beast we decided to head inside the Menkaure pyramid. Tight spaces don't scare me, but I have to say going down the steep, narrow staircase into the depths of the pyramid did make me a bit claustrophobic. You get to the bottom and it feels like the air has been sucked out of the place, but you forget about this as you take in a space that is older than you can believe. You imagine the ancient Egyptians carrying in the body of the king along with all that is to be left as an offering, and you can't believe you're standing in the same place.
We ascend back to the top and we're off to pay the Sphinx a visit. We do the obligatory "kissing the Sphinx" photos and then wave to the Solar Boat as we hightail it to the Egyptian Museum. Unfortunately, they don't allow cameras inside so I have no pics to show you, but we did take one of the outside. This museum houses so many artifacts and antiquities. The ones I couldn't wait to see were the objects that had been pulled from King Tutankhamun's tomb. One of the few tombs that had still been found intact in the early 1920's.
With our visit there complete we finally had time for an actual meal. We had some great Egyptian food at a local restaurant and then made two more stops: a local essence and perfume maker (where everything is 100% pure, not diluted). Below, you can see a man blow a glass bottle into a perfume bottle. Then we went to a shop that sells real papyrus, not the stuff they try and sell you outside the pyramids (*whispering* that's banana leaves, beware, not the real thing).
It had been a long day, but we still had a flight to catch. I told you it was a whirlwind tour. We were headed to Aswan on a late night flight so that we could be part of the early convoy headed to Abu Simbel the next morning at 4:30am. Check out the next blog for Aswan/Abu Simbel pics and stories.
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