Today the Pyramids
Today, the Pyramids.
In the van at 0730hrs and on our way to the Pyramids of Giza. The temperature was about 29C but we knew it was going to get hotter, but there was a breeze that helped us bear it. Getting out in the large parking lot we walked over to the ticket office area where we waited for the guide – Mohammed (what else) to buy the tickets. 
First impressions of the Pyramid was that it looks just like the pics, I didn’t know what to expect but definitely not the seething mass of humanity that was taking pics and standing around. 
Another walk to the lineup to get into the King’s Chamber. This is the walkway to the only inside Chamber open to the public. The majority of the people here took pictures and stayed outside. 
Our group of four climbed the steps to go in but as the passageway was confining and in places only four feet high the ladies declined to go further. Jeff and I entered the passage way to the grand gallery. These walkways were on a steep angle and the first one was only four feet 
high and seemed to be very long. Coming out of the passageway a larger stairway – the Grand Gallery was to be encountered. This stairway was a large on and one could climb it with the help of the rails. I don’t know how long it was but again I was pretty puffed and breathing hard at the top.
Finally we entered the ‘King’s Chamber’. A high room about forty feet square with only a stone coffin set into the floor. We had made it! A couple of minutes for photo shots and we started to go down. Much easier than going up but when we arrived at the passageway we had to wait, it was pretty congested and it was a good job that weren’t any really large people to pass. Back into the outside we then climbed down to ground level. The Great Adventure had concluded.
Back in the van and a quick drive around the complex and we came to the Sphinx. Another site surrounded by vendors’ stalls. This stop was quick enough to take good pictures but not before entering the funeral temple. So we have seen the major antiquities of Giza
Before going to the next Pyramid the guide deviated and took us to the first commercial stop. Ostensibly to show us how Papyrus Paper is made but really to sell us Papyrus etchings/paintings. It worked two paintings will now adorn our condo walls when we get home. 
Back into the van to go to Saqquara. Saqqara is a burial site of some of the Kings that ruled when the Capitol of Egypt was in Memphis. Sixteen pyramids and one Funeral Building/Temple. The building was interesting to those interested in early Egyptian construction techniques, We walked around the largest still standing Pyramid and as it was getting hotter we left not knowing where to next. We should have guessed – another commercial enterprise. This one had altruistic purposes. It was a carpet making training school. 
The school takes teens and teaches them the skills to become carpet makers. Fully trained they then work from home and the school sells the product. After much too long, for me here, the delay was that one of our party wanted to buy a carpet – and she did, at a hefty price.
Now on to lunch. The guide wanted to take us back to the hotel and finish his day but we said “We want to eat.”
So at 2pm we wheeled into a restaurant, obviously catering to tourists and settled into an Egyptian lunch. Not knowing the food or protocol we were pleasantly surprised at the choice – grilled chicken and ground beef in a croquette. With rice and falafels filled with organic ground veggies. Mighty tasty and filled us up for the day/night.
Looking forward to going to Luxor we leave 1030 tomorrow.
A gallery of the day
