The Chronicles of Ms I-Hua: Day 8 - Part I

Tuesday 16 February 2010

Day 8 - Part I - Giza & Lunch @ Carvery

Checked in round 8pm... after a long 4 hour journey from Alexandria to Cairo, I couldn't be happier.

For our last 2 nights, we were put up in Le Meridien, Pyramids. A would be stunning 5 star hotel if we didn't stay in Alexandria the night before.

Also, the fact that the whole lobby area was a smoking area, was a big turn off. However, they did have a band playing Christmas carols next to the cafe, which the Boy and I went down to enjoy...

(If you zoom into this picture, you can make out Nefertiti's face emblazoned on the automatic doors)

A pricelist of the rooms in the hotel, happily stuck to the wall in our closet.

Breakfast in this hotel was one of the worst. It was so bad, that I didn't bother to take any pictures (I can hear you letting out a sigh of relieve).

(The view of the Pyramids from our hotel)

Staff were also the most arrogant and rude that we've encountered through out our whole stay in Egypt, truly... city people aren't very nice.

The area next to the pyramids of Giza. The downtown urban sprawl of Cairo is literally right next to the Pyramids.

Can you see the original entrance of the Great Pyramid? Before they found the entrance, excavators and raiders long past made an opening at the bottom, and it is now where everyone enters the Pyramid.

The tiny figure in white is the Boy, making his way into the inside of the tomb. I didn't bother, as I'm not a fan of enclosed spaces. To get into the pyramid, you pay an additional LE100.

(Madam mummy is showcasing the size of the original boulders, and how beautiful, smooth and white they were. The whole pyramid used to be encased by this, and this is all that's left of the original)

There were huge crowds at the Pyramids, and as was expected, we were constantly harrased by peddlars trying to sell their cheap goods, as well as very touchy Egyptian men who did not hesitate to try and jump into your photos (and then demand baksheesh from you)!

As we waited for the Boy to come out of the pyramid, we went around taking photos and were further harrased by disgusting Egyptian men. They will touch and grope willy nilly... and one is not allowed to scream or shout. Happened in the markets of Luxor and Cairo as well.

Although we didn't visit the inside of the tombe, we climbed up to the entrance and back down... so technically, I've scaled the walls of the Great Pyramid!

(The lesser pyramids of the wives of the pharaoh entombed in the 3 pyramids)

From pictures and documentaries, I've always assumed that the middle pyramid was the largest of the three (the one with the capped top).

However, it only seems larger as it was built on a higher plateau than the great pyramid. It was amazing to imagine the great skills and the many thousands of workers in building such magnificent structures that have stood the test of time.

Indeed, it is the remaining 7th Ancient Wonders of the world.

From the actual grounds of the Pyramids, we were taken to higher ground, to capture in our memories and pictures the beautiful background. This is the nicest spot to see all 3 pyramids at a distance.

From there, we made our way back down to the other side of the plains to visit the Sphinx.

And it is true, when one finally manages to see the Sphinx, it is like meeting a celebrity for the first time. It is way smaller than I ever imagined. A bit of an anticlimax really.

But that didn't stop me from kissing it!

Or us trying to be like it! I wonder how long we could stand there and wait for man to discover us?

After the pyramids (which was the 2nd highlight of our trip, the first being Abu Simbel), we made our way to Sakkara, to visit the first ever pyramid built by the ancient Egyptians.