Egypt

Nile riverboat, Cairo

Sunlight over the Pyramids
At the Pyramids

Journal entry 06.10.07

Cairo today, the Pyramids.

Spent a dusty morning on the Giza Plateau, roaming around the pyramids of Khufu and Khafre. Very few English speaking tourists around - lots of Italians and Spanish. Paid the extra to make the stifling trek down a ramp into the centre of Khafre's pyramid. For a few seconds on entering the tunnel, my chest tightened in a kind of panic and I thought of turning back, but decided the humiliation of defeat would be too much. Focused on breathing and continued down, dripping sweat. After the first descent there was a small atrium where we could stand upright and heard the sound of exhaust fans - imagine the heat if they weren't there. After another descent, braver now, we came into the burial chamber, a large, plain, high-ceilinged hall, with a stone sarcophagus at the end. And that was it - the awe inspiring simplicity made me forget the anxiety. I was there in the centre of a pyramid, deep underground. The ascent was nothing.

After seeing inside the pyramid, we roamed around the Great Pyramid for 45 mins or so, approached by hawkers and camel drivers every 50 paces, or so it seemed - we bought a Bedouin headdress each after some haggling. Even after we had them on our heads, several hawkers came up to us and took them off to re-adjust them, of course expecting, but receiving none. Clambered a few levels up onto the Great Pyramid, up steps that led to an entry, not the original, to take photos. A lot of people around, but probably not nearly as many as at the height of the season (over the next few months when it's cooler). And buses everywhere, of all sizes, in the carpark driving the road to the plateau to the west where a full view of all three pyramids is possible. In that area are many vendors, of beautiful, tacky and just plain ugly pieces, and a caravan of camel drivers and their beasts. A shame that this site must be sullied in these ways for our enjoyment - can it still be a sacred place?

At the Sphinx the crowds were more dense, herded through the funerary temple and up to a viewing area to the left of the beast. It was hot and dusty, again, so it was just get the photo and go. Difficult to be truly awe-inspired when it's snap and go. Which is not to say I wasn't inspired - who wouldn't be by thousands of years of stone staring out across the sand. We had a brief visit to the local Papyrus Institute, where they demonstrated how to make the stuff - thinly slicing the stalks, soaking in water for 6 or 12 weeks (for yellow or brown), then laying strips at right angles to each other to create very strong 'paper'. Later we went to a nearby felafal bar for lunch - felafal and shewerma (basically a kebab).

The Egyptian Museum - Built in 1904 and possibly not cleaned since 1905, the cabinets are probably some of the originals; mummies' coffins are piled 3 high, bunk bed style; small stone figurines line walls; and huge colossi stand in the hall gazing on the visitors. Three separate rooms house Tutankhamun's relics, including the gold bejewelled headpiece. I stood there amidst the many visitors, trying to block them out and take in its thousands of years of hiding in the Valley of the Kings. No photos allowed inside, so had to rely on the pieces in the courtyard - stellae, statues and sphinxes sitting amongst cobbled gardens. We had agreed to meet everyone at 4.30 to head 'downtown' for a little shopping. You can only take in so many museum pieces without description cards before becoming too confused, so we left a little early for the 'cafeteria' - basic, un-air conditioned, smoke-filled. Lovely!

We made our way downtown and found a shopping mall with 7 levels of menswear stores. Damian bought a pair of black leather sandals that may be a bit too big. Dinner included before our departure for the train station for the night train to Luxor (sounds romantic, but not). Our tour leader, Hamdy, sat with us but didn't eat, as he'd had a fast-breaking meal with other staff at the hotel at sunset as part of Ramadan.

Love to all! More later

Bry&Damo