Giza
After visiting the Cairo Museum, Aladdin took us to Giza (which is actually
the western part of Cairo) to see the Great Pyramids of Cheops, Chephren and
Mycerinus (also known as Steve, Jeff and Mike :) . These are probably the
most widely recognised pyramids as they are easily accessible (an hour drive
from the city centre) and the biggest. However, there are about 90 pyramids
along this section of the Nile. These ones are the northmost.
Cheops' pyramid was the only one we got really close to as we had a limited
time there. (The temperature was about 40 degrees C on that day.) It was
a lot larger than we had expected! It's hard to capture the immensity of it
from these 2D pictures. The first picture here shows the main entrance, about
a third of the way up. Below it is the entrance which was made by someone
a long time ago and is the entrance used now to enter the pyramid. You can
see by the size of the people just how big it is.
We didn't actually enter the main pyramid (it cost 40LE each = AUD$20 and we
didn't have time). Aladdin instead recommended entering the smaller pyramids
built alongside Cheops' one for his wife, daughter and mother. There were no
inscriptions or murals inside any of the pyramids of this time, just a
descending shaft into the burial chamber.
We then went to spot for taking great pictures of all three main pyramids,
which was packed with tourist buses and small stalls selling various souvenirs.
Afterwards, we followed the crowds down to the Sphinx and the mummification
temple and causeway of Chephren (the middle pyramid).
