WOW......A Lifetime of Waiting completed!!

Saturday: PYRAMIDS, SPHINX!!!!


OK…..my descriptions and exclamations have been over the top the past few days, BUT…….you guessed it……TODAY was THE day of the entire trip!!!!! I was sooo excited about today’s plans…and I hoped that I would not be disappointed…..and OMG, I sure as hell was not disappointed and if I returned a 1000 times, I would never be disappointed in what I saw and did today at Giza…just south of the city of Cairo.

The first appearance of the Pyramids through the trees as we drove up to them…..I could barely wait until we reached them. However……that bit of excitement was nothing compared to reaching that area and see those wonderful …and the last of the original Wonders of the World!!! The more I looked the more the goosebumps came out all over me…….my eyes became watery….and I realized that seeing these Pyramids for the first time after dreaming of coming over here since my 6th grade year in school……that I was actually HERE!!!! And….they are every bit as awesome as I thought they would be……and perhaps more sooooooo, because they are sooooooo IMMENSE!!!!! We walked, we talked, we exclaimed, we just stood mouth gaping wide open at what we were experiencing in front of our very eyes!!!!

And then….the picture taking began in earnest. Before long our guide, Omar, asked if we were ready to go down into the 2nd Pyramid…..and even with the strong warning about the bent over position we must endure for about a 10 minute descent……we all agreed and down we went into the tomb of Cheops’ son……..Cheops had had the 1st and largest Pyramid built. His son’s is slightly smaller……and HIS son’s is smaller that the 2nd one.

So……no steps….just a long descending ramp with metal bars on it to allow us to put our heel against them to not slip…….and finally, we reached the half-way point! It is lighted inside BUT…..the air becomes very stagnant the further down you go…….and then we reached this place where we could stand up for a brief time. All people going down AND UP must use the same narrow ramp and so we were constantly bumping sideways against others who were ascending out of the tomb. At this point, standing straight was wonderful……and then it was time to continue further into the Pyramid….and this time we ascended for about the same amount of time! And then……….we stepped out into a large “room” with a very high ceiling……and the sarcophagus of Cheops’ son was at the end of the room. No one inside the stone sarcophagus…….but how great this was!!! EXCEPT….the air was sooooo stale and lacking in oxygen that I felt like I was being suffocated……it was impossible to get a good deep breath of air!!!!! Never have ever felt like that before……….and so, we didn’t linger, but began the descent to the halfway point….and then the ascent to the beautiful blue sky outside the small opening to the Pyramid!!!! OMG…..did the air ever feel good. We were drenched, sweating through our shirts, etc., etc. it had been soooo hot inside!! WHAT AN EXPERINCE!!!!!!!! To go inside this Pyramid that had been built in 2780BC!!!!!!!!!!! Almost 5000 years ago!!! (and I think the air inside was that old, too!!! Hahaha)

Then………it was time to ride the camels back down to the area of the Sphinx…..about 15+ minutes across the desert!!!! Omar and we haggled with the camel owner until we arrived at the price we had decided we should pay……50 Egyptian pounds/ $10.00 per camel. And so……..we began the task of getting on each of our camels and holding on as we leaned back for the camel to get up off of the sand. The back legs came up first, and that is why we had to lean backwards….and then with a bit of a struggle, the camel was up and a bit belligerent about having to take a walk.

The camel owner hooked all three of our camels together……a “caravan”…..and off he led us down across the sand to our destination. WOW……what an experience it was to see the Pyramids as we rode across the sands on the camels!!!!! I have to admit that this was the coolest thing I have done in a long, long time!!!! And…..to admit again that by the time we reached the area of the Sphinx, the tears were running down my face. A dream come true!!!!!!!!!!

And then…..the camels lowered themselves….and we hopped off for the time was flying by. We then went to the entrance to the Sphinx viewpoints…….and more and more pictures were taken there. It was not as large as I had envisioned from looking pictures/tellie, but it was grand enough anyway!!! As you will see when I CAN get online and not have to pay a tremendous amount of $$ for a few brief minutes……….

As we left this little area of the world where sooooooo many have visited for thousands of years……..it was with regret and emotion and I realized that this was more than likely a once in a Lifetime experience and I probably will never pass this way again. The culmination and the realization of a dream that a young boy had as he looked at the pictures and studied and learned about Egyptian ancient history while sitting in his 6th grade classroom………..

Back on the bus, we weaved and worked our way through the Chaotic Cairo traffic….and stopped at a large restaurant that sooooo many tour groups use. And…..the heavily…..HEAVILY…..armed guards standing on the sides of the street, on the corners, and up above us to protect us from any incident……not only for our security, but for the largest industry in the entire country of Egypt. Their presence was certainly not alarming……but it was a feeling of secure confidence that we had while we ate inside with perhaps 200-300 others.

It was at this point that we reunited with the two friends we had made on the cruise: Ron and Jean from Pittsburg, PA!!!! Ahhhh……sooo wonderful ,friendly, and fun they are!!!! We feel as if we have known them for years and years. They were to join us for the afternoon and evening before they return to the states on Sunday morning. Just great to be with them for those few hours!!!!!!

From there it was further south to Sakkara……where the Step Pyramid is located……the oldest pyramid in the entire world!!!! Built with an earlier technique of using “steps” or layers for the construction rather than a straight angled wall of boulders. And….these rocks and boulders were not of any standard shape or size. Really interesting and sooooo cool to see this…….the oldest in the world!!!

From there, we traveled to Memphis……which is now a forgotten area, almost. It is in ruins with lots of people living here, but not the wonderful city it once was in the ancient times. There was a museum there that housed another HUGE statue….of Ramses II. And…..it was laying on it’s back…….and with it in a horizontal position it was even more immense than what we had seen…..or at least realized…before.

And after that, it became quite a hilarious hour as our guide attempted to get all of our various tours and different itineraries coordinated for the evening….and for our hotel drop-offs back in Cairo. At one point we made a transfer to another vehicle on the side of the very LARGE bridge which spans the Nile River with cars and trucks and donkey carts and horse drawn wagons and trucks loaded with produce going by us……..oh what laughter we had at this sudden change of plans!!

A quick trip to the Bazaar (Khan) and then it was back to the Pyramid area for the evening’s Sound and Light Show. This was really great…..however, I was suddenly visited by an attack of TUT’S TUMMY…….AGAIN!!!!!! And it was soooooo horrible this time that I had the guide stop at a Pharmacy after the light show and he talked with the “Chemist” there and I purchased some pills…….to stop the “runs” and also an anti-bacterial agent for any poisoning I might have got from the foods. This has been going on TOOOOO long and TOOOOO often and I have never completely got rid of this problem! Hopefully……this will do the job…..

Back at the hotel, we packed……and I ran to the bathroom!!! Midnight….and I was still up and “going”……….Finally it calmed down and I last saw the clock at 3:30AM….with a wake-up call set for 4:00AM!!!!! We had an 8AM flight for Amman, Jordan to catch……..

However,……with a day that I have waited all my Life to have and enjoy……….

LIFE COULDN’T BE GREATER!!!!!!!!…….And, I hope it is for all of you, also!!!!!