We are still in Cairo. Tonight is the first chance I have had to get to the internet cafe.
We have see the inside of several pyramids from the Old Kingdom (4,600 to 3,500 years ago). We were able to spend 2 hours inside the Great Pyramid without any other tourists. The director turned off the lights for 15 minutes while we were in the Kings chamber. Total blackness. It was great! We got a special permit to go inside the Sphinx enclosure and spent 1 hour with just our group. All the other tourists had to stay outside the fence (nah, nah, na, na, nah).
We went to see the Alabaster Mosque that over looks the city. We took our shoes off and walked barefoot on the original carpets from about 900AD.
Our second trip was to Saqqara where the oldest stone structure in the world is - the Step Pyramid. You can't go inside but we went inside another pyramid that was only about 100 years younger. It was a long shaft about 3 1/2 feet tall. Even I had to walk bent over.
Yes, I took a ride on a camel. Camels are very tall, very very tall. The camel boy failed to tell me that my camel was going to stand up and to lean back, lean back as far as I can. So there I was hanging on for dear life when all of a sudden this very tall camel straightens his very long hind legs. This was not a good beginning. The camel boy then roped three camels together and mine decided that his purpose in life was to shove my left foot up the hind end of the camel in front of him. Getting off the camel was almost anti-climatic.
We took time to look at the solar boat. It is 4,500 years old and still looks river-worthy. Cedar planks last a long time.
Yesterday we went to the Cairo Egyptian Museum. Words fail me. I was on input overload the minute I stepped inside.
I will be out in the desert of middle Egypt for the next few days and will not be able to log in until we get to Luxor. I am going to try adding some pictures.
kate
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11 comments:
Sounds like an outstanding start to a great vacation! Your adventure makes my family's Disney trips feel as pathetic as they really are (fun, though).
Please do share your secrets on getting the private tours when you get back. :)
It's great to hear that you're doing well. We're all anxious for the updates.
Looking forward to seeing some pictures! :)
So glad to "hear" from you! We were beginning to worry . . .
Looking forward to seeing your pix :)
Sounds incredible! Can't wait to hear and see more!
I am glad you are having fun there. I found it rather humorous that you had to duck to walk in the pyramid and your camel ride. Continue having fun and keeping us updated.
Hey, Kate! Thought you might like to know that we got 4" of snow yesterday (1/16/07). It's a mess. It's almost 3:30 pm on 1/17, and the side streets are finally seeing some thawing. Supposed to freeze again tonight, tho', so it will be an icy mess again tomorrow morning. As you can see, things are "business as usual" around here :) It is a really good time for you to be THERE :)
Hi Kate and Jessamy. Sound like you're enjoying your trip. Hope you got a picture of yourself on the camel Kate. I'd love to see that. Looking forward to your return and hearing all the details of the trip.
Hey you two..... : ) Sounds like you're having a great time. Can't wait to see you when you get home. Pictures, Ladies...... Lots of Pictures...... : )
tddrain
Kate, not sure if I blogged or not. Want to see all of your pictures. Looks like an incredible trip! Are you freezing to death in OR? If Ut has another winter like this one I may relocate. I'm sharing your info with a friend who is going to Egypt in a couple months; invaluable stuff! Glad you're back safe! MGW
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