Saqqara - 4,600 years old

The picture below is of a reconstruction (using many of the actual stones) of the funeral temple of Pharaoh Djoser who built the step pyramid. The step pyramid is the oldest stone monument in the world. It was constructed about 2,600 BCE which makes it 4,600 years old.



When visiting the step pyramid you enter through the funeral temple, this makes it easier for the ticket takers to get out of the sun, and we get to walk on a wooden pathway instead of wade through the sand. (Did I mention the sand? There is lots of sand in Egypt, it is all over the place). The wood roof is a modern addition. Many thanks for the shade. (Did I mention the sun? There is lots of sun in Egypt, even in the winter.)




This is our Egyption guide, Ehab. Ehab has a degree in Egpytology and speaks very good English. He traveled with us the entire tour. Ehab was born and raised in Cairo and is a city boy through and through. Because Ehab has worked in the tour industry for years, he has a remarkable network that enabled him to get us into places most tour groups never get to see.

He also taught us some useful words in arabic (i.e. no in arabic is: la). To make sure you are understood you walk away from the vendor shaking your head saying la la la la la la la la la la, etc. Sometimes it worked. Sometimes he had to rescue me. Sometimes the security guard had to rescue me. (Did I mention the security guard? We also had police vehicles in front and behind our bus when we traveled. More about them later.)

But I digress. Also in this picture is the Step Pyramid. It is in pretty good shape for being 4,600 years old.



Just a nice picture of the step pyramid with the beautiful blue sky (did I mention the sand?).



Yours truly standing in front of the step pyramid. The nice tidy wall behind me is modern. That is as close as anyone is allowed to get. No one is allowed to climb on the pyramid (the guards carry rifles).



A close up of some of the weathered stones in the pyramid. Most of the stones are limestone.



Jessamy is taking a picture of some wild dogs that had made a den in the pyramid rocks and several of the puppies were peeking out at us.



See reference to puppies from above. These dogs are wild but never behaved in a threatening way toward anyone. We would see families, male, female and puppies together. When begging for food they just sit down and stare at you; if you don't give them any food they walk away. They never allowed people to get any closer than 5 or 6 feet. I think the guards fed them because they looked healthier than other dogs we saw elsewhere in the country.




More parts of the funeral temple reassembled.


Until later.
kate