EGYPT: Pyramids, Museums and Mummies

So finally the day had arrived, we were off to see the Pyramids of Giza. While we were driving around Cairo we had seen glimpses of them in-between buildings and from a distance through the hazy smog in the desert. Today was the day where we would see them up close and even inside (not me though!). All the pictures in the world cannot prepare you for the experience of being in front of these huge structures that have been standing for thousands of years. This amazing experience definitely lived up to my expectations.



In front of the Pyramids, not looking very happy? I think I must've been grumpy because of the heat

The Egyptologist told us the history of the Pyramids of Giza and told us if we wanted to go inside one we could. The Egyptologist warned anyone who was claustrophobic to think twice about entering. So after my Budapest caving experience I wasn’t quite ready to be in the narrow passageways of a pyramid. Alex and most of the group opted to go inside so I waited outside taking pictures.



They are huge!



The Pyramids from afar

I thought I would regret not going in but when the group emerged they said I didn’t miss much as the antiquities from the tomb were taken to the Egyptian Museum so it was quite bare inside. We were then told we had some free time for more pictures until they would take us on a bus a little bit further away. They would take us to a lookout where we could get some nice landscape photos and we went to see the Sphinx.



The Sphinx, the largest one, quite a bit bigger than the other one hey?



The Sphinx and Pyramid

After the Pyramids we had a nice (and cheap) lunch at this takeaway shop where we could get cheap pitas and kebabs. I had the most delicious falafel pita, it was so good I had two. We also went to a papyrus shop where we were shown the process of making papyrus. I also ended up buying a papyrus and having my friend Janice’s name written in hieroglyphics (Jan if you are reading this; I will send it soon! Ok I have been a teensy bit slack on the postcard/souvenir part of my trip).



Part of the papyrus making process

Last stop of the day was the Egyptian Museum where we saw such priceless artefacts such as the mask of Tutankhamun and actual Egyptian mummies. Unfortunately we weren’t allowed to take any pictures in the museum but there some amazing examples of the extravagance of Ancient Egypt such as Tutankhamun’s several gold and precious stone carriages and his gold burial mask. The mummies' were also very fascinating as many of them still had tufts of hair, eyelashes and fingernails. It was such a surreal experience that these people live thousands of years ago and they are still so well preserved, a testament to the advanced embalming techniques of the Ancient Egyptians.



Finished papyrus with a picture of the Eye of Horus and Janice's name in hieroglyphics