The Eygpt Pyramids and the Great Sphinx - an unbelievable experience
The pyramids of Eygpt are astonishing to see. No photograph can prepare anyone for what he or she will see and experience. The absolute magnitude of the monuments cannot be explained by a photograph. The pyramids and the Great Sphinx were all built in the period of the Old Kingdom. The Pyramid of Khufu (popularly known as Cheops) and the other Giza treasures are included in just about all Egyptian Tours. Cheops - The Great Pyramid of Khufu
The thing that is most surprising about the Great Pyramid of Khufu is its size. Its measurements are 233m square and it was originally 148m high. The three internal burial chambers were constructed from granite from Aswan, the external structure was very large sandstone blocks, covered with render and sandstone tiles. When it was first constructed it must have appeared brilliant reflecting the hot Egyptian sun.At my time at the pyramids I could not stop thinking about how the ancient Egyptians were able to construct these incredible monuments with the limited technology available to them. How did they plan the monument (architecturally, engineering and astronomy), plan the construction (surveying), arrange and fashion and deliver the materials (granite from Aswan, sandstone and sand), arrange and organize the labor, arrange accommodation, feeding and waste removal of the labor? This all blew me over. To me the ancient Egyptians were clearly supermen. The Bent Pyramid of Dahshur
The Bent Pyramid of Dahshur is an early pyramid of the Old Kingdom. It is believed to have been built for Snefru, 1st King of Egypt's 4th Dynasty. It is one of the older pyramids.The pyramid is known as bent because the slope of the sides decreases about half way to the top. This begs the question "Why is the pyramid bent?". There are several theories about it. The dominant theory is that during the construction the engineers thought that the weight of the structure might be too great for the chambers to withstand. Consequently, they reduced the angle to reduce the weight and subsequent pressure on the structures of the chambers. Chefren - the Pyramid of Khafre
Chefren - the Pyramid of Khafre is often mistakenly believed to be the Great Pyramid. Although its dimensions are only 215m square and 143m high (the Great Pyramid is 233m square and 148m high), it is built near to the Great Period on higher ground. The net effect is that it appears to be higher and therefore bigger.A big plus with Chefren's Pyramid is that it still retains the casing stones towards its apex. We can see that the stepped blocks have been covered with a render and topped with sandstone tiles. It must have looked brilliant in reflections in the Egyptian sun. 
Like many tourists you will be tempted to take a camel ride at the pyramids. Yes, it is fun, and worth doing. Some in our group, however, had a less than pleasant experience. After our guide had negotiated what appeared to be a fair price for the ride we set off in small groups. With one group of women the camel handlers took them out, and when well away from the others, demanded additional money. One of the women in particular was very forceful in telling them that they were not going to get more money. The Egyptian camel handlers knuckled under and meekly brought the women back. All it means is "be careful". Egypt is not a prosperous country and there are many people there very under employed and not earning sufficient money to live reasonably.
In many ways it is sad that metropolitan Cairo has encroached so much on the pyramids of Giza. The photo (right) was taken from near the Chefren pyramid. It shows Cairo with the smoggy haze above it. One would imagine that over time the acid nature of the fumes of Cairo will damage the surface of the pyramids and the Great Sphinx. The Great Sphinx - so big but yet so small
The Great Sphinx is the most recognizable national symbol of Eygpt. Being 57m long and 20m high the Sphinx is substantial, but when it is viewed with either of the major pyramids of Giza it does not appear to be of a significant size at all.The damage to the face of the Great Sphinx is regrettable. In Eygpt I heard stories that Napoleon's troops used it for target practice in 1815. Further stories emerged of both Australian and British troops in World War 1 used the Sphinx for target practice to relieve their boredom. There are other stories of that in the 9th century a Sufi named Saem-el-Dahr deliberately damaged the Sphinx simply to show his contemporaries that it was just a stone statue. Whoever did the damage, it is upsetting that it was done. 
When you stand near the Sphinx it appears enormous. It is sufficiently significant in size to have been called "The Guardian of the Horizon". However, when seen in the context of the pyramids it just seems to be tiny. The son of Khufu, Khafre, who built the Chefren Pyramid (the one in the photograph on the right) is said to have been responsible for the building of the Sphinx. This means that it is about 4,500 years old. The Step Pyramid at Saqqara
The Step Pyramid is believed to be built by Imhotep, the great high priest of Djoser's rule in the 3rd Dynasty.
The pyramid is currently being restored. It needs to be because there is very little of the outer casing left. On top of that the core masonry is missing in many places. The original royal tomb, sealed with a 3 ton granite slab, is 28 meters underground. Memphis - one of the oldest cities in the ancient world
Memphis may be one of the oldest cities of the ancient world, but now it is just a small site on the outskirts of Cairo. It was sad to see what was the capital of a metropolis of the ancient world is now a comparatively tacky minor theme park.
The capital of Ancient Egypt, Memphis has some significant statues. these include the temple of the Holy-Bull, the alabaster Sphinx of Amenophis II and the colossal statue of Ramesses II.
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The pyramids today are among the most important and popular tourist attractions in the world. As you might imagine, the Egyptian tourist authorities charge entrance fees to all of the different pyramid locations. When you get inside the site area you will be constantly harassed by locals in one way or another. It includes demanding money from you should you photograph them, trying to sell some tourist trinklet (possibly made in China), or by taking your camera and photographing you. It gets you down a bit after a while.
