Saqqara, Dahshur, and Memphis, Egypt
This morning, we met our driver and guide downstairs at 8:30. It was a different driver. We stopped at stores to get falafel sandwiches for breakfast and two huge bottles of water. Then on to Saqqara to see the Step Pyramid. The Step Pyramid (also known as the Pyramid of Djoser). It is the first pyramid built, begun in 2667 BCE. Previous to this, Kings were buried in rectangular tombs made of mud bricks. Few of them have survived. Djoser wanted his tomb to be like a staircase leading up to the heavens. Imhotep obliged him. We did not go into the pyramid (it is being restored with help from UNESCO). Instead, we went into what I think is the South Tomb. We entered with a guide with a flashlight. We had to bend over to walk down a long hallway going down. He led us to a room, then to another room. There was a giant sarcophagus and the walls were covered with hieroglyphics. We took some photos. Our guide had made an agreement with this guide to allow us to take photos for 20 Egyptian pounds. He lit up spaces with his flashlight so we didn't need to use our flash. On the way out, the guide tried to get us to pay 50 pounds. We refused, saying that our guide said 20 pounds. Eventually he agreed to take the 20 pounds.
We then exited and followed our guide. I stopped to take a photo and the guide with Randy and Joshua got ahead of me. I attempted to follow, but a man in traditional garb blocked my way and demanded that I take his photo. I refused, knowing I would have to pay him. He was very insistent and promised that I would not have to pay, so I took his photo to get him to leave me alone. Then he removed my hat and wound his turban around my head as I kept telling him no. He then told me to give him my camera and I said no. He reached for it, so I gave it to him to get away. He took my photo, then left with my camera and hat to find my husband (to get him to pay). I was angry and scared and told him that my husband had zero money (the truth since I handle the money). I told him that we left our money at the hotel and tried to get my hat. Our guide with Randy and Joshua were waiting for me and the guide told him off so he gave me back my hat (he had already given me back my camera). As we left, the guide asked if I wanted to press charges, but since it was partially my fault for being stupid, I said no. He told the police at the exit anyway and they called him over. He got very upset because they told him that he had to give up his pass to pester tourists and he, of course, didn't want to. I repeated several times that it was over and that I did not want to press charges. Then I went back to the van as 5 men started talking to him. Then the men came over to the van and I repeated that he did not harm me, just scared me, and that I did not want to press charges, that it was over. Finally they agreed and he thanked me (the jerk). My heart continued to pound for a while, though. I was stupid and had been angry and scared.
UNESCO also has set up several carpet-making schools near the Step Pyramid for the people of the area to help them support themselves by learning a traditional craft. We stopped by one of these schools. They are all made by hand with either silk, cotton, or wool thread. Children come to the school when they are nine years old to learn. It sounded like they learn for four years and then can continue to come to the school to make carpets or can get a loom for their home. They only work for four hours. A woman showed us how she ties the rug using silk thread. Another man showed us how he cuts the top of his larger rug close and the pattern becomes clearer. Then we saw a huge loom that uses wool thread. Then, of course, we were ushered in to the showroom and offered a drink. I accepted because I think it is a breach of hospitality to refuse. So I requested water. The carpets were beautiful and I would have loved to buy one but knew that we cannot fit on in our luggage (even though he folded one up very small) and it would most likely be very expensive. By this time the temps were near 100 degrees.
On to the Bent Pyramid near Dahshur. Sneferu wanted a pyramid that was taller than other pyramids being built. So he changed the angle of the sides without changing the size of the base. He changed it from 52 degrees to 54 degrees. During construction, it began to show signs of instability, so the builders adopted a shallower angle (43 degrees) to avoid collapse. So the temple appears bent. Much of the limestone facing is still intact despite the angles. Then Sneferu built a second pyramid, the Red Pyramid, on this site using 42 degree angles. People are allowed to go into the Red or North Pyramid. Red due to the reddish hue of the limestone. First, you have to climb halfway up the pyramid (which is exhausting), then crawl 200 feet down a steep ramp studded with foot holds. It is only 4 feet tall, so you need to be bent over when you climb. They suggest going in backwards. Twice I had to stop for groups of people coming back up. Slow-going. Then, you can straighten up for a few minutes and look up. The ceiling in there is stepped up (like a stairway to heaven). Then, bend over again to crawl through a walkway to the next chamber. This ceiling again, was stepped. There was a set of wooden stairs going way up. I decided to sit that one out and Joshua and Randy went up. They said that it was exactly like the lower chamber. Then we reversed the process to exit. I only met one person going down so that was easy because I was going up. It was hard going back up and by the time I got to the top I was exhausted. I must have looked pretty bad, because the guards told me to sit down (they did the same thing after the climb up the outside). After I caught my breath, we went down the staircase (my knees and back hurt from the climb inside) and met our guide at the van.
Next we went to Memphis. Memphis was once the capital of lower Egypt (the Northern part of Egypt, it is geographically lower as the Nile reaches the Delta before emptying into the Mediterranean Sea). Memphis has a small, outdoor museum of antiquities. It is a rather sad grouping of objects. The highlight is in a small enclosure, a gigantic statue of Ramesses II that was found half-buried in a marsh, laying face down. It took 60 years, however, for someone to figure out how to get it out of the swamp and turn it over.
By this time, I was totally wiped out from the heat and humidity (temps over 100 today plus humidity). Our guide asked if we wanted to stop for an Egyptian late lunch (it was around 1:00). So we did. The owner was the type of man that you could see running a successful family restaurant in any city in the world. A stickler for customer service and a good experience for the customers. Their menu was small--kebab meals. You can choose fish, chicken, or lamb, or any combination of those. Randy and I chose lamb, Joshua chose chicken. With that, we received a basket of puffy bread and a ton of dipping sauces (cheese, tahini, grilled eggplant slices, pickled veggies, and babaganoush). For dessert, we received a slice of sweet cantaloupe. We paid and I included what ended up being a very generous tip. The guide suggested to the owner that he give us a bottle of water before we left because of the generous tip.
On our way back to the apartment, we stopped at an ATM and a store for water. Then we went up to our apartment with the guide (Walid). Being Ash's brother, he was taking over getting the money for the tours, drivers to and from the airport, etc. I gave him a glass of water because that was all we had.
After that, we read, used computers, etc until it was time to go for dinner. We didn't want kebabs for a third meal in a row, so we did Pizza Hut instead.
This morning, we met our driver and guide downstairs at 8:30. It was a different driver. We stopped at stores to get falafel sandwiches for breakfast and two huge bottles of water. Then on to Saqqara to see the Step Pyramid. The Step Pyramid (also known as the Pyramid of Djoser). It is the first pyramid built, begun in 2667 BCE. Previous to this, Kings were buried in rectangular tombs made of mud bricks. Few of them have survived. Djoser wanted his tomb to be like a staircase leading up to the heavens. Imhotep obliged him. We did not go into the pyramid (it is being restored with help from UNESCO). Instead, we went into what I think is the South Tomb. We entered with a guide with a flashlight. We had to bend over to walk down a long hallway going down. He led us to a room, then to another room. There was a giant sarcophagus and the walls were covered with hieroglyphics. We took some photos. Our guide had made an agreement with this guide to allow us to take photos for 20 Egyptian pounds. He lit up spaces with his flashlight so we didn't need to use our flash. On the way out, the guide tried to get us to pay 50 pounds. We refused, saying that our guide said 20 pounds. Eventually he agreed to take the 20 pounds.
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| The temple at the entrance to the site |
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| The entrance |
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| Smoothe limestone walls |
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| pillars |
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| The step pyramid |
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| Walls around the courtyard |
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| The area within the courtyard was used for the king to prove his worth to his people. He would fight a bull to show that he had the skills to lead their country. They stood around the edges to watch. |
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| A large piece of alabaster |
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| The entrance from the king's tomb to his wife's tomb so that they could be together in the afterlife. |
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| Tombs of important officials |
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| A pottery shard. |
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| The hieroglyphics inside the tomb |
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| The shorter walkway between two chambers |
We then exited and followed our guide. I stopped to take a photo and the guide with Randy and Joshua got ahead of me. I attempted to follow, but a man in traditional garb blocked my way and demanded that I take his photo. I refused, knowing I would have to pay him. He was very insistent and promised that I would not have to pay, so I took his photo to get him to leave me alone. Then he removed my hat and wound his turban around my head as I kept telling him no. He then told me to give him my camera and I said no. He reached for it, so I gave it to him to get away. He took my photo, then left with my camera and hat to find my husband (to get him to pay). I was angry and scared and told him that my husband had zero money (the truth since I handle the money). I told him that we left our money at the hotel and tried to get my hat. Our guide with Randy and Joshua were waiting for me and the guide told him off so he gave me back my hat (he had already given me back my camera). As we left, the guide asked if I wanted to press charges, but since it was partially my fault for being stupid, I said no. He told the police at the exit anyway and they called him over. He got very upset because they told him that he had to give up his pass to pester tourists and he, of course, didn't want to. I repeated several times that it was over and that I did not want to press charges. Then I went back to the van as 5 men started talking to him. Then the men came over to the van and I repeated that he did not harm me, just scared me, and that I did not want to press charges, that it was over. Finally they agreed and he thanked me (the jerk). My heart continued to pound for a while, though. I was stupid and had been angry and scared.
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| An oasis in the desert |
UNESCO also has set up several carpet-making schools near the Step Pyramid for the people of the area to help them support themselves by learning a traditional craft. We stopped by one of these schools. They are all made by hand with either silk, cotton, or wool thread. Children come to the school when they are nine years old to learn. It sounded like they learn for four years and then can continue to come to the school to make carpets or can get a loom for their home. They only work for four hours. A woman showed us how she ties the rug using silk thread. Another man showed us how he cuts the top of his larger rug close and the pattern becomes clearer. Then we saw a huge loom that uses wool thread. Then, of course, we were ushered in to the showroom and offered a drink. I accepted because I think it is a breach of hospitality to refuse. So I requested water. The carpets were beautiful and I would have loved to buy one but knew that we cannot fit on in our luggage (even though he folded one up very small) and it would most likely be very expensive. By this time the temps were near 100 degrees.
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| weaving with silk |
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| Cutting the carpet |
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| The bigger loom using wool |
On to the Bent Pyramid near Dahshur. Sneferu wanted a pyramid that was taller than other pyramids being built. So he changed the angle of the sides without changing the size of the base. He changed it from 52 degrees to 54 degrees. During construction, it began to show signs of instability, so the builders adopted a shallower angle (43 degrees) to avoid collapse. So the temple appears bent. Much of the limestone facing is still intact despite the angles. Then Sneferu built a second pyramid, the Red Pyramid, on this site using 42 degree angles. People are allowed to go into the Red or North Pyramid. Red due to the reddish hue of the limestone. First, you have to climb halfway up the pyramid (which is exhausting), then crawl 200 feet down a steep ramp studded with foot holds. It is only 4 feet tall, so you need to be bent over when you climb. They suggest going in backwards. Twice I had to stop for groups of people coming back up. Slow-going. Then, you can straighten up for a few minutes and look up. The ceiling in there is stepped up (like a stairway to heaven). Then, bend over again to crawl through a walkway to the next chamber. This ceiling again, was stepped. There was a set of wooden stairs going way up. I decided to sit that one out and Joshua and Randy went up. They said that it was exactly like the lower chamber. Then we reversed the process to exit. I only met one person going down so that was easy because I was going up. It was hard going back up and by the time I got to the top I was exhausted. I must have looked pretty bad, because the guards told me to sit down (they did the same thing after the climb up the outside). After I caught my breath, we went down the staircase (my knees and back hurt from the climb inside) and met our guide at the van.
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| The Bent Pyramid |
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| A cairn of rocks |
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| Inside |
Next we went to Memphis. Memphis was once the capital of lower Egypt (the Northern part of Egypt, it is geographically lower as the Nile reaches the Delta before emptying into the Mediterranean Sea). Memphis has a small, outdoor museum of antiquities. It is a rather sad grouping of objects. The highlight is in a small enclosure, a gigantic statue of Ramesses II that was found half-buried in a marsh, laying face down. It took 60 years, however, for someone to figure out how to get it out of the swamp and turn it over.
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| A date palm. They collect the dates to sell them. |
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| TheTriad of Memphis: |
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| A sphinx. Our guide feels that the face may be that of Queen Hatshepsut who ruled Egypt pretending to be a man. She even had the fake beard to wear. |
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| King Ramsses II |
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| Becuase his beard is straight (not curved on the end), we know that this was created while he was alive. |
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| A sealed (and therefore ornamental) sarcophogus |
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| The base of a column |
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| Colossal statue of Ramsees II |
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| His son is etched behind his knee giving him support |
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| Very faintly you can make out an arm and faint shape of his wife, also providing support. |
By this time, I was totally wiped out from the heat and humidity (temps over 100 today plus humidity). Our guide asked if we wanted to stop for an Egyptian late lunch (it was around 1:00). So we did. The owner was the type of man that you could see running a successful family restaurant in any city in the world. A stickler for customer service and a good experience for the customers. Their menu was small--kebab meals. You can choose fish, chicken, or lamb, or any combination of those. Randy and I chose lamb, Joshua chose chicken. With that, we received a basket of puffy bread and a ton of dipping sauces (cheese, tahini, grilled eggplant slices, pickled veggies, and babaganoush). For dessert, we received a slice of sweet cantaloupe. We paid and I included what ended up being a very generous tip. The guide suggested to the owner that he give us a bottle of water before we left because of the generous tip.
On our way back to the apartment, we stopped at an ATM and a store for water. Then we went up to our apartment with the guide (Walid). Being Ash's brother, he was taking over getting the money for the tours, drivers to and from the airport, etc. I gave him a glass of water because that was all we had.
After that, we read, used computers, etc until it was time to go for dinner. We didn't want kebabs for a third meal in a row, so we did Pizza Hut instead.
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