Cairo and Saqqara

Trip Start Jul 31, 2005

209

Trip End Sep 05, 2007

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Flag of Egypt Cairo, Egypt
Saturday, September 24, 2005

The pyramids were amazing, as we were driving there our first glimpse of these almighty structures sprung up behind some delapidated buildings into the blue summer sky.
We drove on by, and out of Cairo towards the ancient capital of Saqqara located approx 30kms away. Saqqara is often overlooked and we had not heard of it before we visited Egypt, but this is the site of the original pyramid, dating back to 2650BC, and was the first attempt at pyramid building, its a stepped pyramid unlike the pyramids at Giza which you can clearly see in piccies.
Saqqara was great, the pyramid was amazing and we saw some tombs, very much like the ones in Luxor, but less visited and so the Hieroglyphics were much more intact.

After we visited Saqqara our driver took us on to a Paypyrus factory shop, the man in the shop explained the proccess of the Papyrus from when it is picked to when local artists oil paint them, it was amazing listening and looking at the product after we had drove by papyrus fields

Ali at the Pyramids of Giza

! We bought a picture with the ancient Egyptian calendar on it, which has a pretty fab story behind it.

Then we drove to Giza, and went to a small stables where we picked up our camel and horse who were to take us on to the pyramids.
We took turns on the camel and horse, and trekked on through the desert until we came upon the pyramids, which were absolutly stunning, there are actually more than 3, and we saw the tombs and the Sphinx, which was bigger than we expected, we went to all different areas of the pyramids so that we could take tons of piccies, they were totally amazing!!

Now we are back in Cairo, and going to get something to eat! Then to sleep as we are exhausted.
Tommorow we shall base ourselves in the city, visiting the Islamic and Coptic areas of Cairo and the magnificent Egyptian musuem before flying out late to Kampala.

Africa here we come.........!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Love hugs and kisses

Ali and Matt
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PS....Bear with us and we shall upload some piccies now!