Giza - Pyramids, Sphinx and the poor of Cairo

After our interesting experience going solo on the streets of Cairo, today we decided to take an organised tour out to Giza to see the pyramids. This was definately better than my original plan of taking the local bus.

Fortunately we've missed the busy season so there weren't queue's and it wasn't too hot (low 30's). We managed to dodge the camel rides, crappy souvenirs and nomadic men trying to get their photo taken with us (for $$ of course) and have a great day out by the Pyramids.

Warwick standing in front of the Great Pyramid, also known as Khufu's Pyramid and to give you a sense of scale, below is the same pyramid but with people climbing on it (can you see them?).

Here you can see the 3 biggest pyramids on the Giza plateau. From left to right, Pyramid of Khufu (the biggest eventhough it doesn't look it from this point), Pyramid of Khafre (the second largest and the only one that still retains part of its original limestone casing at the top) and Pyramid of Menhaure (smallest and most recent built). The smaller little stone mounds to the right are the queens pyramids. We were able to go inside the 2nd pyramid to see the burial chamber - not for the claustrophobic's out there as the tunnel down is about 1m x 1m in diameter and the inside gets very little air.

The Sphinx which was apparently made from a piece of left over rock that happened to look like a lion

The pyramids lose some of their appeal when you see the conditions the locals live in. Being the poor part of town, the settlements surrounding Giza are a huge expanse of poorly constructed and largely unfinished red brick towers. Each tower is an extended family home and they spend as little as possible in the construction, saving their money for their sons. The concrete framework remains exposed and the steel rods extending up from the top of each building waiting for the next level to be added on when the next son is married. No $20k kitchen make overs here!

All in all a good day spent in Giza