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By Paris Permenter & John Bigley Like others in our generation, we’d both grown up with dreams of visiting the Egyptian Pyramids. Our first view of them, no doubt, would be across the sands from deep in the desert, maybe atop a camel or, at the very least, on horseback. In all our Lawrence of Arabia fantasies, we’d never predicted that our virgin glimpse of the Pyramids of Giza would appear as we drove through the suburbs of Cairo. Fresh from a visit to the Cairo Museum, we made our way in a van through horrific traffic to the city’s edge. We’d toured the museum to end all museums as far as Egyptian artifacts go, and couldn’t wait to see the three structures that symbolize a mysterious civilization that still has the capacity to mesmerize a 21st century world. Then suddenly, from the middle of a crowded road, through a curtain of smog and dust, we saw on the horizon the shapes that had burned in our minds since childhood. And, ‘burbs or no, the Pyramids were no less spectacular than we’d always hoped. The Pyramids sit on the outer edge of Cairo and make up the most visited attraction in the region. At the top of the list is the Great Pyramid, the tomb of Khufu (Cheops) and the largest pyramid in Egypt and the only surviving member of the Seven Wonders of the Ancient World. Nearby stands the pyramid of Khafre, son of Khufu, a slightly smaller structure but, because it’s built on higher ground, looks similar in size. Off to one side, stands a much smaller pyramid, one belonging to the grandson of Khufu and nearby rests the still mystifying Sphinx, with the head of Khafre and the body of a lion.  Early
visitors once scaled these rocky summits but today climbing the pyramids
is strictly prohibited. Instead, travelers stroll the grounds, look up the
sky, and all ask the same question: “How’d they do that?”
Licensed tour guides are happy to explain the theories behind the construction
of these stone temples, the most popular being that ramps, veritable hills,
were constructed beside each pyramid as it was built. A whole city of laborers
(many modern Egyptologists believe 20,000) worked on the Great Pyramid alone,
hoisting the blocks, each weighing at least two tons, up the ramps to build
the colossal structures.As spectacular as the outer construction is, the mysteries of the pyramids continue inside. For a small fee, visitors can go inside and venture down narrow, hot corridors, not recommended for claustrophobic travelers. (Most of the journey is made bent over.) Dark passageways lead to small burial chambers, each unadorned. The Great Pyramid contains the most complex array of slanted corridors, secret passages, and even small shafts through the thick rock which some speculate were aligned with celestial constellations. Exiting the pyramid of Khafre, we were greeted by both fresh air and a setting sun, which tinted the ancient limestone of the structures as gold as a pharaoh’s riches. Taking a few final photos, we stepped away from the pyramids for a panoramic view but were soon met by one of Giza’s vendors—offering a camel ride. Although we might have spotted the monuments from an air-conditioned van in the suburbs, now it was time to fulfill the rest of our pyramid fantasy. OK, how do you tell a camel to “gitty up”? |
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