Egypt is filthy

We spent a sea day between Sharm el-Sheikh and Alexandria transiting the Suez Canal.   I got up early so I could get a few pictures as we entered the canal.  Very different from the Panama Canal.  No locks.  After passing the city of Suez at the mouth of the canal, the scenery was just SAND.

We hadn’t originally scheduled a Giza trip because we thought we’d be sick of long bus rides by the time we got to Alexandria.  But, since we’re here, we should see the pyramids, right? 

The trip from Alexandria to Giza, just outside Cairo, is about 2 ½ hours.  This time at least, it’s highway and not too many speed bumps and check points.  We still have armed guards on board along with a police escort for the convoy.

First we visit the tomb of Mereruka.  No photos allowed inside.  That’s a shame because the carvings were pretty spectacular.  The color and the relief detail were incredibly well preserved.  Our guide explained that some of the stories depicted inside are of the activities of daily living that Mereruka enjoyed in life and wanted to continue in the afterlife.  The thinking was that anything depicted would become real upon the body’s taking up residence in the tomb and Mereruka would have everything he'd need to sustain him in the afterlife.

 One of the carvings showed phases in the construction of the tomb.  Slaves were shown moving enormous blocks of stone facilitated by pouring olive oil under them in order to reduce friction.  Interesting.

Next, the step pyramids at Saqqara, thought to be the oldest stone construction in history.  Sand, rocks, hawkers, camels, etc.

A  quick stop at The Ancient City of Memphis, an archeological site and the home of a huge statue of Ramesses II.  This statue is one of a pair that was discovered in 1820.  The other was restored and moved into Cairo.  It stands erect in Rames Square and will be moved to the new Egyptian Museum, scheduled to open in 2018.  This one has not been restored and is currently housed in a special building designed to protect it and to allow viewing of the 10 meter long limestone remains.

Driving through Cairo and Giza which run into each other, we see so much filth.  Most of the route follows the course of an irrigation canal.  The canal is so full of garbage that it seems as if you could walk across on a solid bridge of garbage.   Dropped at a hotel for lunch after this scenic garbage tour.  Not much of an appetite.

Now the pyramids of Giza.  You can see them from the hotel, right at the edge of the city.  That’s not how I pictured it.  This is a complex of three pyramids that includes The Great Pyramid of Giza, the largest of the three, built for Pharaoh Khufu around 2500 BC.  The two smaller pyramids were built for the pharaoh’s wives.  Smaller tombs and outbuildings at the complex are for nobles.

I pictured this complex to be out in the middle of nowhere, in the desert.  I also pictured the surfaces as smooth, not as individual stones with jagged corners.  Originally, these individual stones were covered with limestone casing stones which formed the smooth appearance.  These have fallen away and many remain around the base.  

The three present quite a sight and a great photo op, especially when you can get all in a single frame.  We don’t have enough time to poke around or enter any of the structures.  Again, the place is loaded with hawkers (and tourists.)  A short drive down the hill is the sphinx, guarding the pyramids, with the body of a lion and the face of Pharaoh Khufu.  More hawkers, same stuff.

Time to go.  Long ride back.  One of the passengers was having an asthma attack all the way back.  Understandable, you're probably short of breath just looking at the pictures with the amount of sand in the air.  We all felt really bad for her, but our bus got to lead the convoy back to the ship.   

Viewed from the window of the bus, Alexandria on a Saturday night rivaled Mumbai for the numbers of people on the streets.  Astounding.