EGYPT TRIP part 2

Last thing on the Agenda for the day were the Giza Pyramids WHICH ARE AMAZING!!!!! The Great Pyramid is here (there is only one) - we rode camels (for 3 hours - i don't recommend this - it hurts - well it is fun so do it if you want to :)). Here is where i can show you how HUGE these structures are - so you can see 3 large pyramids and 3 small ones - the pyramid i climb on is one of the small pyramids - so you can see the comparison of all of them. Also where i did the cheesy pictures - but hey how many times are you standing in front of the Pyramids!
We rode the camels around the area - then headed over to the Sphinx - which i had heard wasn't impressive - but i think it is very impressive it is all one piece of stone, it is just that the great pyramids are right there behind it - so of course it looks smaller.

After that we convinced our guide to talk to the guards and let us stay in the area and watch the sunset - it was beautiful!

After this we went back to the Hostel and got "directions" to a restaurant - we never found the restaurant - but we found something else later quite a bit later - it was good food - but we had a diet coke with every meal to make sure to kill off any bacteria that may be consumed :).

4th day
We were on our own for this day - all we had to do was get on the train at 8pm to head down to Luxor. So we took off.
We went and purchased our Sleeping train tickets, we got those it was a very interesting method - but we didn't argue we were just glad to get tickets. We then headed off to the Citadel to see the view and the mosque of Mohammad Ali. It was beautiful and very interesting we got a tour from a Muslim woman and she shared a little about her beliefs. As we were walking around there were several teenagers around and i had a Egyptian 14 year old boyfriend for about 1/2hour - they love long hair and i guess my hair in braids wasn't "put back" enough - so they kept taking pictures and following us around - they were cute and very innocent so it was fine.

We then decided to walk to Sultan Hussan's mosque which seemed close enough and it was but getting back to downtown was a little more complicated - we ended up taking a taxi for 10 EL back to the Egyptian Museum - which was so fun and crazy some of the loot collected. King Tut's death mask was probably the most beautiful thing i have seen in forever - it was just so exquisite!
After the Egyptian Museum we headed back to the Hostel and rushed to the train station - we didn't plan too well in how much time to give, but we ended up having plenty of time. When we got to the train station we weren't sure who to get around, everything was in Arabic (go figure) but we found a tour guide who was willing to help us know which train to get on - so nice.

The train ride was another experience as well - we had a private compartment for the two of us - which was nice. Dinner was provided and as they were serving our meal they opened our doors and we met the guys who were in the compartment next to us - they were two nice Australian guys who were traveling to Aswan and then over the Red Sea to do scuba diving tour. We could see into each other's compartments and when they were unfolding our beds we started to talk - we ended up going to the club car and talking stories and playing cards until 2 in the morning - too bad we got into Luxor (our stop) at 6 in the morning :). It was fun to meet some guys traveling around in a similar style to us. Always fun to meet new people!

EGYPT TRIP part 1

1st day
Left Boston Thursday after work direct flight to Madrid
2nd day
Madrid - went to Rembrandt Exhibit at the Museo El Prado - it was a great exhibit!
Fun to stop in Madrid - it was really quite warm - the sun was out and just a nice afternoon.
We got lunch in a pub and headed back to the airport to catch our flight to Egypt.
Landed in Egypt really late - got our stamps in our passports and found out ride to our Hostel.
The guys who run the Hostel were so great - so friendly and really helpful - that night they set up a driver for the next day to take us to the Pyramids and around Cairo.
The driver was coming at 8 and so we took showers and hit the sack (after all it was after midnight).
3rd day
woke up around 7:30AM (hello it was a GO vacation)

8AM headed off with our driver Kahlead - we first headed out to Dashur; on the way we saw the Bent Pyramid.
Dashur was probably my favorite experience of the trip - we had been in Egypt for less than 12 hours and we climbed down 70meters at a 45 degree incline that was only about 4 feet tall (lets just say it was a crazy thigh workout!) When we got down to the bottom we found only one couple down in chamber - they left a few min later and then it was just Amy and I - we wanted to take a picture but of course it wasn't aloud - so we respected that - but it was so fun to be alone in the pyramid especially as the first pyramid we were at :).

Next on the agenda was Suqqra - the Step pyramids - they were very cool as well - they have recently found a new pyramid site - so that was fun to see the start of exploring a new site.
At the same site is the tomb of Mere-ruka - first real experience with hieroglyphics
Next stop on the Agenda was really on our Driver's agenda not so much ours (but they want us to spend money at their buddies/family shops along the way) so we went to a Carpet "School" (but they pay them to go to school - so more like child labor that they call school - kind of sad - didn't take any pictures though).
Next stop was the Papyrus store - and yes i bought some - i am a total sucker for these sort of things, but i am excited about it - so i have a Egyptian Calender on Papyrus - yippeee!

I'm Back

Sorry for the lack of posting, but i think i have a very good reason :). I was in Egypt for the past week and half - i will post pictures and stories as soon as i find time, it is crazy trying to get caught up with everything and everyone and enjoy the holiday season!!!

I will post within the next week pictures and stories to go along with it. Here is an Internet preview - the pyramids blew my mind - just loved them!!!

Giza Pyramids