Cairo, and the Pyramids!!!

I'm here at the pyramids!!!!

Today, I fulfilled a lifelong wish, and got to go and see the pyramids. Truly one of the most incredible things I have been able to do in my life, as I've dreamed of this since I first heard about them and about Egypt. 

Better yet, I was able to go INSIDE the Great Pyramid of Cheops. I can't show you all any pictures of the inside, as they aren't legal to take (You will note the large security guard in the blue shirt at the entrance...Although, he did offer me 1 million camels to "Be his queen" or, alternatively, he said he'd kill anyone I want. Tempting, but...). 

The crawl up into the main chamber is truly something else, and way longer, steeper, and more claustrophobic than I ever anticipated. You really have to go deep into and then far up to the heart of the pyramid to get into it, but once you do?! OH! How incredible! The room is absolutely perfect (The angles, the precision of the stonework) even though the blocks of stone used are staggering in size. I was additionally lucky, as there were only 3 others inside the chamber, and all 3 were quietly absorbing it- 1 was meditating. I was awestruck by the whole thing. Sinking down onto the floor against 1 of the walls, I sat and meditated there for as long as I dared without holding up my entire group. It's still soaking in that I was INSIDE a pyramid. Inside something that was 5000 years old and that a pharoah had been in! Literally sitting and meditating inside history. 

We went by camel part of the way there. Completely touristy, but...when in Rome! I personally got a total kick out of it, though that's just the kinda cheesy girl I am. My camel seemed to be a little cheesy for the camera, too. Isn't he handsome?

Next we went over to the Sphinx.... which is shockingly tiny! I don't know who's been photographing it all these years, but they've done a fabulous job making it appear as though it's as grand as one of the pyramids. It is not. 

But it's still pretty cool to see!

With our intrepid guide, Ahmed- who loves photo bombing me- we then went on to the Museum of Antiquities to see some more artifacts- including all those from Tutenkamen's tomb. They have so much that is insanely well preserved. (Full papyrus scrolls that don't have a chip on them!) Egypt is now in the process of building a much larger museum that will be near to the pyramids. The museum they have now currently showcases about 100,000 artifacts- the new one will house over 900,000. And they're still digging....