My Pyramid tour started early on Tuesday morning. When I emailed the folks at the Le Meridien I told them that I would like to go on a tour, they said “no problem”. That is a favorite expression in Libya and Egypt. Usually when I hear it, I am a little leary, because it usually means there is going to be a “big problem”. To my surprise it was a great tour. I thought it was going to be me and a group of tourists on the tour. When my tour guide arrived at 9:00 a.m. I asked her how many people are going to be in the group. She said “you are the only one”. I was shocked, I had a private tour guide for a six hour tour of the Pyramids, the Sphinx, a visit to Memphis and to Saqqara. So I had a driver and the tour guide and me in a brand new Jaguar Xtype car. I am really spoiled on this mini-vacation. The tour guide was very knowledgeable about all of the sights and knew where to take good pictures. I hope you enjoy some of the images that I have uploaded.
You will notice a photo that I had to take near the Sphinx. It shows that capitalism is alive and well in Cairo. Pizza Hut and KFC have a restaurant located at one of the gates when you leave the Sphinx area.
At Saqqara I saw a movie about Imhotep, the genius architect that came up with the design of the stepped pyramid at Saqqara. This was around 2000 B.C. about 1000 years before the Great Pyramids were built in Giza near the Le Meridien Hotel.
During the various dynasties of Egypt, Memphis was the capitol. It is located on the West bank of the Nile. The Nile Valley is a very green lush area especially this time of year. So the contrast of the desert plateau where the Pyramids are located and the green lush Nile Valley was very interesting.
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