Teresa the Traveler
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Discover the Giza Pyramids

Why don't you strike a pose at the only remaining member of the Ancient Seven Wonders of the World. Pyramids of Giza belong to three pharaohs who were father, son and grandson.  It was disrespectful to build a pyramid larger than your father’s thus explaining why each pyramid is smaller than the one built before.  The Great Pyramid of Giza, was designed as a tomb for King Khufu.  It took twenty years to build and was completed in 2566 BC.  It originally stood 146 meters tall holding the title of tallest man-made structure for over 3,800 years until it was surpassed in 1300 by the Lincoln Cathedral in London that reached a height of 160 meters. 
 
It is the only remaining member of the Seven Wonders of the Ancient World; a list compiled by Philo of Byzantium in his 225 BC book “On the Seven Wonders”, a popular guide among ancient Greek tourists. His list, which only covered works around the Mediterranean Rim, included the Great Pyramid of Giza, the Hanging Gardens of Babylon, and the Statue of Zeus at Olympia, the temple of Artemis at Ephesus, the Mausoleum of Maussollos at Halicarnassus, the Colossus of Rhodes and the Lighthouse of Alexandria.
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Women are not required to wear black tents in Egypt but you can if you want
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A sun boat was excavated and is perserved in the Cheops Boat Museum on site
It is a little known fact that the base of the pyramid is not a square rather it is a four-point star - a discovery made by British Air Force pilot P. Groves.  He noticed the unusual shape while flying over the pyramid in 1940 and took the now famous photograph that shows how the concavity of its sides.  While not visible to the naked eye on the ground, it can be seen from the sky during certain times of the day.

Historians are not sure what techniques were used to build these gigantic stone structures but agree they were built by tens of thousands of workers who camped near the pyramids. The mostly farmers only worked on the pyramid for three months a year during the annual flood of the Nile when farming was impossible. Constructing the pyramids had the effect of uniting the people of Upper and Lower Egypt, giving them a common goal and sense of nationalism usually achieved through wars.

The Pyramid of Khafre appears to be larger than his father’s because it was built on higher ground but it is actually the second largest of the Giza pyramids.  The pyramid is made of limestone blocks which weigh an astounding 2 tons each.  The entire pyramid was once covered with a casing stone that was robbed by builders over the years to construct other temples.  Some of the casing stone still remains at the top of the pyramid but the pyramidion (the capstone, usually covered in gold leaf that crowns the pyramid) is missing; in fact very few pyramidia have survived into modern times.

The Pyramid of Menkaure is the smallest pyramid belongs to the grandson King Menkaure.  It is only half the size of his predecessors. Richard William Howard Vyse, an English Egyptoloigst was exploring the pyramid when he came upon a basalt sarcophagus hidden deep inside. Unfortunately, in 1938, while shipping it back to England for display in the British Museum, the ship sunk. The fancy casket now lies at the bottom of the Mediterranean Sea.

Each pyramid has a complex of other tombs surrounding it.  The queens were buried in smaller pyramids while their relatives were buried in mastabs. Khufu’s pyramid complex also contains a boat pit where his sun boat was stored.  

The Sphinx, a part of Khafre’s complex, is the earliest colossal statue in Egypt and the largest monolith statue in the world. Most Egyptologists think it is a portrait statue of the King carved from the mound of limestone left over after quarrying rock for the interior of the Great Pyramid.  Of course no one knows for sure.  After the Giza complex was abandoned, the Sphinx became covered up to its shoulders in sand.  In 1817 the Sphinx was uncovered up to its chest but not fully uncovered until 1925.  There are a numerous theories as to why the Sphinx is missing its nose but there are no firm answers.  I guess it will remain a mystery.
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Kissin the Sphinx is a popular pose
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Many people explore the pyramids on camels
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Pyramid dancer pose


Teresa the Traveler's Tips for Visiting the Giza Pyramids

1. Buy Your Ticket at the Gate - If you are on a budget and want to visit the pyramids there is no need to book an expensive tour.  You can take a cab to the gate for under $10 and buy an entrance ticket there for much cheaper.  The admission ticket does not include entrance inside the pyramids or into the Cheops Boat Museum, tickets for those attractions run about $16 each and can be purchased at the site. 

2. Negotiate Price Upfront - There are tons of people selling camel rides, horseback rides and carriage rides around the pyramids.  They like to get you on the camel first and then negotiate the highest price possible once they have you captive.  Even if you negotiate a price ahead of time they will try to upsell you once you are onboard.  You need to be firm with them if you want a fair price and don't be afraid to ask around as the prices vary from person to person.

3. Avoid the crowd - It can be very difficult taking in the beauty of the pyramids with so many people constantly in your face trying to sell you something.  Bee-line it away from the crowds and off to the area behind the pyramids and you can find a place to admire the pyramids in peace and if salesmen still approach you get down on your knees and say you are praying to Alllah and they will leave you alone.

4. Practice your Pyramid Pose - Popular poses include kissing the Sphinx and touching the top of the pyramid.  If you are travelling alone, don't fret, there are plenty of locals working the pyramids who will be more than happy to snap your picture for a tip.

For tips on visiting Egypt CLICK HERE
For tips on visiting the Middle East
CLICK HERE
For general travel tips on what to pack and how to plan ahead CLICK HERE
For tips on travelling on a budget CLICK HERE

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Where I Stayed
Grand Pyramids Hotel
53, Studio Misr Road - Mariottia, Giza, Al Jizah, Egypt
Phone : +20233881883 /
+201148881333
www.grandpyramidshotel.com
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How to Get There - Fly into Cairo then take a cab to pyramids or hire tour guide at airport.


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