PYRAMIDS!!! (Who needs a better title?!)

I did it!  I have seen the pyramids!  I can’t believe it still, but it was an amazing day!  The ship docked at Port Said, a port at the north end of the Suez canal, about a 3 hour drive from Cairo.  These Middle Eastern countries were so different right from the start.  For instance, before the workers on shore would help tie the ship and let us dock we had to throw over cartons of cigarettes and boxes of liquor to appease them.  Oh boy.  They also gave us a really hard time and forced us to do a crew drill that morning, making our time at the pyramids shorter and shorter.  After a lot of hassle, though, we got off the gangway to do our crew tour…but we didn’t know where to go.  No one seemed to be in charge and we seemed to just wander around for about 20 minutes before we finally figured out the busses to hop on.  Finally we were off!

Our tour guide’s name was Ahmed and he was a 30-something Egyptian that had recently gotten married and was super nice, trying his best to give us lots of info about Cairo, the port, etc. and figure the best schedule to see the pyramids.  We drove and napped and drove some more.  I was overwhelmed with the amount of poverty I saw as we were driving, though.  I couldn’t believe the mud houses, trash EVERYWHERE, what seemed to be sewage in the streets, etc.  It was really awful.  Ahmed told us about how Egypt has control over the Suez Canal (the man-made canal connecting the Mediterranean and Red Seas) and makes 40 million dollars per day from it.  This is a major passage for war ships, cruise liners, cargo ships, subs, and just about anything else.  He joked that he doesn’t know where any of that money goes, though!  We were all a little wary of the whole situation, though, when we quickly realized everyone was watching as we drove by and staring into the busses.  We also had a POLICE ESCORT taking us into the city.  Ahmed said not to worry about it, but the armed gunmen in the back of the car weren’t too comforting.  (I wish I was making some of this up!)

After the 3 hour drive we reached Cairo, drove over the Nile River (HELLO!!!) and reached Giza, home of the pyramids.  It was astounding to see such iconic structures just rising up out of the city in the blazing heat.  I didn’t realize how close they were to the city, but their looming silhouettes were visible for miles as we drove nearer.  We finally arrived and I thought I was going to scream I was so excited.  We jumped out at a panoramic viewpoint and took pictures with all 3 pyramids in the background.  It was just unbelievable; to be standing in a place that is multiple THOUSANDS of years old was humbling.  I have never felt like such a speck or blink of an eye in my life, but I felt good about my insignificance at this truly mighty sight.  The three pyramids were tombs, of course, and we learned of the 3 generations of pharaohs who had them built. 

Dealing with the locals was interesting here, as well.  Everyone wants money and the Egyptians try their darndest.  There are men ready to whisk you away for a camel ride, dressed as sheiks for your picture-taking pleasure, men selling plastic pyramid carvings (that are 2,000 years old, of course!) and everything else under the sun.  They cried out to us, “Where are you from?!”  and would start bidding, “10 dollars.”  Brett was successful at buying a souvenir offered to him at 10 dollars for 1 euro and 1 dollar!  Ha ha!  I thought that was an interesting purchase.  Anyway- as much as the haggling is a nuisance, it’s impossible for any of it to take away from the glory of the pyramids.

After the first stop we had another stop closer, right between the two largest pyramids and we began having photo shoots and even climbed 3 or 4 tiers up the pyramid of Cheops, all next to a “No Climbing” sign and with the Tourism Police blowing their whistles in the background.  It was necessary.  Lastly on the plateau we went to the Sphinx where we walked through part of the ancient tomb to arrive close by.  To see this guardian standing with the icons of the pyramid shadows as a background was just surreal.  Even now I am reviewing the day through pictures and I am blown away.  I can’t believe I was actually there. 

It was an awesome day and on our way home we were all starving, so Ahmed decided he would take orders and he stopped at a local Egyptian restaurant and got us all falafels and sharmas (a chicken wrap thing).  Here in the Arab countries the sun is BLAZING hot during the day and when it sets it goes down for good and it gets really dark.  On our ride back to the ship it was itch black so we all fell asleep and couldn’t believe it was only 9:00 when we arrived back!  Still having growling tummies, Elena and I got the idea to go see if there was time to make it to Compass Rose, the main dining room.  Luckily, the maitre’d knew us and was happy to help out!  Ha ha!  (Helps to be friends with the right people!)  Oh my word.  What a long, exhausting, fantastic day!

The next day we sailed through the Suez canal and we’re now ported in Aqaba, Jordan.  Going on another tour tomorrow!  Woo hoo!  Love and miss you all…

Tripp