Cairo, Egypt 11-29-10

To start our second day in Cairo, we visited the Mosque of Mohammad Ali (no, not the boxer). 

 Might not want to try stealing any antiquities.

 The Mosque is a very imposing structure.

 A sign outside one of the doors.

 You are not allowed to wear shoes in the Mosque, so you go in your socks.

A pagoda in the courtyard, which houses a stairway to an underground spring. 

 Inside the Mosque.

 The ceiling was very ornate.

 I caught some shafts of sunlight coming through stained glass windows.

 Another look at the ceiling.

A view of Cairo from outside the Mosque, which is on the highest point of the city. 

 Looks like a couple who are happy to be in Egypt, that is until we caught Amenhotep's revenge.

 This Mosque is one of the holiest shrines in the country.

It doesn't look like these police officers have much to do! 

 Transportation in some parts of Egypt haven't changed in a thousand years.

This is the entrance to the King Djoser's step pyramid complex at Memphis. 

This step pyramid was the first one built, and the oldest structure of stone ever built. 

 The remains of an old building near the step pyramid.

 The digging at the excavation continues.

This gives you an idea of the scope of the complex. 

Even camels have to rest occasionally. 

 We were able to enter some burial tombs here.

Some hieroglyphics on the inside of one of the tombs. 

 It's amazing how the colors are still prominent after 4,000 years.

 What can Lynda possibly be looking down at?

 Why its the statute of Ramses II at Memphis.  It is carved out of red granite and is over 40 feet long.

A sphinx carved from a single piece of alabaster. 

Another statute on the grounds. 

 This sphinx is 13 feet high, 24 feet long and weighs 80 tons.

 Lynda is ready to go to......

 the pyramids at Giza.  This was one of the biggest reasons for our making this trip.

 From the left to right are the pyramids Cheops, Kafrhe and Menkarua.

 Lynda in front of the pyramid Kafrhe, the second largest of the three.

 This is the base of Cheops, which was completed around 2,560 BC.  It is the oldest of the Seven Wonders of the Ancient World. 

 Looking up from the base.  Cheops was the tallest man-made structure in the world for over 3,800 years.

 I know this is a typical scene from Giza, but it really wasn't all that hot when we were there.

Here we are in front of the Great Sphinx

The Sphinx with Kafrhe in the background. 

 As awesome as the pyramids were, the Sphinx was just astounding.

The pyramids were put together block by block, whereas the Sphinx is the largest monolith statute in the world and was carved from a solid block of stone. 

Is that Indiana Jones standing on top of that hill?  No, it's me taking of picture of 

 the Sphinx with Cheops in the background.

 How colossal this statute is can only be appreciated in person.

After leaving Giza, it's back to the boat at sunset.