The pyramids of Giza

I imagined the pyramids surrounded by desert, but Cairo had inched closer to the ancient structures. In fact, I discovered the city on the pyramids’ doorstep on one side, and desert on the other.

The sphinx, Giza

While these towering granite monuments were something I’d read about since childhood, I was a little disappointed. I bent over to walk down a narrow passage inside the pyramid before I came to the king’s chamber. Everything had been stripped from the room. There wasn’t even anything left on the walls. I turned back along the claustrophobic passage as others bent their way inside.

Posing camel rider

There were crowds of tourists and the heat didn’t help, especially as there wasn’t any shade. We were at least prepared with hats, but after a look at the famous sphinx and a tour of the room where bodies were mummified, we had to get out of the stifling heat.