VICHCHOOBHAI GOES TO CAIRO - Part 2

We had breakfast at Hotel Longchamps. At 9.30 am Emad, an Egyptian driver recommended to us by an acquaintanace, turned up. When we asked him what his charges were, his response was " For you, even for free". This is the standard Egyptian refrain, while all along, your wallet is being made lighter and lighter. On politely declining his free services, he settled for 150 Egyptian "bounds" (Egyptians seem to have a problem pronouncing "p") It seemed it was a bit of a rip off but it was sort of worth it, as it was reassuring to be with one who had been recommeended. One egyptian bound equals six indian rupees.

So began the journey. Our first stop GIZA. It was a sunny though chilly day (probably around 15 deg C) After about 15 minutes Emad casually said "there are the pyramids" and I turned to catch my first glimpse of what i had been waiting to see. It was a fleeting glimpse. The pyramid looked exactly like i had imagined though come to think of it, i cant give too much credit to my imagination having seen a few hundred photographs doesnt leave much to the imagination!!!

In another five minutes, we were driving very close to the pyramid...and then all hell broke loose !!! SUICIDE ( I thought) A man hurled himself in front of our car. I had read poverty was rampant in Cairo but didnt know people committed suicide on the roads. Emad was quick to interpret the drama of the moment. "Oh, he just wants to be your guide!!!" So that was it. That man had tried to grab our attention just to be our guide. Poooh

After a few more attempted suicides, we finally reached the parking area near the Pyramids. Emad bought the tickets for us and we passed thru the makeshift gates .

There I was in front of the largest of the 3 pyramids. The great Pyramid of Khufu - more than 4500 years old. I must admit to a sense of anticlimax. Okay, it was big and it did look like the pyramid from the pictures. But where was the vast virgin desert i had imaagined around it?? The surroundings appeared dirty. Pepsi cans here, some camel shit there, some hawkers here, some touts there !!! Hmmmm

But when I went closer and climbed up the entrance and stood really close and saw the size of each of those huge blocks and looked vertically up at the peak kissing the sky, the allure returned. So, this was it ... the only surviving of the seven wonders of the ancient world. I had been warned that entering the pyramid would be claustrophobic and though i am a bit claustro, it seemed a pity that having come thus far i wouldnt enter. So I requested Emad to go buy a ticket for me costing another 100 "bounds" ( my friend Aucke was not interested in seeing the tombs and bodies of kings who had died 5000 years back)

So I entered .. a stony small entrance about 20 M inside there is a steep ascending passage 1.3 M high and 1 m wide which seems to go on for ever and then another ascent, which is higher than the first but very claustrophobic being narrower. I felt a l ittle terrified when i sw the path i had to take. What helped me go on was that along with me there was a family of 4 with 2 kids all of us were quite scared but there is strength in numbers and we went ahead with the climb. As i ascended i couldnt help wondering what the workers/slaves who carried the king's body up this passasge must have felt like. And what about those who constructed it?

At the end of the ascent is the main tomb chamber 10 m by 5 m built of red granite blocks. The body is no longer there of course. It is an awesome experience to stand in that tomb!

We then climbed down and out... We then went to the next pyramid, that of Khafre (son of Khufu) Out of deference for his father, his pyramid is marginally shorter. The third pyramid that of Menkaure was a bit distant. We watched it from a distance to save the bother of walking thru the dirty sands.

By now it was time for lunch and we thought we would see the Sphinx later at the "Sound and Light" show held in the foreground of the sphinx post sunset. However, I did manage a glimpse at the sphinx and wa disappointed. Heck, it wasnt big enough. The photographs with the pyramids in the background give the mistaken impression that the sphinx is of the sasme size as the pyramids while in fact, it isnt. And it is badly maintained.

Lunch was at that Mecca of standardised junk food McDonalds. Burger and fries ( what else?)

Then we decided to buy some papyrus paintings. Emad was most helpful ( we were to know why only later) He conducted a "survey" ( what he did infact was to find out which shop would give him the highest cut). He then guided us gullible lambs to a shop, hypnotised us into spending 250 "bounds" for something ( we discovered later) we should have paid only 120 "bounds" for. Anyway, that is part of the Egyptian experience!

We were still an hour too early for the show at the Sphinx and decided to go to Pizza Hut which overlooks the Sphinx and there we got a fabulous view of the Sphinx with all 3 pyramids in thebackground! The irony of such a magnificent view from Pizza Hut of all places did nt escape me. Wonders of globalisation!

We walked to the forecouat of the Sphinx. The sun had just gone down and the 3 pyramids had begun to look mysterious. I started shivering. The desert cools rapidly at night . I hired 2 blankets ( very good arrangement) The light and sound show is basically the Sphinx narrating its story and that of the 3 pyramids. Some other interesting titbits of Egyptian history also narraated. It was melodramatic, but we did enjoy ourselvels.

And so ended the day at Giza. Awesome in some ways, disappointing in some others, but on the balance, a brilliant experience... one that i will remember for a long time ( if I donot succumb to Alzheimers).

We drove back to Cairo with Emad chatting away about how great a driver he was what a terrible leader Husni Mubarak was ...

Had dinner (pasta and pizza) at a restaurant near Longchamps and then crashed into bed..

Day 2 follows tomorrow in Part 3. Till then bye