The big day

Woke up with a cold, slept poorly. There is a lot on the program today, so I'm tense because I don't feel well. The anticipation of the Pyramids of Giza and the Sphinx is growing (the Discworld novels by Terry Pratchett come to mind again and what he wrote about pyramids and camels, and I have some absurd thoughts like: this camel actually looks like it's calculating an abstract mathematical formula. Inside joke!). After a very short drive, the pyramids come into view. We approach them with great awe.

I have decided to go inside the pyramid. The King's Chamber, where the sarcophagus of Cheops is located, can be visited - of course for an additional fee, after all we are in Egypt. I'm not sure what to expect. The people coming back from the chamber are completely sweaty and exhausted. The ascent is actually strenuous, also because the movement is slow due to the many people. Going down is particularly exhausting for the thighs, as the passage is only 1.20m high and 1m wide and the humidity is extremely high - breathing is difficult.

Unfortunately, the excitement when I enter the chamber is somewhat lacking. That's it? I think to myself. However, there remains the feeling of admiration that 4500 years ago such ton-heavy architectural masterpieces could be built and that they are still standing. And of course, there is the thought that I am now inside a pyramid, something that only very important people were able to experience. But then they were dead. :)

After these efforts, I admired the Great Pyramid from the outside. That is much more impressive than the interior.

Next stop is the Sphinx.

The Sphinx is simply fascinating, you hang on to her face as if in a trance. She must have been so imposing, especially in color!

Then we go to the Egyptian Museum. I am tired from the sun and the sandy wind in the morning and can hardly absorb all the information. The crowds of people and the noise level don't help. Overload!

Only shortly before closing time it becomes quiet and one becomes aware of the sheer size of the collection. There is so much to see, our guide said it would take 9 months to see every object. After the hustle and bustle, I take another look at the most beautiful objects (i.e. those that have stayed with me the most) in peace, everything else would be pointless. In addition to the funerary furnishings of Tutankhamun - a large part of which has already been moved to the new Egyptian Museum - the tombs and mummies of Yuya and Thuya are particularly notable.

After this eventful day, a well-deserved shower and healing the sunburn, which is probably part of the experience.