My visit to Egypt this last May.....2009

TALESFROMBEYONDJOHN says:

Well.........

What can I say......

I've temporarily lost internet access.....

There will be a slight delay.....

While a make a better deal......

More photos from Egypt......

And the beautiful Nile river Valley......

Plus mount Moses, The Red Sea, and more.....

All coming soon.....

As soon as I fix my Internet.....

So......get off the computer.....

Go find an adventure.....

IF I CAN-THEN YOU CAN

SAQQARA

Yes....just like Giza.....Saqqara is part of the Sahara....

Most of the ancient tombs are marked over the entrance.....

Most are not marked in modern arabic and english.....

This very old gentleman seemed to be the cryptkeeper.....

At least he seemed to be in charge in this crypt......

He was kind enough to lend me his hat(?) for the photo....

A great photo opt.......but not a word of English......

BIG CRYPT FUN.....

Yes...that's me playing around in the tombs of Saqqara....

Egypt.... May 2009

This is considered the "TOMB" side of the Saqqara Complex....

There is a couple old collapsed small pyramids.....

Mostly....there are a lot of tombs to see....

Some in block houses.... some in very deep pits....all kinds..

A huge area..... Saqqara...... May 2009

Yes that's right.....that's whats left of a very old Pyramid....

Yes....that's me.....exploring Sakkara in Egypt.... May 2009

LOOK.......a tomb..!!

This explains who's tomb.....

Sakkara..... May 2009

This Egyptian gentleman appointed himself as my guide....

He imediately started my history and heiroglyphics lessons....

Showed me around half of Sakkara telling me about everything....

Then, for whatever reason, stopped and remained in the shadows when a machine gun guard guy in white took a interest in us.....

Lessons over.....hand out for baksheesh.....and a huge grin.....

The rules of baksheesh edicate in egypt are complicated.....

Not for me of course.....only if you live and work there....

BIG HEIROGLYPHICS LEARNING FUN.....

We visited half a dozen different tombs......

Sakkara, Egypt.... May 2009

He knew just enough English.......

For me learn a little about old Egypt.....

And read a few ancient heiroglyphics.....

At this point I read very, very, little ancient Egyptian .......

I did however visit most all the ancient sites in Egypt.....

There was always someone reading the heiroglyphics aloud....

And a dozen guys who would take you by the arm....literally.....

Then show and teach you the ancient stories on the walls....

They were all very willing to do this for next to nothing....

Even the guards with the machine guns would show you around...

Lots of stories, heiroglyphics, learning and baksheesh for all.....

This is a very, deep, large square hole....

At the bottom is a Kings burial chamber.....

These are the only upright blocks left......

On a very long walkway......

Once a Grand Entrance to a Kings Funerary Complex.....

Sakkara, Egypt..... May 2009

Giza to Sakkara

Back at the Camel Tours Place in Giza....

After a great time seeing the Pyramids and Sphynx.....

And travelling all around on a camel of course....

Another photo on the wall at my Camel rental place.....

This is of Muhamed Ali....(the Boxer)....when he visited Giza....

This is the Camel Rental place he used to travel the Plateau too...

Giza, Egypt......May 2009

Leaving Giza.....going to Sakkara....

This place was rather fun....

A guy took a piece of papyrus stalk.....

Rolled it, pressed it, dried it, etc. showed me how it was done....

I did buy a Papyrus wall painting......

It is of a Ankh.....The Egyptian Key of Life....

On the beautiful road to Saqqara.......

Egypt..... May 2009

Can't read a word.....

First glimpse of Saqqara.....

The Nile used to be much closer to the Complex....

Now there is the Aswan Dam and the High Dam....

Both in Aswan.....about 2 miles apart....

Awesome View....from the high dam....photos soon....

In the ancient times the Nile came up to where the Plateau starts and there is a ancient dock still intact (mostly) where they off-loaded blocks floated in on the Nile for the Pyramids....

Heading out to the Sakkara Plateau......

The Crumbly remains of one the oldest pyramids anywhere....

The Pyramid of Userkaf..... Sakkara, Egypt.....

A Stepped Pyramid.....

The first pyramid design....

This one is the oldest in the world.....

Sakkara, Egypt..... May 2009

This is called the Djoser Funerary Complex.....

It is the entrance to the Sakkara Pyramids and Plateau....

A Great looking building in the desert at Sakkara....

BIG OLD EGYPT FUN....

The Djoser Stepped Pyramid......

The oldest Pyramid in the world......

Cheops at Giza is the Biggest......

We have already been there....

Into the Sakkara Funerary Complex....

Sakkara, Egypt...... May 2009

Entering the Sakkara Pyramid Complex......

London Photos