Monstrous, awe-inspiring, unbelievable – the pyramids of Egypt.  It has been asked too many times but how did they do that?

We decided to stay in Giza at that base of the pyramids instead of nearby Cairo. This allowed us to come and go at leisure.  No tours.

Early – before the tourists get there even if it’s a bit hazy for photos. If you walk up to the top furthest from the Sphinx entrance it is fairly quiet.

The views are vast.

It is definitely a tourist economy. Camel drivers, horse carriages and single horse drivers all fighting for your business. Tolerable. Not all the hawkers are as described on the internet.  Just stay away from the entrances.

We walked and walked. Observing and snapping photos. Succumbing to a camel ride to capture a photo of all of the pyramids lined up.  Bill and I shared a camel.  “Don’t hold on and go with the flow.” said the camel driver. Easier said than done but we got he hang of it.
Bill and I walked a bit out of bounds and stumbled upon a security area. We asked if we could take photos.  We got a wide smile – a yes – an invite inside and a cup of tea.  The hefe put his finger to his lips as to say “shhh” and pointed to an area off limits prompting us to follow.  Bill was gung-ho – looked at me with a gleam in his eye. The guard flung his AK47 flung over his shoulder and I said no.

We stayed at the Le Meridien because you can see the pyramids from the hotel. It was a perfect respite after the dust and dirt of the pyramids. We lounged around the pool every afternoon. What a money maker that must be.  Around the clock, tours showed up in droves. The lobby was always full of people – breakfast before 8 was packed and loud.

Didn’t think we would ever get here.  So delighted to stand in front of one of the world’s biggest mysteries.