Dahshur Guardian

Today saw a trip to the Saqqara and Dahshur pyramids. We hired a nice old man who drove us to and from the sites and through parts of Cairo we'd never seen before. What you see from the window as you pass through the old villages on the outskirts is a feast for the eyes, let alone the camera. One thing that struck me as we passed through the more poverty stricken areas was just how colourful everything was. Most buildings were licked with bright paint, many of the women wore striking clothing and usual brand-names added their own familiar saturation to the view.

Saqqara was pleasant, with very little in the way of tourists (I counted only twenty or so). There was the usual rush of pushy postcard sellers and insistent camel riders, but who can blame them, I thought, after almost a month of no income from the tourist trade.

Dahshur in particular was incredible. Right out in the middle of nowhere, the huge pyramid that greeted us had a walkway to an entrance about 100ft up. Once at the entrance, we were met with a seemingly endless stairway with a very shallow angle and a clearance that meant you had to shuffle down half-crouched/half bent-over till you reached the bottom. Once there, another climb ended with a short walk along a dank, humid corridor to a huge room that smelled so bad, it made the eyes water, and could only be suffered for a minute or so before heading back. With legs like jelly from the climb down, we took our time on the way up, savouring the dark stifling stillness.

It was a wonderful experience all in all. Having the place practically to ourselves made a huge difference, and it really felt like we were experiencing something that not many people will ever be able to do. Towards the top, I took this photo, which the guard okayed. I've missed taking photos with my big camera recently, and so today's opportunities were just the tonic. There were plenty, of course, but the two that really stood out were of this gentleman.

Here's the other one:

Blipfolio - Dahshur Guardian