Saqqara, Great Pyramid of Giza, Sphinx and the Grand Egyptian Museum, Cairo

By Paul Bryers

Firstly, I must commend our AMA cruise leader, Sammy, for his exceptional organizational skills in creating an exhaustive day’s itinerary. Additionally, our AMA local guide, Mohammed, was extremely knowledgeable, making it challenging to absorb all the information, but I managed to grasp the key points 😃 .

The colossal pyramids and equally colossal statues are a hallmark of ancient Egyptian civilization.

Our first stop, Saqqara, is a vast archaeological site in Egypt that served as the necropolis for the ancient capital of Memphis and is home to the world’s oldest pyramid, the Step Pyramid of Djoser.

Upon arrival at the site, we were greeted by the port that served the area in ancient times. Due to the Aswan and other dams, there is no longer a water presence in the area.

The port was followed by the pet cemetery – another King comes to mind…

Saqqara was a major burial ground for royalty and nobility for over 3,000 years and contains numerous other pyramids, mastaba tombs, and funerary complexes. The site is a UNESCO World Heritage Site and is renowned for its historical significance as the birthplace of pyramid architecture.

The Blueberries took time to have a group photo…what a handsome bunch…

I walked down int Steps Pyramid , crouched like a wee Scottish gnome, to the burial chamber. Initially, it was not very impressive until the guide illuminated the walls with his torch, revealing vibrant colors and reliefs that were otherwise hidden.

The Great Pyramid of Giza is the largest of the three pyramids in Giza, built around 2580–2560 BC as a tomb for Pharaoh Khufu. It was the tallest man-made structure in the world for nearly 3,800 years and is the only one of the Seven Wonders of the Ancient World to remain largely intact. Its intactness is indeed impressive. The pyramid is composed of millions of limestone and granite blocks, with internal chambers including the King’s Chamber and the Grand Gallery.

The Great Sphinx of Giza is the most famous cat in the world. It was carved directly out of the bedrock during the 4th Dynasty (c.2613–2494 BC), making it extremely old. Ancient Egyptian sphinxes represented the king with the body of a lion, demonstrating his power, and the human head symbolizing intelligence.

Camel time? You can’t come to Giza and not do a wee camel ride, and get the ubiquitous photo in front of the Great Pyramid.

My camel, Camilla, was a little frisky while the camel behind, Clarisa, was very friendly and chewed away while resting her chin on my leg – she had major camel breath – completely minging. All good though…

The Grand Egyptian Museum is a magnificent structure that has taken considerable time to build. It is the world’s largest archaeological museum, and one could easily spend days exploring its vast collections. Unfortunately, our visit was limited to 2 hours, which was insufficient to fully appreciate the impressive relics on display.

I’m not going to even attempt to name all these marvelous relics as I only had time for a wee swatch aw most of them, but I think you will enjoy just seeing their beauty.

What an AMAday!