One of our top priorities on our No Regrets tour was to make a trip back to the pyramids. We wanted to do another family photo in front of the Sphinx like we took when we lived here. We also wanted the boys to be able to go inside the Great Pyramid. Previously, it was difficult to get a ticket for an inside tour because they issued a limited number each day, but with the severe drop-off in tourism, we knew that we would have no problems today.
Breakfast in the hotel restaurant — Carter looking out over the Nile.
Our rooms came with free breakfast — chocolate mousse? Why not?
Calvin found the best of the buffet — I said yes to the donut, but no to marshmallows in the chocolate fountain (until the last day).
Typical Cairo — bread on the cart, street sweepers with wooden brooms. We actually noticed there was less trash on the streets this time. The entire city seemed cleaner, but I’m not sure why that would have changed since the revolution.
The last time we were here, tourists were everywhere (and we were visiting on a slow/non-peak day). Now at the height of spring break travel we were the only tourists at the Sphinx. It was crazy quiet and pretty sad. Last time there were souvenir peddlers stretched up and down this path. Today? Nothing.
Carter’s photo
Updated for 2012 — the old ones are in the post for Christmas 2010
We asked one of the local guys to take our family picture so we could all be in it this time (last time Carter took a great one of us, but then he wasn’t in it). After the family shot, he wanted us to pose in all these different positions to get funny shots with the Sphinx. These are the best ones:
And my favorite (which Caleb didn’t want me to put on the blog because he was embarrassed, but I assured him that everyone would love it):
Hilarious
Our photographer — hustling to make a living, but there aren’t many tourists around to “guide” or photograph.
Another of Carter’s photos
We kept remarking on how quiet it was there. Good for us, but not good for the country and the people. So many depend on tourism to feed and clothe their families.
Camille and I didn’t go inside the Great Pyramid. We had heard that it was a tight squeeze with steep steps. After the fact Josh said it would have been find if he wore her on his chest, but oh well. Next trip.
Waiting for Josh to buy tickets to go inside
Loving all the camels
While we were waiting for the boys to come back, I chatted with some of the camel guys. Josh asked if they were hassling me and trying to get me to buy stuff, because that is what the pyramids are known for. Especially now, with so few tourists, the ones who do visit are seen as fresh meat in a city that is starving.
Ironically, this is one area where it pays to be a woman in the Middle East. Camille and I hung out, chatted and relaxed without anyone pressuring me to buy anything. I told Josh it must be because they thought that as a woman I didn’t have the power to make those kind of decisions. One of postcard peddlers even gave Camille a pack of postcards and when I said, “La shukran” he replied, “No. My gift to the baby” which is usually one of the tricks they use to get you to pay for something, but he just handed them to her and moved on. She loved the postcard with the camel on it, of course.
As soon as Josh came back, they knew the boss man was in town and then it was all, “Ride my camel. Good price.” Poor guy.
