Last Updated on December 4, 2020 by scottkandh
This Blogtober post features pins from the favorite place I ever visited: Cairo, Egypt.
I was in the United States Air Force (U.S.A.F.) for 24 years and retired as a Master Sergeant (E-7). During that time I had the pleasure of traveling to many different countries. I’ve been to nearly every continent with the exception of Australia and Antarctica. I was stationed at Thule Air Base in Greenland for a year so I’ve been to one of the two polar ice caps. But this blog is not about Greenland (I’ll save that for a blog some other time).
This post reflects on that wonderful journey I had to a place called Cairo, Egypt. I spent many a day at the Milwaukee museum. The one attraction that always drew my Dad and me to it was the Egyptian exhibit. That’s when I wanted someday to visit Egypt and see the pyramids. So going to Cairo was a dream come true.
While I was there me and a few of my friends (about two dozen of us or so) had the good fortune to be taken on a VIP tour of Cairo. It was a whirlwind tour, because the time was 2004 when I was there and there was a lot of tension.
I can break up the tour into three elements:
- The Sphinx
- The Pyramids
- Papyrus paper company
1. The Sphinx
As the bus pulled up closer to the pyramids I didn’t see the Sphinx right away. For some reason I was thinking that it was in the front of the pyramids. But based on what I saw it’s located at the back of the pyramids by a couple of miles or so.
The head of the Sphinx was enormous and off in the distance, you could see the pyramids. What was really strange though is that depending on where you stood to look at the Sphinx giving you so many different perspectives that you normally don’t see depicted in pictures. While looking at the Sphinx I couldn’t wait to arrive to the pyramids which was coming up next.
2. The Pyramids
The tour guide warned us not to climb up the Great Pyramid. Believe it or not there’s a lot of people that climb up the pyramid and it’s very difficult to get down from it.
One of the things I did because seeing the Great Pyramid was such a great dream that I kept touching it over and over (instead of pinching myself) to say this is really real. COOL.
But the best was yet to come, there’s a little pyramid to the far right. There’s a cluster of three pyramids (by the Great Pyramid – the one in the middle with a Gold cap on top). I was able to go into the belly of the smallest pyramid and see the paintings on the murals.
I was sadly disappointed that at the bottom was just a plain old area with stark white walls. But walking down into the pyramid was an experience I’ll never forget. Because the further you go down, the more you have to bend over because of the narrowest of the descent into the bottom. I’m 6’4″ and walking down I had to stoop over really low.
3. Papyrus paper company
Before going to dinner that evening, the day ended with a trip to the Papyrus paper company where tourists are able to buy Papyrus paper.
Before buying the Papyrus paper we were provided with the information that for so long no one knew the secret of how to make Papyrus paper like the Egyptians. But with the discovery of hieroglyphics historians were able to reconstruct the ancient process of pressing paper together to make Papyrus paper.
I purchased a set of Papyrus paper for my wife and I that had our names (Scott and Mary Beth) on them that to this day still hang in our office. I’ll get out the camera and try to take a good picture for you to see.
Please check out these other Blogtober posts:
October 1st – What is Blogtober? (this post!) Blogtober Challenge 2020
Oct 2 – Blogtober Day 2 – Halloween Movies Bucket List
Oct 3 – Blogtober Day 3 – Top 20 Lighthouse Photos
Oct 4 – Blogtober Day 4 – Fall Colors in the State of Wisconsin
Oct 5 – Blogtober Day 5 – Top 10 Favorite Cartoon shows as a kid
Oct 6 – Blogtober Day 6 – Top 10 Norman Rockwell Paintings
Oct 7 – Blogtober Day 7 – Top 10 Jack Vetrianno Paintings
Oct 8 – Blogtober Day 8 – Top 10 Favorite Time Travel Movies
Oct 9 – Blogtober Day 9 – Top 10 Big Bang Theory Favorite Episodes
Oct 10 – Blogtober Day 10 – Favorite Big Bang Theory Character
Oct 11 – Blogtober Day 11 – Top 5 Reality TV Shows
Oct 12 – Blogtober Day 12 – Top 10 Favorite Television Shows as a kid
Oct 13 – Blogtober Day 13 – 15 Pinterest Boards = 1,178 Group Boards
Oct 14 – Blogtober Day 14 – Top 10 DC Super Heroes
Oct 15 – Blogtober Day 15 – Top 10 Marvel Super Heroes
Oct 16 – Blogtober Day 16 – Top 20 Great Images from around Pinterest
Oct 17 – Blogtober Day 17 – Meow! Cats Only
Oct 18 – Blogtober Day 18 – Favorite Funniest Moment that makes me laugh
Oct 19 – Blogtober Day 19 – Mary Ann or Ginger?
Oct 21 – Blogtober Day 21 – Top 50 Greatest Movies
Oct 22 – Blogtober Day 22 – Thomas Kinkade Paintings – The Painter of Light
Oct 23 – Blogtober Day 23 – Top 10 Favorite Faith pins
Oct 24 – Blogtober Day 24 – Top 10 Favorite Chess pins
Oct 25 – Blogtober Day 25 – Top 20 Favorite “Viral” pins from Pinterest
Oct 26 – Blogtober Day 26 – Top 20 “Creative” photos from Pinterest
Oct 27 – Blogtober Day 27 – 50 Free Tips and Tricks for Bloggers
Oct 28 – Blogtober Day 28 – Top 50 Best and Funniest Coffee cup pins
Oct 29 – Blogtober Day 29 – Top 20 Ways to manage your money
Oct 30 – Blogtober Day 30 – Top 40 Fall Decor pins for the upcoming Holidays
Oct 31 – Blogtober Day 31 – Happy Halloween
If you’re a Pinterest enthusiast be sure to check out these two posts:
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