Up very early to get our first view of the two Giza Pyramids outside our balcony - left the curtains pulled back so we could see them at first light. Amazing to see so close from our bed. Jeannie hopping from foot to foot in excitement. d*** was already gone by 5am with his camera. Breakfast in luxurious high ceilinged breakfast salon facing the Pyramids. Very few guests in the entire hotel with its 40 acre grounds. Mahmoud our Egyptologist was our guide for the day, with the skilled Hassan at the wheel. All day we noticed the rubbish everywhere including in the canals. Donkeys in carts , laden donkeys being ridden. Horses on the streets. Kombi Van buses with the rear air-cooled engine exposed for cooling. Dust and rubbish and rough roads. Went to Memphis first - site of the original 5000 year old capital - now a rundown dusty village precinct (yes music lovers we were "Walking in Memphis"). Huge statue of the Pharaoh Ramses and other ancient artifacts. Then to Kuphu - site of three pyramids including the oldest pyramid. Each pyramid a different shape - stepped, tent and classic pyramid. Went down into one of the tombs of a Pharaoh Titti. Down a long sloping one-meter square tunnel to the tomb and the huge basalt sarcophagus. His name repeated in hieroglyphics all over the tomb walls- "Tittis" everywhere apparently. If he was a dictator he might have been known as "Tough Tittis". Stopped off on the way back to Giza at a carpet makers - very painstaking process to make them by hand. Almost but didn't quite buy one, despite slick sales routine upstairs. Lunch at a very nice oasis of a restaurant in the middle of the noisy city. A veritable banquet while everyone else was fasting. Off to Giza Plateau for the piece de resistance - the two Giza Pyramids and the Sphinx. Ran the gauntlet of the hawkers - "free (bulls***)", "only one Egyptian pound (bulls***)", "no charge for photo (yup)". Camels, horses and donkeys everywhere, waiting to be ridden, snapped or posed by. Strong smell at all quarters - dung, urine. Also from the horses, camels and donkeys.

The Giza plateau pyramids were awe-inspiring. You don't realize how big they are until you are there. At every site almost no tourists but ourselves due to Ramadan, hot season and the "minor problem" ten days ago. Great for us though.

Giza sphinx