First breakfast was not that great. The omelets were already made and were just scrambled eggs with a speck or two of red bell pepper and onion. They were folded over in a chafing dish and were nearly warm. Hashed brown potatoes were actually mashed potatoes. They were pretty good and I went back for seconds on those. I also had sone type of beef rolls with peppers and onions and they were really delicious. There were white beans in some type of tomato sauce which was labled (Grilled Tomatoes) and I'm assuming the chef didn't read English well. There was an assortment of yogurt and I had no idea that Nestle produced yogurt. Hmmmmmmm! The coffee here is very strong but not like Starbucks and it's pretty good.

7:45 came around sooner than I'd expected and we all had to shuffle out to the buses. Gladys (our guide) was eager to get started. Our tour started with the 3 Pyramids of Giza.

The Pyramid of Cheops is the most famous site in Egypt, and the one that appears on almost every tour package, this is the oldest and largest of the pyramids on the Giza Plateau. Built by the IV Dynasty pharaoh Khufu (better known as Cheops) around 2570 BCE, this 140-meter (460-foot)-high monument contains an estimated 2.3 million blocks averaging 2270 kilograms (2.5 tons). Its purpose is controversial: Many believe it was the ancient burial chamber of the pharaoh and his queen, while others suggest it had astronomical functions. As no inscriptions or mummies were found inside, speculation continues. It is now illegal to climb the pyramid, but you can go inside. After a descent at a crouch, a steep ascending passage leads to the Grand Gallery and two chambers. The King's Chamber contains a lidless granite sarcophagus while the so-called Queens Chamber was found empty.

Pyramid of Chefren. At first glance, this pyramid appears taller than the that of Cheops, but this is only because it is built on higher ground and still has its top intact. It was built by the IV Dynasty pharaoh Khafre (Chephren) around 2550 BCE and the first recorded entry was made by Belzoni in 1818. He found no treasure or inscriptions inside, and it is believed to have been looted by Arabs 1000 years earlier.

The Pyramid of Mycerinus is the smallest of the three great pyramids of Giza, this pyramid was built by the IV Dynasty pharaoh Menkaure (Mycerinus) around 2525 BCE. It is slightly offset from the plane of its two neighbors, which has led some to notice a similar layout to the stars in the belt of the constellation Orion. Most of its casing stones were removed in the 12th century when a sultan spent eight months trying in vain to demolish it.

I didn't venture inside as we were told there wasn't really anything to see and the space was very tight. The heat was so intense here, I didn't need any added exposure. The group took lots of photos together. We also had a better chance to mingle and get to know each other here. This truly was an experience of a lifetime.

Our next stop led us to the camel rides. This was a fun time had by all. The sultan (he just looked like one), was a huge guy. He grabbed all of us women with one arm and slung us up on those beasts. The camels almost looked malnourished. But I guess these were working camels. The saddles were very colorful and looked like carpets, some with tassles.

The sultan mad a little noise with his teeth and told our guide (who are all small boys), "go." I'm holding onto the horn with dear life. This was because my guide looked to be more interested in going to play with his friends. He also looked as though he hated this job. After he took me around and also down over some rocks, all the while I'm praying, "please camel, don't lose your footing," we headed back to the camel area. Eveyrone here had a good time, as we took pictures, laughed and had a really good time.

Afterwards we all got together for a group photo. There is actually 55 of us. A pretty bug group.

Our next stop, The Great Sphinx. Man it is hotter than Hades. 93 degrees. Gladys our tourguide, is dragging us across miles and miles of uneven road.

Of all Egypt's monuments, none is as majestic and haunting as the Great Sphinx. It was named as such by the Greeks, because of its physical similarity to a mythical creature with a lion's body and woman's head who devoured passers-by unable to answer her riddle. Arabs know it as Abu el-Hol (Father of Terror). Carved out of a limestone outcropping in front of the Giza Pyramids, the Sphinx is 50 x 20 meters (165 x 65 feet) high. Conventional archeologists attribute its construction to the IV Dynasty pharaoh Khafre (who built one of the three pyramids behind it), but others suggest it may be much older. The nose and beard were later shot off by Mameluke troops who used the Sphinx for target practice. Visitors cannot climb on the monument, but there is a viewing platform accessible through the granite mortuary temple to one side.

We all got some great shots up here. I met and spoke with some really nice people from Lakewood. This monument is an awesome site.

After the Sphinx, we we bused over to the Carvery Restaurant. The grounds were beautifully appointment. Lunch was mediocre. The selection was not exactly what I'd expected. Of course, the standards were there: Fuul, Kushari and Kibbie. The desserts, well let's just say I had a Payday for dessert. There was also a woman outside, in what looked like a bar area, baking bread in these huge ovens. I can't imagine in this heat.

I'd paid for 2 Cokes and the guy tried to cheat me. Glad I called Omar to explain. He straightened that crap out with the quickness. The owner kept bowing and thanking me for coming, over and over again.

After lunch we headed over to Memphis, and no not Memphis, Tennessee. The capital of Egypt for thousands of years, little remains of this once great city to attest to its glory. Memphis was founded by the I Dynasty pharaoh Menes around 3100 BCE and destroyed after the Arab conquest in the 6th Century CE. Most of its treasures were looted or reused in other monuments and the sparse remains hardly warrant a special excursion. Worth seeing, however, is the colossal statue of Ramses II, alabaster sphinx of King Thutmose III and embalming slabs where the holy Apis bulls were mummified. Most of the artifacts have been gathered for display in a garden.

Then on to the Step Pyramid of Saqqara. Designed by Imhotep, chief architect of the III Dynasty pharaoh Djoser, this six-tiered funerary chamber was the first pyramid. Prior to its construction, pharaohs were buried beneath rectangular mastabas. Imhotep created a pyramid by stacking six increasingly smaller mastabas on top of each other. Later pharaohs took it a step further to create the pyramids seen at Giza and elsewhere. An extensive funerary complex surrounds the pyramid. It is a very atmospheric place and the highlight for many is wandering through the hypostyle hall and Great South Court, part of which has been rebuilt.

By the time we'd finished this day of touring, I was totally exhausted, but still hyped. We got back to the hotel in time for dinner. I was kinda glad that I'd eaten before the other tourists came in. Some of these people are really nasty. They pick over the food with their hands. They pick up the food, smell it and then put it back. Just awful and nasty!

I'm not really a partier, so I spent the remainder of my evening addressing my postcards and trying to get my suitcase together for our flight to Abu Simbel in the morning.

Sayed had come to give me and Ellen more roses. I asked for some of the hotel toiletries for my friends and he brought back tons. I then offered him a bag of the toiletries I'd brought as gifts. He was very thankful and kept asking if any of the stuff could be used for his 10-month old baby. I had given him a large bottle of lotion and told him, he could possibly use that. After a few minutes, he came back with a blank piece of paper. I actually had to write out a permission slip, indicating that I'd given the items to him. Weird, but I assume this is to show that he was not stealing. He also looked way too old for children.