Egypt Encompassed

This photo essay chronicles my travel through Egypt from late May through early June of 2005. I joined a Geckos Adventures group in Cairo on May 21, 2005. Starting there we journeyed to the major oasises of the western desert, south to Luxor, Aswan and Abu Simbel, and finally across the Sinai peninsula to Dahab. Egypt is a vast country to experience with a longer history than most. This series of photographs will fail to do justice the country's scope and history. Nonetheless I aim to provide a meaningful portrait of Egypt's variety and beauty.
Giza The most famous structures ever built by mankind are almost certainly the Egyptian pyramids. Although there are several pyramid sites throughout lower Egypt, the pyramids at Giza represent the archetypical design known the world over. The tallest pyramid, that of Cheops (Khufu), stands nearly 150 meters tall and appears as the pyramid furthest back in the images Pyramids of Giza II and III. Although well represented in this and any other work on Egypt, photographs do not do justice to either the size of the pyramids or the incredible amount of work required for their construction.	Pyramids of Giza I
Pyramids of Giza II	Pyramids of Giza III
The Pyramid of Chefren	The locals very aggressively try to sell souvenirs at the Pyramids. More importantly a camel ride through the desert around the pyramids can be had very affordable rates. The only downside of the whole Pyramid experience was the amount of litter surrounding the pyramids. I feared for the well being of my camel's feet at times because of all the rubbish. I ventured inside the pyramid of Chefren. The shaft one must descend is awkward due to its height but its slope is easy. After descending a fair distance the shaft angles upward. So the entire shaft has the shape of the letter V. No photographs are allowed inside the pyramids. The reason most likely is because nothing remains inside the pyramid. At the end of the awkward walk one finds an empty room with smooth stone walls. Nonetheless the novelty of standing inside the center of a pyramid is well worth the journey.
Sphinx & Chefren Pyramid	Sphinx & Cheops Pyramids
Sphinx Tail	I decided to include a picture of the Sphinx's tail because I have never noticed a published picture of it before. The first time I knew of its tail was when I walked past it. The Sphinx is one of the world's famous monuments, but seems like a small sideshow when experienced next to the pyramids. While I was wandering alongside the Sphinx a tour group leader was talking to her group attempting to dispel the myth that the Sphinx's nose was shot off under orders from Napoleon. According to her the blame lies with an Islamic zealot from centuries ago who defaced the Sphinx for religious reasons.