Bagpipe players at the Sound & Light Show
The Sphinx & one of the largest of the 3 Giza Pyramids
The Sphinx. It is rumored that Napolean blasted his face off with dynamite when the French were occupying Egypt. Not cool, Napolean.
The smallest of the Giza Pyramids.
Walkin' like an Egyptian.
View from the cafe near the pyramids.
Where the audience sat during the show
Helen & Katie W.
Helen
This is the story wall where they displayed pictures while the Sphinx was telling his story.
The Katies
One of the seven wonders of the world in my hands. My smile speaks volumes. This was honestly the happiest day of my life. I have wanted to see the Pyramids more than anything else in the world.
The Sphinx lit up and telling his story. The largest of the Giza Pyramids is behind him.
We lost all track of time while we were in the Khan that day. By the time we were done shopping, it was almost 5:00, which meant that it was too late to go and explore the inside of the pyramids. I was really disappointed because seeing the pyramids is THE main thing I want to do while I am here. However, we decided that since the sound & light show at the pyramids started at 6:00, we would just go to that instead.
We took a cab back to Giza, and found the entrance booth for the pyramids again. We bought our tickets, which cost 60 pounds, ($15), and made our way towards the pyramids. We started walking down a long walkway that was surrounded by folding chairs for people to sit on while they were watching the show. I was so excited I thought I was going to burst! Joelle and I grabbed hands and started skipping down the walkway together like giddy school girls to the front row of chairs.
The Pyramids were right in front of us, in plain view! Not close enough to touch, but so close we could still make out every magnificent detail. I have never been so in awe of anything in my life! I couldn’t believe I was actually there, standing in front of the Pyramids!!! The sun started setting behind them and I felt like I had entered a fantasy world. I couldn’t stop staring at them, and I couldn’t stop smiling to myself. After a while, I came to my wits and started taking pictures as fast as I could, afraid I wouldn’t get any if I waited too long and the sun went down.
A few minutes later, I heard the sound of bagpipes coming from behind me and turned to see what was going on. There was a small group of men dressed in ancient Egyptian clothing who were playing the bagpipes and marching in a straight line towards the Pyramids. “What’s going on?” I asked a woman nearby. “I think the show is starting,” she answered. I rounded up the other girls and we took a seat in the front row, (there was hardly anyone there and almost all of the seats were empty). The men with bagpipes marched around the chairs, and then stopped and stood in a straight line. They started shouting something in Arabic I couldn’t understand and then pointed towards the Pyramids and bowed.
By that time it was almost completely dark. A green spotlight suddenly appeared and shone on the Sphinx’s face. Then a booming voice came over the loudspeakers… “Everything in Egypt has changed….but I have remained the same. For 5,000 years I have stood watch over these great Pyramids. I have seen many things in my time…I have SEEN Alexander the Great…. I have SEEN Cleopatra….”
It was the Sphinx who was supposed to be talking and who was narrating the show. I have to be honest, it was a bit cheesy, but it was still pretty good and really informative. The show lasted about an hour and during this time, the Sphinx told the history of the Pyramids. He spoke of the Pharaohs who had been responsible for building them and of their lives and deaths. He also spoke of the other great ancient leaders who had graced the doorsteps of the Pyramids with their presence, and spent some time talking about ancient Egyptian traditions such as mummification. While this was happening, different pictures were displayed upon the sides of the pyramids with different colored laser lights. It was like Las Vegas meeting the ancient Egyptian world, (sigh of pleasure), and it was wonderful.
