The breakfast in the new hotel was terrible - we ate there because it was included and we were in a rush, but decided not to in the future.
The taxi driver was on time and so we had a very clear run through the almost deserted early morning streets - it was very unusual compared to the chaos at every other time. The first stop was Giza - the location of the most famous Pyramids and the Sphinx. Less tourists than we expected actually though we were far from being alone. We paid to descend into the great pyramid of Cheops which was exciting and not as claustrophobic as I had been lead to believe. It was a little dissappointing though as there wasn't actually anything in there to see. The boys went in the second pyramid which they said was "like the other one but not so good" - It was very expensive and as well as general entry you had to pay for each different place you went into - so we got our photos of the Sphinx from a distance.
Next stop was Saqqara which is the site of the oldest Pyramid of all - the "Step Pyramid". It was extremely interesting and well worth the visit - it is surrounded by various other tombs and statues etc. After that to Dahshar which was the real highlight of the day. The Red Pyramid needed us to climb down a steep 65m tunnel to two very large spooky sulphur smelling chambers. There was only the three of us in there - though a bus load had just arrived as we began to climb out and we had to squeeze past about 40 people. At this site is also the "bent" temple which is interesting because it still has its limestone casing somewhat intact - and because they changed the design while building it (having improved their techniques we assume) with the top half at a different angle. Final stop was at the Memphis museum which was a waste of money really - and given the large outlay of the day in entrance fees already we were a bit annoyed by it.
On the way home the driver started to tell us how he thought it had been a very long day and we had driven very far and perhaps the price we had negotiated was too low - but when I refused to pay any extra he started driving very fast and dangerously obviously to show us his anger. After a screeching halt on the wrong side of the road at a bump he hadn't seen he seemed to have scared himself abit though as well and the rest of the trip was silent but safe enough. I did give him a small tip extra though because until the end he had been very good and helpful and honest.
Back in town we had some dinner and spent some time on the Internet. The boys slept and I went fo a late night wander around town - eating a few little sweets as desert.
