16 March 2000 (morning)

Our routine has been 6:30 wake-up call, 7:00 breakfast, and board the bus by 8:00, but today we must be on the bus by 7:30. We’ll tour the Giza Plateau as a group this morning, then come back to Mena House for lunch. After that there’s an optional walking tour.

The Great Pyramid as seen from Mena House grounds

The entrance to the Giza Plateau is just around the corner and up the hill from Mena House. Makes sense, given that the Great Pyramid has been looming over us these past few days. We’ll take the bus in spite of the short distance because we’ll want it later.

First stop is a security checkpoint. There’s a police station on our left and a tiny mosque to its right, a crescent moon topping its obelisk-shaped minaret. A greasy looking shop called the “Pyramids Bazaar” is next to the mosque, donkey stables behind it.

Guard House, Giza Plateau

After security we go up the hill and wait. When we get the okay to proceed another bus challenges us to a camel race, but our driver is both ruthless and invincible and we don’t miss our chance to be first in line for Great Pyramid tickets. To prevent scalping, visitors must buy tickets themselves, so Bill stands next to the booth and gives us our allotted pounds.

Guards at the base of the Great Pyramid

First impression of the Giza Plateau: it is immense. Human hands have modified every inch of rock under our feet and it’s an uneven minefield of potential twisted ankles.

Black basalt paving, Great Pyramid

Basalt paving stones are still in place on one side of the Great Pyramid and for a moment I’m able to capture what it must have looked like originally: brilliant angle of seamless white limestone set against a turquoise sky and surrounded by a smooth, black stone lake.

This is the start of Eid al-Adha and there are swarms of picnicking families on holiday. Moustafa tells us they don’t allow Egyptians into the Great Pyramid for the first three days of the feast because there wouldn’t be any tickets left for tourists.

Guards & Camels, Giza Plateau

Camel-riding guards are assembled and ready to head out on patrol. Their uniforms look unbearably hot: black woolen jackets with lots of gold braid looped over the shoulders, thick pants, heavy boots, and berets. The camels make a noise that sounds exactly like an accelerating motorcycle.