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Giza – |
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 Inside
the pyramids at Giza – At Giza, kids will never forget going
inside the pyramids of Cheops (Khufu), Chephren and Mencerinus. The ramps
leading down into the pyramid are kid size (an adult has to bend over).
Inside, you emerge into the galleries, some with very high ceilings. The
sensation of being inside these huge piles of stone is unforgettable. |
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Khufu's Boat Museum (Solar Boat Museum) – In addition to all the stuff inside his great pyramid, Cheops funerary goodies included two full size "sun boats" to ferry the pharaoh through the afterworld or across the heavens. In the museum, you'll see an amazing reconstruction of one boat, re-assembled from over 1200 pieces. |
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Ride
donkeys, camels or horses around the pyramids – It sounds tacky, but
do yourself a favor. Rent horses (or donkeys) for an hour or two. On horseback
you are less likely to be approached by all the souvenir sellers and self
appointed "guides." Most importantly, you can ride in the sandy
area northwest of the pyramids where there are no roads and no tour buses.
The kids said, "It's the best way to see the Giza pyramids." |
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Sphinx
Sound and Light show – Your kids may find the narrative boring,
but the very cool lighting effects are sure to please. Also, it begins early
in the evening and there is something wonderful about seeing the pyramids
in the dark. |
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Editor’s note – Giza is a circus. Sometimes I wanted to make
all the souvenir sellers and camel drivers just disappear. A sense of
humor helps. When I’d been accosted for the gazillionth time, "Want
to ride a camel?" and I’d replied, "We’ve ridden camels
and they aren’t comfortable," one guy wittily responded, "Want
to buy a camel." The kids loved the idea. |
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Saqqara (Sakkara) – Saqqara is close
to Cairo, but light on tourists. The Step Pyramid is impressive in
its own way, and it has a large sandy area like a giant sandbox for the
kids to play in. Around the back (north) of the Step Pyramid, find the peek
hole in a stone "shed" to see a full size statue of Zoser inside. |
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At Saqqara, our favorite tomb was the Mastaba of Ti.
There we saw a live scarab beetle. Our guide caught it in a plastic bag
and asked if we wanted to take it home. Very appealing, but you can't bring
insects back in into the U.S. |
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Dashur – Dashur is just
a little further than Saqqara, and worlds away from the flurry of Giza and
Cairo. The Red Pyramid is as large as the Great
Pyramid of (Cheops) at Giza and the interior rooms are very impressive.
My son said, "We squeezed through a narrow stone doorway and came out
into a room. Not just any room, but a huge stone room with vaulted ceilings
that looked like it has upside down steps in it. I stared there for awhile
with my nose and mouth hanging open, just staring." |
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All about the
pyramid of Khufu (Cheops), and a good explanation of Egyptian cosmology –
why the afterlife was so important to the ancient Egyptians, especially
for a pharaoh. Wonderfully illustrated. (Picture book)
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Humorous,
handy hints for workers building the pyramids – try to work in limestone,
not granite, quarries (granite is so hard), scribes keep track of everything,
so don't "borrow" tools, to avoid serious accidents, carry a
lucky amulet.
(Picture book)
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How Khufu's enormous "sun boat" was built by craftsmen in 2581 BC, and re-constructed today. Thousands of pieces put back together reveal the secrets of ancient shipbuilders. Dazzling illustrations, like Egyptian wall paintings. (Chapter book)
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Join Will on an archeological expedition and discover a secret tomb at Giza. Based on a real dig, Will's fictional expedition notebook is filled with hand-written entries, real photos from the time, facts about archeology and the pyramids, and colorful illustrations. (Picture book)
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When
the magic tree house whirls Jack and Annie into ancient Egypt, they
go deep inside the great stone pyramid. Will they decipher the hieroglyphs
on the pyramid wall to find the Book of the Dead and discover a
way out?
(Easy reader)
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Each
page has facts about the pyramids, plus an ingenious 3-D maze.
At the end, there's a hieroglyphic code to crack. (Picture book)
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(More children's
books on other Egypt pages) |
