Day 3, saturday 14 april 2012

Today's program, Dahshur and Meidum.

After a very eventful day yesterday, we continue our journey through the history of Egypt with a visit to Dahshur, where the Bent Pyramid and the Red Pyramid of Sneferu, the father of Cheops (4th dynasty) and the pyramid of Amenemhat III are located and then continue to drive to Meidum to visit the pyramid of Huni (3rd dynasty), the grandfather of Cheops and the mastaba who is also there

Meanwhile, we have just received news that our next driver can't pick us up, because there is no gasoline obtainable. And there is nothing else to do for Olette than to improvise and that means this afternoon by train to Minya, well never done that before so why not.

Bentpyramid of Sneferu.
	Click on the ticket to see some pictures.
The Bentpyramid os Sneferu is also an very impressive structure, how did they do that? Unfortunately a visit of this pyramide was not possible. But the guard told me to climb up the queenspyramid, who is behind the bentpyramid and on top you have a great view.

Pyramid of Amenemhat III.

This pyramid we could only view from a distance because it is in a military zone, where non-combatants do not have access to.

Red pyramid of Sneferu.

Luckily it was allowed to look inside the pyramid, a possibility which I seized with both hands. After quite a descent, I was already sweating (it is like a sauna inside these buildings) when I arrived in the front room, which is connected to a second room by a low passage.

Click on the picture to see more.

After a short look, it was time to take out the camera and film the inside.
Starting at the beginning of the first room, I walk continues filming to the second room and then it happened ......... the light fell out ........... well I can tell you that it is really pitch-dark in there.
Well after having wait a few moments if the lights would went on, but they didn't, I had to grope my way back, something which was fortunately relatively easy. Then climbing all the way up and arrivig by the entrance I saw that the guard had already arranged a bit help. Another person came with me with a torchlight. So I stille had the opportunity to take some shots from the second chamber and the burialchamber.
After climbing up again to the exit it was time for a little 5 minute break. After that a started with the descent towards the car where Olette and George were waiting for me.

Meidum.

After 50 minutes we arrived at Meidum by the pyramid of Huni, the grandfather of Cheops.
I start repeating myself when I say that this is another impressive sight, but well it's just the way it is.

Mastaba no. 17.

Before I went to enter the pyramid of Huni, something that immediately was asked if we had interest in, because here the tourists are very sparse, in fact we were the only ones, I first visited mastaba no. 17. Again an interesting experience to crawl through a narrow corridor.

Pyramid of Huni.

After a short look at the mortuary temple, it was the turn to the pyramid self.
Inside you can clerly see that the pyramide was basically a few mastabas stacked on each other. But do not ask me how they did that, putting these huge boulders so seamlessly on each other, really awesome.

Well then the day is already over and we drive after all this adrenaline visits back to Caïro, to take the train from 1800 hours to Minya our next target. After a trainride off 4½ hours we arrive in Minya, were we were nicely greeded by our new driver for the next two days and coincidentally was his name George.

George took us to our new home for the next two nights, hotel Echnaton.
Unfortunately was it not possible to drink a beer here, because this hotel has an Islamic management so selling alchohol is out of the question.
So go to sleep then, because the next day it is rise and shine at 6 o'clock for my next adventure in Egypt.