Heat, Dust and Dirt Bikes in Egypt

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Cairo’s pace is frenetic and chaotic, its traffic almost certainly dangerous, but it’s just the way things are here. I see one man splattered on the side of the street, and just about every car is dented, covered in the October dust. The city feels impenetrable, it’s rhythm erratic. Yet 17 million inhabitants in the Arab world’s largest city dance to the beat of Cairo. Tourists drink their tea, take their pictures, and beeline for Giza.

Last time I was at the pyramids, I remember the heat, the pushy Bedouins selling camel rides, and the dark, humid narrow tunnel inside the Pyramid of Afresh. This time I’ll remember eating beef sandwiches in the shade of ancient rubble, the stress of filming beneath a punishing mid-day sun, the “official” kickbacks for “official” permission to shoot, and the atmosphere of being at one of the world’s most recognizable tourist attractions. It’s surprising just how close the Giza complex is to the city, part of its western skyline if you could see through the smog. I watched the Spy Who Loved Me recently, whereby James Bond walked into Giza, cross a path and emerged in Luxor (a long away away). Better than Transformers 2 though, where the pyramids are shown to be in the middle of the desert, and a stone’s throw away from Jordan’s Petra – clearly the director was too busy looking at Megan Fox’s butt to consult a map. I’ve read quite a few books concerning the pyramids since my previous visit, and believe there’s more than meets the eye when it comes to their creation. There’s just too much going on here – the way they line up with the stars, the exact dimensions, it’s appearance on the dollar bill – no wonder conspiracy theorists have a field day. My own suspicions arise from hearing author Graham Hancock discuss the corrupt dealings of Egyptologist icon Zawi Hawas. There’s so much that can be discovered, but so much is held back, and Hawas seems to hold the key. You can Google all this stuff, in the meantime I’ll take a came ride, replace an old pyramid photo with a funkier digital one, and create a personal photo collage at the Wonders of the World, ancient and otherwise.

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