Magens Bay --San Thomas

Monday, August 20, 2012

Journey to the land of Pharaohs --First Stop: Pyramid Giza


Last Friday was supposed to be the day we get to travel but I couldn't manage to carve out some time.   To make out what we have missed, this whole week, I am going to take you all to the land of pharaoh --Egypt.
And today, we are visiting the 'Pyramid Giza.' I won't bore you with history but still, a little bit of background is cool. Pyramid Giza is the oldest of the 'Seven wonders" of ancient the world that still exists and largely intact --and the last survivor!

Five thousand years ago, Giza was the burial place for the Memphis, the pharaoh's capital city. The three pyramids and the Sphinx were built by arguably the greatest civilization on earth.

How do you feel so far? One could imagine my feeling when I first caught sight at the pyramids. There was a surge of excitement, feeling of impressed and touched. And the pyramid, at the first glimpse, it looks so majestic and every corner we turn ... we are trying to capture the moment --click, click.




Around 2,550 BC the first pyramid was built by Khufu, pharaoh, with over 2 millions block and weigh around 2.5 tons. --what do ya say? --I am totally in awe!








Here what I extracted from National Geographic site describing who built the pyramid, "
It took more than manual labor, though. Architects achieved an accurate pyramid shape by running ropes from the outer corners up to the planned summit, to make sure the stones were positioned correctly. And priests-astronomers helped choose the pyramids' sites and orientations, so that they would be on the appropriate axis in relation to sacred constellations.
From stone pusher to priest, every worker would likely have recognized his or her role in continuing the life-and-death cycle of the pharaohs, and thereby in perpetuating the glory of Egypt."



The Sphinx and the second tallest pyramid was built by Khafre, Khufu's next successor. The littlest one was built by the grandson, Menkaure
Along the side of both Khufu and Khafre's pyramids were large boat-shaped pits and buried boats that were presumably meant to help both pharaoh on their journey to afterlife.--Interesting...




Hope you enjoy this little getaway and see you tomorrow on our journey to the "Adventure into the Red Pyramid." (http://journeyofmylifendestiny.blogspot.com/2012/08/journey-deep-into-red-pyramid.html)

Until next stop,
Journey of Life

4 comments:

  1. I still remember my first sight of the Pyramids about 20 years ago. Then, 2 years ago, we stayed at a hotel in Giza where we could see them from our window. It felt quite surreal somehow!

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