Egypt Travel Part XII(Final): Great Giza Pyramid Complex and Khan el Khalil Bazaar
Egypt Travel Part XII(Final): Great Giza Pyramid Complex and Khan el Khalil Bazaar
Day 11 Saturday, 23 December 2017
This day was our last day of our visit in Egypt. We had two more places to go, namely, Great Giza Pyramid Complex in the Cairo outskirt and the largest bazaar, Khan el Khalil Bazaar, in Egypt that is in the Cairo city.
In the morning, we left our hotel, Le Meridien Hotel, in the outskirt of Cairo city and travelled a short distance to Giza.
Map showing the location of Giza where the Great Giza Pyramid Complex is.
Map showing the location of Giza in Egypt where well-known pyramids are sited
Ticket to visit the Great Giza Pyramid Complex in Giza in Egypt
Ticket to visit Great Giza Pyramid Complex in Egypt
The Great Giza Pyramid Complex
This place was a cemetery or necropolis for ancient Egyptian kings, queens and noblemen who lived about 4500 years ago. It is the only place in the world where the deceased were buried in large or small pyramids. Besides, there are tombs, too.
Location of the important pyramids at the Great Giza Pyramid Complex, Egypt
Plan of Great Giza Pyramid Complex, Egypt
The important pyramids at Great Pyramid Complex, Egypt
The oldest, largest and highest pyramid at this complex is the Pyramid of Khufu(died in 2566 B.C.), second, Pyramid of Khafre(died in 2480 B.C.), and third, Pyramid of Menkaure(died in 2500 B.C.). Besides, there are three small pyramids for queens, tombs for other queens and cemeteries for noblemen.
The Pyramids at Giza Pyramid Complex, Egypt
Pyramid of Khufu
Tour group posing in front of Pyramid of Khufu also known as the Great Pyramid of Giza. It is the largest, oldest and highest pyramid in Egypt and the world too. Its height is 146.7 metres.
Tour group visiting Giza Pyramid Complex in Egypt on 23 Dec 2017
Writer, wife, sister-in-law and brother(left to right) at the Great Pyramid of Giza or Pyramid of Khufu
Writer, wife , brother and sister-in-law posing in front of Pyramid Khufu, the oldest, largest and tallest pyramid in Egypt and the world too.
Pyramid of Khufu has an entrance and air shaft leading to the tombs of the King and Queen inside.
Pyramid of Khufu houses the tombs of King Khufu and his queen. It has air-shaft and entrance to their tombs inside.
Pyramid of Khafre
Pyramid of Khafre is the second largest and highest pyramid in Egypt. Its height is 136.4 metres. Khaftre was King Khufu’s son who died in 2480 B.C..
Pyramid of Khafre is the second largest and tallest pyramid in Egypt. Khafre was Khufu’s son who died in 2480 B.C..
Great Sphinx
There is a large statue of a mythical creature that has a lion’s body and human head several hundred metres from the Pyramid of Khafre. It is known as the Great Sphinx, the largest figure in the world. It was created during the reign of King Khafre from 2558 until 2532 B.C..
Great Sphinx is located further down the Pyramid of Khafre. It was created during the reign of King Khafre(2558-2532 B.C.)
Writer’s wife and tour members posing in front of the Great Sphinx and the Pyramid of Khafre behind the sphinx
Writer’s wife and tour members posing for a photo in front of the Great Sphinx, Giza Pyramid Complex, Egypt
Writer and wife trying to “touch” the top of the Pyramid of Khafre
Writer and wife trying to “touch” the top of the Pyramid of Khafre
Funerary Temple
A funerary temple was built at every pyramid for worshipping the deceased king or queen. Food and objects were offered to the deceased.
A funerary temple at every pyramid for worshiping the deceased king or queen. Food and objects were offered to the deceased.
Writer and wife at the Great Giza Pyramid Complex, Egypt, on 23 Dec 2017
Writer and wife at the Giza Pyramid Complex on 23 Dec 2017
Writer’s brother and wife at the Great Giza Pyramid Complex, Egypt, on 23 Dec 2017
Writer’s brother and wife at the Giza Pyramid Complex on 23 Dec 2017
Tan and family at the Great Giza Pyramid Complex, Egypt, on 23 Dec 2017
Tan and family at the Giza Pyramid Complex on 23 Dec 2017
Hilarious Moments at the Great Giza Pyramid Complex. Egypt
i. Peter Lim appearing to have flown like the Superman from the pyramids to the cameraman
Peter Lim, a tour member, appearing to have flown like the Superman from the pyramids to the cameraman
ii, Tay appearing to have jumped off the Pyramid of Khafre like the Spiderman at the Great Giza Pyramid, Egypt
Tay, a tour member, appearing to have jumped off a pyramid
iii. Yong Zhen, the tour manager, appearing to make one jump over three pyramids
Yong Zhen, the tour manager, appearing to make one jump over three pyramids
iv. Tan and wife playing an exciting “game” at the Great Giza Pyramid Complex, Egypt
Tan and wife playing an exciting “game” at the Giza Pyramid Complex, Egypt
Camel Ride
Before we left the Great Giza Pyramid Complex, we went for a camel ride near the place in the Sahara Desert, Egypt.
Tourists love camel ride
Many tourists going for camel ride near the Giza Pyramid Complex in Sahara Desert, Egypt
Tour members and tourists enjoying the camel ride in the Sahara Desert
Tourists, including our tour group, love the camel ride near the Giza Pyramid Complex in the Sahara Desert, Egypt.
Writer’s wife will never forget her first camel ride near the Great Giza Pyramid Complex in Sahara Desert, Egypt.
Writer’s wife will never forget her first camel ride in Sahara Desert, Egypt
Writer and wife enjoying the camel ride together near the Great Giza Pyramid Complex in Sahara Desert, Egypt
Writer and wife enjoying the camel ride together in Sahara Desert, Egypt
Cindy, a tour member, loves camel riding, too.
Cindy, a tour member, loves camel riding. too.
Visit to Khan el Khalil Bazaar in Cairo
After the visit to the Great Giza Pyramid and the camel ride, we went to a bazaar in Cairo city. Known as Khan el Khalil Bazaar, it is the largest in Egypt that has a few thousand stalls selling goods of all kinds ranging from daily necessities to silver and gold jewellery.
El Hossein Square
On arrival at the Cairo city, we had lunch first at a restaurant in El Hossein Square. This public square is surrounded by mosques, old buildings, restaurants and coffee-shops.
El Hossein Square is surrounded by El Hossein Mosque, a row of of coffee shops and restaurants, and large, old buildings.
El Hossein Mosque
This square has a large mosque known as el Hossein Mosque. Hence, the square takes the name of the mosque. This mosque which was built in 1154 houses some sacred items like the oldest manuscripts of Quran.
El Hossein Mosque built in 1154 in the Square houses some sacred items like the oldest manuscripts of Quran.
A row of restaurants and coffee-shops in the El Hossein Square
A row of coffee-shops and restaurants in El Hossein Square, Cairo
The Khan el Khalil Bazaar is behind this row of restaurants and coffee-shops
A row of coffee-shops and restaurants in the El Hossein Square and Khan el Khalili Bazaar behind the buildings
Writer, wife, brother and sister-in-law(left to right) having lunch at a restaurant, Abou Mazen Restaurant, in El Hossein Square, Cairo, on 23 Dec 2017
Writer, wife, brother and sister-in-law having lunch at Abou Mazen Restaurant in El Hossein Square, Cairo, on 23 Dec 2017
Delicious Lunch
We had a delicious lunch at Abou Mazen Restaurant, El Hossein Square, Cairo, Egypt
Delicious lunch for writer, wife, brother and sister-in-law at Abou Mazen Restaurant, El Hossein Square, Cairo
Egypt’s Largest Bazaar
After lunch my wife and I walked to Egypt’s largest bazaar, Khan el Khalil Bazaar, which is a few metres from the El Hossein Square and right behind the row of restaurants and coffee-shops.
Khan el Khalil Bazaar, established in 1382 in Cairo, is the largest market-place in Egypt. It has a few thousand stalls attracting domestic and foreign tourists alike.
Over a Thousand Shops and Stalls
There are over a thousand shops and stalls at Khan el Khalil Bazaar selling goods ranging from clothes, shoes and souvenirs to silver and gold jewellery.
A busy shopping street at the bazaar, Khan el Khalil or just Khan
A busy shopping street at Khan el Khalil Bazaar, Cairo
Street Vendors at Khan el Khalil Bazaar
Street vendors at Khan el Khalil Bazaar, Cairo
Goods overflowing a street at the bazaar
Goods overflowing a street that is a common sight at Khan el Khalil Bazaar, Cairo
Domestic and foreign visitors are spoilt for choice at the bazaar.
A wide variety of goods for sale at Khan el Khalil Bazaar, Cairo
Writer’s wife buying T-shirts at Khan el Khalil Bazaar
Writer’s wife buying T-shirts at Khan el Khalil Bazaar, Cairo
Photos below show some of the things for sale at the shops of the bazaar.
Jewellery for sale
Jewellery for sale at Khan el Khalil Bazaar, Cairo
Colourful clothes for sale
Colourful clothes for sale at Khan el Khalil Bazaar, Cairo
Souvenirs for sale
Souvenirs for sale at Khan el Khalil Bazaar, Cairo
Paintings on papyrus papers for sale
Paintings on papyrus papers for sale at Khan el Khalil Bazaar, Cairo
Water-pipes for smoking “shisha” for sale
Water-pipes for smoking shisha(hookah) are for sale at Khan el Khalil Bazaar, Cairo
“Shisha” Smoking
An Egyptian showing the writer the way he smokes “shisha”. Like smoking cigarettes, it can cause health problems as it uses tobacco, too.
An Egyptian showing the writer the way he smokes shisha. Like smoking cigarettes, smoking “shisha” can cause health problems as it uses tobacco, too.
Departure from Cairo for Home
In the late afternoon, we left the bazaar for Cairo International Airport where we would fly home on an Emirates airplane at 7.05 in the evening.
Tour Group Flying Home on an Emirates Airplane
Tour group flying home by Emirates plane at Cairo, Egypt, at 7.05 p.m. 0n 23 Dec 2017
Tour Group flying home from Cairo to Singapore via Dubai
Tour group flying from Cairo to Singapore via Dubai from 23-24 Dec 2017
Egypt Trip to Remember
We have spent 11 days visiting ancient historical places, boat-cruising along River Nile, flying in a hot-air balloon, sailing in a submarine in Naama Bay, visiting the largest bazaar and other unforgettable activities in Egypt. We are glad that we have enjoyed every moment of the trip.
Map showing the places we visited in Egypt from 13-23 Dec 2017
Touring places in Egypt from 13-23 Dec 2017
Acknowledgement
Thanks to Chan Brothers Travel Agency(Singapore) for the wonderful Egypt tour, Yong Zheng(tour manager) for taking good care of us and Khaled(Egypt tour guide) for imparting his invaluable knowledge about the historical places we visited. I must also thank all the tour members for being such good friends.
(The End of Egypt Travel)
Egypt Travel Parts I to XII
Egypt Travel Part I :Salah el Din Citadel, Muhammad Ali Mosque, Tahrir Square and Egyptian Museum
Egypt Travel Part II :Valley of the Kings, Hatshepsut Temple and Colossi of Memnon
Egypt Travel Part III :Hot Air Balloons and Karnak Temple Complex
Egypt Travel Part IV :Papyrus Paper-Making, Luxor Temple and Esna Lock
Egypt Travel Part V :Edfu Temple, Kom Ombo Temple and Galabia Party
Egypt Travel Part VI :Abu Simbel Temples and Nubian Village(Elephantine Island)
Egypt Travel Part VII :Unfinished Obelisk, Aswan High Dam and Philae Temple
Egypt Travel Part VIII:Ahmed Hamdi Tunnel, Moon Beach(Ras Sudr), and St. Catherine
Egypt Travel Part IX :Mount Sinai, Catherine’s Monastery and Sharm el Sheikh
Egypt Travel Part X :Sharm el Sheikh
Egypt Travel Part XI :Cairo Food, Saqqara Step Pyramid Complex and Memphis
Egypt Travel Part XII :Great Giza Pyramid Complex and Khan el Khalil Bazaar
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