The 'Other' Pyramids

We set off in thick fog to drive south to Saqqara to visit the Step Pyramid built for King Djoser (or Xoser) by Imhotep, the first person in the world to use stone as a building material. Saqqara was the necropolis for the great city of Memphis. It's made of several huge slabs called mastabas (platforms), each one smaller than the one below. We could only look from a distance, as it's falling down in front. Saw our first camels here. We entered through a row of columns. The top half of all of them has gone and a wooden roof has been built over the top where there was stone formerly.

I dashed around, looking down deep holes the size of a huge room, and remains of old pyramids with only some of the outer stones left. I saw a little door down a hole, and found a panel of beautifully preserved hieroglyphics. Took lots of close-ups. My own special ones - nobody else came across them.

Next stop was Dahshur, first to see the Bent Pyramid. On the way we stopped to take a guard on board. Our guide Rami explained that the guard would be wearing a suit and tie and lace up shoes, because that was the rule. But he would have a gun under his jacket for our protection.

The Bent Pyramid was built for Sneferu, father of Khufu, whose pyramid is the big one in Cairo. But when they were about 30-40 metres up, they realised the angle of the corners was wrong and it would be fantastically high. The king ordered them to change the angle and complete it, but he didn't want to be buried in something that looked so odd. So he ordered what is now called the Red Pyramid - not for its colour, but for the red drawings found inside.

Great excitement when we found that there were NO tourist buses at the Bent Pyramid! Just us and a couple of four wheel drives. Why? Because the roads are not sealed. It was marvellous. Three tourist police, one on a camel, walked with us, as did the armed guard who had travelled with us on the bus.

Next we went to the Red Pyramid. It's not red, it was named for the grafitti found inside. When we got there, we were able to go inside. Just climbed up the steps and dragged ourselves down a steep ramp inside, them up into the burial chamber. Oh my thighs! It took four days to recover, using Antiflamme morning and evening. If you want an idea of what they felt like, squat down to a crouch, tuck your head down to your knees so you don't bash it on the low ceiling, lift your heels and try to walk forward!