While waiting outside it sprinkled a bit, but by the time we piled into the van it was bright and sunny. So sunny in fact that the pyramids loomed over us, dark and imposing. We stopped at the entrance to get tickets, and then headed towards the pyramids. First up was the Great Pyramid, the pyramid of Khufu.

I was struck by two things: Just how huge these things are, and my non-awe. I was surprised at that. I thought I’d be struck with such excitement, such wonder, that I’d feel overwhelmed. But I didn’t. I just mused that these pyramids looked exactly how pyramids should look. I’ve seen hundreds of photos across the ages of these pyramids or documentaries detailing how they were made. They just WERE, just like they were supposed to be. It reminded me of how some Coloradans never go into beautiful mountains that we have dividing our state. People just come to take them for granted. The mountains and the pyramids have simply ALWAYS been there. They aren’t shocking or surprising. They simple just ARE, they simply just EXIST. Its like air or the Sun or gravity. You expect it.

As we got closer though, the details show the majesty of what the ancients undertook. Beyond the huge structure itself, the stones at the base are massive and seem to go up to the heavens.

I had been warned that the sellers at the pyramids are aggressive. I had learned the word “No” (pronounced LAH), and said it to the first few people who ran up to me. In perfect English they corrected me, “No, no Lady. Its “La Shukran. (No Thank you.)” They said in an attempted kindly but miffed tone. Sure a few would follow you, but if you ignored them they moved onto other prey. Some of my group had purchased tickets to go inside this pyramid. But my legs were still hurting from going into the Red Pyramid, and I had heard they were all fairly similar on the inside, so I stayed outside to take photos. (Although I did climb up towards the entrance to get a photo of me on the stones.)

Afterwards I walked around to one side and saw the gleaming casing stones on the pyramid of Khafre and took many photos of it and Khufu’s pyramid.

Between the two pyramids are many tombs and ruins.

While on this side I ran into George and Magda and we took a selfie (while a hawker asked us to give the camera over, so he could take a good photo of us all…obviously for a tip, he was mad as hell when we ignored him after then 10th ask.)

While walking back to meet the bus, we also saw two others in our group, Richard and Tara. They asked us if it was a long way around, as they wanted to walk 360 degrees around it. As a joke we responded “Oh yes! Its not far, we’ve walked around 3 times!” As they ran off into the distance I wondered if they’d make it back. (And later I wish I had been as agile as them to have run around the pyramid in such a short time! I’m also sad I didn’t think to walk all the way around it.) I also wish I had ran to the other side, and saw the Solar Boat Museum as that is one thing I failed to see.

Unsurprisingly, when it was time to meet at the bus, Richard and Tara were nowhere to be found. Mikel was worried, and I just played dumb. After about 5 minutes we did speak up saying we heard them wanting to run around the entire pyramid. Mikel was shocked, “Oh no! That will take a while.” But not long after they arrived and we headed to get a better look at the other two pyramids.