Saturday 31/5 Top Deck Day 6 - Sakara + Coptic Cairo

Our bus got back into Cairo around 8. We got back to the Swiss Inn hotel where we had stayed earlier, and we got booked into rooms. We had a short time for a quick shower and whatnot, and then met up downstairs to farewell some people heading off to Alexandria, and to meet our tour guide Rona and depart for Sakara.

At Sakara we saw the step pyramids, the earliest pyramid built by man, and I think it was also the first tomb built by man or something like that. It was actually much cooler than we were all expecting, and much bigger too.

We spent a bit of time there and then drove a short distance around to a tomb that we could climb down into. It was quite cool, very similar to the great pyramids but not quite as hot. There were also a couple attached rooms that we could go into. A local guide (staff there, I think) had to take us in, but he was completely rushing us around. When he asked for a tip afterwards I just smirked.

We then drove back into town to see coptic Cairo. We went to see the hanging church which was built above an old roman tower, and apparently had some great significance to Christians because it sheltered Jesus some time for some reason. Wasnt particularly intersting or impressive.

We drove to get lunch at a restaurant out by the big markets in Cairo. Only a couple girls stayed to go browse the shops. The rest of us decided to take advantage of some free time and nap a bit, or internet a bit, or whatever. We stayed in the hotel, caught up on some blog drafting and generally took it easy.