CAIRO , THE SPRAWLING CAPITAL OF EGYPT , IS SET ON THE FAMOUS NILE RIVER
THE RED PYRAMID IS ALSO CALLED THE NORTH PYRAMID
1 DAY
CAIRO
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EXPLORE Make a full-day excursion south of town to see Dahshur , home to the Bent Pyramid , which still retains much of its original limestone facing , and the Red Pyramid , the first true pyramid constructed by the Egyptians . They stand rather lonely in the desert , with far fewer visitors than their more famous counterparts in Giza . A short drive away are the monuments of Saqqara , notably the Step Pyramid of Zoser , the oldest freestanding stone building in the world . Explore the tombs and temples surrounding it . And don ’ t miss the Serapeum , another UNESCO World Heritage site . This complex of hand-hewn caverns was used to entomb representations of the Apis , the incarnation of Ptah in bull form . Inside are 24 mind-bogglingly massive granite sarcophagi , some of which are estimated to weigh 70-to- 80 tons . Standing beside one of them , the top of my head didn ’ t even reach the underside of the lid . The smoothness of the sarcophagi ’ s surfaces , the sharpness of their corners and their sheer size stand as yet another testament to the stone carving ( and stone moving ) prowess of the ancient Egyptians . Return to The St . Regis and perhaps have an aperitif in its muraled bar . Depart the next day .
THE PYRAMIDS CLOSE BEFORE SUNSET BUT THEY ARE LIT UP AT NIGHT
ANDREW HARPER TRAVELER ISSUE NO . 2 / 2022
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