Dan and I have been lucky enough to have visited Egypt 3 times now, and each time it is different. This time in particular was quite shocking, and the changes at the Giza Pyramid Plateau was no exception. With tourism accounting for around 12% of Egypt's workforce, the lack of actual tourists is crippling for a massive amount of the population. Where once we would have been hassled by touts constantly, now these same people have been forced to find income elsewhere, and the ones that remain are desperate and defeated.
When Dan and I decided to make the trip out to the Giza Plateau, we anticipated that foreigners would be sparse. It was worse than we expected, they weren’t sparse, but closer to non existent. Abdul (pictured above) was a young camel driver that begged us to open his day off with just 5 pounds. Now, this kinda thing happens all the time, but now it is different. We exchanged 5 pounds for a picture with him and his camel in hopes that he would bring home a little money that day.
Never did I think I would have the opportunity to take a picture of The Pyramids without people in it. Completely bizarre.
People were so shocked to see us that it was like being in India again. We had many people ask us to take pictures with them. It was quite strange actually. We literally had people following, taking pictures while we looked at the site.
Dan and I finally took the time to checkout the Solar Boat Museum at the Giza Plateau and it was totally worthy.
(Link to a Wiki for more information on this crazy archaeological find!)
Dan, sitting in one of my favourite spots in the world. I could sit here for hours, contemplating the origins of the Pyramids and Sphinx, imagining the desert thousands of years ago, and watching the people of today. I love this spot.
Epic.
beautiful pictures as always!
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