October 6

Written By Naguib Kerba

Khan El Khalili Market, Cairo

Private Tabla Dinner

The morning visit to the Pyramids

The Great Pyramid of Giza is the largest in Egypt. It was the tomb of the Pharaoh Khufu in the Fourth Dynasty of the Old Kingdom.

It is considered the oldest of the Seven Wonders of the Ancient World. Would you happen to know what the other six are? (If you can’t come up with the answers, I will be listing them at the bottom of today’s blog.

KEY STATISTICS OF THE GREAT PYRAMID OF GIZA;

  • Original height: 481 feet

  • Current height: 454 feet, erosion and removal of casing stones.

  • Base length: 756 feet per side and aligned along cardinal points of the compass.

  • Number of blocks: Estimated at 2,300,000. Average block weight 2.5 tons (5,000 lbs.). Some blocks in the King’s chamber weigh up to 80 tons.

  • It is estimated at between ten and twenty years to build.

  • The pyramid contains three interior chambers.

Old Cairo and Khan el Khalili

Khan el-Khalili is the most famous market in Islamic Cairo. It was built by Emir Djaharks el-Khalili and established in the 14th century. I have no idea how many booths there are, or how winding the aisles are.

This is yet another UNESCO World Heritage Site checked off on our list.

The Seven Wonders of the Ancient World, (The other six):

  • The Hanging Gardens of Babylon

  • The Statue of Zeus at Olympia

  • The Lighthouse of Alexandria

  • The Colossus of Rhodes

  • The Temple of Artemis at Ephesus

  • The Mausoleum Of Helicarnassus

Naguib Kerba
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October 5