Memphis, Imhotep, and Saqqara

30th - 9:00am
Waited for my driver for half hour, finaly got here (the hotel) and then we both waited on the car, he didn't have one and I guess was dropped off. Too funny. He was friendly enogh, just didn't speake english... very little. And, I know like a handful of Arabic words/phrases so there wasn't much conversation. The drive to Memphis was long, bumpy and scarry at times. Scarry with traffic, people do pretty much whatever they want on the road here. Speaking of which, I've seen the sign in California many times, you know (don't cross the freeway), with the family crossing the freeway but I've never seen anyone actually do it. Today, playing chicken took on a hole new meaning. I can not believe that I had seen so many people darting across a freeway with cars doing 60mph. Insane. Anyway, we arrived in Memphis and there's not much to see there but the colossal statue of Ramses II, it's incredable. The alabaster shpinx is amazing too. Sad that ther's nothing left of Memphis. One can only imagien as to what it might have been like.

12:00pm
Just left Imhotep. Went into the temple and down into the tomd. I keep saying this but, amazing! The detail on the walls, the stories they tell. After the temple and tomb I went to visit Saqqara but the guard wouldn't let me in. He told me I had to buy another ticket. I left and went to the museum down the hill. After the museum I talked to the man that sold me the ticket and he said the ticket I purchased was good for the whole site, Imhotep, Saqqara, and the museum. I went back up the hill to the guard gate at Saqqara and argued with the the man that wouldn't let me in. He let me in and I spent about an hour walking the site. Saqqqara/the step pyramid is wonderful. The thing I'm left saddened with is how much trash is on the site. Hell, there's trash everywhere so I shouldn't be shocked. I've even seen some dead mules and cows in the chanels and just down the road kids swiming. Regardless of the trash, Saqqara is mesmerising though.

2:15
Just left Elzba resturant, good food, so full. The driver and I are both ready for a nap but we have to get to Giza. The resturant is just up the road from Saqqara about three miles on the west side of the chanel.