al-Ahram
And to the observer? The pyramids are grand. Put in the right context – historical, mathematical, cultural, architectural, geographical – and they become incredible pieces of human ingenuity.
The Pyramids are, in a word, ambivalent. I would think that, after standing in the same spot of desert for over 5,000 years, they could care less what goes on around them -- how cities sprout then wither, how people birth then kill, how dynasties shine then crumble. And at their ripe old age, they could give a rat's ass about the fat, sweaty (and whiny) tourists squeezing through the narrow shafts that puncture through the insides, leading to once-upon-a-time treasure laden tombs.
Yes -- I wonder if they care that much about the touts selling camel rides for "35 wait-wait only 20 nonono mister how bout 5 Egyptian pounds"? Or the tourist police twirling their batons, molesting tourists to 'show your tickets' so that they can strike up conversations that will lead to 'you want to take my picture' whereby they can stretch out their hands for tips and maleesh. Or the French tourist who stood his son on top of the Great Pyramid itself so the little kid can go pee.. when the toilets were mere meters away on the ground?
And to the observer? The pyramids are grand. Put in the right context – historical, mathematical, cultural, architectural, geographical – and they become incredible pieces of human ingenuity. Perfect squares made of perfect triangles aligned celestially on earth. Amazing. But ambivalent still, because they are relics of a time passed, and you can't help but tie these monstrosities of the human spirit against the bewildering and sometimes tragic figure of their current land: Egypt. The pyramids only serve to remind how far Egypt has fallen from her glory days, and how pale the current guardians seem compared to the glow of the Pharaonic Age, how so much was lost and how her current people have to live with their present and suffer with their collective memories.
Ok ok ok, recap. I went I saw I gaped I crawled I walked and walked (through the desert) and took pictures (of camels too!) and looked at all the pointy triangles rising out of the sand.. and then I ate a late lunch at a KFC's whose windows looked out onto the Giza trio... I have a picture to prove the American iconoclashing against the al-Ahrams...