Ciao Mondo! : More Pyramids: Saqqara, Dahshur and the Gay Hairdressers.

I had never been to Saqqara and Dahshur, so this was the perfect opportunity to go. A few of the other fellows and I grabbed two cabs and off we went. Saqqara was our first stop. Located about 30 km south of Cairo, It is actually a vast burial ground, serving as a necropolis for the ancient capital, Memphis. It features more than a dozen different pyramids on the site, including the world famous step pyramid of Djoser. Djoser was built during the 3rd dynasty and is the oldest complete hewn-stone building complex known in history. For more than 3,000 years, Saqqara was an important complex for burials and cult ceremonies and includes pyramids built by 16 other kings which are in various states of dilapidation.

Also on the site were some new tombs that had just been discovered in the last ten years. Among them was a

double the tomb for two men, Niankhnum (Life belongs to Khunum) and Khnumhotep (Khnum is satisfied) who lived sometime during the 5th Dynasty. Both men had the same titles: 'Prophet of Ra in the Sun Temple of Niuserre,' and 'Overseer of the Manicurists in the Palace of the King.' The tomb is popularly called the 'Tomb of the two Brothers' or the 'Tomb of the Hairdressers.' The two men are frequently depicted together in the tomb, sometimes in a close embrace. Our guide told us that they might have been broth

ers, best friends or gay. What? Come again? Gay? Hmmmm the "Head of the Manicurists" and "Tomb of the Hairdressers," yeah...definitely gay! Hey, I have plenty of gay friends, but this is just so stereotypical that I thought it was hilarious!

On one fresco, Niankhukhnum is on the right grasping his companions right forearm; Khnumhotep, on the left, has his left arm across the other man's back, tightly clasping his shoulder. Their faces are so close together that their noses are practically touching, and their torsos are so close together that the knots on the belts of their kilts seem to be touching or maybe even tied together. Yeah, gay.

Our taxi driver was an

old guy and a very slooow but deliberate driver. He agreed to wait for us - for a fee of course and then take us to Dahshur which is another 10km south of Saqqara and is home of the Bent Pyramid and the Red Pyramid. They were both constructed during the reign of Pharoh Snofru from 2613 - 2589 BC; pre-dating the Great Pyramids of Giza.

The Bent Pyramid is unique because the lower part of the pyramid rises from the desert at a 55 degree inclination, but the

top section is built at the shallower angle of 43 degrees, lending the pyramid its very obvious "bent" appearance. One theory of this discrepancy is that the structure began to show signs of instability during construction, forcing the builders to adopt a shallower angle to avert the structure's collapse. Another theory suggests that the initial angle of construction would take too long because Sneferu's death was nearing, so the builders changed the angle to complete construction on time.

The Red Pyramid was named for the rusty reddish hue of its stones and is the third largest pyramid in Egypt at 345 feet, after those of Khufu and Khafra at Giza. At the time of its completion, it was the tallest man-made structure in the world and is also believed to be the world's first successful attempt at constructing a "true" smooth-sid

ed pyramid since it was once cased with white Tura limestone. Unfortunately, during the middle ages much of the limestone was taken for buildings in Cairo so only a few remain at the pyramid's base on the corner.

The Red Pyramid was open to go inside. We climbed down a passage that was only 3 feet high and 4 feet wide, for 200 feet at a 27 degree angle. Oh my God it smelled so bad like ammonia...cat pee probably. I could barely breathe!

Our old taxi driver got us slooowly back to Cairo and we had a great night with a few drinks!