I stayed in the shadow of Egypt's iconic pyramids, and they're more surreal than any photos can show

July 2024 ยท 3 minute read
2019-01-15T18:08:21Z
Harrison Jacobs/Business Insider

In person and up close, the Pyramids tower nearly 500 feet over the landscape. It's a constant reminder that no matter how much wealth and power you amass in your life, we're all going to the same place. I'm looking at you, Jeff Bezos and Donald Trump.

A common complaint about visiting the Pyramids is that it's not like how you imagine it because the complex sits right up against the dusty and crowded city of Giza. People claim to be disappointed that you don't arrive from the desert by camel to find nothing but the pyramids for miles. 

But for me, the presence of people living in the Pyramids' shadow is enthralling. At the Pyramids' feet, a monumental feat of ancient engineering slams into the advance of modern civilization. Time stops for no one, not even great Pharaohs.

Every night, the Egyptian government puts on a two-hour sound and laser light show, where the pyramids light up in all different colors as a booming voice tells stories of ancient Egypt. It's a kitschy affair.

On my second night in Giza, I visited the Pyramid Loft Homestay, my guesthouse's sister property, to watch the light show. That property had an even better view for the show, the owner told me.

The light show almost didn't happen as it was raining for the first time in months. But then the storm cleared slightly and the pyramids were suddenly lit up in green and red and purple.

It ups how strange the view is. Check it out:

Harrison Jacobs/Business Insider

I won't forget that sight anytime soon.

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