Item 01: Irene Victoria Read letters from her husband, 27 November 1914-1 November 1915 - Page 123
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[Page 123]
A few days ago I had a very interesting trip to Sakkara one of the show places of Egypt distant about 10 miles from Mena. Two of the other officers & I left by donkey after breakfast & had a very pleasant ride across the desert. On the way we passed through several very picturesque but exceedingly dirty Arab villages – the people, camels, donkeys, buffaloes dogs & chickens all live together in mud houses with flat roofs. On the latter is thrown all the household garbage – this place is used as a drying ground & also seems to be the principal place of amusement for the chickens. Occasionally it is used as a playing ground for the children, the eyes ears & mouths, of whom is a playing ground for the numerous flies. They never make any attempt to shoo them off. Arriving at Sakkara we inspected several pyramids – these are not nearly so fine as ours which are known as the Pyramids of Gizeh Ours are very much bigger & in a much better state of preservation. Though called Pyramids of Gizeh they are not at Gizeh but at Mena Gizeh is about 6 miles from here on the way to Cairo. The chief interest in Sakkara is the wonderful collection of tombs of Kings – there were all hidden in the sand of the desert