As we saw the sun starting to hide behind the dunes, we knew we had just a couple of minutes to get to the Sphinx. The race against time was making me anxious. Would we get there on time? Or would I go home without seeing the Sphinx?

So, turns out to be that when we got there, they were already closed. We asked a guy sitting at a little kiosk and he told us that we probably wouldn't get in. My uncle wouldn't give up, so he tried to find a way to get us in. In the meantime, I was facing the enigmatic and great Sphinx from a far away distance, preparing to give up on getting a closer look at it.

The Pyramid of Khafre and the Sphinx.

The three largest Pyramids of Giza with the Spinx guarding them.

After being really insistent at a gated entrance, the guards let us in. Immediately, one guy started following us. "Please, get a look at my merchandise.Take one souvenir from the Pyramids". He was visibly frustrated, probably he didn't have a good day selling miniature-sized pyramids or papyrus, Nefertiti key-chains and all the souvenirs you'll also find at Khan el Khalili Bazaar.

We hurried to get to the temple from which you access the Sphinx. At the entrance, I instantly heard from the guards "Closed, closed". They were already telling people to take the last pictures and leave. A couple of guys sitting there started laughing and pointing at me while they said "Oh Shakira, Shakira in Egypt". I giggled. My uncle's struggle to get me through the guards was amazing, it was one of those actions I will never forget. As they say, every effort pays off, and another guy staring at the scene showed my uncle another way. "Come with me", he said. We followed him to the other side of the temple and he helped us climb one gigantic rock.
 I finally made it: I was standing in front of the Sphinx!!!!

The Sphinx has stood on the egyptian desert already more than 4 centuries. When archaeologists found it, it was covered in sand. Just the head was visible.

The temple bellow the Sphinx.

What happened next was a moment of peace and self-fulfillment. One or two minutes of silence, then a couple of pictures. I was happy and thankful to the Universe and my heroic uncle for that effortful way to say farewell to the Pyramids. It was much more exciting to get to the Sphinx, than the monument itself. We tipped the guy (this is really common in Egypt, you always have to tip the guy), said thank you and good-bye. The guards at the entrance looked at us in an angry manner, but we couldn't care less. 

The Great Sphinx of Giza, also called by locals Abu al-Hol (In English 'The Terrifying one') remains an enigma. Informations such as when it was built and by whom are still a matter of debate and discussion.

The Sphinx represents the body of a lion and a human head.

The town of Giza as seen from the Sphinx.

 All good things come to and end, so one of my favorite songs from my teenage years. As we drove through the dusty streets of Giza, I couldn't help to look at the scenes of daily life: crowded minivans turned into public buses, women covered with their hijabs walking around in small groups, men chilling at an ahwa, smoking shisha and drinking tea, all this beneath the shadow of the Pyramids.

 I had a smile on my face and the energy of thousands of years of History flowing through my veins.