Postcard from Bishkek

Yesterday, I came across some fascinating photographs of the Pyramids in Egypt … and they prompted some thoughts in my mind that I decided to share.

The pyramids are one of the Seven Wonders of the Ancient World … in fact, the only one to survive down to the present day.  (I hadn’t realized until I read the article that they were, in fact, the oldest of the seven.)

Originally built over a period of twenty year as a tomb for one of the Pharaohs, the Great Pyramid of Giza consists of of over two million limestone blocks, reaches about 140 meters into the sky and for almost 4000 years was the tallest man-made structure on the planet.

Over the years they have suffered the ravages of time and weather … and lost their original smooth white facing stones, revealing the rough weathered steppe image we are all familiar with today.

They are instantly recognizable and a symbol for Egypt and all things Egyptian.  Although they are normally photographed in a way to suggest that they are in the middle of a desert, ion fact they are not far from a large modern city.

Although I have often thought that I would like to go and see them, and I nearly made it once – back in 1984 … but the flights were all fully booked on the dates I wanted to travel – so I went somewhere else and thought to myself: “another time … “.  So, I have never been to Egypt and so I have never seen the Pyramids and I have to own up to a certain sense of envy that they made it whereas I didn’t.

I suppose will have to settle for the photographs.

Now, the pyramids are nothing to do with Kyrgyzstan and normally to link to the webpage would have passed by almost unnoticed, but what caught my eye was the headline: “Illicit photos taken by tourists who secretly climbed wonder of the world at night“.  Let’s face it, the word “illicit” summons up all sorts of images – and my interest was piqued.

The photographs were illicit because, although many people have climbed the pyramids over the centuries, the authorities banned the practice back in the 1980′s – possibly to protect the pyramids, but I suppose it was might also have been in order to protect the tourists.

Having been up the pyramid at Chichen Itza in Mexico, I thought I had an idea of what it might have felt like to ascend the sloping sides – but unlike the narrow steps of the Aztec pyramid, the photographs make it clear that this was more like a mountaineering expedition.

Well, it seems that a group of Russian tourists waited until visitor hours were over before scaling the sides of the Great Pyramid, taking their cameras and tripods out of their backpacks and snapping away.  (“Snapping” is perhaps the wrong word,  the quality of the pictures are clearly much better than “the man on the Clapham Omnibus” might have achieved using a simple Brownie Box Camera.)

The pictures are all watermarked with a copyright symbol, (©), accompanied by the name of the photographer.

 

So, apart from the fascination and jealousy that the photographs aroused, what other thoughts and feeling did they arouse which I thought it might be worth sharing?

I suppose that it all goes back to that word “illicit” …

• they knew that what they were doing was “wrong” or, “at least” against the rules – it was forbidden.  They waited until the end of the normal day before starting their ascent … and presumably they did it surreptitiously.
• There could be several reasons why such actions were forbidden – to protect the pyramids – or the visitors, themselves, what risks or dangers were they or the pyramids exposed to by their actions?

I assume that they did no damage to the pyramids itself … but …

Although I am not normally scared of heights, I am very conscious of the fact that I felt a distinct uneasiness and giddiness  at Chichen Itza.  Those steps were very narrow and remember thinking how, if I missed my footing, it was a long way down and I wondered how many bones I would have broken.

Here, in Kyrgyzstan, one of the places I always feel a little anxious is at the top of the Burana Tower.  It’s not very high … with only 25 of the original 45 meters still stand. It is possible to climb to the top of the tower on a narrow, (very narrow), spiral staircase with no space to pass, (or to let someone traveling in the opposite direction pass by), and on reaching the top finding a fine view of the Chui valley and the Kyrgyz Krebet mountains in the background … and also, that there simply a low outer wall, the height of a bench seat, around the circumference of the tower.

• The photographs were stamped with a copyright symbol, so presumably the tourists are happy to profit from their “illicit” action … and as the newspaper presumably paid for the photographs, they presumably so condoned the action.
• By doing this and giving it publicity, (that is the newspaper by publishing the photographs … and even me by referring to it in this postcard), are they possibly encouraging others to do the same or similar things … possibly placing themselves at greater risk of doing damage.

Please don’t misunderstand me … I am not a “prude” and I did appreciate the opportunity to see the photographs … but I couldn’t help thinking that there is more to it than that.

 

 

Tags: In_the_News, Tourism