Pyramids
For sheer, dominating bulk, the pyramids on Giza have got pretty well everywhere else in the world beat. It used to be that you came upon them slowly, riding on horseback across the green fields that separated the plateau from the city. Nowadays, urban sprawl laps at the very feet of the Sphinx himself, and by the time you see the pyramids, they're right on top of you. It's a moment that you'll never forget. The Great Pyramid of Khufu is the first one you come to. The entrance is on the north face, and once inside, you face a long and uncomfortable scramble to the Great Gallery, which is some 47m (154 ft.) long and 8.5m (28 ft.) high. Don't even think about going in if you suffer from the slightest bit of claustrophobia -- the passages are narrow and the spaces are tight, and in the heat of the summer stuffed with tourists, the inside of this place is guaranteed to set you off. Other than the thrill of where you are, there is little to see inside the pyramid. Do note, however, the extraordinary stone masonry involved in fitting the building blocks together, and take a pause to consider the skill involved in positioning the massive slabs of limestone and granite that make up the walls and roof.