A few weekends ago it was pleasant weather and I suggested we go out in the Mustang for a drive. Mike, being an engineer, can’t just go out for a drive to see where the road goes – he needs a destination. He got on his laptop and soon announced he was ready to go, bring my camera. Well d’uh when do I not bring my camera on weekend outings? Really you’d think he doesn’t know me saying that.
We filled up the Mustang and took off down the road. I wasn’t sure what I was supposed to be making pictures of on the drive so I snapped away at things that flew past. He had a mysterious note he referred to periodically then would make a turn. Soon we were in Wadsworth Illinois, then we turned on Dilleys Road. Then I saw it! A wall with Egyptian hieroglyphics!
I love Egyptology! Ever since I was a kid I’ve found it so interesting. I took several classes in basic Egyptian hieroglyphics at the local museum. I was just curious to understand how that lovely picture writing worked. Now I can with some effort and a reference book read most Middle Kingdom stuff – and Old Kingdom and some Late. So when Mike found this as a roadside site to see that was near us he knew I had to see it!.
We pulled off so I could get out and make photos! I soon learned this was the Golden Pyramid House and you can tour it. We have to go sometime and Mike promised we’d do our best. There’s a few things coming up that might make it late October or early November. Until then you’ll have to be happy with what we could see from the road. As always you can click on any photo to be taken to my Flickr account and surf more photos from the day!
The wall as we pulled off for me to get out and make pictures. Note the sickly palm there on the left between the first and second Tut bust. Palm trees don’t do well in Illinois.The gate had a sign for when tours were offered this year.This is a detail from the column by the entrance. This is Khephri he represented the rising sun which was assurance of renewal. He holds an Ankh (eternal life) and a Was scepter (control, power, ruler) showing he eternally controls the rebirth of the sun each day. He sits on the glyph for home/family – showing he protects all as his family with the rising sun’s rays.Let me first correct a Western misunderstanding – Pharaoh is a word not for the ruler but the house in which the ruler lived. The ruler was a king, a living god, with longer titles. There on the ground I believe is Thutmose III in his battle crown. On the column is Tut in his famous death mask. In the back is Ramses The Great who was fond of colossi. These are all replicas of course but there you go 2 great kings and famous for dying king of Ancient Egypt.This is the house shot through the gate. There stands the colossus behind him the three small pyramids are the garages I understand from the video tours. Then there’s the six story gold pyramid home. Yes that’s 6 stories tall so gives you an idea of the scale of the colossus which I’m guessing is the same as some of the colossi in Egypt.Sorry this is a bit blurry – the angle made it a hard shot to get through the gate. Any way this is an underground replica of King Tut’s tomb you can tour. I wonder what they use it for the rest of the year – a true man cave?This is a similar to a scene in Tut’s tomb of him bird hunting. Now it’s kind of tragic because recent studies of his mummy suggest he died from complications developed from a chariot accident. This is a wall of a storage building BTW. The ancient Egyptian theme is carried out through out the property.Seems even in a fantasy house you can’t escape the political bombardment this year. So we hopped in the Mustang and enjoyed taking the back roads home. Our outing for the day done destination reached.
Great trip about as far as we get one direction is maryville then Kingsport Johnson Cith. Gary Judy and I went to Mark III’s restaurint The Creek Cide in Jonesboro yesterday The food was real good. The place was just plain and cimfortable. Good short trip but nothing like yours.
A few weekends ago it was pleasant weather and I suggested we go out in the Mustang for a drive. Mike, being an engineer, can’t just go out for a drive to see where the road goes – he needs a destination. He got on his laptop and soon announced he was ready to go, bring my camera. Well d’uh when do I not bring my camera on weekend outings? Really you’d think he doesn’t know me saying that.
Mary Louise Eklund 
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