11/11/11 mania is triggering more than doomsday warnings and weddings in Vegas. Earlier this morning, Egypt’s Supreme Council of Antiquities shut down Khufu (also known as “Cheops”), the largest of the three Giza pyramids. The council’s head Mustafa Amin said in a statement that Cheops closed for some much-needed housekeeping after last week’s busy Eid al-Adha holiday, but the move follows rumors that Masonic, Jewish, and numerology groups would mark the once-in-a-century date with elaborate spiritual rituals at the site—an affront to many in the Islamic country.
If you're in Egypt and 11/11/11 foiled your plans, we've selected the best of Cairo to fill any downtime. Rest assured that the other two pyramids and the Sphinx are open today, and Khufu will be back in business Saturday morning.