Spot the Pyramids

Trip Start Jan 04, 2007

Trip End Jan 11, 2007

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Flag of Egypt Cairo, Egypt
Sunday, January 14, 2007

I was expecting total madness from Cairo. Expecting a bit like Delhi on a crazy day......nothing like it! We only had a 5 min haggle with the mad taxi drivers at the airport before we found one who would take us for our agreed price. He did then proceed to pick up a 'mate' at the gate for a free ride (which we had already agreed to pay him for and when questioned him his good English surprisingly got worse??...- arrhhh) in then offer us smokes before lighting up in the taxi and weaving in and out like a mad man. Why bother with road lane marking when it is clearly free for all as long as you have the loudest horn!
We made it safely and smoked out to the Paris Hostel in the middle of Cairo. Not quite as flash as our previous accomodation but what can one expect when you pay 5 pounds per night. For that we got some uncomfy beds, cold water showers, loads of mosquitos and no breakfast......maybe I am just getting fussy in my older age?!
Time to venture out...... Our main aim was to find some lunch then onto the Museum of Egyptian Antiques. I had great expectations for food in Egypt. Maybe expecting some really good Egyptian foods. Lunch was a bit of grilled chicken in a white bread roll with a miniscule piece of lettuce and some mayo!!! Totally false advertising as it had some flash Egyptian name and I was expecting the most amazing Egyptian kebab type thing. Nevermind, next meal...
The Egyptian museum was great. I am not the biggest museum goer but was happy there for about 4 hours! We did hire a guide which made it really worth while. The top pick was seeing the famous bits from the tomb of the boy-king Tutankamun. This kid was only 9 when he was given the throne in 1361BC! His tomb was uncovered in 1922 by a couple of clever English blokes. They found loads of wonderful gems including the kings mummy (not in the museum but still in the tomb) which was protected by 8 layers (all in the museum) the most impressive being his famous gold mask which I had seen in pics before.

Al-Azhar Mosque

We finally met up with Grant and Tracy after their long bus ride from Sharm, in time to check out the mummied animals section. Weird!!! Mummified alligators, sheep, cats, monkeys, birds, goats and load of others. Basically they used to mummify the animals as an offer to the mummy kings to protect them or just to mummy their pets?!
Day two started with what we have been waiting for......the Giza Pyramids!!! I had in mind that they would be out in the desert but it seamed like no time at all weaving in and out of traffic and donkey lead carts that our taxi driver and we had barly mastered the lingo of 'la la shukran' = 'no no thank you' (this was to become our most valuable saying ...apart from thank you!) when he said 'there the pyramids'. Just accross from the KFC and Pizza Hut to be precise! First stop was the Sphinx (minus its beard as that is now in the British Museum - seen that already!) Sphinx was pretty cool and under a bit of restoration work which was had it looking good. Behind it in the background, the massive Pyramids of Cheops and Chephren made in about 2589BC!!! We did the big loop checking it all out, got hassled by too many camel drivers and their stinky, spitting, glamed up camels and told off by security for walking on the pyramid when apparently we were not meant to - oops! Just insane to think that people could build such massive structures before technology and machines! Trace and I just could not help pulling out the Egyptian walk, Dan surprised some Japanese folk and grant our holiday photographer got amongst it!.
After all the excitment of the morning it was time we hit the markets in Islamic Cairo at Khan El Khalili bizaar. Quite a different scene to the more modern downtown Talaat Harb where we were based. This was more what I was expecting. The market scene with the locals all shouting and haggling for their spices, purfume, muslim clothing, jeweles, undies and socks. What a lively scene! This bizaar is more suited to the local but there is some good tourist bargins to be found. I managed to purchase a fine magnet to add to my collection and a pair of silver earrings for only 3 pounds!!! That night we treated ourselves to a night out on the floating restaurant Scarabee. A 3 course meal with Egyptian entertainment which funnily enough included the band playing Tom Jones! The 4 of us had a fab meal. Trace and I got to practice our Belly Dancing with the professional and Dan had his go at whirling instructed by the funky whirling dirvish himself. A great nighe even though I am confused to what exactly is Egyptian food?!
All in all, Cairo is good and well worth a couple of days. Will be glad to get back to the beach!.