this was my frist trip to egypt. i have since gone another time and will be going back again very soon! in the second trip i experienced even more.

Intro

I sat in silence, marveling at the site and in awe of the grandeur. It was at that moment that I finally realized that I had arrived. My entire life I had wanted to visit Egypt, a country which filled so much of my imagination since I was a child. Stories of pharaohs, treasure, and legends of ancient times riddled my memory with curiosity and wonder ever since I could remember. The pyramids sat in front of me, lit up on the background of a dusky, charcoal sky. High up above an airplane light blinked as the jet streamed smoothly across the sky, gliding above the spectacle. It was the first activity on my Egypt adventure, a night light show in the presence of the Great Pyramids and the Sphinx. All the time I had spent dreaming of this moment had suddenly come to a standstill as the cool Cairo breeze reminded me that I was indeed this time awake.

I.

I embarked on this adventure with a friend and we arrived in Cairo on an Egypt Air flight in the early afternoon from Athens, Greece. The landscape changed quickly as I crossed from Europe to Africa on the short flight. Nearing the Egyptian coast, the terrain quickly came into view with a beige blur of sand and construction. Taking it all in, I remembered flying into Kuwait City years ago in my only other trip to the Middle East. The view was eerily similar, yet also different. My stomach clenched as we came in for the landing, a combination of excitement and anticipation. A member of the flight crew sat in the adjacent seat and performed one of the five daily prayers required in Islam. As I shifted my seat upright to prepare for landing, I accidentally kicked and knocked down the plate holding the life vest under the seat in front of me. The praying man, interrupted, gave me an “It’s okay don’t worry about it!” sign and continued with his ceremony. We touched down and taxied towards the terminal. At first it seemed rather small compared to my expectations and I wondered if perhaps this was just but one small part of the Cairo Airport. I’d quickly find out how wrong I was about my first impression.

The next few minutes were spent gathering my carry on baggage as I prepared to take my first steps onto the continent of Africa. I walked off the airplane and into the terminal noticing the people around me, many dressed in traditional Muslim garb. Tourists like us were widely present and easy to spot due to our less conservative style of dress and mannerisms. Getting through customs was mostly hassle—free. We paid the Visa fee of around $15 and sped through the passport lines. Grabbing our bags from baggage claim, then having them scanned, we entered the Arrivals hall of the airport. I didn’t see anyone holding a sign for us at first as we were expecting, then saw a man with the sign outside of the terminal across walkway.

We met Ali who greeted us and helped take all of the luggage to an SUV which was readily waiting for us within a short walk’s distance. We jumped in as he asked us how the flight was and went through the general guest arrival questions and protocols. As we exited the airport the excitement began to set in even more. A giant airliner flew directly over our head coming in for a landing as we drove past the Cairo Airport sign, heading towards what would be the biggest adventure of my life.

As we drove into Cairo I was taken by surprise. The first thing I noticed was the traffic and all of the aggressive, sporadic drivers. It almost appeared that there were no traffic laws whatsoever as cars zipped in and out in front of each other, crossed in and over road lines, and honked at each other to signal approach on either side as they raced in a real life equivalent of Mario Kart. Lanes were not followed at all and it was in essence, a total free for all with no sense of symmetry or formation. Much of the traffic was bumper to bumper, partially painting a third world version of downtown LA. On the sides as far as the eye could see, I noticed tall residential buildings in very poor condition, along with many totally abandoned ones. Trash littered the sides of the highway and people, even donkeys pulling carts merged with all of this traffic in a common pattern. It was was utter chaos to the westernized American driver such as myself. There was very little room for error in this madness and very little room in general.

After about a 45 minute drive in traffic we pulled off the highway onto side roads and it got even crazier. Cars, motorcycles, people and animals came at you from every direction. Some were going in the complete opposite way from those next to them, into oncoming traffic. Per Ali this was all normal. No wonder Egypt is in the top ten for worldwide auto fatalities, especially considering the nearly 19 million people who live in Cairo alone. The situation is truly a nightmare with little solution from the government.

We pulled up to a gate in front of a guard shack, with our hotel directly behind it. Ali said something to one of the guards in the usual, excited Egyptian tone. At first it seemed to me like an argumentative tone, more than conversational. The guard then laughed and let us in. I learned over the next few days that Egyptians are very animated and high energy when talking to each other. They are a passionate and direct people. Ali drove us around to the front of the resort and parked to allow the valet to grab our luggage. We checked in and and Ali let us know that he would come back in two hours to pick us up. Our first stop would be to witness the nighttime light show at the base of the Great Pyramids and the Sphinx, the beginning of a marvelous adventure.

The light show was like being a part of a magic show during which you feel like your eyes deceive you. The lights, blue, red, green and everything in between, flickered and played in various forms. They illuminated the scenery while a background storyteller told the history of ancient Egypt over a loudspeaker. It was dark now and all I could do was gasp at the majestic display in front of me. It was an eye opening first experience for a lifelong fan of ancient Egypt. As the 30 minute show came to an end, I sat quietly and took in the atmosphere around me before getting up. I was finally in Egypt and in front of one of humanity’s greatest feats.

We were taken back to the hotel after dinner where I sat in a hot bath, soaking, taking in my first night in Egypt with a bottle of local wine purchased at the lobby bar. I had officially arrived to the number one destination on my Bucket List and I was soaking it up, quite literally!

II

Our pick-up time from the lobby was early. At 7:30 a.m. our guide Ali was waiting with a private SUV. We were setting out on our first trek through Cairo, a day which would include visits to many of the most popular Egyptian sites such as the Great Pyramids.

The first stop was a visit to the very first pyramid, the Step Pyramid of Djoser, erected at Saqqara some 4,700 years ago. We drove out of the city and up to a gate guarded by armed Egyptian police. Ali briefly discussed something with the security, presented his tour guide identification and we were quickly ushered in. He drove us up the sandy hills and to a clearing with the pyramid beaming directly in front of us. We jumped out of the vehicle in excitement and followed him in its general direction.

As we approached, an old man riding a donkey appeared and asked if we wanted to take a picture. This was my first learning experience that nothing in Egypt is free and that most people offer the smallest services for a tip. We obliged and took some good photos with the vagabond. As soon as we finished, he asked for American money. I didn’t have any American money on me, another smart decision because of its significantly higher value. One American dollar roughly equals 18 Egyptian pounds (LE). I offered the man ten pounds and he quickly asked for more, something I also learned later that every Egyptian peddler does until firmly denied. I held my ground and told him that he was not getting any more money causing him to let up.

We made our way up towards Djoser’s marvel and entered through a temple constructed near the pyramid. The temple is thought to have been used for the Pharaoh’s Sed festival. Heb Sed was a ceremony in ancient Egypt that was celebrated by pharaohs after 30 years of rule and repeated every three years thereafter. Later dynasties would eventually deviate from the 30 year benchmark. Passing through the temple, we exited into a spacious area at the base of the Step Pyramid. The area was an outdoor courtyard used for ceremonies by Djoser and continued serving other pharaohs after Djoser’s passing. The Pyramid was something to behold. It proudly reached for the sky, contrasted by the bright sun. I was aghast, knowing that this wasn’t even the largest pyramid I would see on my trip. It’s one thing to see the images of pyramids on television, but another to stand at the very bottom, looking up and realizing how small you really are in this big world. A song crept into my head, “All we are is dust in the wind.” The prophetic lyrics rang through my mind as a testament to my surroundings. I looked up again, took a deep breath, then exhaled the power of every feeling I was experiencing.

After some great photos and history lessons from our Ali, we moved on to multiple temples in the surrounding valley. Before entering our first underground temple, we were advised that photography was not allowed. One of the nomads near the temple escorted us in all the way down to the burial chambers. We entered the room on the right, crouching not to hit our heads. In front of us was an empty stone sarcophagus. Even though photography wasn’t allowed, the man escorting us quietly offered to take photos for us with a cellphone. That came to our surprise due to the instruction we previously received. Of course, the man wanted money for his offer. After exploring the room, we crossed over to the next room which had incredible Egyptian art on the walls and ceiling. The humidity below ground was treacherous and I began to sweat profusely within about a minute of being below. After we had our fill, we ascended back to the entry point and met up with Ali. This concluded our exploration of the area and time to head to the next destination.

We descended out of the valley and past the secured gate we had previously entered. Driving past the farmlands on the right and left, this was an entirely different atmosphere than the one we had experienced in the cities and streets of Cairo. The scenery near Saqqara was more of what I expected Egypt to look like. It was primitive, with sand as far as the eye could see, with some greenery contrasting the desert landscape. Little huts came into view with farmers cultivating crop and guiding the occasional donkey. As some smaller, factory like buildings began to appear, Ali explained to us that we were in an area where some of the finest Egyptian carpets were made. One such factory was where he got his start as a younger man. That’s exactly where we were headed to next.

We parked at the rug factory and walked upstairs. A man who knew Ali met us at the door. He took us around, showing how Egyptian carpet is made. To our surprise, all of it was made by hand! Many of the fine pieces took months to make. The process was intricate and tedious and we even got to try a few threads ourselves. After checking out the different methods of making carpet, we entered a large room with hundreds of completed pieces. There was no shortage of options in colors, types, and sizes. We were offered tea or an alternative option of drink, a hospitality custom in Egypt, then sat on a bench. Our carpet factory guide proceeded to tell us about all of the different options we had if we wanted to purchase carpet from his factory. One of the rugs caught my eye. It was a fine piece featuring the mask of Tutankhamen. The golden mask of King Tut is synonymous with Egypt worldwide. I haggled with the carpet dealer, another thing I learned to do well in Egypt, and we came to an agreement. It was time to move on yet again.

The next stop was iconic Memphis, the ancient capital of Egypt during the Old Kingdom. We made our way to the ruins of the once great city founded by Pharaoh Menes. It was a beautiful site of historical ruins with beautiful sculptures, artifacts, and much more. Memphis is one of the smaller archeological sites containing ancient Egyptian artifacts, so we were able to cover the grounds within about 45 minutes.

Shortly thereafter, it was time for the part of the trip I was anticipating most. We were on our way to visit the Great Pyramids and the Sphinx, all which I saw at the light show the night before. As we drove towards these ancient world wonders, anxiety started to creep up on me. It was a good form of anxiety, the type to leave a pit in your stomach and implant a sense of adventure into your heart. We were nearly there and the pyramids loomed in the background. I was overwhelmed with joy. The Great Pyramid towered in front of us as we drove around to the parking area. For a few minutes we sat in the A/C staying out of the hot sun, as Ali gave us a run down of everything we were about to experience. He finished and we made our way out, walking towards the base of the pyramid. We walked around it as Ali summarized the history.

After a brief view from both sides, we made our way back to the second level entrance and prepared to go inside. We were about to climb our way to the top of the last well preserved Seventh Wonder of the World. The Great Pyramid of Giza, built by Khufu and also referred to as the Pyramid of Cheops is 481 feet high. It was built during the fourth dynasty around 2580-2560 BC. We waited at the entrance, then presented our tickets and entered. Led by a guide, we climbed up a steep incline of grooves as we made our way to the top. The humidity was immediate and I began to sweat again, even more than in tomb we had visited earlier. The climb was fun, but due to its incline and length, it may not be suited for elderly people or those with physical limitations and health concerns. We passed by a blocked off chamber and shortly after reached the burial room of Khufu. The room was completely empty but still solicited a sense of awe. The high ceilings and walls added to the magnificence of the chamber. There was a sarcophagus towards the back of the room which once was the resting place of the great King Khufu. I stood in disbelief, taking it all in, paying my respects. After getting our fill, we began the descent. It was much easier than the climb but required a special angle of maneuvering in order not to hit your head on the ceiling. We reached the bottom and exited.

Ali motioned for us to jump back in the SUV and drove a little further out so we could get some additional photos. When finished, we walked over to an area full of camels resting in the sand. Ali called for a keeper to come over and let us know that our next activity would be to ride the camels from where we were, all the way to the Great Sphinx. Looking back at this, it was my favorite part of the trip. The keeper, whose name was Sewelm readied the animals and helped us climb on. We had no issues, as the camels were well trained. Within a few minutes we were off in a tandem, riding through the sands.

I was able to reflect on my thoughts and my mind began to wander as we trudged along with the Giza pyramid complex towering to our left. It was like looking at a painting. The ride was something I’d easily recommend to anyone visiting Egypt and it made my entire trip experience that much better. I captured videos and took photos, balancing on the back of my camel. For about 45 minutes we lumbered on, until a Muslim cemetery appeared on our right. Less than a minute later, the head of the Sphinx peeked out from a distance. We completed the camel ride near the Sphix, where Ali was already waiting for us. He greeted us and we walked our way towards the Sphinx. After spending about 30 minutes taking in the scenery and snapping some more photos, our second day of adventures was coming to an end. We finished the excursion, grabbed some food and headed back to the resort for the evening.

III

Morning arrived and we eagerly prepared for our next adventure. We were headed to historic Alexandria, the city named after and founded by Alexander the Great during his conquest of the ancient world. Alexander never actually spent a full night in the city but ordered it built after stumbling upon the strategic location on his way to Oracle of Siwa. The convenient location of the city allowed for prosperous trade, cultural development, and exponential growth over thousands of years. The city of Alexandria was also the site of the Lighthouse of Alexandria, another one of the Seven Wonders of the World. It was renovated to glory by “The Last Pharaoh” Cleopatra but was eventually destroyed by a massive earthquake.

Ali picked us up in the SUV as always and we were on the way. We stopped for some fuel, coffee and pastries while Ali smoked a cigarette. Another common Egyptian trait is the love of smoking. Many Egyptians smoke heavily and it seems to be a staple of their culture, mostly among men. After the quick stop we continued to Alexandria. As we entered the city, the initial feeling I got was that it was quite similar to Cairo. The deeper we got however, the cleaner it became. More greenery was evident in the surroundings. Alexandria, the second largest city in Egypt, is home to just over five million people. It may be in many ways like Cairo but it’s also much different. The city is on the coast of the Mediterranean Sea and has a more relaxed, laid back atmosphere than inner city Cairo. While most of Egypt is still relatively traditional but flexible to visitors, cities like Alexandria are even more lax when it comes to lifestyle and international tourism.

Our first stop was a visit to the Catacombs of Kom el Shoqafa which were discovered in 1900 after a donkey fell into a hole and exposed some of the ruins. The catacombs had been hidden for centuries under newer construction. They have traces of Greek and Roman origins within the chambers. We finished up and made our way through the city traffic, which similarly to Cairo was bumper to bumper. Our next stop was the waterfront and pier of Alexandria. Ali turned off the main street and we stopped for ice cream then walked down to the pier. All around us there were children swimming, playing, and families enjoying their time by the water. We stopped and allotted some time to take in the view. In the distance, the famous fortress built by Sultan Al-Ashraf Sayf al-Din Qa’it Bay in 1477, stood on the exact spot where the famous lighthouse used to be. It was a beautiful and the water, along with refreshing gusts of wind made for a nice day to be outside.

We finished up and Ali took us to a little seafood restaurant for lunch. We walked upstairs and sat a table with an open window facing the water. The set up and the atmosphere alone made it a relaxing and quaint dining experience. The food was also delicious. We were presented with a spread of fresh fried fish, crab, shrimp, and much more. As always, there was also plenty of flat bread and hummus.

After lunch we headed out to visit more iconic places in the city. We visited Pompey’s Pillar, a tribute to the legendary general and adversary of Julius Ceasar. We explored the ancient Roman Amphitheatre of Alexandria, a place for learning, and bath houses dating as far back as the 2nd century A.D. We stopped to go underground and see the remains of the Library of Alexandria which was burned during the Roman invasion.

It was another history filled day of adventure and terrific food. As the sun began to set, Ali drove us to the train station for the next part of our journey. We would be taking an overnight sleeper train from Alexandria to Aswan, after which we would meet up with our cruise ship to sail the Nile River for a few days. Arriving at the train station we gathered our luggage and headed into the terminal/waiting area. There were Egyptians waiting on regular commuter trains and another side of the terminal where tourists like ourselves waited on the overnight sleeper train. After waiting for about 45 minutes, the train arrived and Ali helped us board, sending us on our way. We would meet another guide upon the train’s arrival and would reunite with Ali when we returned to Cairo a few days later.

The train was loud, clunky, and dated. The seating wasn’t extremely comfortable but for what it was, we had a great time anyways. I put on a movie on my iPad and we kicked back, listening to the tracks and enjoying every bit of our journey. It was dark outside so nothing could be seen out the window and we closed the blinds of the cabin. Later, a knock came with dinner service. The food was probably the worst part of the train experience. It was very subpar, but enough to get the job done for two hungry travelers. If it wasn’t for the dead fly inside one of the vegetable trays, I may have even forgotten to mention the food in this story at all. After dinner, we were helped to set up our beds in the cabin and uncomfortably attempted to get as much sleep as possible. Another incredible day had come to an end.

IV

It was hard to sleep on the train. The beds were stiff and small. The noises the train made, along with all of the screeching, sudden stops made it difficult to fall into any sort of trance. After a night full of tossing and turning there came a knock on our cabin door which signaled one hour left until arrival. We got ready, packed up anything that we had unpacked, and ate the provided breakfast, an abnormal abundance of bread posing as pastries and juice. At one point the train had to stop due to a track issue which delayed our arrival by an extra half hour or so. Shortly thereafter we got going again and finally made our arrival to Aswan.

We got off the train and our new guide was waiting for us. Walid helped with the luggage and led us to the vehicle waiting on us. First on the agenda was a visit to the Temple of Isis Philae. The temple, which was found submerged under water and moved a few hundred feet away to an island, required the use of a boat to reach. We walked down the pier and jumped into a small motorboat which was piloted by a younger Egyptian boy. He took us across the water and onto the island with the temple. Walid, just as our Cairo guide Ali, explained the history and led us around the various important parts of it. We spent about an hour there, exploring the various halls and the adjacent Roman built add-ons, then headed back to the boat for our return.

The next stop was the Aswan High Dam and Lake Nasser. The dam, built across the Nile between 1960-70 helps control flooding along with benefits in irrigation and hydroelectricity. The dam has had a significant impact on Egyptian culture and economy with its many benefits. The dam has also had its fair share of negative effects such as coastline erosion along with health problems for the nearby citizens. The benefits vs negative effects of the dam continue to be researched and debated today.

After visiting the dam we were taken to a traditional Egyptian essential oils and perfumery factory. Egyptians, since the ancient times have been known for their cultivation of fine scents via oils and perfumes, which was one of their primary exports. Julius Caesar after conquering Egypt, brought bottles of perfume back to Rome with him and threw them into the crowd in a celebration frenzy. We were offered an opportunity to sit and try out the different scents along with learning about the uses of the various oils. Some were for scent alone, others had medicinal benefits through aroma therapy and much more. Of course, this was also a sales technique which was used to coach us into buying the various products offered. After being offered various deals on the essential oils, we negotiated a bit, came to an agreement and left the factory happy with our new products.

It was finally time to head to our cruise ship for a few days on the Nile. The boat was beautiful. Sitting docked on the water, workers hustled all around it making preparations for its departure the next day. We checked in and were given a few hours to settle in and relax.

After resting for a few hours it was time for our next adventure. We took a small boat across the Nile River to a traditional Nubian Village where we would experience a small part of the Nubian lifestyle. The little boat, captained by a father/son combo arrived next to our cruise ship and we jumped in. We began our journey with incredible scenery to our left and right. On the left was the city of Luxor, while on the right, the magnificent Sahara desert rippled in the distance just as described in legends. The weather was marvelous and we saw many birds along our way but to my dismay no crocodiles, which per our guide didn’t exist in this part of the Nile. It took us about 30 minutes to get to where we were headed. We saw Egyptians on the banks washing laundry and children playing as we went along. Captive water buffalo grazed on the banks and life around us went on as it would have in a more historical Egyptian setting.

We pulled up to the village and docked the boat. Getting out, we made our way up the stairs leading up to the main entry area. We walked through a small crowd of children playing and adults sitting next to them supervising, smoking and relaxing. We walked up to a small Nubian hut with a mummified alligator hanging above the doorway and made our way in. Inside there were other mummified animals and other strange hanging ornaments. I walked up to another group of people standing around tanks which had small crocodiles inside them. I was asked if I wanted to hold one and I quickly agreed knowing that each of the them had a muzzle holding their mouth shut. It was a quick but fun little experience. We were then taken around the hut and shown the ins and outs of Nubian life. We sat down and were offered traditional Nubian tea as we talked and rested. It was a short visit after which we headed back to the boat and made our way once again towards the cruise ship.

The Nubian Village tour was the culmination of another adventure filled day. We were free to relax for the rest of the evening in preparation for the next morning, one which would require a 3 a.m. departure for the legendary Abu Simbel, a site I had been waiting my entire life to see.

V

We woke early and met Walid in the lobby of the cruise ship which was still docked. It was not scheduled to depart until later in the afternoon. It was time for us to head out on a three hour drive towards Abu Simbel. We were given breakfast boxes and headed to the vehicle. Most of the drive was spent sleeping but when I woke up, there was nothing but desert for miles to each side. It was not a view I was accustomed to, sand as far as the eye could see. Mirages played in the distance making it look like there was water on the horizon. Sand hills and dunes scattered across the barren landscape as we continued our journey and I again fell asleep. When I woke up a second time we were about 10 minutes away from our destination. Upon arrival, we exited the vehicle and walked with Walid down a hill with a sand wall on the left side. As we made our way down a path and to the left, Abu Simbel towered into view. It was magical! The gigantic structure built into the wall of an enormous artificial mound, rested with the statues of its founder Ramesses II watching over the landscape.

The original structure had actually been carved into a cliff wall in the 13th century BC but had to be relocated in 1968 to prevent risk of destruction from the Aswan High Dam. We marveled at the gigantic scene in front of us, then went inside to explore. The art on the walls and the statues inside were intricate and precise. Some of the carvings were much deeper than previous ones we have seen and it was evident that Ramses II left nothing to chance, glorifying himself in every manner possible. There were traces of the original colors left on some of the walls which added to the mystique of the place.

After exploring the temple, we walked about 100 feet over to another temple, one which was very similar and slightly smaller. It was the temple Ramses II built for his Queen Nefertari and the Goddess Hathor. The temple was similarly beautiful inside and outside. Looking at it, a person could come to the concolusion that Ramses II adored his queen. It was either that, or she was very powerful so he was scared to offend her, thus building her such a prominent temple. After completing our journey to Abu Simbel, it was time for the three hour drive back to the cruise ship with a quick stop at an herb factory.

We arrived at the herb factory and an Egyptian man calling himself Dr. Herbs, wearing a lab coat, greeted us. He went through all of the various herbs that were offered including teas, spices and other natural products. It was a diverse array of various scents, flavors and medicinal herbs as well. I bought a few things including Nubian tea, crystals which produce a menthol like vapor, and other products. When we finished, we headed back to the ship.

After getting back on the cruise ship, we were told that we had a few hours to rest and that we would soon be setting sail. We were to meet Walid back in the lobby that evening for dinner, followed by an Egyptian themed party in the bar area of the ship that night. We went up to our cabin and laid down for a nap. As I drifted off to sleep, I felt the ship move and the engines turn. We had finally begun our journey down the Nile.

Upon waking up we headed down to dinner and again, as previously ate in the dining room area which was set up with a buffet full of all kinds of options. From Italian food such as spaghetti to Egyptian staples, there was no shortage of what we could eat. A few times I found myself feeling like I overdid it, probably a normal occurrence for most people when facing a buffet. Shortly thereafter we went upstairs to change for the evening party. I purchased some traditional clothing resembling a Sheik. There were a lot of people in attendance and the DJ set up a fun danceoff elimination game. While we were the only Americans there and on the entire cruise, the game was as such that we didn’t have to truly understand each other to play. We stayed for about an hour and danced until we couldn’t dance any more, calling it a night.

VI

The next morning our first stop on the list was the Temple of Edfu. It was also a big day for me as an MMA fan because Khabib Nurmagomedov was set to fight Conor McGregor and I was worried I wouldn’t be able to watch the fight anywhere. The time difference set up the fight to be right at the time we were in the temple. We took a horse buggy to the temple and to my surprise, I was getting full reception on my iPhone when we arrived. I jumped online and found a friend streaming the fight on Facebook Live. It may be funny that I was so desperate to watch the fight during my visit to such a marvelous wonder, but being involved in the MMA industry and the fact that this was one of the biggest fights ever, I knew I had to see it! As we walked around the temple and I took photos, my friend held the phone so I could also watch the fight in real time. As I watched “The Eagle” put the beat down on Conor, I got a little too excited at times causing Walid to laugh and look around nervously. I calmed down a little from all the excitement and shortly thereafter, Khabib finished McGregor finally freeing me from my phone to continue the adventure. The temple itself was marvelous. It is the largest temple dedicated to the god Horus and was completed around 57 BC. The sculptures of Horus and the art itself was detailed, well preserved, and something to behold. Just as some of the other temples we had already visited, this was exactly what I had imagined I would see when booking my adventure.

We then moved on to visit the Karnak Temple Complex. The temple complex is monumental and synonymous with the ancient city of Thebes. It was constructed during the Middle Kingdom through the Ptolemaic Kingdom. One of the temple precincts, the largest, was dedicated to the god Amun-Re. There were colossal pillars throughout. The other major precincts in the complex are dedicated to the mother goddess Mut, the wife of Amun-Re and the smallest, their son Montu, the war god of the Theban Triad. The temple of Amenhotep IV was also a part of this complex but had been deliberately dismantled shortly after his death by the priesthood which he tried to tame, but would end up recapturing control.

Later that evening after we went back to the ship and rested, we took an evening trip to the Luxor Temple, possibly the most well preserved temple we had yet visited on our journey. Luxor temple was dedicated to the rejuvenation of kingship and constructed around 1400 BC. This is the only temple in Egypt where the name of Alexander “The Great” of Macedon is inscribed on a wall. Alexaner famously conquered Egypt and became a Pharaoh himself. The giant statues at Luxor Temple resembled those at Abu Simbel in sheer stature and prowess. At night, the temple stood out as something magical and out of this world.

We concluded another amazing day and headed back to the cruise ship to prepare for the next day, which would include an early morning hot air balloon ride over Luxor and a visit to the Valley of the Kings.

VII

While I personally didn’t join the hot air balloon ride, my companion took my camera and headed out on the journey herself. She flew over the city of Luxor and took in some mesmerizing views with the rising sun, which she was able to capture with my camera. Looking at the photos later, I realized that scenery was spectacular immediately regretted my decision of not joining the in on the ride. I had a few things to do and was getting everything ready in time to head out to the Valley of the Kings so I stayed behind.

When she returned, we prepared and headed out with Walid. The Valley of the Kings was fascinating. We first stopped by the Tomb of Tutankhamen, arguably the most famous Egyptian ruler. His tomb was discovered intact by Howard Carter in 1922 with treasures beyond imagination inside. Many of the treasures are located in the Cairo museum.

The next tomb we visited was for Ramses IV. It was by far the most well preserved and incredible tomb of our trip. The colors inside had not faded for thousands of years. They were vivid and intricate. The artwork was stunning and as we walked down into the tomb, I couldn’t help but be in awe of what I was witnessing. This was thousands of years in time, preserved as if it had only been a few generations. This tomb was like icing on the cake when it came to every single other location we had been to. Ramses IV died in in 1149 BC.

The final stop in the valley was the Mortuary Temple of Hatshepsut. The temple had to undergo major reconstruction and restoration due to incurring so much damage over time, but now stands as one of the most iconic temples in all of Egypt. Queen Hatshepsut died in 1458 BC and was the second, historically confirmed female pharaoh. She is highly regarded as one of the most successful Pharaohs in Egyptian history and also given the moniker as the first known “great woman in history”. She established trade routes that helped Egypt gain much political influence and power throughout the region, along with establishing communication and diplomacy for the first time in ancient Egyptian culture. There is a large courtyard with a long set of stairs that leads up to the actual temple. The temple is guarded by many statues of the god Osiris and stands out like no other temple. This was also the last temple that I would visit on my adventure.

After visiting the Valley of the Kings, we headed nearby to a traditional alabaster factory where workers chiseled incredible statues and artwork by hand. We were briefly shown how the work is done, after which we headed into the shopping area of the factory. I spent quite a bit of time here marveling at the work and looking for gifts to buy. As with anything, after picking out what I wanted, I bartered because the first price I received was astronomically high for what I was trying to buy. I was quoted around $1500 US and scoffed at the price until we eventually haggled down to about $350 US and I left happily with my acquisitions.

Our next task was to head back to the cruise ship and check out. The time had come to get ready for our trip back to Cairo. We packed and loaded the SUV. We did however have a few hours left before leaving for the airport and enjoyed a tour through Luxor by horse and carriage, stopping for tea and Hookah. Once finished, Walid drove us to the airport where we said good bye and took our hour long flight back to Ciaro. It was around 2 a.m. when Ali met us at the airport and he took us back to the resort to get some sleep.

VIII

The next day we were given the morning and afternoon to recover from all of our adventures. There was nothing on schedule until later in the evening so we took the time to lounge and relax. Ali came and picked us up later that evening and we embarked on a night tour of Cairo.

We walked through the streets taking in the culture and mingling among the bustling crowds. Shops were open all around us and people went about their lives. In the crowd, a little girl caught my attention, sitting by herself studying her school books as if nothing else was going on around her. It was encouraging seeing a child with hope for her future, no matter how tough it may be, trying and doing something to better herself. We walked through Tahrir Square, the site of the 2011 Egyptian revolution that claimed nearly 1000 lives as the people fought to free themselves from an oppressive police culture. We walked up and down the streets, experiencing Cairo at it’s core.

At one point we stopped and had dinner. I ordered Kushari, a traditional 19th century Egyptian dish that filled me to the brim due to its large portion and heavy ingredients. After we ate, we made our way to the Cairo Tower.

The tower stands 614 feet and is the largest standing structure in Egypt and North Africa. It is also often considered Egypt’s second most famous structure behind the Pyramid of Giza. We took an elevator to the top of the tower and the view was mesmerizing. You could see nearly the entire city while walking around the catwalk at the top of the tower. One site that caught my eye was a McDonald’s sign far below which had me chuckling about the widespread presence of the company. The tower was built between 1954 and 1961 and has a rotating restaurant inside which takes about 70 minutes to make a full circle. I observed the people at the top of the tower around us and most were young admirers, taking in the views and chatting.

After our night tour of Cairo and the visit to the tower, our day was over. It was the shortest day of our trip but much needed due to all of the other activities we were able to cram in throughout the week. We headed back to the hotel to get some rest and prepare for our final full day in Egypt.

IX

Our final full day in Cairo was fully loaded with stops and many marvelous sites. Our first stop was the world famous Cairo museum. The museum was packed with treasures from all over Egypt. Ancient artifacts from every dynasty were presented in an organized manner, leading us through thousands of years in history. From statues to mummies we saw wonders of all kinds. The bodies of such great Pharaohs as Ramses II are at rest in the museum, along with the golden mask of Tutankhamen and other famous treasures. We spent a few hours in the museum learning about each dynasty in order as we explored. Ali gave us a great overview of the history as we toured the museum.

Our next stop was to visit the Saladin Citadel of Cairo, the Mosque of Muhammad Ali and Coptic Cairo. We drove through the city and made our way to where the medieval complex stands. Built in 1176-1183 and renovated multiple times afterwards, the complex was then regarded as the new center of the Islamic word which reached its golden age in the 14th century. Saladin was widely famous for his historic battles with King Richard the Lionheart during the Crusades, a term now frowned upon when describing the holy wars of that time. Both adversaries highly respected each other and were able to reach a truce in the final battle of the Third Crusade. Today the fortress stands out as a beacon of the past, showcasing the prowess of the once mighty Sultan of Egypt and Syria.

The complex is also often referred to as the Muhammad Ali Citadel, due to because it contains the Alabaster Mosque, built in 1848, where the body of its founder Muhammad Ali Pasha rests to this day. Entering the mosque itself was one of my favorite experienced in Cairo and the scenery was ripe for some great photos. The décor and intricate design of the mosque is majestic and even the best photo can’t put it into words!

Our next stop was to visit Coptic Cairo, namely the Saint Virgin Mary's Coptic Orthodox Church, also known as the Hanging Church. The church is one of the oldest in Egypt and dates back to the third century. The church gets its nickname The Hanging Church due to its location above a gatehouse of the Babylon Fortress, built by the Romans. The church is highly regarded as the most famous Coptic Christian Church in the city and possibly the first church that was erected in the Basilican style.

Upon completing our tour we drove up a steep incline to a tea house in a neighborhood that overlooked the entire city of Cairo. It was a beautiful view to take in. We timed everything perfectly in order to watch the sunset over the city and it was spectacular. It was also interesting to see the smog as it settled over the city, a widespread problem in Cairo.

When we were finished, it was time for our final adventure. We headed to Khan el-Khalili Bazaar in the center of Islamic Cairo. The bazaar, one of the biggest tourist attractions in the city was enormous! With multiple vendors and shops all around us, we made our way up and down the streets checking out the various items for sale there. We saw jewelry, rugs, clothing, and anything else one could possibly imagine. While now totally safe, just as most of Egypt, the bazaar does have its history of incidents, as two terrorist explosions killing multiple people rocked the area in 2005 and 2009. We had a great time with Ali who showed us everything there was to see, along with making a quick stop for some tea and taking a little time to relax. Then, it was time to head back to the hotel for one more night. The next day we were to leave Egypt and conclude our amazing visit.

x

The final day was spent packing and preparing for our flight to Rome. I reminisced about all of the beautiful and mysterious sites I had visited. In just 10 days, I had seen nearly 80% of the entire country of Egypt. When I had originally booked the trip I planned for months, studied, and dreamed of the moment I’d arrive in country. Then, just like that, it was time to go. My time was spent perfectly with no complaints. I learned so much about this great country in such a short period of time. All of the time I spent studying Egyptian history from ancient to modern times prepared me well for what I saw, but I was still in awe of everything I got to experience each and every time.

As Ali drove us by the pyramids on the way to the Cairo airport, I remember thinking, “I could spend a lifetime gazing on them and never lose my sense of wonder!” I fell in love with the people of Egypt and the country as a whole. My concerns about safety were alleviated quickly after arrival and I realized how much misinformation I had been exposed to before I even arrived. Leaving, I realized that it often takes direct experience to break barriers and stereotypes. Most of what we see online are often the worst case scenarios, because people don’t usually go out of their way to describe the good experiences. Hopefully this blog gives you a good overview of the beauty of Egypt and such good experiences.

As I said goodbye to my friend, because that’s what Ali and I became at the end of it all, I headed into the terminal and convinced myself that someday I would return. Yet, even if life only allows me to come here once, my trip was everything I had hoped it would be.

As my flight took off, I relaxed and let go. Egypt stole my heart and a part of it is still somewhere in the Sahara sands, drifting with the wind.

CONTACT ME WITH ANY QUESTIONS or for help booking!

Magic of Egypt: An Adventure Blog

Intro

I.

II

III

IV

V

VI

VII

VIII

IX

x