Cradle of Civilization

Location:
Egypt

History amngst Pyramids

By Peter Anderson

A great way to end your trip to Cairo is to float down the Nile in a felucca, locally known as a dok-dok and the thought that 5,000 years ago somebody was probably doing the same is immeasurable. With the breeze cooling the late afternoon temperatures, the call of the muezzin in the background, the distant sound of the traffic and the gentle splashing of the water over the bow you can recount your visit to Cairo.

We have all read about or seen on TV the pyramids, Tutankhamen, Anthony and Cleopatra, papyrus and the Sphinx. There is so much to see and learn on a visit to Cairo that most people have the urge to return.

To have a talented and well-versed guide who will enlighten you on Egyptology makes the trip informative and interesting. Most Egyptian tours begin with a visit to the Pyramids of Giza. Here is the largest of the pyramids and being within the city boundaries they are quite crowded. The construction of Cheops pyramid was started in 2560 BC. It is 230 metres wide and 146.5 metres high. It took 70,000 men 20 years to build it. It is amazing that 2.5 million stone blocks each a metre square and weighing 2.5 tonnes were meticulously laid before the invention of the wheel, hoists, iron tools and the block and tackle. The accuracy of the ancient Egyptian workers is demonstrated by a 200-metre row of stones in which the level only varies by two centimetres.

Going inside the pyramids is not for those who suffer from claustrophobia, bad backs or weak hearts. The passageways are only about a metre high, narrow and descend into the burial chambers. The Pyramid of Chephren's passage descends for 32 metres where it continues horizontally to the tomb chamber. The sarcophagus is set on the floor and as with Cheops no trace of the mummy has been found, presumably stolen by tomb robbers.

Just south of the third and smallest pyramid, the Pyramid of Mycerinus, is the famed Sphinx. At 20 metres high and 75 metres long this imposing sculpture was carved out of a single ridge of rock. The impressive grandeur of the pyramids and the Sphinx will give you the feeling you are in another world.

Saqqara is home to the Step Pyramid of Zoser built around 2665 BC. The pyramid complex is quite large measuring 555 metres by 278 metres and is surrounded by a 10-metre wall, which is patterned by niches and 14 doors, 13 of them false.

The Bazaar, Khan El Khalily, is a shoppers and curio collectors haven. The narrow alleys are full of hidden treasures and even if you are not shopping there is much to see. Allow at least three hours to wander the bazaar. It is better to go by yourself rather than going with the guide, as the guide will invariably take you to shops where they get commission and you, the tourist, will pay up to twice the price. Suggest to the guide that you want to shop and browse by yourself and arrange to meet the guide at a given time.

Before embarking on a felucca check out the prices. There are huge variances for a one-hour sail, from RM15 per person to RM60. If one goes to the wharf and purchases directly from the owners the cost is RM30 per 10-seater felucca or RM45 for a 15-seater. Visiting Cairo without sailing in a felucca on the Nile is akin to going to a restaurant and not eating.

A must-visit place on a trip to Cairo is the Egyptian Museum. It is advisable to have a guide with you as it is usually crowded and not the easiest of museums to visit unguided. The exhibits are astounding, not only in quantity but quality. You are permitted to take photographs, without flash (except of the mummies). Turn your ISO up to at least 800 and you will get some memorable photographs. Allow half a day to visit the museum.

During your trip you can ride camels, visit the Papyrus Institute, Citadel, Mohd Ali Mosque, have T-shirts embroided and gold cartouches engraved with you and family members names in hieroglyphics, visit a carpet factory, an essential oil factory and have a dinner cruise on the Nile with belly dancing for entertainment.

The freshly cooked baladi, bread, grease-free and made from wholemeal flour was superb hot off the oven with tahini, bamiya and kusa. For those on package tours you will find that for lunch and dinner you will be taken to restaurants designed for tourists. Usually the menu consists of local bread, grilled fish or chicken served with rice and French fries and vegetables. After a few days it becomes monotonous so venture out and visit one of the many local restaurants. Here the selection is varied and cheaper.

A good place to have your final dinner in Cairo is at a rooftop restaurant with the Giza pyramids as a backdrop. After dinner a little puffing and coughing as you smoke a shisha, (hookah), accompanied with a cup of Egyptian coffee is a fitting finale to a memorable trip.

Although it’s very hot in July and August the queues at the pyramids and museum are a lot shorter than during the peak season. Also for those that want to buy carpets and souvenirs bargaining is easier in off-peak periods. Cairo is an interesting city full of history and charm.

Further Information

Other helpful information: Travel during off-peak seasons as the sites wil not be so crowded

Must see/do at this place: Cairo Museum, Nile Cruise, Saqqara