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Published: February 17th 2006
I have to start on an official note. It appears that some people were not happy with my last blog. I recieved a few emails and messages from citizens and regular visitors that obviously didn't undertand what my last blog was all about. Dispite the title of my last blog being Worst first night... EVER!!! I was no way implying that I disliked the city with a pasing glance (I never do that), the religion or the people. I was discribing my experiences. When I said at that point I wasn't liking it, I refering to my situation of being in a bad mood and taking it out on the city, unfair maybe, but not to be taken too seriosuly. By using the word wailing in reference to the midday prayers, I was in no way abasing the islamic religion. I actually very much enjoy the sound of the prayers, I was mearley decribing the soaring sound that many mosques during prayers make. If I don't like a place, I will definitively say so. I can now honestly say, I don't like Cairo. I have made my mind up because I have now had a week to. Please don't judge without
insight.
My parents arrived late at night and I showed them to the hotel I had aquired. To have travelling company was a relief however I was getting used to solo travel. Thier first day we hit the Egyptian Museum. After the usual security checks, we were in. The rule in the museum was no cameras, so unfortunately, I have no pictures. An hour or so of wandering saw us take in some remarkable artifacts. Sarcophagus' and amazing statues. Many times I have read and seen hieroglyphics in pictures and movies but to see the original hieroglyphs and to touch them engraved into statues and runes in person was a surprisingly unique experience. I also was taken by surprise to see the Rosetta Stone, from which Jean-François Champollion, was the first man to decipher hieroglyphs in 1822. The main atrium contained a statue that rose about 50ft. towards the large roof. As I stood there and gazed to the heavens, I wondered how much the people of those days dedicated thier lives to build such amazing things.
With the first floor completed, we climbed the stairs to the second level. This floor was mainly filled with ancient jewelry
The broom
These brooms are used everywhereand extremely detailed but little deteriorated woodern sarcophagus' Once we rounded the corner, we were greeted by signs that indicated that we were then enterering the hallways of Tutankhamun. We were browsing at things like his bed made from gold and much of his belongings pulled from his tomb when Howard Carter discovered it in 1922. I knew what was coming and got too excitied to wait around. I rushed off and arrived to the special room that contained Tut's death mask plus his 2nd and 3rd coffin also made from solid gold. Seeing pictures is always nice but to see the intricate detail up close was amazing and by far the highlight of the museum.
We then made our way to the mummy room which houses mummies of some of the most famous pharaohs and queens who ruled between 1552 and 1069BC including Ramses II.
The next day was definately a day to note in personal history. We made our way, after much trouble with the taxi driver, to the Plateau of Giza. A man at the gate claimed to work for the government (while wearing civilian clothes) and wanted our tickets. He somehow ended up with
Bloody BIG!
Yer, Khufu is a big boy! them, mum ripped the tickets back off him and told him to go away. This was our introduction to The Pyramids.
Please note that there is much room in this blog to complain about the constant hassling, the scam artists, the atrocious state of the site, the corrupt "tourist police" and the horrible running of the area. Tourism and locals trying to expolit tourism have unfortunately tainted the granduer of the pyramids themselves. I made a conscious decision to block out these things and enjoy the last remaining wonder of the world.
As claimed in my last blog, since I was a kid, if there was only one thing I ever wanted to see it was the Pyramids of Giza. As I wandered around the site, marvelling at these magnificent structures, I couldn't help but be impressed. No matter how many pictures, documentaries or movies you see, nothing could ever compare to the real thing towering over you as they have over so many people for so many millenniums. I was quietly laughing to myself pretty much all day and it never sunk it that I was really there. We also, of course, wandered down to the Sphinx.
2 biggest
Kharfre and Khufu There has been much renovating of the Sphinx and you can't actually get right up to it to touch it but we had a good view of it anyhow.
We had a break in a small café with probably the best view that any café could ever have, the looming 3 Pyramids and Sphinx. We took the opportunity to climb inside Kharfre, the pyramid with limestone casing at the top and the second biggest. It costs a bit extra and wasn't particually exciting plus there was no cameras allowed. There was only one area you could move into and all the rest was blocked off to the public. While at the site, there were a few things I really wanted to do. 1 was to take a camel ride in the surrounding desert, taking in all views of the pyramids. Unfortunately that it isn't as fantastic as it may sound. Camels are bloody filthy and stinky animals. There is something very un-serene about clopping through the desert on a camel and it deciding to let out one colossal fart that seemed to last for a whole minute. To ride is also very concomfortable with very quick rocking back and
forth. The experience, however, was unforgettable. While being filthy animals, I like camels. When they sit, they do it so majestically and with pride. They also seem to have seemingly playful personalities and know when they are on camera. The other little activity I had in mind came from a documentary I saw where a man tried to fit a knife blade in between two blocks of one of the pyramids. Since I had left my kitchen knife collection at home, I settled for a credit card. There I was, standing on one of the most famous buildings in the world, trying to squeeze my visa into it. I was waiting for someone to come along and inform me that this wasn't an ATM but it never happened. For the record, after 4 and a half thousand years, there was no way I was getting even a tiny corner of my card between any two blocks. Another reason to marvel. The day came to an end and it had truly been amazing.
The next day we made our way to Saqqara or the Step Pyramid. The area was much nicer and a lot less tourists. The pyramid itself was
Garry of Arabia
...hmmm or not. fabulous. It is actually not a proper pyramid due to its "steps" but it is particually impressive. We also went further south to the Dahshur pyramid with a shaft you could climb in that was much more impressive than Kharfre. After descending into the dark, hot abyss for what seemed like an eternity, I slowly make my way into the first room. The deep clunk of my boot hitting the floor generated a very unusual echo that reverberated for a long time. Every movement was heard over and over again. I make my way into the next room. I look up and see the walls taper to a tip as they get higher. The echo is even stronger in this room. As I clammer my way back out I feel the temperature lower. It was much better than Kharfre to climb inside and with no other people in there at the time, it was rather daunting.
From Dahshur, you get a good view of the bent pyramid of Snefru. Stories have it that it was built to house the mummy of a pharaoh, but when that pharaoh died unexpectedly, they had to finnish it quciker than planned, hence reason
Bllluuuurrrrr
This guy needs a mint! why it is bent.
With all seen and done, we are now moving onto Aswan tommorrow. Buying a ticket to Aswan was not as easy as expected. Being friday morning, everything was closed. Once we found a bank, got some Egyptian pounds, we headed for the Ramses Train Station. When we tried to pay for the tickets, they only accepted US dollars not Egyptian pounds. Since we had no way of getting US cash at the time we made a compliant with the "tourist police." He went in told them to accept our pounds. Of course the policemen wanted a tip for doing his job. Trying to get a cab back was not easy either. We were not going to pay anymore than what we paid to get here but people still wanted to charge us at least double. I got one driver down to a decent price and off we went. I, as I always do, clarified the deal with the driver who all of a sudden didn't speak english and gave me a look would see on a confused dog. I even told him where I wanted to go in my loose Arabic and he still had
Camels
Filthy bloody animals the same look. We stopped him, got out and began to walk. A little ways down the road, a lady pulled up in a car and offered us a ride to our destination. Me being cynical, I asked how much and she said "No money, no money." She said she saw our frustration with the taxi drivers and was embarrased that visitors to her city were being treated like idiots. She dropped us off with a smile and it was the best experience with a local I have had in Cairo.
The locals are generally, very friendly. There are, of course, the scam artists, the rude people, the "tourist police" who will scam you if they get the chance and the taxi drivers who are mostly just scum. I'm sorry to say that being a foreigner in Cairo is an unpleasent experience. I don't mind the haggling and even occasionally being ripped off by a salesmen if it's all in fun, but what I don't like is being treated like an absolute idiot. Taxi drivers are the worst at this who will take you anywhere but where you want to go and to all his mates shops along the
way. I am not perturbed though, the good outway the bad and the city is worth it. While I can honestly say I don't like Cairo, there is no doubt that it is an fascinating place. With so much to see and experience, I believe every person, who was thinking of coming, to do it.
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Ian and Ruth
non-member comment
cairo
Cam. Keep them comin'. We won't have to travel now we have seen your photography. Loved the black bastard (ie Garry of Arabia. Is he practicing his bunker shots?