03 Oct 2016
Sunny In Egypt
Hello world. Hope you all had a great weekend.
I wanted to go to Egypt for the reasons that most people want to go to Egypt. As a kid, I was fascinated by stories about mummies, pyramids and images from one of history’s most advanced ancient civilizations. As a traveler, I was curious about the political and social situation there since we see so many violent images from the media.
When I was researching my trip to Egypt I concluded that either 1. this is the best time to visit Egypt, as there are few tourists, prices are lower, and the country needs visitors! or 2. Egypt is super dangerous now and if I go there I will DIE. It’s always tough to know how seriously to take travel advisories – I mean, there’s still an advisory up for many countries that are completely safe for tourists – so I decided to go ahead with my trip.
The sights that Egypt has to offer can’t be found anywhere else. The press has been unfair to Egypt – capitalizing and dramatizing protests into something more than what they are. The Egyptians are passionate about their country and they take their politics very seriously. Like us. They will publicly demonstrate, like us, when they feel they need to capture the attention of a greater audience for mutual support. I walked all over Cairo, Giza and felt perfectly safe.
BEFORE TRAVELING TO EGYPT
Safety: Their airports are rigorous about safety as ours. The streets, museums, sights, temples, etc., are all very safe because Egypt has seen to assigning copious tourism police to protect travelers like ourselves. They are everywhere.
Visa: A passport and visa are required for U.S. citizens traveling to Egypt. Tourists can obtain a renewable single-entry 30-day tourist visa on arrival at Egyptian airports for a 25 USD fee. Make sure you have 25 U.S. dollars. I almost got deported because I didn’t have dollars. They refused to accept their own currency at immigration. I will explain that story another time. But again, make sure you have U.S. dollars if you choose to get visa on arrival.
Clothing: Egypt is predominantly Muslims and you should respect that culture. I didn’t see any adherence to any clothing protocol but if you don’t want to draw unwanted attention to yourself then dress appropriately.
Attitude: I found the Egyptian people to be friendly and welcoming. Tourism has been down for several years now and they are very accommodating to Americans (we tip better).
Shopping: The prices for hotels, food, tours, transportation and souvenirs was very reasonable. There are many bargains to be found. You can safely negotiate 25%-30% deduction off most items.
Smoking: The Egyptian people do smoke cigarettes and it is a widely accepted practice throughout Egypt. If you are a smoker, you will feel more welcomed than ever. If you are a rapid non-smoker, then look for those no-smoking signs.
Alcohol: Most of the native Egyptians do not drink for religious reasons. You are welcome to drink and alcohol is readily sold, albeit only inside of buildings, like at a bar or at a dinner table.
I flew in from Morocco
I stayed at the Le Méridien Pyramids Hotel & Spa. Offering pyramid views, this high-end hotel is 2 km from The Great Pyramid at Giza, The Grand Egyptian Museum and the Great Sphinx of Giza.
After exploring the property. I had dinner in one of the hotel’s restaurant.
I witnessed beautiful weddings every night at the lobby.
THE PYRAMIDS
No pyramids are more celebrated than the Great Pyramids of Giza, located on a plateau on the west bank of the Nile River, on the outskirts of modern-day Cairo. The oldest of the Seven Wonders of the Ancient World, and the only one to remain largely intact!
I had lunch with my amazing tour guide, Bassam at the most stunning view of the Pyramids.
EGYPTIAN MUSEUM
No Egypt tour is complete without a visit to the Egyptian Museum in Cairo. With over 120,000 artifacts, the museum houses an unbelievable exhibit depicting ancient Egypt’s glorious reign. Mummies, sarcophagi, pottery, jewellery and of course King Tutankhamen’s treasures, it’s all there. The boy-king’s death-mask – discovered in its tomb – is made of solid gold and it has been described as the most beautiful object ever made.
I met these amazing women, Minci and Stacy from California at the hotel. We lounged at the pool, had lunch and was on the hunt to find tampons which very few knowns about including the women in Egypt.
This was a very beautiful restaurant with reasonable prices very close to the hotel.
This was my feeling better selfie since I was sick for the most part of my Egypt trip due to my asthma condition.
Egypt is still an experience I recommend for all adventurous travelers and lovers of history and culture. It’s worth it to endure at least once. Hope this post inspires you all to visit Egypt.
