Cairo, Egypt
Starting out on a 14 day vacation on Norwegian Cruise Line, we arrived in Egypt. After doing some research, we discovered that an armed escort was needed to get from the Port of Alexandria to the city of Cairo. This is about a 3 hour drive and not knowing what to expect, we made reservations at the Cairo Marriott for one night. Upon arriving in Cairo, we started our tour near the Nile River with the Egyptian Museum to see King Tut's treasures, the Babylon Fortress, and the Hanging Church in the area of Coptic Cairo. The Egyptian Museum is the World's largest collection of Egyptian antiquities with over 100,000 pieces. The upstairs rooms are dedicated to King Tut. There's an extra charge in seeing the mummy rooms, but it's worth seeing your children's excitement when they see a real mummy. If you're set on seeing King Tut's tomb, you will need to travel about 400 miles south to the Valley of The Kings, in the city of Luxor. Coptic Cairo - Old Cairo 1700 years old, the Saint Virgin Mary's Coptic Orthodox Church is also known as the Hanging Church for its' suspended nave. What makes the Hanging Church fascinating is that it was the southern gateway to the Babylon Fortress. The roof of the church represents the survivors of Noah's arc. Within the church's southern isle, there is a small door of wood and ivory which leads to the oldest part of the church. Outside of the church, in the courtyard, you will have the opportunity to view biblical mosaics. The highlight of this trip was seeing the Cavern Church, built over the site where Joseph, Mary and baby Jesus went into hiding for three months as they fled to Egypt. |
Roman Towers of the Babylon Fortress
In one of Egypt's most important archeological area, known as Coptic Cairo, don't miss the Roman Towers of the Babylon Fortress. Originally built about 300 in the common era, upon the east bank of the Nile, the fortress was the boundary between lower and middle Egypt. Roman masonry is identified as red with white bands and the fortress was the largest ever built by the romans. Within the walls, six churches and a museum exists. Illuminated candles in the towers guided the people through the movement of the sun. The canal was created by the Pharaohs, but enlarged by the romans with the forts being renovated as well. The city flourished as the center of commerce, hosting ships from nearby seas. |
Also known as the Alabaster Mosque, the limestone mosque itself is beautiful with a dome ceiling, two minarets and alabaster tiles. Just as the gilded work of the dome, the illumination of lamps in a circle is breathtaking. The mosque is open every day except Fridays.
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Muhammad Ali Mosque
After spending some time in old Cairo, the tour continued to the summit of the Citadel of Saladin to see the Muhammad Ali Alabastar Mosque. The Citadel is designated as a UNESCO World Heritage site. It is a fortress, built in 1176 with three mosques and three museums. The Muhammad Ali Mosque is the most notable, being built in 1830 and commissioned by Muhammad Ali Pasha who was an Ottoman Albanian commander, born in Greece with Turkish ancestors. Muhammad Ali was the founder of modern Egypt and his tomb can be seen in the courtyard of the mosque. Originally, a french architect was hired to build the mosque, but Muhammad changed his mind and hired a greek architecture instead. At its' completion, the mosque resembled the Blue Mosque in Istanbul. |
Cairo - Day 2
We spent 1 night at the Cairo Marriott Hotel & Omar Khayyam Casino which has its own history as being a former royal palace. In the morning, we walked through the hotel admiring the Christmas decorations, shopped at the hotel and ordered lunch to take with us on tour. Saqqara Pyramid Complex From Cairo we traveled about 30 minutes south to the pyramids of Saqqara, a UNESCO World Heritage Site, 4,700 years old. Probably the most famous, the step pyramid of Djoser, dates back to about 2500 B.C. It is often recommended to see the Titi, Mereruka and Kagemni tombs (mastaba) before seeing the pyramids of Giza to gain a better understanding of the history of pyramids. As you approach the Saqqara (Sakkara) pyramids or any other tourist area, be prepared for locals to aggressively ask to take your photo for money. |
Carpet School
After doing some considerable walking through Saqqara, we visited a traditional carpet school. Be aware that guides receive compensation for bringing tourists to a carpet school for shopping. The children work at the carpet schools learning a trade after going to school. They say the kids learn subjects here. They sit at their loom working away creating their own design or following a picture with silk threads. If you hear the word Baksheesh, they are asking for a tip. After the demonstration, we were led into the showroom to purchase their works of art. Do your research before purchasing a carpet or tapestry as some people feel they have been overcharged. Our group did not purchase one as it was costly to ship back and some felt the kids are being exploited. They claim since the kids are busy with a craft it keeps them from roaming the streets. |
Giza - The Pyramids, Sphinx and Valley of Temple.
You can take a taxi or Uber to one of the Seven Wonders of the World and UNESCO World Heritage Site. If you choose to walk, be prepared to be aggressively asked if you need anything. It is uncomfortable, but you can practice your "no, thank you". Also, be aware that some locals may give you fake directions to the entrance so that you're stuck hiring a taxi to go to the right entrance. Once you find the right entrance, it costs about 80 Egyptian pounds ($4) to get into the complex. Visiting hours are from 8 am to 4 pm. Cameras are not allowed inside the pyramids or the tombs. If you're using a tripod, there is a charge of 20 Egyptian pounds extra. Each pyramid has a separate fee with the Grand Pyramid, Khufu, costing about 200 Egyptian pounds. As you enter the pyramid complex, if you decide to try a camel ride have a set price prior to hopping on your camel otherwise, you will spend the ride haggling over the cost. This may distract you from enjoying the scenery. |
Driving to the Pyramids
As we embarked on our journey through the city, we appreciated seeing the locals in their daily activities, selling fresh fruits and vegetables, people getting ready for work, sitting and talking with each other and children going to school. Like any other city, the streets are busy with locals lus tour buses intent on getting to their destination. Don't be in a rush and enjoy the new experiences, infrastructure and architecture. When you walk through the entrance to the pyramids, surrounded by cemeteries, boat pits, tombs, temples and quarries, you'll realize how massive this area is. There is a level walkway to the pyramids or you can ride a camel around the complex. Everything inside has been taken to museums so all you have left is darkness and chambers. Evidence has shown that it took 20,000 men and 30 years to build a pyramid. It may be helpful to do some research in advance. Expect to see a little vandalism from the 2011 protests, faded hieroglyphs, most areas are not labeled, so unless you have a complex guide it may be challenging to figure out what you're taking photos of. |
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Alexandria
After spending the morning at the pyramids, we drove to the city of Alexandria to visit the library and Quaite Bay Forte before getting back on our ship. Alexandria, founded by Alexander the Great in 332 BC, is the second largest city in Egypt. The streets and structures in Alexandria are well taken care of. The city is a major center of international shipping. Because of many wars, there is very little left of the ancient city. What is still standing is a Roman triumphal column in the ancient acropolis. The city's catacombs are near the column. A trip here would allow you to see a multi-labyrinth, dozens of chambers, statues and other religious symbols. The Bibliotheca Alexandrina is a beautiful and modern library built on the site of the ancient library in 2002. France donated 500,000 books and the library has space for up to eight million books. The complex is comprised of museums, art galleries, exhibits and a planetarium. The walls are of gray granite and carved with characters. The entry fee is about 10 LE. The Citadel of Qaitbay is a defensive fortress built in the 15th century and restored by Muhammad Ali Pasha in 1805. Built on the site of the Pharoah's lighthouse at the entrance of the eastern harbor, it is now a maritime museum. The entry fee is 35 LE for entry and open 8 am to 5 pm (verify days). |
TIPS: Getting around with Uber is very convenient. The Marriott Mena House Hotel, built in 1869, is the most beautiful hotel in Cairo and near the pyramids where dignitaries and royals have once stayed. Check all discounts for the Marriott, sometimes using points saves you more money in the long run if the rate is much higher. We stayed at the Cairo Marriott and the breakfast buffet was wonderful. We felt safe inside this hotel and they have a small shopping area where you don't have to leave the hotel at all. We found the silver cartouche for $25 and Egyptian perfume bottles $40 for 15. Many tourists go to the Bazaar to find these, but I felt that the hotel had reputable sellers. Their bakery and deli serve fresh sandwiches and pastries to take on the road with you. They had shops and cafes for all budgets. Locals outside of the hotels are very aggressive to try and provide you services. Prior to traveling to Cairo, I was advised not to give up my camera or I may need to pay a fee to get it back. If you have an extra day, try to squeeze in the Khan el Khalili Bazaar and Sound and Light Show at the pyramids which is quite spectacular to see!