Egypt, a journey through History - In and around Cairo

Egypt, a journey through History
A travel report

In and around Cairo
Day 1 - "We entered Cheops pyramid. It was a very strange feeling to descend the narrow and low tunnel, our heads nearly touching the ceiling."
We arrived in Cairo at 1 am - our flight from Madrid was delayed due to the snow that had started falling on our way to the airport. Safaa, our friendly operator from Kimidar Tours, was waiting for us to transfer us to our hotel (Pyramids Park Hotel, near the pyramids of Giza) and to set our schedule for the morning.
After a mere five hour sleep, we woke up at 8 am for our first day of visit. Breakfast was great - we needed more time to really enjoy it, though. We left at 9 am in the company of our guide Mohamed and our driver Maghdi. It was Friday, the islamic equivalent to Sunday, so streets were less crowded. Traffic, nevertheless, was scary, with pedestrians throwing themselves in front of zig-zaging cars.
Our first stop was the Egyptian Museum. In two and a half hours we saw antiquities, the oldest being a slate palette from 3100 b.C. depicting Narmer, the unifier of the two lands - the Lower and the Upper Egypt. There were statues of pharaohs in granite, limestone and other materials. Two of the most interesting statues among the many we saw there were one of a scribe with a scroll on his crossed legs, as if ready to write, and one of Prince Rahotep and Princess Nefert, seated, he in a simple cloth, she in a semi-transparent one. There were also vases, jewels, murals, mummified animals, furniture and so many other items.
One of the highlights of the museum is Tutankhamun's treasures, recovered from his tomb in the Valley of the Kings. Four chests made of wood and covered with gold, which were originally one inside the other. The inner one contained his sarcophagus, which was also a series of coffins one inside the other. Like the sarcophagus, Tut's funerary mask is decorated with gold, lapis lazuli, quartz and obsidian. Golden sandals, belts, jewels and other ornaments that were found over the mummy are also displayed. There were also statues, thrones, chairs and other furniture. I read an interesting comment about Tut's treasures, which says that, considering his short life (he died at 18, having reigned for nine years), it is difficult to imagine which treasures tombs of more powerful and long-living pharaohs like Ramses II must have contained.
Another highlight is the Royal Mummies room, which requires a separate ticket to be visited. Inside we can see 15 mummies of kings and queens, including those of Ramses II, his father Seti I and his son Merneptah, whose mummy is white instead of dark like the others. The explanation was that he died in salt water during Moses' cross of the Red Sea (I understand that actually salt water had to be used for his mummification).
Next we went to a papyrus shop, Tanis Papyrus. They are everywhere and are usually called "papyrus museum" or "papyrus institute". There we saw the papyrus plant and learned how papyrus scrolls are made from the plant's stalk. It's very interesting and they sell painted papyrus of various sizes and subjects. We can even have our names painted in hieroglyphs onto them - of course I have bought one of these!
A moment we had been waiting for had finally arrived: we reached the famous pyramids of Giza, the only remaining of the Seven Wonders of ancient world. The oldest and largest is that of the pharaoh Khufu, better known as Cheops (a Greek version for the original name). Built during the first half of the 26th century b.C., it was originally 140 m high, 230 m long at its base and weigh about 5 million tons. Next to it is the pyramid of Chephren (Khafre, originally), Cheops' son, from the second half of the 26th century b.C., slightly smaller than the first but resembling higher. The last and smaller of these pyramids is that of Mycerinus (originally Menkaure), Chephren's son. There are other small pyramids next to these three and they belonged to the pharaohs' families.
It was time to enter one of the pyramids. After some waiting on a queue, we started descending through a long, narrow and dark passage until we reached a small chamber, then back to the tunnel, ahead and up to the main chamber, with the stone sarcophagus of the pharaoh. The chambers are surprisingly small, considering the pyramid is so huge. The pyramid entrance was found in 1818, but it had been looted centuries before.
On a hill overlooking the pyramids, thus a perfect spot for photographies, we took a short camel ride. It was fun, though it seemed not very comfortable for a long trip. It was almost sunset when we went to exit of the site and saw the famous sphinx, a lion body with human face, believed to have been built by Chephren, who may have even been the model of its face. People, specially children, greeted us with hellos and "Welcome to Egypt!".
Our next stop was at Omar Perfumes Palace, to try and buy essences. The first thing we tried, though, was karkaday, or hibiscus tea. We learned about the Egyptian tradition in essences, which they still export for perfume manufacturers all over the world. They have dozen of pure essences and blends, but after trying a few you can't tell them apart anyway. They contain no alcohol, but you can dilute them if you want. The blends have names like Ramses or Tutankhamun, Alladin or Ali Baba, and one of the most famous is "The secret of the desert", also known as "Earthquake in bed"!!
We needed a shower after the long day. We had our dinner at the hotel's Italian restaurant, La Terrazza, where I had a delicious tortellini in a creamy sauce. We had the company of two kittens in our table. During our meal, a newlywed couple crossed the restaurant on the way to their party outside, where guests and musicians were waiting for them. We had time to watch a bit of the party before our food arrived.
Day 2 - "Many statues had their noses destroyed by conquerors because they symbolize pride."
We had breakfast earlier in order to be able to try all the various delicious things available. They had iced karkaday, which I liked better than the hot one. At 9 Mohamed and Maghdi picked us up for another touring day.
Memphis, the first imperial city, is south of Cairo, was founded by the first pharaoh Narmer (or Menes) around 3100 b.C. and was Egypt's capital for about one thousand years. Not much remain of its glorious past, the main attractions being a huge statue of Ramses II, 13 m high, now laid down and sheltered, and an alabaster sphinx of Hatshepsut.
Saqqara, near Memphis, was the burial site of the royals and the nobles of that time. We entered Zoser's funerary complex through a hall that once contained statues of the animal-gods that represented each of the states of the kingdom. A tthe end we could see a wall decorated with snakes facing the entrance - the guardians and also an emblem of royalty.
We can see there the first pyramid, built for Zoser by his architect Imhotep in the 27th century b.C.. Before that, mastabas - deep holes dug on the sand - were used as tombs. Built in steps, thus the name "Step Pyramid" by which it is known, it was originally 62 m high and covered with white limestone. From a hill nearby we could have a nice view of this pyramid and, as a bonus, of an armed soldier making a demonstration of camel galloping to some authorities that were in some security inspection. Other smaller pyramids can be seen in the area, some far from there too.
Next we visited a carpet factory where kids, due to their delicate fingers, learn how to weave. Silk knotted carpets - soft and beautiful - require 64 knots per square centimeter! They have an amazing variety of sizes, patterns and colors. I could not resist buying a very small one...
It was lunchtime and, as we had asked for koftas (spiced minced meat grilled on a skewer), Mohamed took us to the restaurant Abouzeid, where we had lots of this delicious dish, served with salads and dips like hummus (of chickpeas) and tahina (of sesame), plus chicken kebab and the always delicious aish (Egyptian pita bread).
In a chaotic traffic that kept us awake all the way, we went to the Citadel, a walled hill from where we can have a view of Cairo, a city imersed in a mixture of sand, air pollution and lack of rain that limits the visibility. We visited Mohamed Ali's mosque, with its alabaster walls and amazingly decoraded green and golden domes. Mohamed Ali was Egypt's ruler during the first half of last century and built this mosque, where he is buried.
I was on my knees taking a photo of the domes when I heard the rustle of a big group of children entering the mosque. When I stood up, I was surrounded by girls around twelve-years-old that greeted me and shook my hands. My friend Beth was equally surrounded by another group. They asked about us and were delighted to take a pic with me. Their teachers said that Egyptians were very sorry about the murder of tourists a few weeks before. It seemed to me that there was an effort to revert the bad impression left by this incident and that all this greeting by people everywhere was part of it.
Mohamed took us to Khan el-Khalili bazaar and gave us one hour to look around and eventually buy something. We saw beautiful tainted glass flasks for perfumes and tried some essences too. Many shops sell spice, papyrus, jewels (including pendants with cartouche - the oblong loop that cointaned a pharaoh's name in hieroglyphs) and all kind of souvenirs in alabaster, granite, various stones or even plastic. The only thing we bought, after the traditional (and highly recommended) bargain were t-shirts embroidered with cartouche.
Back to the hotel, Safaa was waiting for us with the instructions for our trip next morning. We were feeling still full with our huge lunch, so we had something light for dinner. I had shurbit adas (a traditional lentil soup) and a slice of chocolate cake. Ashraf, the pianist at the hotel's restaurant were we ate that night, played some Brazilian music for us. Beth, trying to play the keyboard, almost destroyed the connections behind it...

Egypt, a journey through History

The report
In and around Cairo
Hurghada and the Red Sea
Luxor and more
From Luxor to Aswan
Aswan and Abu Simbel
The info
Geography and History
Related sites
Photos

text and photos © Maria Adelaide Silva
no reproduction is allowed without the author's agreement
If you have any comments or suggestions, send me an e-mail!
Rio de Janeiro, January 20, 1998
Updated on September 13, 1998

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In and around Cairo Day 1 - "We entered Cheops pyramid. It was a very strange feeling to descend the narrow and low tunnel, our heads nearly touching the ceiling." We arrived in Cairo at 1 am - our flight from Madrid was delayed due to the snow that had started falling on our way to the airport. Safaa, our friendly operator from Kimidar Tours, was waiting for us to transfer us to our hotel (Pyramids Park Hotel, near the pyramids of Giza) and to set our schedule for the morning. After a mere five hour sleep, we woke up at 8 am for our first day of visit. Breakfast was great - we needed more time to really enjoy it, though. We left at 9 am in the company of our guide Mohamed and our driver Maghdi. It was Friday, the islamic equivalent to Sunday, so streets were less crowded. Traffic, nevertheless, was scary, with pedestrians throwing themselves in front of zig-zaging cars. Our first stop was the Egyptian Museum. In two and a half hours we saw antiquities, the oldest being a slate palette from 3100 b.C. depicting Narmer, the unifier of the two lands - the Lower and the Upper Egypt. There were statues of pharaohs in granite, limestone and other materials. Two of the most interesting statues among the many we saw there were one of a scribe with a scroll on his crossed legs, as if ready to write, and one of Prince Rahotep and Princess Nefert, seated, he in a simple cloth, she in a semi-transparent one. There were also vases, jewels, murals, mummified animals, furniture and so many other items. One of the highlights of the museum is Tutankhamun's treasures, recovered from his tomb in the Valley of the Kings. Four chests made of wood and covered with gold, which were originally one inside the other. The inner one contained his sarcophagus, which was also a series of coffins one inside the other. Like the sarcophagus, Tut's funerary mask is decorated with gold, lapis lazuli, quartz and obsidian. Golden sandals, belts, jewels and other ornaments that were found over the mummy are also displayed. There were also statues, thrones, chairs and other furniture. I read an interesting comment about Tut's treasures, which says that, considering his short life (he died at 18, having reigned for nine years), it is difficult to imagine which treasures tombs of more powerful and long-living pharaohs like Ramses II must have contained. Another highlight is the Royal Mummies room, which requires a separate ticket to be visited. Inside we can see 15 mummies of kings and queens, including those of Ramses II, his father Seti I and his son Merneptah, whose mummy is white instead of dark like the others. The explanation was that he died in salt water during Moses' cross of the Red Sea (I understand that actually salt water had to be used for his mummification). Next we went to a papyrus shop, Tanis Papyrus. They are everywhere and are usually called "papyrus museum" or "papyrus institute". There we saw the papyrus plant and learned how papyrus scrolls are made from the plant's stalk. It's very interesting and they sell painted papyrus of various sizes and subjects. We can even have our names painted in hieroglyphs onto them - of course I have bought one of these! A moment we had been waiting for had finally arrived: we reached the famous pyramids of Giza, the only remaining of the Seven Wonders of ancient world. The oldest and largest is that of the pharaoh Khufu, better known as Cheops (a Greek version for the original name). Built during the first half of the 26th century b.C., it was originally 140 m high, 230 m long at its base and weigh about 5 million tons. Next to it is the pyramid of Chephren (Khafre, originally), Cheops' son, from the second half of the 26th century b.C., slightly smaller than the first but resembling higher. The last and smaller of these pyramids is that of Mycerinus (originally Menkaure), Chephren's son. There are other small pyramids next to these three and they belonged to the pharaohs' families. It was time to enter one of the pyramids. After some waiting on a queue, we started descending through a long, narrow and dark passage until we reached a small chamber, then back to the tunnel, ahead and up to the main chamber, with the stone sarcophagus of the pharaoh. The chambers are surprisingly small, considering the pyramid is so huge. The pyramid entrance was found in 1818, but it had been looted centuries before. On a hill overlooking the pyramids, thus a perfect spot for photographies, we took a short camel ride. It was fun, though it seemed not very comfortable for a long trip. It was almost sunset when we went to exit of the site and saw the famous sphinx, a lion body with human face, believed to have been built by Chephren, who may have even been the model of its face. People, specially children, greeted us with hellos and "Welcome to Egypt!". Our next stop was at Omar Perfumes Palace, to try and buy essences. The first thing we tried, though, was karkaday, or hibiscus tea. We learned about the Egyptian tradition in essences, which they still export for perfume manufacturers all over the world. They have dozen of pure essences and blends, but after trying a few you can't tell them apart anyway. They contain no alcohol, but you can dilute them if you want. The blends have names like Ramses or Tutankhamun, Alladin or Ali Baba, and one of the most famous is "The secret of the desert", also known as "Earthquake in bed"!! We needed a shower after the long day. We had our dinner at the hotel's Italian restaurant, La Terrazza, where I had a delicious tortellini in a creamy sauce. We had the company of two kittens in our table. During our meal, a newlywed couple crossed the restaurant on the way to their party outside, where guests and musicians were waiting for them. We had time to watch a bit of the party before our food arrived. Day 2 - "Many statues had their noses destroyed by conquerors because they symbolize pride." We had breakfast earlier in order to be able to try all the various delicious things available. They had iced karkaday, which I liked better than the hot one. At 9 Mohamed and Maghdi picked us up for another touring day. Memphis, the first imperial city, is south of Cairo, was founded by the first pharaoh Narmer (or Menes) around 3100 b.C. and was Egypt's capital for about one thousand years. Not much remain of its glorious past, the main attractions being a huge statue of Ramses II, 13 m high, now laid down and sheltered, and an alabaster sphinx of Hatshepsut. Saqqara, near Memphis, was the burial site of the royals and the nobles of that time. We entered Zoser's funerary complex through a hall that once contained statues of the animal-gods that represented each of the states of the kingdom. A tthe end we could see a wall decorated with snakes facing the entrance - the guardians and also an emblem of royalty. We can see there the first pyramid, built for Zoser by his architect Imhotep in the 27th century b.C.. Before that, mastabas - deep holes dug on the sand - were used as tombs. Built in steps, thus the name "Step Pyramid" by which it is known, it was originally 62 m high and covered with white limestone. From a hill nearby we could have a nice view of this pyramid and, as a bonus, of an armed soldier making a demonstration of camel galloping to some authorities that were in some security inspection. Other smaller pyramids can be seen in the area, some far from there too. Next we visited a carpet factory where kids, due to their delicate fingers, learn how to weave. Silk knotted carpets - soft and beautiful - require 64 knots per square centimeter! They have an amazing variety of sizes, patterns and colors. I could not resist buying a very small one... It was lunchtime and, as we had asked for koftas (spiced minced meat grilled on a skewer), Mohamed took us to the restaurant Abouzeid, where we had lots of this delicious dish, served with salads and dips like hummus (of chickpeas) and tahina (of sesame), plus chicken kebab and the always delicious aish (Egyptian pita bread). In a chaotic traffic that kept us awake all the way, we went to the Citadel, a walled hill from where we can have a view of Cairo, a city imersed in a mixture of sand, air pollution and lack of rain that limits the visibility. We visited Mohamed Ali's mosque, with its alabaster walls and amazingly decoraded green and golden domes. Mohamed Ali was Egypt's ruler during the first half of last century and built this mosque, where he is buried. I was on my knees taking a photo of the domes when I heard the rustle of a big group of children entering the mosque. When I stood up, I was surrounded by girls around twelve-years-old that greeted me and shook my hands. My friend Beth was equally surrounded by another group. They asked about us and were delighted to take a pic with me. Their teachers said that Egyptians were very sorry about the murder of tourists a few weeks before. It seemed to me that there was an effort to revert the bad impression left by this incident and that all this greeting by people everywhere was part of it. Mohamed took us to Khan el-Khalili bazaar and gave us one hour to look around and eventually buy something. We saw beautiful tainted glass flasks for perfumes and tried some essences too. Many shops sell spice, papyrus, jewels (including pendants with cartouche - the oblong loop that cointaned a pharaoh's name in hieroglyphs) and all kind of souvenirs in alabaster, granite, various stones or even plastic. The only thing we bought, after the traditional (and highly recommended) bargain were t-shirts embroidered with cartouche. Back to the hotel, Safaa was waiting for us with the instructions for our trip next morning. We were feeling still full with our huge lunch, so we had something light for dinner. I had shurbit adas (a traditional lentil soup) and a slice of chocolate cake. Ashraf, the pianist at the hotel's restaurant were we ate that night, played some Brazilian music for us. Beth, trying to play the keyboard, almost destroyed the connections behind it...
Egypt, a journey through History
The report In and around Cairo Hurghada and the Red Sea Luxor and more From Luxor to Aswan Aswan and Abu Simbel	The info Geography and History Related sites Photos
text and photos © Maria Adelaide Silva no reproduction is allowed without the author's agreement If you have any comments or suggestions, send me an e-mail! Rio de Janeiro, January 20, 1998 Updated on September 13, 1998