So after a flight back to Johannesburg, then to Doha Qatar where I had a 6 hour stopover, I got on a flight to Cairo. I was again pleasantly surprised by a GAP representative at the airport who helped me get my bags and go through immigration, which I was very happy about because it was all very confusing. So far every country I’ve been to has been mostly English speaking and now everything was in Arabic.
The representative took me to the Hosa Hotel which is right on the main strip in Cairo close to the pyramids. They told me you could see the pyramids from the roof of the hotel on a clear day. I checked in, went to my room, and took a deep breath. I have to admit I was a little freaked out. Cairo is just as crazy as everyone describes it to be and it is not like any place I’ve ever been to. I felt like I was on a different planet, or at least in a different era! I took a short walk to the nearest mall to find a phone place to get a SIM card, was totally lost and confused, went back to the hotel and stayed there till the morning!
The next day, Mohammad, a GAP guide, came to pick me up from the hotel nice and early. I was the only tourist so it was Mohammad, the driver, and myself. Our first stop was the Citadel of Prince Salah el-Din – one of Cairo’s most popular landmarks. Within the citadel walls there is the Mosque of Al Nasir Mohammad Ibn Qalaum and the Mosque of Mohammad Aly, where we sat for a while and admired the architecture and design. There was also an old police station museum where we could see old cells where prisoners were kept. From the citadel you get great views of this massive city of 22 million people.
Our next stop was a government run Papyrus Museum where I got a full explanation of how the Egyptians make papyrus paper – one of the most durable paper to ever be made. It was followed by a traditional lunch at a nearby restaurant where you can view the pyramids while eating.
That night I went to see the Sound and Light Show at the Giza Pyramids. As I sat there and waited for the show to start I thought to myself – I can’t believe I’m finally here sitting in front of the great pyramids! From where we were sitting they didn’t seem as grand as I imagined, and really they aren’t that huge but when you learn about how they were made you can understand why they are so admired by many. The show started out with men playing the bag pipes dressed up like Pharaohs, which I thought was amusing. Then they did a sound and light show which described a short history of the pyramids. It was for about an hour.
The next day I took a trip to Alexandria. We crossed 220km of desert and arrived at this beautiful city by the Mediterranean Sea. I was impressed with the city’s beauty and it’s very Greek influences. It is much smaller than Cairo and I felt almost at ease there.
One of our stops was the Catacomb of Komel-Shokafa – tombs that were “tunneled into the bedrock in the age of the Antonine emperors (2nd century AD) for a single wealthy family still practicing the ancient religion”.
Another stop was the fort and Citadel of Qaitbay (built around 1480) and the Pompey’s Pillar (built in 297 AD).
The last big stop was the Alexandria Library. It is a modern library and one of the greatest in the world. It currently has over 600,000 books and has space for millions. The architecture of the building is mind blowing and worth a visit for anyone going to Alexandria.
We took a short stop at the Montazah Summer Palace and walked around a bit. I was witness to the ferocious waves of the sea and watched fisherman struggle on the shoreline. We then took a photo stop by the Sultan’s palace before heading back to Cairo.
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