Tales from Egypt

Who has not heard of the pyramids of Egypt? It is one of the Seven Wonders of the World and the primary attraction of Egypt.  When I went to Cairo, my first concern was seeing the pyramids. When I finally got to Cairo, I learned that it was hard not to see the pyramids as it was very visible. And I was lucky enough that my hotel, Le Meridien Pyramids, was just 5 minutes away so I got to see it every day.

The Pyramids of Giza

The Pyramids of Giza

What exactly do we know about the pyramids? Having seen and fancied the movie, The Mummy, I was hoping to see secret passages and the book of the dead. Of course, I knew it was ridiculous but wouldn’t that have been exciting? So, what exactly did I see? A huge mass of bricks. Yup. That’s all it.

The Sphinx

Nonetheless, I was blown away by this marvelous mass of bricks. Of the three pyramids of Giza, the Great Pyramid is the largest and oldest, built between 2589-2566 B.C as a tomb of the pharaoh Khufu. It stands 482 feet and weighs 6,000,000 tons--meaning, it's huge. Although there are stories that thousands of slaves were used to built it, there are also some stories saying that it was built by proud laborers. The outermost layer of the pyramid was a polished stone that luster under the dessert heat. However, much of the outermost layer was destroyed during the French colony. Khufu’s son Chephren built his own pyramid which was shorter and narrower. The smallest and simplest pyramid is the pyramid of Mycerinus, revealing the decline of workmanship in the construction of Egyptian pyramids. 

Near the pyramids is the Sphinx. The Sphinx is carved from a rock with the head of a king and the body of a lion. It is a symbol of strength and wisdom.

The Sound and Light Show at the Pyramids of Giza is a must-see tour. Not only does it light up the pyramids with different colors, it also provides interesting facts and a history of the Pyramids of Giza.

Sound and Light Show

More than the Pyramids

Nile River dinner and show cruise

Although the pyramids were the first thing that came to my, it is not the only distinct thing about Egypt. Crossing along the dry dessert is the Nile River that makes the land fertile. In Cairo, we hopped into a Nile River dinner and show cruise that offered a lovely view of Cairo at night. The on-board show included very interesting folklore music with a dancer spinning around for about 30 minutes. There was also an enthralling belly dancer that kept us entertained.

The Citadel

Another tourist destination we went to is The Citadel. Built initially as a pavilion, The Citadel became Egypt’s seat of government until the mid-19th century. The Cairo Citadel is a gorgeous fortress with a medieval character. In the Alabaster Mosque is the tomb of Muhammad Ali, an Albanian who became a governor and leader of Egypt and Sudan.

Tomb of Muhammad Ali

Going to Egypt would not be complete without seeing mummies, sarcophagi or Egyptian drawings in a papyrus. All these are housed in The Egyptian Museum situated at Tahrir square in Cairo. Cameras are prohibited inside the museum as these may awaken the dead. Unfortunately, the museum was not yet renovated when we visited. Nevertheless, I found my visit ample. Before I entered the museum, I expected to see some ancient Egyptian caskets in the museum. I was wrong.  I saw loads of tombs here and there. Simple ones, intricate ones, small ones and extraordinary ones… they were everywhere. A separate area housed the Tutankhamun’s treasures and the mummies.  King Nebkheperura Tutankhamun was a rather insignificant ruler who died early but the discovery of his tomb and its contents made him the most famous of all Pharaohs of Ancient Egypt, granting him immortality.

Camel in the middle of traffic

Cairo is a tourist destination that lives up to its expectation. The culture is ubiquitous and the locals are friendly and I find the eminence of Ancient Egypt still engraved in this modern city.