Cairo
Created | Updated Jun 19, 2002
Generally speaking, the first thing that most people notice about Cairo is not the charm and life within the city, but the pollution, dirt and just how busy it is.
Cairo starts to wake up between 8 or 9 am, at which point the smog, dirt and noise levels rise significantly. This can make breathing hard for some people (e.g Asthmatics) and can make it generally unpleasant. However, it's well worth staying here just so you can see the Pyramids at Giza, and the Egyptian Museum
Giza Pyramids
The Giza pyramids are just outside Cairo, in the Sahara desert. and are well worth the visit. In fact, for most people, the pyramids form the main basis for their visit to Egypt. The complex consists of three pyramids, including the Great Pyramid, the Sphinx and several smaller pyramids.
The two most popular ways to visit them are by tour group, or by taxi. I would recommend going by taxi as this will probably work out cheaper, and will allow you as much time as you like. A taxi will probably cost you about LE 20 (£5) and the taxi driver will take you to all the pyramids, the sphinx and get you home again, assuming you are staying just outside Cairo. To visit the inside of the pyramids will cost you more, but they are empty inside, so aren't really worth the money.
Warning time, most non-taxi driving Arab here will try to con you, rob you or extract money off you in some way or another. This is the sad thing about the area, and something you should be wary of. You will also be harassed constantly. Here are some of the more popular cons to be wary of:
- Someone will offer to take your picture for you, or hold your camera whilst you mount a camel. If you have nothing of theirs, they will just disappear, if you do have something of theirs, for example their camel, the camera will disappear and they will never have seen it.
- Once on their camel, they will lead you to the desert and demand more money off you or they will leave you there. A word of advice, they will leave you there, and may also have their camel kick you when you get off. This happens all too frequently, I'm afraid.
- They will offer to take you on a personal tour, where they will abandon you unless more money is given, or they will rob you.
Sadly, whenever someone helps you, they will expect a Basheesh (tip), no matter how small. This help will usually be given unrequested. For example, they will see you taking a picture of the Sphinx, and casually tell you that you get a better spot from position X. They will then demand payment for this. If you take a picture of them, they will also want money (quite rightly, you may say here). Whatever you offer them, it will not be enough. In this case, just put the money back in your pocket and walk off, it will suddenly be enough.
Don't any of this put you off, the pyramids and sphinx are fantastic, and an absolute must see if you are going to Egypt, just be on your guard whilst there.
The Egyptian Museum
The Egyptian Museum is absolutely huge, so allow yourself at least five hours to look around it all. the exhibits themselves are wonderful, and the Tutankhamon exhibits is breathtaking. The entrance price is quite dear, but worth it.
If you want to take your camera, then you will have to pay an additional fee, and you cannot use your flash, so make sure you have a fast film, about 800 ASA (e.g. Kodak Zoom film) or faster. A word of warning here, if you take your camera with you, you will have to pay. You must pass through a metal detector and all of your belongings are X-rayed, and if they see a camera, you will have to buy a ticket, whether you intend to use it or not, but I'm sure you will want to use it.
Again, a taxi is probably your best bet to get there, and they will wait outside until you have finished, so you don't have to pay until you get back to your hotel.
Papyrus Factory/Museum
At some point, you'll probably be taken to a papyrus factory or museum, at which point you'll be told that it's the only one in Egypt. That's what we were told despite the fact that I'd seen five on my way over there. Anyway, they go through a quick, 3 minute demonstartion on how papyrus parchement is made, then try to sell you some of there vastly overpriced pictures. Even the ones 'signed' are not genuine. They had left a door open and I could see them being made, which involved them being fed through a computer printer. If you can avoid going to one, then do so. Papyrus pictures can be found much cheaper elsewhere, and I can tell you how they make the sheets:
First they take the 'bark' of the pyramid shaped stems. The remaining stems are then cut into thin strips which are soaked in water for a couple of days. These strips are then layered in a cross-hatch type pattern (all verticle to make a sheet, then all horizontal over the top of these), and are held together in a large press (formally two big rocks) for a couple of weeks and voila, it's done.
Staying There
Don't.
Okay, that may seem a little abrupt or harsh, but it's best not to stay there. It's so dirty and noisy that not only will you get no sleep, but you'll have trouble breathing and the hotels which are there are a bit of a dive. The best idea is to stay on the outskirts of Cairo, or just outside. There are plenty of hotels, and altough noisy and polluted, it is much more preferable.
Final piece of advice
One final word regarding cars and traffic. Please take a lot of care near the roads. Egyptain drivers drive exceptionally fast, ignore pedestrians and traffic lights, and have their hands permanently attached to their horns. They will not stop for you, and so crossing the road is quite dangerous at times. The best advice is to do what I did, look for an Egyptian crossing (who looks confident) and follow them, closely.
