Now, we are in Cairo airport making our way through customs and security. Actually, it was easy to get the visa in Egypt. We were pointed towards a bank where you purchased the visa ($15.00 US per person), and then we took our visas and our passports and continued on our way through security and customs.
We arranged for a taxi to drive us to our hotel--Santana Hotel. Driving in Cairo is like driving a bumper car. Moving forward means outmaneuvering your fellow driver by quickly and carefully changing lanes. To cross intersections or turn corners, you have to edge across lanes cutting off other drivers. Sometimes those vehicles are so close you winch.
On our first day, we got a driver through the hotel to take us to the Egyptian Museum. This would be short day for us as we were still feeling the effects of jet lag and a lack of sleep. However, our driver advised us that he couldn't take us to the museum due to the roads to the museum being closed because of the demonstration at Midan Tahrir. He suggested that we go to the pyramids. He took us as far as he could drive us and handed us over to the carriage drivers. They were very evasive about prices and aggressive in their business practices. We weren't too happy but took the carriage.
We spent time seeing the big pyramid, visiting a tomb, and a Nile solar barque that was used to carry the mummy of the dead pharaoh across the Nile to the valley temple.
We got back to the hotel, and the hotel tour guide was very surprised that the museum was closed. Upon doing some homework that night--reading the guide book, and looking at the maps in the book--we learned that our driver scammed us as did the carriage driver/owner. They must have all had a good laugh at the stupid foreigners. There are touts everywhere, and they are very pushy. They try to be your best buddy. The best way we find to handle them is just to keep walking and ignoring them. Soon, they get tired of talking to your back. I think we go through this big learning curve at the beginning of every holiday because we don't have this type of scamming in Canada. A lot of the Egyptians are friendly and just want you to have a good time in their country.
We did cancel all the other tours we had lined up for the next few days, and decided to make our own way.
The next day, we walked over to the Egyptian Museum. On the way over, we learned how to cross the street since there are no cross walks and the drivers do not stop for you, even if there are crosswalks. You wait for a small opening in the traffic which allows you to start the crossing; and off you go, swallowing hard as you cross six lanes of traffic. You don't stop until you are across. If you are lucky when you get almost over, someone will wave you across the last lane as he slows for you.
The Egyptian Museum contains displays which cover the many dynasties of pharaohs. The most famous is the display of King Tutankhamen's treasures which were found in his tomb in the Valley of the Kings. There were chariots that he used for hunting, his mummy and his burial coffins (one of which is all gold), food jars, and all sorts of other items that he would need for his afterlife.
We walked out of the museum into a sandstorm--the air was hazy and a bit gritty. We made our way back to the hotel, stopping at a restaurant on the Nile--Chilis.
Next day, we decided to visit a souq (market); but we would need a taxi to get there. Once we got to the main road, we hailed a taxi; and as luck would have it, we got a very informative and trustworthy driver (Hamada)who made the rest of our stay in Cairo very enjoyable.
While in the market, we stopped for coffee and smoked a saseesh (water pipe or hookah). The smell and taste was strong and sweet.
The Egyptian Museum contains displays which cover the many dynasties of pharaohs. The most famous is the display of King Tutankhamen's treasures which were found in his tomb in the Valley of the Kings. There were chariots that he used for hunting, his mummy and his burial coffins (one of which is all gold), food jars, and all sorts of other items that he would need for his afterlife.
We walked out of the museum into a sandstorm--the air was hazy and a bit gritty. We made our way back to the hotel, stopping at a restaurant on the Nile--Chilis.
Next day, we decided to visit a souq (market); but we would need a taxi to get there. Once we got to the main road, we hailed a taxi; and as luck would have it, we got a very informative and trustworthy driver (Hamada)who made the rest of our stay in Cairo very enjoyable.
While in the market, we stopped for coffee and smoked a saseesh (water pipe or hookah). The smell and taste was strong and sweet.
We then walked around the market--put on miles as there are many little alleys running off the main alleys.
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