Egypt: It’s not all bad
Getting off the plane and going into the Cario airport was disconcerting at first. Cigarette smoke was in the air and the halls seemed old and dreary. My mood picked up, though, when I so easily obtained my visa and a friendly employee gently put my luggage into the ride to the hotel (yes, it was a paid service, but a nice paid service).
The ride from the airport to the hotel felt surreal. It was my first time in Africa and my first time in the Middle East. The airport is in New Cairo, a satellite city of Cairo. Out there, the sky is large and filled with stars. The cool night air blows across the desert. The driver welcomed me to Egypt–the first of about a million Welcome-to-Egypt’s I’d get.
At the hotel, the staff took our luggage to scan and search it all before it went to our room. I was prepared for this because I watched the video, “Egypt Travel Nightmare!! Why I’ll Never Go Back!!” Fortunately, I did not have the experience this YouTuber had–mainly because I wasn’t bringing in drones and loads of other filming footage. Instead, my family and I were told to leave the suitcases with the security to check while we comfortably sat just inside the lobby and enjoyed cold drinks the hotel provided. When we got up to our room, the suitcases were waiting for us. The next morning, we had a fabulous breakfast at the hotel and swam in the pool.
Another memorable trip in Egypt was to the Mall of Arabia, Africa’s largest mall. Yes, I went to Egypt and chose to visit a mall because it claimed to be the largest in Africa–don’t judge me! They had a giant teddy bear.
But the really impressive part of the trip to the mall, of course, was when the Great Pyramids of Giza seemed to appear out of nowhere just left of the car. Maybe you’ve seen pictures of how close the pyramids are to the busy, crowded city of Cairo. They are close, and it’s amazing! Staring at those pyramids for the first time, I may have been the closest I’ve come to getting into an accident…and I didn’t care. It was dreamlike.
I later made a proper visit to the Great Pyramids of Giza and the Sphinx. I was definitely not a let down. In a previous post, I wrote about the problems I encountered there–problems many tourists encounter there–but those problems are miniscule compared to the splendor of being there. I don’t want to say it’s worth going to Egypt just for the Great Pyramids of Giza and the Sphinx, but I think it might be. If you are in a part of the world where you can get an affordable flight to Cairo, visiting that historic site will be worth your while.
Other must-see-places include the Hanging Church and the Citadel of Saladin. While those places come with tourist problems, like very aggressive and dishonest salesmen, they are neat to see. And a fun day trip is to Gezira Island, where you will find boutiques, shops, and restaurants.
My favorite place to visit, apart from the pyramids, is Medieval Cairo (also called Historic Cairo, I think). A walk through the walled area in the late evening is a must. Check out the shops and colorful Arabian lanterns. Admire old buildings. Listen to music as you drink a coffee. Walk around eating fried Zalabia balls.
Speaking of food, I love Egypt’s food. One day, instead of having English lessons, a student of mine said, “Come on. I will take you to the suq [market] to try different Egyptian foods.” Not only is that welcoming behavior representative of my experience with most Egyptians, the food was amazing. Falafel, Egyptian-style stuffed grape leaves, and hummus. A variety of fūl, a stew of cooked fava beans with olive oil, cumin, garlic, onion, and lemon juice. The hot, bubbled up flatbread, Aish baladi. Another dish I favor is the national dish, kushari: chickpeas, pasta, fried onions, and tomato sauce, served on top of a bed of rice and brown lentils. I haven’t even gotten into the desserts, but I think I’m getting too hungry to write more.
Being in Egypt came with many problems, problems that I’m open to sharing. I’ve only been to 10 countries and lived in 8, but I’ve seen enough to know that everywhere has its problems. Egypt has way more “bad” than any place I’ve been. But I can also say it has a whole lot of good!