I went to Egypt in 2009 with my father, stepmother and sister. We flew first to Cairo, where we stayed for a few days and then flew to Luxor where we began our cruise on the Nile, passing through all the important ancient cities.
My impression of Cairo was great! Of course, we were a bit shocked when we were inside a taxi thinking we were going to die at any moment but then we realize that the lack of organization is part of the organization – except when it rains, the taxi driver told us, when there are hundreds of accidents ! As in many other countries in the region, in Egypt you only begin to pay taxes when the houses are finished, so people never finish them and because of this the city always has this decadent and unfinished look, but that also has its beauty!
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In Cairo we met some cartoonist friends of my father, who took us for a night stroll through the souk to get an idea of Cairo, seen by those who live there. In any culture, but especially in the Arabic one, markets are where we can deal more closely with the culture. It is without any doubt my favorite place to visit in any country!
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The visit to Cairo would be short but it had to include a visit to the Giza Pyramids, one of the seven wonders of the ancient world and the only one still standing. We were impressed with the distance from the city to the pyramids, almost none! It is a unique feeling to approach the pyramids by bus. The whole area is highly policed because it is such a touristy place. The police ride camels, something I had never seen before, but that makes perfect sense since camels there are just like horses to us. We can enter one of the pyramids, but everything is very small and dark, in fact, it is not advised, those who do not like enclosed spaces, to enter. Further down, and much smaller than I imagined, is the Sphinx – the one Óbelix destroyed her nose 😉 A few meters away, the city!
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That same afternoon we went to Memphis, the first capital of Egypt, where we visited the giant statue of Ramses II, the Open Sky Museum and the necropolis of Saqqara.
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Please note that this trip was made in 2009, before the political instability set off, so I suggest you inform yourself before visiting this country.
