Christmas morning we were up bright and early to board our Egypt Air flight to Cairo. Since full diplomatic relations were established between Israel and Egypt in 1979, both El Al and Egypt Air (called Air Sinai when it flies in and out of Israel as to not infuriate other Arab countries), have regularly scheduled flights between Tel Aviv and Cairo. I was so excited…I was finally going to Egypt to see the Pyramids of Giza, the Nile River, mummies, the real tomb of Tutankhamen, Abu Simbel--I couldn’t wait to see it all.Driving into Cairo from the airport was like driving on the 405 during rush hour. Unbelievable traffic.
Cars, trolleys, donkey carts, horse-drawn taxis and bicycles were all jockeying for the same space. However, for once I didn’t mind being caught in traffic, it was like watching a three-ring circus in slow motion.
An hour later we arrived at the Conrad, a “luxury hotel” overlooking the Nile River. The hotel is really quite nice and our rooms had spectacular views, but unfortunately, not a great location for walking or shopping. As it was raining when we arrived in Cairo, we really didn’t mind having a quiet dinner in the hotel (several very good restaurants to choose from) and get ready for a marathon of sightseeing the following day.First on our agenda was the Egyptian Museum that houses the greatest collect of Egyptian antiquities in the world--the sheer volume blows your mind.
Amr, our guide, an Egyptologist trained at the University of Cairo, was a walking encyclopedia and guided us through the various exhibits at record speed.
He did slow down at Tutankhamon’s treasures, the jewelry display and the Mummy Room, a real showstopper.
We were actually at the museum for over three hours. Three days wouldn’t have been long enough, but impossible for most tourists to fit into their schedule.Our next stop--the Pyramids of Giza. Some landmarks characterize a country. I didn’t feel like I was really in Paris until I saw the Eiffel Tower or in China until I climbed the Great Wall. For me, the Pyramids of Giza meant I finally made it to Egypt, and I was ecstatic.
The Valley of Giza-- with its wonderful monuments-- is truly a marvel of architectural prowess. The three largest pyramids located in the valley consist of the Great Pyramid of Khufu, the Pyramid of Kafhre and the Pyramid of Menkaura. Each Pyramid is a tomb dedicated to a different king of Egypt.
King Khufu was “the father” of pyramid building at Giza and ruled from 2551 – 2528 B.C. He built the Great Pyramid between 2589 – 2566 B.C.E.Kahfre, the son of Khufu, ruled from 2520 until 2494 B.C.E. and is responsible for the second largest pyramid complex at Giza, which includes the Sphinx, a Mortuary Temple and a Valley Temple. This pyramid was built of red granite and limestone between 2558 – 2532 B.C.
Menkaure, also known as Mycerinus, ruled from 2490 – 2472 B.C.E. His pyramid is the smallest of the three pyramids at Giza and he is believed to be Khufu’s grandson. The dating of this pyramid has not yet been officially determined.Another part of the pyramid complex, on the south side if the Great Pyramid, is the Solar Boat Museum where, in1954, two rectangular boat pits were discovered containing the dismantled remains of two boats.
The boat played a special part in funeral ceremonies in ancient Egypt. It is thought that these boats transported Khufu's body to his pyramid, since it was common practice to bury all items connected with the Royal Funeral, close to the final resting-place of the king. One of the boats, made up of 1,224 separate parts, was reconstructed by being stitched together using ropes made of vegetable fibers. After its reassembly, the boat measuring 43.3m (142ft) long was housed next to the pyramid in the Solar Boat Museum.
They did an amazing job of reassembling the boat and it is interesting to see this boat, dating back to the 2566 B.C.E. after seeing the Jesus Boat, dating back to the first century C.E., two weeks earlier in Tiberius.Just as the Pyramids of Giza are part of Egypt’s national treasure, the Great Sphinx, the first truly monumental statue in Egypt, is also considered Egypt’s national symbol, both ancient and modern.
The Great Sphinx sits to the northeast of Khafre’s pyramid, in the middle of what used to be a quarry. According to our guide, Amr, it is believed that Khafre's workers shaped the stone into the lion and gave it their king's face over 4,500 years ago. Khafre's name was also mentioned on the Dream Stele, which sits between the paws of the great beast. However, no one is completely certain that it is in fact the face of Khafre, and it is still a topic of discussion among both Egyptologists and archeologists.
I was told no trip to Egypt would be complete without a camel ride.
My last encounter with a camel took place in India when he ran off with Marjorie and me, along with Romain and Sigrid Mees, in the back of a cart and didn’t slow down for five miles. It was definitely an E-ticket ride. I had no desire to repeat the experience and since then have successfully managed to stay clear of all camels. My luck finally ran out, and there I was, atop a rather surly looking camel with bad teeth and a poor disposition.
I’m not sure who was happier when “the ride” ended; I was definitely glad to be on firm ground.Join me next week as we fly to Luxor and board the Movenpick Lily for our cruise along the Nile.
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