In the Footsteps of the Kings (and Queens)

I'm quickly learning that despite my best efforts, it's impossible for me to be short and sweet about anything. But I can keep trying. We were only in Egypt for 11 days, so there can't possibly be that much to write about, right? Hmmm...not so sure.

We were a bit hesitant to alight in Cairo after having left the beauty of the Greek Isles amid reports of 46 degree Celsius temps in Egypt. That's pushing 120 degrees Fahrenheit, worse than early June at my mom's house in Arizona. Egads, we thought - if terrorists don't kill us, the heat undoubtedly will.

But we braved the warm weather and were pleasantly surprised by Cairo. Yes, I know - again the Muslim anticipation comes to mind.unending glares from seedy men, oppressive attitudes toward women, being awakened at 4:30am by the call of the muzzein (which we've honestly come to enjoy), dust, dirt, sand. But we found the Egyptians welcoming and the city a bit crazy in a good way. Maybe we'd gotten too complacent in Greece. The madness of Egypt quickly would change all that.

Our approach from the air was remarkable. I'd never seen so much sand and desert in my life! It's exactly what I'd envisioned Egypt would look like, although I was a bit worried that so much sand so close to a major metropolitan area would make for tough goings. Never fear: Cairo is modern and paved and dirty and loud and beautiful and peaceful all at the same time. Despite all the cards stacked against it, the place has a way of growing on you.

Brown is the predominant color here (if you omit the black grime), and it's remarkable how all of the buildings are tan, beige, russet, sienna, ecru, mud...a big mishmash of varying shades of that one simple hue. It's all tinged, though, from the ridiculous pollution. You risk dying from exhaust fumes every time you step outside your door, not to mention being hit by insane drivers who - in a city where traffic signals were installed at least 10 years ago - still refuse to heed the red lights. It's green and go for them nonstop, which is why Cairo has thankfully for us posted traffic police at just about every major intersection. It still makes crossing the street a big challenge, as being a Westerner, you carry a big target on your head (whether you know it or not) that seems to beckon, "Go ahead, I dare you to hit me."

We found a great hotel on the 12th floor of a commercial building downtown, in walking distance to the vast Egyptian Museum and the dreamy Nile. Owner Nabil, his cute dog Yuki, and their polite staff welcomed us as if their home were ours, and it truly made our stay special. Nabil arranged tickets, gave us great sightseeing info, offered us tea, and most important, became our friend. We really enjoyed our time at the Hotel Osiris, and the hospitality we encountered took the sting out of the Cairo streets.

Most folks hit Egypt for the pyramids at Giza, which we of course visited, but also took in the lesser-known sites of Dashur and Saqqara as well. It was a great day trip filled with amazing monuments and the best falafel I've ever tasted. At one point, I was so overcome with emotion at actually having made it all the way here to this last remaining seventh wonder of the world that I stood before the Sphinx staring at the pyramids in the background and just let the tears of joy flow. Words can't really describe the feelings that overcame me in the shadows of those impressive monuments. I think you have to experience it firsthand to fully comprehend the power these ancient structures hold over a person.

A big highlight of our time here was a four-night cruise down the Nile from Luxor to Aswan. We braved the overnight "luxury" train to Luxor (and the even longer return from Aswan five days later), lounged poolside for a day at a great historic hotel in town, spent Sunday touring the impressive sights of Karnak and Luxor Temples, and embarked Monday down the historic river in serious style. This being the first cruise for both of us, we were thoroughly impressed by our comfortable room, great buffets, and just the sheer fun of this new mode of sightseeing. It was a great and affordable way to take in the best Egypt can offer (special thanks to my friend Esther for the suggestion!).

We visited Valley of the Kings, Hatshepsut Temple, the Colossi of Memnon, Edfu Temple, Kom Ombo Temple, and Philae Temple. We braved the ridiculous heat and reveled at the enormity of it all. Our guide spoke great English, and we befriended the Japanese family who shared our daily tours (the rest of the ship was filled with Italian tourists, whom I'd befriended by the time we disembarked thanks to my decent knowledge of their language...in short, we spoke great spaghetti together).

There's so much more I could say, but for a change, I think I really will let the pictures speak for themselves and leave this entry at that. (Click on the images for larger versions.)