Land of the Pharoahs

Felfela is a must if you’re in Cairo. This is one of the best places to sample the local cuisine. There’s plenty of variety and great portions.

I went with local friends we had the mezza, which is an assortment of around eight dishes of dips, baba ganoush, tahnia, local salads, fried vegetable puffs, and more. Try the falafel and shish tawek (grilled chicken). Kebabs are a must. Is your mouth watering yet? Mine is! A must is the local "lemon" juice made fresh from local limes. Wow, you'll never want to drink anything else. The Egyptians have a special dish called Moulaheia, which is a slimy green vegetable, but don't let that put you off -- it is delicious and served with rice and shar-ay-ya, a thin, fried pasta that gives the rice a great look and taste. There are many desserts, too. Mala-bay-ya is the most refreshing-- t’s a type of tapioca, but creamy.

You'll just have to go and try it!! Behena-wa-shefa, or bon appetit!

The Mohamed Ali Mosque, or the Citadel, is one of the oldest places of worship built on the highest point in Cairo. You can see it from almost anywhere in the city and from it, you can see how big and crowded the city of Cairo is. There’s a lot of smog most of the day, especially in February, when the "humseen" blows -- this is the wind from the desert.

The mosque is situated about 15km from the centre of town. You should take a taxi or a tour can be arranged through your hotel.

Once you enter the holy area, you must take off your shoes to go inside, lay on the floor, and look at the ceiling. From it hangs the most incredible array of light fixtures you have ever seen -- be amazed at the beautiful ancient architecture.

This is something you should do when you are visiting this amazing city. The Pyramids of Giza is about an hour’s drive across town, but if you hit the morning traffic, it can take two hours, so leave early and be prepared to be hassled by the locals.

When you get there, they all fight for business and the best deals -- don't pay more than LE10, which will give you about 20 minutes of horseback riding. We went with one of the small boys and his horses were well looked after. He took us to the top of a sand dune and from there you felt like Lawrence of Arabia – it was just you, the horse, and the winds of time, viewing one of the most amazing sights to behold anywhere.

Cairo Museum houses the most magnificent collection of ancient Egyptian civilization on the planet and is the home of Tutenkharmoun, who was the youngest king of Egypt. The collection from his tomb will blow you away. It’s incredible. This could take a whole day, so have good walking shoes and be prepared to walk, as it is massive inside and several floors. There is an entry fee to be paid before you go in -- you can take your camera in, but there’s no flash photography allowed and you have to pay to record videos. Inside is the new mummy exhibition -- there is another fee for this and it is expensive, about $A20. But if you can go in, do!

A trip to Giza is a trip into history. Go at least once in your lifetime to visit one of the most amazing wonders of the world.

The Pyramids of Giza will astound you with their beauty, and you'll be in awe of the man-made wonder that rises from the desert.

You can get there from downtown Cairo for around A$30, which will hire you a car with a driver for the day. The dollar is very strong now, so your money goes a long way.

There are many hotels from two- to five-star which cater to all budgets in Cairo, and then get yourself to the Pyramids.

The area has now been cleaned up of all the beggers and bargainers, and there is now a vantage point at the top of the hill--a place for all tourists to view the most magnificent sight on earth. Here you will also find the camel guides and horsemen wanting you to take a ride for a few dollars. Why not--they have to earn a living.

You can also buy some wonderful memorabilia right there on-site.

The energy is magic!

The security is now controlled, and all cars are searched on the way in; there is a small fee of $A2 to pay at the entrance.