Cairo: We're Literally in BFE!

Cairo, while being terribly beautiful, can also be terribly frustrating—even to Egyptians. But it certainly has its high points.

The Pyramids are breathtaking, and I think my favorite time of day to see them was at night during the Sound and Light Show. In a way, it’s kind of cheesy to have such a production around such ancient structures, but in another way, I think the Pharaohs really would’ve gotten a kick out of it. It’s a pretty awesome site during the day as well, and the Pyramids at sunset are indescribable. Despite the fact that I didn’t want to, my photo of the Pyramids on a camel is now one of my most treasured.

A day trip to the Saqqara Step Pyramid was very interesting. It’s about a half hour drive from the Pyramids, and takes you through more rural areas. Plus, it’s WAY less crowded, and you could ride a camel there as well.

Riding through traffic is also an experience not to be missed when in Cairo. It’ll be a long time before I complain about DC traffic again.

I was also very impressed with our hotel, the Grand Hyatt Cairo. It was an excellent base of operations, very secure and a great place to relax, have a drink and people watch.

Quick Tips:

Tips:
1. Bring travel sized toilet paper, the bathroom attendents will give you some, but it's only a square or two.
2. Bring water out with you during the day (you’ll know the seals havn't been broken).
3. Bring pens/trinkets to "tip" in the tombs because you can’t escape the people inside giving you "the tour", and to them, it's almost as good as a tip. They'll keep asking for more. We brought pens, rubber bouncy balls and hair berets.
4. Wear lots of sunscreen.
5. Bring patience at the airport (you’ve never seen so much luggage).
6. Change money at the bank in your hotel instead of the airport in the US, you’ll get a better rate.
7. Keep small denominations handy for tipping.
8. "Shokuran" means thank you, and it really seemed to mean a lot to the Egyptians that we knew that word ("La Shokuran" means no thank you) .
9. Dress modestly – you don’t have to wear a burka, but as in all cultures, you should show some respect. We seemed fine all week in cropped pants or a long skirt and short sleeved shirts. Even I noticed how trashy some of the Americans looked in their tube tops and shorts.
10. Try hibiscus juice a.k.a. Egyptian whiskey – yummy!
11. Eat some Egyptian food – it’s pretty good.
12. Try not to swear (I failed miserably at this).

Take a look at my Luxor journal as well.

Best Way To Get Around:

Crossing the street in Cairo constitutes a death wish. For that matter, so does driving. I wouldn't recommend driving in Cairo unless your life depended on it. Rather, have your hotel write down the address and "please drive me to" in Arabic so you can take a cab (some of the drivers don't speak a lot of English) or hire a car.

I recommend a guide (we used STI Travel, and we had one guide for the two of us) to help you navigate not only the streets but the tombs and monuments.

"You might not know it, but you chose the best hotel in Cairo"

Situated on a small peninsula on the Nile River in central Cairo, the Grand Hyatt Cairo is a great choice for travelers who want amenities, restaurants, service, and the right location all in one experience.

For about $200 per night, you get a secure location that’s close to the Egyptian Museum (20 minute walk—but you do have to cross a big intersection, which could be a death wish in disguise) and a reasonable driving distance (half hour) to the Pyramids and other attractions. In addition, there’s a shopping "mall" attached to the hotel if you have any high-end purchases you’d like to make, a food court and a Hard Rock Café right next door (see separate entry for Grand Hyatt food options).

The staff is very attentive, even if they don’t always understand your request. With two people staying in one room with two double beds, they could never quite understand why we needed more than one robe and washcloth. But whenever we’d make a request, they’d deliver SOMETHING quickly, and then call and make sure we’d received the delivery. It was humorous in a frustrating way, but then, that’s Cairo.

The beds were really comfortable, minus the down pillows that sink to nothingness when you lie on them. By day two, we’d figured out how to accurately request synthetic pillows, and those were much nicer.

The view from our room was both a Nile and pool view, so it had a very Mediterranean feel about it. Everything was very clean and nicely kept.

The hotel has a lot of security—I think more for show than anything. There was a dog to sniff all the cars entering onto the property, a lot of guards, an x-ray at all entrances (though no one stopped me when I set them off. Hmmm.) The lobby was very smoky (but again, that’s Cairo) but the lobby bar was a nice place for a drink and people- watching.

All of our guides and new acquaintances assured us that we couldn’t have done better on hotel choice in the city, and I’d have to agree. I’d stay here again and recommend it in a second.

Grand Hyatt Cairo (see lodging review) itself features several dining opportunities, from Italian to Asian to Seafood to Egyptian. There’s also a food court in the "mall" next door that serves those quick snacks for either before you head out sightseeing or when you return too tired to clean up for a proper dining room.

The food court (which allows you to charge the food back to your room) has many options, from Spaghetti (which was VERY good) to burgers to pizza to ice-cream. Each item runs about 10-20 Egyptian pounds. There’s also an Internet kiosk in the food court—but I’d recommend paying the small bit extra to use the connection in the business center—the connection is much faster and I’d guess time spent waiting on the kiosk would equal the price of the business center.

The Nubian restaurant, which is just outside on the terrace, has an Egyptian menu. We’d tried to find it for days, and finally asked directions. Who would have thought to look outside? We had hummus and some meat pies and some grilled chicken, all which had fancy Egyptian names that we couldn’t remember later. The inside dining room (there was also an outside patio) was pretty smokey, as they also served up the different water pipe flavors. For two people, the bill came to about $30 each.

The Italian restaurant left a bit to be desired. Called La Famiglia, the food was kind of plain and bland. The fettuccini alfredo didn’t have much of a taste to it, and the chicken was a bit undercooked for my taste. I ordered dessert, which came with nuts (not mentioned on the menu.) Not wanting to have an allergy, I sent it back. But it did not come off the bill. Grrr. Also about $30.

The Terrace, with a gorgeous Nile view—especially at sunset—featured a mish-mosh from all the other restaurant menus, with a few additions. Each of us ordered a filet, which was remarkably cooked just right with mashed potatoes. That meal ran each of us about $40. The sunset on the Nile was priceless.

There's also a revolving restaurant at the top, goes all the way around in a little under 2 hours—French cuisine and pricey.

Right next to the hotel is the Hard Rock Café. There’s nothing special about it, except for that it’s in Cairo. Same menu, same atmosphere, same prices. But it’s there. Pick up a Hard Rock Cairo shirt for someone at home.

You’re going to need lots of water. DON’T buy it from the hotel—from the mini bar or the lobby bar. Instead, go to the 6th floor of the mall and buy water from the Sweet Shop. It’s about 2 Egyptian pounds each there, and you’ll pay 10 Egyptian pounds in the hotel proper.

In our package, bought from STI Travel, the breakfasts were included each day. Not included, I think the breakfast ran about $15/day.

For 210 Egyptian pounds a piece, we booked the Grand Hyatt’s Nile dinner cruise—the Marquise. Included was a 2-hour ride (from 8pm – 10pm), a buffet dinner, and entertainment in the form of Egyptian karaoke and the main event, the belly dancer.

What was most surprising is that drinks weren’t included. Not even one! Not even the bottled water that they brought to our table without us even asking for it! That said, the waiters went out of their way to hold our chairs and refill our glasses and even remove our plates (sometimes before we were finished.) Even the chef, who was monitoring the buffet line, gave out helpful suggestions as to food items we didn’t recognize—as he was singing along with the karaoke.

The food was standard buffet fare, with a few Egyptian-specific choices. As the pickiest eater on the planet, I can guarantee that there would be something for everyone to eat. The dessert choices were probably the highlight, but hey, calories don’t count on vacation, right?

The entertainment didn’t start until halfway through the cruise, which we were told was different on other Nile cruises. We chose this one out of sheer laziness, we didn’t have to drive anywhere to take the boat—it was docked right outside of our hotel. But when the “show” did get underway, it was entertaining. I couldn’t imagine a whole hour of those drums and that music, I’d go nuts. We got pulled up onto the stage to do a little belly dancing of our own. Highly embarrassing, yet fun. The belly dancer did a good job (her hips move to the sound of the drum, not the music at large) but she was skinnier than I thought a belly dancer would be.

It was a nice last-night-in-Egypt experience—low-key and moderately entertaining. I don’t know if I’d recommend the Hyatt cruise specifically, but I think it’s a good idea for a tourist.

The first thing you should know about the Egyptian Museum is that as of this writing, you’re not allowed to even carry a camera into the building. Take some photos in the gardens (there are sufficient artifacts there) either before or after you go through the museum. You’ll have to take your camera to a little stand and they give you a claim ticket. Those people who use flash when they shouldn’t ruined it for everyone.

For a car, a guide, and the entrance fee (including time at the Mosque) the cost was $50. The collections in the museum are massive, and you could easily spend days here—kind of like the Louvre. However, you can get plenty of highlights in a morning. The displays are divided into Old, Middle, and New Kingdoms, with the second floor dedicated to the treasures of King Tutankhamen—including a jewelry room with the mask, wow! This is one of the few places where I would think you absolutely should have a guide, preferably one that knows hieroglyphics. Our guide taught us some of the common symbols, how to read the cartouches (there are two names for a king, his birth name, and his king name), how to look for some of the gods and goddesses (Hathor has two horns and a moon, Horace is a falcon, etc.)

The King Tut floor is amazing. How very fortunate that Carter found the tomb in tact. I had read that there was an extra charge for this, but unless it was included in the tour and we just didn’t know it, there weren’t any ticket stands, etc.

The Mummy Room, however, does cost an extra 70 Egyptian pounds. I’ve read debates online as to whether the mummies are worth all that extra money, but I’d have to say that they were. There were about 10 mummies in the room and the best one, in my opinion, is the mummy of Ramses II (the only Ramses worth mentioning). It’s so cool (and freaky) that you can still see hair, teeth, fingernails, etc. Of note, only the royal mummies have their arms crossed. No crossed arms, probably not a royal mummy. They took out the organs and put them in jars—liver, stomach, intestine, lungs. The heart was left in the body, because it would be weighed in the afterlife to judge whether the king was good or bad and could continue on to Osiris. The brain was sucked out after being melted with a big hot poker.

The gift shops here are a little lacking, I think, being that you can’t take photos inside. There are lots of postcards, but not of the artifacts. Regardless, you shouldn’t miss taking the photos in your mind.

For an extra $15, we included a stop at the market to do a little shopping. Come prepared with patience, small bills and a strongly worded “La Shokuran!”

The streets on which these vendors have set up shop are conveniently (for the vendors) very narrow, giving them plenty of time to cut in front of you or veer you closer to their wares. These wares are mostly cheap chatchke kind of things—glass pyramids, belly dancing outfits, scarves, jewelry. And they can see a tourist a mile away. We were told we should haggle—but the vendors weren’t buying it from two little white girls. I couldn’t get one guy to budge at all on a little Anubis jar!

And these guys are tricky! I approached a small boy with a table of these jars and asked if he had more. Another shop owner made me think that the table was a part of his shop, but the little boy led me away. When I walked back by, the second shop owner said that I had bought from the wrong shop, and he was disappointed. (All a lie, but I fell for it.) One shop owner even asked “What can I do to take your money?” You’ve got to respect the honesty approach.

If you’re looking for quality Egyptian goods, I’d say save your money and look elsewhere. If you’re shopping for quirky gifts to take home, there are plenty here to choose from. However, I would doubt that you’re getting any kind of substantial deal, or even authentic items. It’s a fun Egyptian experience though. I wouldn’t forgo something else to see the market, but if you have an extra hour, give your bargaining skills a workout.

For about $25 for a car and guide and entrance fee, we set out early in the morning to visit the Saqqara step pyramid – the first pyramid and the first stone structure ever built. It’s located about a 25-minute drive from the Pyramids, so leave an hour or so from your hotel.

Designed by Imhotep as the burial chamber for the King Djoser (the English would pronounce it Zoser), it is a series of mastabas – or flat tombs – built one on top of the other. It is in a section of Memphis – the capital of Egypt during the Old Kingdom.

It is thought that Imhotep designed a three-layer step pyramid, and then encased it in a larger step pyramid with two more layers on top. It is quite likely that Imhotep, as the high priest, was also the one who would have prepared Djoser for burial.

Saqqara isn’t just a step pyramid alone, it’s a burial complex – some scholars still excavate there looking for Imhotep’s tomb as well. The site is less crowded than at the Pyramids, but just as intriguing. Without Saqqara, there wouldn’t have been the pyramids. You can also take camel rides here as well, and you can get some awesome photos.

We stopped on the way to look at the Memphis museum. While there were some interesting things to see here – like a huge statue of Ramses II and the second largest Sphinx in Egypt (which dwarfs in comparison to the one at the Giza site), it’s nothing to write home about. A sad state of affairs for a site that was once the capital of Egypt.

If you have any time at all in Cairo, Saqqara is a must-see, but you can skip the museum if you’re short on time.

We got to view the splendor of the Pyramids three times – you just can’t get enough.

Our first view was during the Sound and Light Show ($20) on our first night in Cairo. On certain nights there are shows in certain languages. There was no English show on the first night, but we couldn’t wait, so we decided that we’d see the show in French. We understood bits and pieces of it, but honestly, I was too engrossed in taking photos of the Pyramids all lit up to really pay much attention—even if it had been in English. The show is well worth the money and the drive.

The next day, I requested a car from the hotel, and the driver took me about 10 feet up from the entrance to the Sound and Light show to a gate, beyond which I could see the sun setting behind the two biggest Pyramids. I was offered a ride on a horse or a camel out past the complex for a sunset view as well, but my simple viewpoint cost me a car ride and some tips for the “guide” who walked me there. The horse would’ve cost about $50.

Then we went during the traditional day viewing time. It’s hard to express the feeling of standing at the base of a building that was built thousands of years before and had weathered the test of time, thieves, vandals and tourists.

The triangle shape is thought to be due to the worship of the sun god—the triangle dispersed the light in all directions (think of the top of an obelisk.) The Pyramids are on the West bank of the Nile, as that’s where the sun set—the land of the living was on the East Bank. Plus, who knew that the Sphinx had a tail? That’s right, a tail! Part of the beard of the Sphinx is in London. Calling Tony Blair—what do you need the beard for? Give it back so we can superglue it back on!

I didn’t go inside one of the Pyramids because honestly, it was already too hot out and I was a bit claustrophobic. They told me if I was only the smallest bit concerned about small spaces to stay out. The shafts inside are not only short and narrow, but long!

I also took a horse ride around the Pyramids. I didn’t end up seeing much of the Pyramids, as I was trying to control the horse and follow the little boy who said all of three words in English. Plus, I felt really bad for the horse. The very persuasive sales people convinced me to also get on a camel and have my photo taken. Now that was worth it. Great photos. Total cost: 150 Egyptian pounds (that included the tip and handing out some rubber bouncy balls).