Cairo Chaos

The Step Pyramid. One of the first pyramids in Egypt. It is found at Memphis.
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Egypt is a country of passionate, friendly people, living in a bustling society of a slow paced existence.  I arrived into the Cairo airport at 3 am from Athens, and was wisked through customs and Visa control by my tour handler.  I was then loaded on a minibus and driven full speed into the chaos that is Cairo!  We crossed the Nile as we entered the city.  It really was amazing!

My hotel was nice, and had more amenities than I expected, and being that it was still very early in the am, I went to bed to rest.  After a nice nap, I met my tour director in the hotel lobby with some of the other travellers.  We discussed our tour, and he gave us some advice about Cairo.

The great Pyramids of Giza!
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1) In crossing the street, it is called, playing chicken.  If you are chicken, you are dead!  Ha, ha.  Really though, there are no stop lights, and the few that exist are no heeded!  You must move lane by lane across the whole street.  When in doubt, follow another Egyptian.

2) Everyone wants baksheesh!  This is tips.  If someone points out an exit to a place you are at, even if you see it as well, he will ask for baksheesh.  Sometimes it is so absurd that all you can do is laugh!

Look, I am as tall as the Pyramid! Ha, ha. This is the traditional cheesy tourist pose! Had to do it!
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3) Enjoy the people.  Egyptians are so welcoming and friendly it is hard not to.  Despite the poverty, it is hard to find someone here who is mean spirited.  I have really enjoyed getting to know the people.  We were walking on the streets the other day, and everyone was saying "Happy New Year" with a big smile.

Well, the tour was nice in Cairo.  We took a minibus with a guide to Memphis, Sakkara, and the Giza Plateau.  We saw tons of statues, temples, pyramids, and the Sphinx. It was all so surreal to climb in the shadows of all these great monuments.  The odd part was though, at Giza, you are literally across the street from the city!  You look in the distant, and it is all metropolis!  Hard to imagine all this history, with the future clearly knocking on its door.

Here I am riding a camel! He peed the whole time he was walking around with me! It was pretty funny!
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We did ride camels by the pyramids, which was a bit uncomfortable, but very fun!  Our guide just kept saying, "Its fun, yes.  You happy? Yes."  Over and over.  I dont think he spoke any other words in English!

The tour stopped to watch papyrus being made, and we smelled some of the best natural oils made in Egypt that are used by all the big perfume companies.  All in all, the day was packed, and I was tired.  I had to catch the night train to Luxor, so we waited at the hotel to be taken to the station.  Not a bad ride, but I had a sleeping compartment all to myself.  Next, Luxor and the Valley of the Kings!