3 Days, 3 Cities: What to Know about Shopping, Sightseeing and History in Egypt

posted on: Dec 9, 2019

SOURCE: CENTRE DAILY TIMES

BY: SALUA KAMEROW

My main concern while getting my luggage ready to go to Egypt was that the country is not ready for a woman traveling solo. But a few hours later, I was there, dealing with my Neanderthal fears in a car with a stranger on my way to Giza.

Learn some facts and how to have an organized vacation in Egypt:

• Think about the sites you want to visit and book a stay that allows you to achieve your goals, whether because it is close and safe to stay there or because the lodging allows you to book tours that will pick you up and drop you off. My recommended cities are Giza, Alexandria and Luxor. All can be done within a three-day tour.
• Transportation from and to the airport: book it on time. Otherwise, it will be more expensive.
• Forget about driving in Egypt; while they have rules, no one follows them.
• Egyptian cuisine is fascinating. Try street food, restaurants and cafes; all are cheap. But make sure you are going for the Egyptian dishes: mashed fava beans, lentils and pasta, Tameya (falafel), Mahshi (stuffed zucchini, cabbage leaves, grapevines or eggplants), and Umm Ali (a 13th century dessert, a version of rice pudding made with puff pastry instead) is a must.
• Have spare change to tip and try not to show off your money. While no one will steal from you, you may be charged more for the service/product.
• If staying in Giza, find a hotel from which you can watch the pyramids lights show for free.

THE CLASSIC EGYPTIAN SHOPPING TOUR

I booked my tours on Viator and my day started at 7 a.m. I am a frugal traveler and I research a lot before I go anywhere — regardless of how popular the town I am visiting may be. I am good at haggling and I know when the moment is to walk away before the seller decides to maintain the price. So, my tour included a visit to the Khan el Khali Bazaar. But I was careful, this kind of tour includes stops in big stores that you do not know about and the merchants pay the tour guide a commission for bringing you there. I was direct with my tour guide and asked her to avoid unrequested stops at shops.

At the bazaar everything went well before I spent almost all of my Egyptian Pounds (EGP). Egyptians are good at inviting you to shop at their stores and they have the charm to sell until you run out of money. In this bazaar I found every product I was looking for, even though it was Ramadan and half of the stores were closed. When I returned to the bazaar later than dayt, Egyptians were rejoicing at iftar (time to break the fast). I felt safe but I could have felt better if I was accompanied rather than alone.

SITES TO VISIT IN GIZA

• The complex of pyramids is fascinating and, even though it has been explained in history lessons, it is unimaginable to picture those men pulling 2 million blocks of stone (each stone weighs 2.5 tons) to the top.
• The Sphinx is the depiction of King Khafre, but some historians believe it looks more than Khufu and that he built it as an ode to himself.
• The picture spot is within walking distance but make sure to take the tour early in the morning given that the humidity and the heat will be unbearable by noon.

TWO HIGHLIGHTS IN CAIRO

At the Museum of Egyptian Antiquities, there is the largest collection of Pharaonic antiques and most of the pieces exhibited are more than 5000 years old. The mask of Tutankhamun is in one of the rooms and no one is allowed to photograph it. In this museum there is a display that impacted me because it portrays the importance of women in the ancient world and how they were depicted as equal to men in two ways: they could own property and they could become Pharaoh.

The cruise through the Nile opened with musicians playing Arabian beats on their drums for a belly dancer to appear dressed up in sensual clothes for a show. However, the origins of belly dancing had to do with movements that helped women to give birth. Today, instead, it is only for entertainment and part of Egyptian culture. During the show I enjoyed a buffet with at least 15 dishes and 10 desserts.

For a gallery of pictures visit www.inmarchitable.com.