How to travel to Egypt (in 5 days). Part I

It’s already 2016 and for me it means only one thing: more and more travelling, new destinations and amazing stories to share with you. 

I had in my mind the idea of visiting Egypt for a long time. I had to postpone the trip once due to a leg injury so I decided that my very first solo trip in the new year will be dedicated to this amazing country.

In Dubai I have quite a few friends from Egypt so I’ve heard many things and opinions before my trip. The most common statement from all my Egyptian friends was: “Don’t go there alone”. 

Ok, so if you have heard that from other travelers or friends or your parents who are always worried you wouldn’t be so alarmed but to hear this from the local people itself it’s a fact that you shouldn’t underestimate. 

Most of my friends from Egypt wanted just to warn me that tourists are always exposed to a hassle in big cities like Cairo and there is lots of touts and scammers. 

On top of that the political situation in Egypt for the past couple of years doesn’t seem to be very stable and safe. 

Egypt’s tourist industry, a critical source of income, has been hit by a serious of tragic events. Most people still remember the big news about the Russian plane, with 224 people on board who crashed in October 2015. Just a few days before my departure there was an attack where tourists were stabbed and wounded at a hotel in the Egyptian Red Sea resort city of Hurghada. 

I won’t hide it, I was a little worried before my trip but in the same time I had the confidence of doing something that it’s really worth it all the efforts. My inner voice was whispering: “Don’t listen to anyone. Just go and see”. 

In my imagination Cairo has always been something exotic, chaotic and full with surprises. The flight duration from Dubai is only 3 hours long which was perfect having in mind that I had only 5 days. 

But Cairo was not enough for me. I always ask for more. So I decided I should visit Luxor (the ancient city of Thebes) too. The beautiful Nile River separates the city into West and East side where you can find temples and tombs, breathtaking drawings and thousands of proves of the glory and power of ancient Egypt. 

The decision was taken. I booked 4 flights DXB-CAI, CAI-LUX, LUX-CAI, CAI-DXB with only 1 confirmed ticket (welcome to the cabin crew world of uncertainty and standby tickets lol) and I had 5 days for my small adventure. 

I didn’t tell anything to my parents because I knew they will be worried about me all the time. I asked a few Egyptian friends for a good location to stay in Cairo and I booked 2 nights in a hotel, not far away from Tahrir Square which is basically downtown. I even arranged an airport pick up to avoid dealing with the tough taxi drivers at the airport and have some peace at least on my first day. 

On one of my last flights I asked a colleague of mine from Cairo (we always have that one guy from Egypt on every flight because of the requirement of Arabic speakers onboard) and he was delighted to hear I’m interested to visit his country. 

I received two small pieces of paper with tips and places I should not miss to see during my visit. 

Few of my Egyptian friends in Dubai gave me phone numbers of friends they have in Cairo. They told me I can call if I have any problems. A guy from Couchsurfing called Ahmed was really helpful and even send me the phone of a guide he has used for the Pyramids of Giza. He also send me a number of his friend in Cairo that I can meet. 

There was another guy, again from Couchsurfing who often travels to Dubai and because of my busy schedule I haven’t had a chance to catch up with him. My trip to Cairo was a good opportunity to meet up and to receive more tips from him. Khaled was extremely helpful too. 

One random meeting in the Egyptian museum with a local guy turned my last day in Cairo into an endless fun walk, full with many smiles and positivity. MR. Mohamed Atef Ahmed:  the best professional guide in Middle East! :P Being lucky to meet him on his day off I turned from a potential client  just to that cool backpacking girl who can make you laugh all day long :P

I was brave enough to surf a couch in Luxor and the only one request that I sent there for a host was approved. My host, named Ziad, made me feel as if I’m at home and I’m sure my experience in Luxor wouldn’t be the same if I haven’t had him beside. 

So guys, if you are reading this, I just want to say how grateful I’m for all you did for me. Maybe you don’t realize it but all of you had a huge impact on my trip. My most vivid memories from Egypt are now connected not with places and landmarks but with you, who made my stay such an unforgettable experience. 

If there’s something I learned about people from Egypt is that the center of their life is their family and friends. They are extremely loyal and respectful people when it comes to this. And if an Egyptian ever tells you: “I have a friend who will help you and take care of you” you can be sure that his friend will do anything without even know you just because they rely on each other. 

CAIRO – DAY I

So that was it. No more preparations. I packed my backpack the night before as usual I had only 4 hours of sleep and early in the morning on 14th Jan I was at the airport. I was a little bit worried because the flight was quite full but I made it! 

Once again my day started with the usual view I see every day before work. But that morning was a bit different different. I was not going to operate the flight, I was about to step on a new land (for those of you who don’t know, Cairo flight is a turnaround, we don’t stay there), and I had this feeling of adrenaline I have before each and every trip that I can’t compare to anything else. And the fiery sky of Dubai was extremely beautiful that day! :)

It happened that the girl next to me was also cabin crew so we started chatting. She was from Cairo and she was going home for 5 days to see her family. A bit surprised I found out that the weather in Cairo is not like in Dubai and if it’s sunny during the day than during the night it could be quite cold and chilly. Everyone on the plane were having jackets and of course I haven’t checked the weather in advance (you idiot, never learn from your mistakes!) so I was kind of not prepared. (Again) :D

So if you are going in Cairo, especially in winter bring a warm jacket with you. If you wonder how to dress you should know that Egypt is quite free country but let’s not forget the fact that is also a Muslim country. I often joke with friends when I say my karma is to visit countries where women have to cover. In Egypt this is not a must like it is in other countries (Iran for example) but it’s good to be aware of the dress code. 

If you want to avoid unwanted attention from the Egyptian men (no worries, you will have it anyway lol) you should stick to conservative and not much revealing clothes. 

Cotton loose trousers, long sleeve shirts or just shirts as long as your shoulders are not visible will be ok. During my trip I saw tourists wearing shorts, tight leggings or tank tops without any consideration of the local culture and customs. Don’t look like a fool and don’t create a bad first impression because this is the only thing you will achieve dressed like that. 

I passed the formalities at Cairo International Airport after my arrival really quick. Since I travel light (I mentioned more than once in the blog I have only 35L backpack) I had no checked-in luggage that I had to wait for. I paid 25$ at the same counter that you could also exchange money. I decided it’s better to do it afterwards because I heard the rate is not that good at the airport. 

After I paid my visa fee I immediately received a shiny sticker for my passport. Then my passport got stamped and here we go: hello Cairo! That was the fastest post arrival process I’ve ever got into my life, less than 15 min :)

As I said I arranged my airport pick up so my driver was waiting for me with one of these funny labels: “Ms Eliana Boyanova” :D

I paid 20$ for that service and even though I knew it was quite expensive I didn’t want to take any risks my first day. 

My driver’s name is Said. He speaks English with that specific funny French accent. I’ve been asked the usual questions: where I’m coming from and what I’m doing here alone :) And as usual it takes some time until I explain where my tiny little country Bulgaria is located. It seems that my driver is having a lot of fun when I mentioned that the whole population of my country is around 6 million people. 

- Only?! – he exclaimed. 

- In Cairo there is 22 million people – he said

- Oh, so Cairo is only about 4 times bigger in population than my country – I replied to him with a smile :)

My guidance about Cairo starts from now on. We are passing nearby a neighborhood where rich people live (or at least this is what he gives me as an explanation), an impressive 4km long tunnel, the square with Ibrahim Pasha monument and finally we ended up in the small street (49 Nobar Street, Bab El Louk) where my hotel, named Osiris, is located. 

It’s good to know that here most of the streets have no names written and they all look similar so sometimes could be quite confusing (even for Egyptians) when you walk. I was really lucky with the location because my hotel was just 5 min away from Tahrir Square and that was the main landmark I was using so that I wouldn’t get lost. 

Now, having in mind that I’m in Cairo of course I didn’t expect to see a piccolo waiting for me in front of my hotel but what I saw was a bit shocking to me.  The streets is blocked with a fence, there is a bunch of policemen with uniforms, guns and riot shields. They check each and every car going into that street. 

My first thought is: “Where the fuck am I?”

After that it was explained to me that there is lots of governmental buildings in the area so that’s the reason for all this security. Actually I’m quite safe with all this police, surrounding the hotel but it’s just a bit scary to see this straight after the airport. :)

Hotel Osiris is located on the 12th floor (nice view over the city) of a corporate building. The man that greets me at the reception is the one who run the place – Mr. Nabil. He is quite experienced businessman who has been in the tourist business for many years. The two funny and friendly dogs (one black & one white) are always around him. 

Pros and Cons for Hotel Osiris. 

Pros:

-Very clean

-Top location

-Safe (as I mentioned there was a fuckin’ police barricade in front of my door) ;)

-Far away from the city noise

-Amazing view from rooftop garden

Cons:

-Mr. Nabil explained me that they’re paying to a provider for the Internet but for some reason it was not working so I haven’t had any internet in the hotel during my whole stay which was quite inconvenient;

-I didn’t exchange money at the airport so I paid for my room in UAE dirhams (room costs 35$ per night, breakfast included). I received change in local currency which is Egyptian pound (livre égyptienne / L.E) and despite my math skills are not quite good I think I received less than I was supposed to get. 

Anyway I didn’t want to ruin my good mood and positivity from the very beginning. All I’m saying is that it will be good to have local currency before you check in at your hotel. 

I throw my backpack into the room and I’m ready to explore. I don’ have any strict plans for my first day and despite the fact I have only 3 days (2 nights) in Cairo I want to take it easy. I’m always in a rush because usually I stay only 24 hours (the duration of most of my layovers) in any country that I travel within my job as a flight attendant so I want to take my time and just feel the city. 

I took a short walk to Tahrir Square. Even though I’m trying to look spotless I could feel people staring at me but I’m kind of used to this so I don’t pay attention. The street that I’m walking is full with beautiful graffiti. 

My favorite one is that painting of a boy, who has in his hands piece of bread. I stopped in front of it, took a photo and continue staring at him for about 5 min. That true masterpiece on a street wall tells more than any words can say.  

So here I am at Tahrir Square. This place is famous for many political events and demonstrations. It has been known also for the focal point of The 2011 Egyptian Revolution which led to the resignation of the president Hosni Mubarak. 

The first thing you will see in Cairo is the crazy traffic. I’ve been to many countries who are famous with their bad drivers (Iran and India are on top of my list), but trust me you have seen nothing before you come to Egypt. Cairo is just another lever of insanity :D

I don’t know how real is the threat of terrorist attacks in the country, but if there’s one real life threat here in Cairo this is the suicidal act of crossing the street :) My first 2 days I’m doing that extremely carefully, with the protection of locals who always give me smile once they see me struggling and my head turning 360 degrees while I’m crossing a busy road. Despite of the common opinion that here the only one thing you can expect from strangers is to be ripped off, Egyptians could be nice and helpful people. 

 If you are not sure in your skills better don’t cross alone ‘cause I’m telling you here nobody cares about traffic lights, not even talking about zebras and stuff like that :D

    Local guy, talking on his mobile and crossing 

        the street on  Tahrir Square. 

        Please, don’t try this on your first day in Cairo :) 

My first stop is the Egyptian Museum which is located on Tahrir Square but I have to admit that I’m so unprepared so I don’t even have an idea how it looks like. So I ask random guy on the street and here we go it’s time for the game to start. Of course I know he will try to send me to a shop. I quickly realize this after I see the guy is trying to take me into one of the small streets and I just turned my back and continued into the opposite direction. I ask to women (is actually a good idea cause they are more unlikely to try to sell you something). They point the massive pink building on the other side of the street. Aha, so I have to cross the street. I take a deep breath and try to look confident but once step on the road my confidence just disappeared :D Another guy cross the street with me and of course is trying to put me in another scenario. He explains that today tickets are more expensive for tourists and I should visit the museum in an hour. Yeah, right! I looked at him with the expression of someone who’s saying: “Where the hell do you think I’m coming from? The moon?” I interrupt him in the middle of the sentence, telling him that I don’t have time for this and I just walk away. 

Egyptians are friendly people in general but never trust strangers on the street. 

The entrance cost me 75 L.E. You should know that if you’re student you will always have discounts for the tickets and they will be on half price for you. The student ticket for the museum was 35 L.E. Unfortunately I’m not in that category anymore. For locals the price for the ticket is 3 to 4 times less and I think it’s normal to be like that. I don’t blame people who want to make money from the tourists as long as everything has some limits :)

Another guide offers to show me around inside the museum. Somehow his 50-60 years old man can’t grab my attention and I confidently step inside alone. 

Now it’s the moment to mention that in most of the historical places (including Egyptian Museum) you’re NOT allowed to take any photos. At the beginning this fact really broke my heart. No photos? Seriously? What I’m going to show in my blog? 

Well, after sometime I realized that this is not bad because I was trying to absorb as much as I can from all the beautiful objects I was looking at and my eyes were focused on the object itself, not on the camera. 

I managed to steal just a few shots like this monumental dyad representing Amun and Mut from Karnak: 

Amun was a major Egyptian deity and Berber deity. As the patron of Thebes, his spouse was Mut. In Thebes, Amun as father, Mut as mother and the Moon god Khonsu formed a divine family or "Theban Triad".

The "Theban Triad" are three Egyptian gods that were the most popular in the area of Thebes, in Egypt. The group consisted of Amun, his spouse Mut and their son Khonsu.

The Egyptian Museum definitely has that special ambient which only a place that holds thousands years of history could have: endless numbers of rooms from different historical periods: here is #35 greco-roman period and the beautiful goddess Aphrodite, room # 44 – a temporary exhibition of repatriated object that has been stolen and scattered in different places all over the world (UK, South Africa, Denmark, Austria) and now back to the place they belong – Egypt. 

Sarcophagus, beautiful ancient jewelry, coins, pots, sculptures of pharaons & queens, beautiful goddesses & mighty warriors and still I could feel something was missing there. I’m reading the short descriptions on the labels attached to each and every object but not soon after that I start feeling bored as always when I’m in museums. And the reason behind: I don’t know what’s this all about, what is the story of these harsh faces who look like ghosts behind the glass. They all seem beautiful and powerful but with no specific meaning to me. 

I see different guides in the museum walking with their groups (mostly Arabic ones and even a Japanese group with a Japanese guide). 

…And then… Me and my Indian stories (lol). Suddenly I spot a huge group of Indians (yes, they’re everywhere, even in Cairo), listening to the fascinating stories of an Egyptian guide, in nice and clear English!

I gave myself the most innocent and humble expression I can have and I kindly ask him if I can join the group because today he is the first guide I see who speaks in English and that’s absolutely true. 

He answers that he wouldn’t mind at all as long as his clients agree because they’re the ones that paid for the tour. 

So that was actually the first time in my life I was happy to meet Indian ppl (lol) That’s a joke of course. I love India. If you want to learn more, please have a look at some of my previous articles :)

So I ended up with a professional guide and I could say Mohamed’s knowledge and explanations really changed everything. I completely lost track of time and I was ready to stay in the exhibition halls for hours, listening to him and the amazing stories. 

He explains a lot about the young pharaoh Tutankhamun, the ancient ritual of mummification, Valley of the Kings. 

The Valley of the Kings is a place, located on the West bank of Nile, opposite Thebes (modern Luxor) which contains more than 63 tombs and chambers. Most of the contents of the tomb of Tutankhamun have been transported to the Egyptian Museum so I have the chance to see all the treasures and beautiful pieces which were part of the life/death of the pharaohs thousands of years ago. 

It’s worth it to pay another 100 L.E. and to see The Royal Mummies hall. 

I’m not going into details about all the amazing things that I learned that day but what I would like to emphasize on is the fact that in ancient times people had much more knowledge about death than nowadays. And if nowadays we’re trying to avoid thinking about what will happen with our poor souls after we turn into dust, than the Egyptians had a whole theory about it. 

From all the excavations that have been made it seems that afterlife was more important than life itself and preparing for this journey wasn’t easy at all. Egyptians saw the preservation of the body after death as an important step to living well in the afterlife. They believed that when the soul leaves the body, there is only darkness. In order to have an afterlife, the dead person would have to repossess his or her body. Egyptians believed that the only way to do this was if the body was recognizable.

The process of mummification itself is quite interesting. Ancient Egyptians used to make a cut on the left side of the body. Then they removed all the internal organs. Let the internal organs dry. Place the lungs, intestines, stomach and liver inside canopic jars. The heart had to be placed back inside the body. The body had to be rinsed inside with wine and spices. The body had to stay in natron salt for about 70 days so that there won’t be any liquids left. After 70 days the body had to be wrapped from head to toe in bandages. Voalá: enjoy your afterlife journey!

Now everything started to have meaning for me. If you’re looking for a good guide in Cairo call this guy. This is his business card that I got before I said goodbye to him. 

Most of my day I spent in the Egyptian Museum but I still have time to see something else. My next stop is Khan Al Khalili. The vibrant market is full with small nice stalls which offer you nice souvenirs, of course, if you can get a normal price for them. Try your best :) I’m more interested just to roam around the small streets and find a place with internet!  

I ask Mohamed how much I should pay for the taxi from Tahrir Square to the market and I know that the reasonable price should be around 20 L.E. Of course it’s still more expensive than the money that local would pay but it’s normal price for foreigners. So I stop a few taxis and bargain, trying to look as if I know for what I’m talking about :D Finally the price I offer is accepted and here we go, it’s time for my first taxi drive in Cairo. I sit in the front, next to the driver. Apparently he doesn’t speak a word of English but when he see me trying to fasten my seatbelt (excuse me, I’m a flight attendant and that is a must for me lol) he just make a gesture with his hand, telling me with a smile:

“No need, no need!”

Of course, during my short taxi drive I feel that there’s definitely need of not only a seatbelt but also shoulder harness and a good airbag that (I’m sure about it) this car doesn’t have. 

Me and my taxi driver exchange a few words and gestures trying to learn each other the different languages. 

Khan Al Khalili is one of the biggest markets (souk) in Cairo who offers to tourist a wide range of souvenirs, antiques and jewelry. 

The day has been really long for me so the only thing I want is to sit somewhere far away from the merchants, have a coffee and internet. In one of the small streets I find “Mahony” restaurant. I order Turkish coffee and I arrange a meeting with my friend from Couchsurfing Khaled.

After I finish my coffee I walk to Al Hussein Mosque which is considered to be one of the holiest Islamic sites in Egypt. It’s already dark so I couldn’t take the best photos but I promise myself I’m going to visit that place once again (and that is what actually happened). 

I jump in a taxi with the confidence of a person  who has been in the city for at least one week and I show the driver a note of 20 L.E, telling him that this are the money I’m going to pay for a drive to Tahrir Square. I know that the distance is not big and even this is overpriced but it’s still ok. 

I go back to my hotel only to realize that the situation with the internet haven’t changed and I still have no communication at all. I don’t like that but I have no time to search for another option. After 1 hour I’m already downstairs waiting for my friend (who I never met before) from Couchsurfing to show up. 

He is a little bit late due to difficulties to find my hotel but I forgive him straight away because he brings me to an amazing restaurant called Abou El Sid. The restaurant is a well-known place for locals and expats and it's located in Zamalek. Amazing decoration and even more amazing traditional Egyptian food. 

My friend Khaled make sure that I will try from everything. He order baba ghanoush (traditional appetizer made with eggplant), tahini, stuffed sausages, wine leaves with rice and meat. Watch out now! These were just the appetizers :D

That’s not our dinner at all.

 That’s just the beginning!

We order the local beer Stella (has nothing to do with Stella Artois):

The main courses include rabit, kawarea fatah, molokhia soup (really good one) and the special Hamam Ma'shi - stuffed pigeon!

Egyptian cuisine is very good but I’m not sure what are you going to do if you are a vegetarian (nothing against you guys, I really admire your lifestyle but I think you’re going to struggle there).  

The dinner is amazing but food makes me feel even more exhausted. Even the excitement from my first day in Cairo could not fight with a few hours of sleep I had the night before. 

I’m not that type of girls who is keen about deserts so instead of sweets me and Khaled are having shisha :)

The thing I like about Egyptians is that they really know how to make you feel comfortable because they’re easygoing and they love joking about anything 

Funniest part comes when we have to go back to the parking and I see that his car is completely blocked there. What I see that night really makes me laugh. The security of the parking are just pushing back the cars to make space for Khaled to go out (lol). 

-Seriously? That’s the way it works here? 

-Yeah, drivers know that and that’s why they don’t use the hand brake of the vehicles. 

At that moment I have nothing more to say. I’m just sitting there in the car and I’m speechless ! :D

It’s around midnight when I’m back into my hotel. I meet there a lovely lady from New Zealand. She’s really talkative and again it’s 2am and I have around 6 h to sleep.

CAIRO – DAY  II

My day starts early in the morning with nice breakfast and lovely view from the rooftop. Bread, butter, toast and a few strawberries. Simple, yet amazing. It makes me smile when I think of how flight attendants always complain from the buffet breakfast in the 5* hotels. 

Breakfast on the rooftop

My second day will be dedicated to the pyramids and after I receive feedback from the previous night (the lady from New Zealand) I decide to organize my small tour along with my hotel. 

Mr. Nabil is prepared for different situations and travelers with no strict plans (like me) so he arrange the driver and guide with a single phone call.

At 10 am the driver is literary at my door so I jump into the car and less than an hour later we stop to other place where I meet my guide: Hamdy. 

I paid 500 L.E. for the tour (not including entrance fees for pyramids) and I can say it was definitely worth it. My tour continued more than 5 hours, from early morning until late afternoon.  

Hamdy has an extremely good knowledge of the history and the way he explains you everything will keep you always focused and interested to hear more and more fascinating stories. 

The entrance for The pyramids of Giza costs 80 L.E. 

Today we are about to take a walk through 4000-5000 years of history. So here I’m today, standing (I’d better say jumping) in front of one of the Seven wanders of the world: The Pyramids of Giza :)

The simplicity and perfection could be seen in the greatest structures ever build by man.

The 3 pyramids in Giza Necropolis are the most famous ones but in fact more than 130 pyramids have been found in Egypt.

The designations of the pyramids—Khufu, Khafra, and Menkaure—correspond to the kings for whom they were built.

The largest of the three pyramids of Giza is Khufu is also known as The Great Pyramid and I believe there’s no any other better word to describe it than “great”!

Khufu’s son, Khafra has his pyramid, on a nearby site at Giza. The pyramid appears taller than his father’s, but this is an illusion. In was built on higher ground and in fact it’s shorter than the Great Pyramid.

It took more than 20 years and more than 100 000 workers to build it. The Great Pyramid was constructed using around 2,300,000 limestone blocks, each weighing an average of 2.5 tons. 

When you stand in front of it you feel so small and you start wondering how is possible for human beings to create something like this thousands of years ago without even the help of machines. 

Hamdy is telling me many other interesting facts about how the pyramids were build and what was the purpose of them. 

Meanwhile we take some memorable photos there: 

After that we walk to the Great Sphinx of Giza, the largest monolith structure in the world. The sphinx is the guardian of the pyramids. The face of the Sphinx is generally believed to represent the face of the Pharaoh Khafra.

And of course I couldn’t miss the opportunity to take that popular photo, giving a passionate kiss to the sphinx ;)

Hamdy knows all the good spots for taking photos and he brings me to the place that local people offer camel rides.

 For a small fee of 100 L.E. I jump on the back of my favorite animal for a short ride with a nice view over the pyramids.

I can’t decide which one is smiling more, is it me or the camel?  :)

Make sure you’ll take lots of photos and just play around with the camera. You will have memories for life ;)

I’m really surprised from the fact nobody bothered me as much as I expected. All my friends were trying to warn me about the pyramids and all the hassle and struggle I will find there. Apart from the offers to buy magnets, souvenirs and books about Egypt I haven’t had any incidents.

Weather because of the lack of the tourists or because I was with a guide (don’t know the exact reason) but I wasn’t bothered at all. Everything was quite peaceful that day and I saw much more local people visiting the pyramids than tourists.

Our next stop was The three pyramids papyrus institute. The entrance free and here you can see a demonstration of how papyrus was made.  It was interesting to see how the papyrus was created so that’s why I highly recommend to visit one of the many galleries and have a look on the things they sell there.

Of course everything is made to get you to buy something but you’re not obligated to do so. I left the shop with more knowledge and without spending money so give it a try, you won’t lose anything. And you if you’re willing to spend some money, why not buying a quality printed papyrus as a souvenir.

The next stop is Saqqara & Imhotep Museum. The entrance fee here will cost you another 80 L.E.

Saqqara is another ancient necropolis in Egypt which features numerous pyramids and the most famous one is Step Pyramid of Djoser which is the oldest stone building complex in history.

The Step Pyramid was built during the 3rd Dynasty in Saqqara for the pharaoh Djoser by his architect Imhotep.

There has been much debate regarding whether the design started as a regular mastaba and was expanded into a pyramid as an afterthought, or whether it was intended to have a pyramidal shape from the beginning.

Mastaba is a type of ancient Egyptian tomb in the form of a flat-roofed, rectangular structure, constructed out of mud-bricks.

Most Egyptologists now accept that the plan all along was to construct a step pyramid of some sort, as the original understructure was square and mastabas are typically rectangular, but the design clearly underwent several stages and revisions.

Under the step pyramid is a labyrinth of tunneled chambers and galleries including the king’s burial chamber.

The Step Pyramid is a proof of how building pyramids has developed and how the architects learned from their mistakes.

Nowadays, efforts continue to reconstruct collapsed sections of Djoser's Pyramid.

 So here I’m, standing in front of the first step pyramid:

The pyramid complexes are entirely surrounded by an enclosure wall. 

 The roofed colonnade corridor leading into the complex looks impressive with its massive columns, constructed of segmented bricks carved to resemble bundled plant stems.

The whole complex looks so peaceful and impressive so we spent there more time than in Giza. 

We visit the Tomb of Princess Idut. The carvings inside represent moments of the everyday life in ancient Egypt and they all look stunning. Hamdy will explain to you with great patience each and every scene of the drawings. 

South of the area lies Dahshur. Hamdy points the two pyramids which you can see clearly standing out there. 

Building the Dahshur pyramids was extremely important lesson for the Egyptians. The Bent Pyramid and The Red Pyramid, were constructed during the reign of Pharaoh Sneferu. 

Hamdy explains to me that the pharaoh ordered to an architect to build for him the perfect pyramid. The name Bent Pyramid and also the shape clearly point that the first attempt wasn’t that much successful. Sneferu wasn’t happy with its pyramid so he ordered to his architect to build another one. I guess this guy had a lot of pressure on him but he learned from his mistakes and he build the perfect pyramid for his pharaoh. The irony is that Sneferu passed away before his perfect pyramid had been finished so he had to be buried in The Bent Pyramid. 

Hamdy offers me two options: to go and have a closer look of Dahshur or to go to Memphis. I look at the pyramids and decide it’s enough for today so my choice is Memphis. Later I will learn from other people that Dahshur is a place that’s worth a visit so if you have the opportunity to choose, don’t miss it. 

Memphis used to be the ancient capital of lower Egypt. The city is located 20km south of Giza. 

Little remains of Memphis today with the exception of a few ruins.

For a small fee of 40 L.E. you can visit the open-air museum (Mit Rahina) of Memphis. You can see the statue of Ramses II which is kept into a shelter of two floors. You can have a really good view of the enormous from the second floor:

Here you can contemplate a truly magnificent piece, The Alabaster Sphinx of Memphis:

Another statue of Ramses II could be seen in the courtyard:

So that was the last stop from my tour but not my last stop for the day. I’m more than happy with Hamdy and I say goodbye to him. 

If you want to have him as a guide, don’t hesitate to call him at (002) 01005328201 or drop him an email at hamdy@live.com. 

The whole day was full with so much history so it’s time for something more contemporary. I asked my driver instead of driving me back to my hotel to drop me at Cairo Tower. 

Cairo Tower stands on Gezira Island and it offers an amazing view over the city. The ticket will cost you 70 L.E. 

What are the bad news? There’s just one lift in the building which is extremely slow and I guess that is the first time in my life that I’m standing in a line for more than one hour. Apparently there’s an option to pay more money and make a booking in advance but it’s already too late for me and I really don’t feel like spending more money.

So I wait and wait patiently and the wind is getting stronger and stronger. Finally I manage to go on top and the moment I rush into the 360 degree terrace I forgot about the pain in my muscles and the cold wind. 

The view is simply breathtaking. On top of that I’m here at the right moment: greeting the sunset:

There couldn’t be any better way to finish that day so I take a taxi and go back to Tahrir Square. 

It’s already 6pm and I feel extremely sleepy. I realized I haven’t had any food apart from the small breakfast for the whole day but the thing that actually worries me is that I still don’t have any internet. 

I find a nice cafeteria nearby my hotel which is called Beano’s café and I step inside with confidence the moment I see the sign for a free Wi-Fi.

 I order a big cup of coffee and a chocolate cake and I try to connect but for my surprise I need to have a local number in order to have an access to the network. 

I’m already desperate so I ask for help from the waiter which is extremely nice guy and he makes the registration for me with his number.

After I finish my coffee I ask him to write for me in Arabic the name of the nearest Vodafone shop so I can finally get a local phone number and some data plan. 

When I go back to the street I show my precious small piece of paper to a few people and surprisingly they are friendlier when they see the words written in Arabic. 

It’s funny that Egyptians like to explain everything with so many words. I ask a man who apparently doesn’t speak a word of English and another younger man is translating for me. 

The older man is keep talking so I expect that finding my Vodafone shop will be a really challenging task and then the other guy will just translate for me:

-Keep going straight and then right…

        - Are you fucking kidding me? He used all these words to tell me one sentence? :D

Anyway, after 10-15 min walk I’m already at the Vodafone store I was looking for and just for 66 L.E. I have a local SIM and 1GB data! 

Never underestimate the power of the small pieces of paper written in Arabic ;)

If you are interested to read how my Egyptian journey continues, have a look at the second part of my article :)