Arriving in Cairo I wasn’t sure what this experience would bring but I was excited nonetheless. Once I left the airport escorted by my tour company Memphis Tours I was greeted with a familiar sound of honking car horns. As soon as we began our drive to my hotel I was automatically reminded of my travels in India. Drivers honking the horn with no car in sight, no use of turn signals, and forget about any driving lanes…what are those exactly??? Clearly they are just a suggestion in Cairo if the road even has them.
Did you know there are approximately 93 million people in Egypt and about 26 million of them live in Cairo? Yeah, me either but that explains a lot about the traffic and driving in the city. After experiencing all that nighttime driving in Cairo had to offer I made it safely to my hotel which was right outside of the Great Pyramids. I stayed at the Marriott Mena House and the view was amazing.
After getting a good nights rest it was tour time and my driver Eman and tour guide Tarek were so kind, knowledgeable and helpful. They really took care of me during my time in Cairo.
Seeing the Great Pyramids in person puts in perspective just how smart and advanced the Egyptians were all those many years ago. To literally see and touch stones that were laid thousands of years ago is AMAZING. To know you are literally walking on history…doesn’t get much better than that.
My final stop of the day included a stop at the Egyptian museum. The wealth of knowledge held in this place can be overwhelming but also fascinating. To see the detail and how much craftsmanship went into making sure the Kings and Queens were prepared for the afterlife was breathtaking. Folding chairs, folding beds, gold and more gold. One of the the main things that stuck out to me was she I saw some of King Tuts chairs and the footstool that accompanied them. Every time on the footstools there were pictures of men on there which represented the kind stepping on his enemies. This image gave a whole new meaning to the scripture… “But of which of the angels hath he said at any time, Sit thou on my right hand, Till I make thine enemies the footstool of thy feet?” Hebrews 1:13 ASV
Later that evening my Cairo adventure was capped off with an Egyptian Dinner cruise down the Nike River. Thanks Cairo you owe me nothing except maybe another visit in the near future 😉
Photos from my journey….