Upon Gods and Pharaohs
The ancient empire of Egypt had always fascinated me growing up. Given this ancient history and its recent political drama, it was the next country on my list. Like Morocco, it is situated in North Africa and resembles other countries in the Middle East.
After arriving into Cairo in the early hours of the morning, I immediately set off on another flight south to the city of Luxor. This was where many of the pharaohs were buried, in the areas known as the Valley of the Kings and the Valley of the Queens. Karnak, one of the most well-preserved temple/palace complexes from the Egyptian Empire was also located in Luxor.
Shortly after leaving the doors of Luxor Airport, I was greeted by a number of taxi drivers offering their services. Naturally, the lowest price won out. I was driven to the banks of the River Nile to board a ferry to where I was staying on the West Bank. To give you an idea of how Egypt has gone, this ferry cost 1 Egyptian Pound, the equivalent of 5 cents. When I arrived at my hotel, it was empty. I later found out I would be the only guest for the duration of my stay.
Following the Arab Spring revolution in 2011, Egypt became a fairly volatile political and economic location. Tourism has seen a massive 95% drop in the last five years, and you can see the side effects of this figure everywhere. With the lack of tourists, prices have turned to almost nothing and families are struggling to make an income. This resulted in many people coming up to me on the streets to offer me small souvenirs, taxi rides, horse rides, and everything else under the sun. It was a stark contrast to tales I heard in the years before the revolution.
Regardless, I had an incredible time experiencing both the ancient history and local culture. From visiting King Tut's tomb and seeing his mummified corpse to walking along the banks of the River Nile at sunset, Luxor had a lot to offer. After spending three days in Luxor, it was time for the capital of Cairo.
From a friend's recommendation, I managed to stay at a lovely Airbnb right at the wall surrounding the Pyramids of Giza. The day before visiting Giza, I went on a tour of Cairo. Walking to the Citadel and through the Islamic Quarter was an incredible experience. Due to the lack of tourists, younger Egyptians were inquisitive of me walking around and occasionally asked for a photo. Even though their country may be suffering, it was nice to see everyone enjoying themselves the best they can. In the evening, everyone at the Airbnb enjoyed the light show at the Pyramids from the rooftop. The following day, I was able to walk to the front gates in 5 minutes, giving me all day to explore the complex. After shunning several camel ride offers, I managed to find a small hill a good bit away from the Pyramids. As you can see from the photo above, it provided an incredible vantage point.
Although short, my stay in Egypt was a truly authentic experience. Mixing with the locals in Luxor pretty much alone due to the lack of tourists, and trekking around Giza in the footsteps of ancient pharaohs gave me a new perspective on a country often put in a negative light, especially in the last few years. Hopefully it will climb out of its recent troubles and once again retain the world's captivation it held so many years ago.