I just added a whole heap of photos here....sorry for the overload...I'm tired and can't make those intense kinds of decisions as to what photos to upload at the moment!
These are of the Citadel...I really loved the Citadel...it was a beautiful building...and for Cairo...extremely so...the airport (which IS NOT a new airport) still looked like it was in a construction zone...but I realised that most of Cairo looks a bit like this. It totally blew me away as to just HOW many people live there...it had to have been the hugest city I've ever been to, the population of Australia (20million) living in one city. It was sad in alot of ways. I'm sure at some time it would have been a beautiful city. The Husband loved it...he thought it reminded him of the Philipines in alot ways...he loved the chaos and the way they drive...like ANYWHERE...oh and mostly there are no traffic lights...whoever is in front...even if its by an inch...they pretty much have right of way!
We went to Khan al kalili bizarre...which is basically a touristy market where you go to get ripped off...when we went here, we were on a time limit because we had a driver coming back to pick us up at a certain time...so my plan was to go in and buy what we wanted as quickly as possible and leave...The Hsband had a very different plan...he LOVES to haggle and bargain even if it is over $1...the problem was he was finding the locals...well...the most ruthless and annoying bargainers he'd EVER come across...he was out to extract revenge...he was on a mission...so needless to say we bought one thing at these markets!
The other window photo was of a guy in Coptic Cairo. Coptic Cairo is the old part of Cairo - the Christian part...I didn't get to see as much of this part of Cairo as I would have liked...maybe next time...
Ok so I'm guessing you actually really want to see pictures of the desert and the pyramids...oh we have plenty of those...we spent 2 hot blistering hours out there in the desert....with a VERY stubborn Camel!
I've grown up riding horses...so I know how to ride one and I'm not scared of them...but this thing...this thing SCARED me! The Husband and I shared a camel ride and for some reason I let The Husband on the front to actually guide the thing...(like when he's probably ridden a horse maybe all of 3 times in his life) and having to trust that my husband isn't going to send us straight down the side of a sandhill was a little past my trust level! Oh and a camel saddle is so NOT comfortable! Mike wanted to trot or gallop off into the desert with the camel - I did not... we had a 'guide' with us riding a horse...he was supposed to take us to the 2nd pyramid and let us off and we'd walk back while I took photos etc...haaa yeah right...the guide pretty much held us hostage on the camel until we paid the tip HE wanted...and wanted it before we got back to the 'owner' so he didnt' take it off him...now this wasn't surprising at all to me (just ask 'lonely planet') but what was surprising to me was that my husband gave in so quickly...I think he'd had enough and lets face it...we were haggling over mere $2-3!!
ok so don't laugh at him for his fashion sense...we took one medium size bag between us - which meant 2 pairs of pants each ...the shoes on our feet, and a couple of shirts...The Husband and I both like to travel as light as possible...less baggage to wait for at the baggage claim belt!
The Sphinx is sooo much smaller than you imagine it's going to be.
Because of our stubborn camel and its inability to listen to instructions when given...like STOP! I found it difficult to get some of the photos that I knew would be good - I just had to try and do it from the camel and I didn't want to change lenses to get good close ups since it was slightly windy and I didn't want to get sand in my camera or worse drop my camera while our beloved camel was busy taking us for a ride!
So that's the pyramids of Giza...we didn't have enough time to go down to Luxor to the Valley of the Kings - we'll save that for another trip. We did however get to the Egyptian Museum...it was AMAZING!! I loved it! We got to see the mummies - which my husband was completely fascinated with - Hatshepsut and Ramses I, II etc- I had to come home and watch the Prince of Egypt just to make it complete :). We saw the coffin of Tutenkamen - since the actual tomb of king tut is in the valley of the kings (with his mummy) we didn't see this but the actual famous head piece and coffin is in the museum. Absolutely fascinating!
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4 comments:
I got to go to Egypt back in '96- thanks for bringing back some memories for me. I wish I could go back- someday! Nice to see all your pics!
cool. i think it'd be great if there was a way to time travel and see everything back when it was new. supposedly the pyramids were way awesomer back then.
Thanks for your travelog!
My favourite picture is the camels face. He he he.
What an amazing place. Great pictures Sal
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