Egyptian Escapades  

We may be dating ourselves, but as youngsters we loved the line from the hit song, You Belong To Me which went: See the pyramids along the Nile…

And so began our desire to see those magnificent structures. With everything booked, Graham and I set off on our "Egyptian Escapade, flying from Athens to Cairo direct.

We arrived at our hotel at five in the morning worn and tired, and were immediately taken to our suite. We booked this holiday independently on the internet, and we could not fault this accommodation, which was listed as five star, and located in Giza, near Cairo.  

Day One

In Giza, we were just five minutes from the pyramids. After breakfast we went in search of excursions, and since it was off-season (last month) there were no tour reps and no other groups to which we could tag along since we were the only English-speaking tourists at that time. However, the hotel did offer a limousine service (private car and driver), who took you where ever you wanted to go for a fee, which is standard practice in Egyptian hotels. There were no car-hire companies to be seen. So, really all we did on our first day was search out our complex, relax by the pool, book excursions and eat. We had booked half board, and while breakfast was continental style, the evening meal was five courses, with a wide selection of tasty and well- prepared dishes (we could feel the kilos piling after each meal).

Day Two

After breakfast, we met our driver, Fahmy, and set off early for the long awaited sight of the pyramids. If you want to go inside the tomb, you must arrive before 8 a.m. as there are only so many tickets per day.  Now, this was not to be our first view of the pyramids, since we could see them from our hotel, but nothing had prepared us for our first "face-to-face." We were totally overcome by the phenomenal size and beauty of these magnificent structures.  

We had paid extra to go inside the pyramid tomb, but be warned: the tunnel down inside to the tomb is only approx 120cms high and 60cms wide, which means you have to bend low, and it's very claustrophobic.  

Our driver took us from one pyramid to another, and then on to the Sphinx (named by a Greek), and they were all interesting. However, there are hawkers and sellers everywhere, and even the police were taking photos of people for a "tip." We must say they can spoil your day a little because they just don’t leave you alone.

(A note for the ladies: shorts and strappy tops are frowned upon and we witnessed one girl being asked to put on a sarong over her short shorts, so take the appropriate attire).

We returned to our hotel about 2.30 pm, with plenty of time for a swim and relaxation before our evening meal.

Day Three

First stop was the bazaar in Cairo, which we found to be a labyrinth of narrow streets and alleyways, with the hustle and bustle of noise, the smell of spices, herbs and tea everywhere. It’s a mixture of expensive jewelry shops next to cheaper souvenir treasures.

Bartering is a way of life in Egypt, but I have to say we were useless at it, but still we brought back our treasures like all the other tourists and enjoyed our time shopping. Next stop was the Arcadia shopping mall; it was very western and an enormous eight floors high, and worth a visit.

Day Four

The weather was lovely and warm (around 27 degrees), and it was nice to just relax around the swimming pool after a few hectic days sightseeing. However, at night we were off to Giza again for the incredible light and sound show at the Sphinx and pyramids, which featured Egyptian musicians dressed as pharaohs and playing the bagpipes (don’t ask).  This was definitely one of the highlights of the trip.

Day Five

Today we were off to do all the religious buildings and the museum. We visited the Ben Ezra synagogue, the Muhammad Ali mosque, and el-qal’a (Saladin) Citadel built in the 12^th century, and we strolled down the streets of the Coptic (Christian area) and looked in shops, called in at little churches and the Egyptian antiquities museum, with literally  thousands of artifacts on display. Especially fascinating was the Tutankhamen exhibit. Along with the pyramids, the museum is a definite must do.

Day Six

Our hotel was the only one in the area, and quite isolated, so going out walking and sightseeing around the area was not an advisable option. But, it was another warm day so we spent it relaxing by the poolside.  

Day Seven

The return journey to the airport was interesting: in the wee small hours of the morning the traffic was just as manic as the day time. It was the start of a huge Muslim festival and everyone was making their way to see relatives.  Eventually, we arrived at the airport for our trip home to Crete – and fond memories of our Egyptian Escapades.