I visited Eygpt a number of years ago and it is a trip that will stay with me forever. Like most travellers I began in Cairo an amazing city with seemingly no traffic laws and people everywhere. The first stop, of course, the pyramids and the Sphinx at Giza. You are able to go inside the main pyramid if you like, however this is definitely not for the claustraphobic or faint hearted as it involves steep climbing in cramped conditions. Be careful of taking photos around Giza as locals may try to charge you if they get in shot! Quite a nice event is the 'son et lumiere' in the evenings at the pyramids (this is not always on). Cairo itself has many hotels and some fabulous bazaars where you can pick up endless bargains. You can also go on feluccas along the nile which is quite romantic, but can be a bit smelly!!! Be warned Cairo is very noisy (car horns all the time) and crowded. My trip took me down to the Sinai peninsular, a fascinating land. From Cairo we travelled east across the Suez canal and south throught the Sinai desert. This journey takes you throught the old war zone of the 7 day war and you can see abandoned shelters and weapons just lying around. This peninsular is biblically historic, it is on Mount Sinai that Moses was said to have received the 10 commandments and dotted around are places with biblical references - you can even see the burning bush (supposedly!). The scenery in this desert is spectacular, there is both sandy and rocky desert and it is very mountainous. There are many bedouin villages about and the people are generally very welcoming and friendly. At the base of Mount Sinai is St Catherines Monastry in which live an order of Greek Orthodox Monks. I was able to stay a night at the monastry which house the largest and oldest collection of religious icons in the world. It is best to climb Mount Sinai in time to see either sunrise or sunset from the top. If you like you can take a camel halfway up or walk the 3000 steps to the top. Halfway up is Moses garden where you can buy a coke!!!! It is a religious pilgrimage for many to climb to the top. I went up for sunset and stumbled down in the dark - it was worth every blister and bruise! The view from the top is amazing, and the perfect light of the sun over the desert is breathtaking. Not only that, but the eerie atmosphere is very noticable. I found the whole experience wonderful. A perfect way to finish off a hot, dusty desert trip is at Sharm el Sheik on the red sea. This is a divers paradise and there are many hotels and tourist facilities there now. One thing to beware of is the food, I was a sufferer of the iffy tummy and I was extremely careful. Dont eat any salad or have ice in any drinks at all (even on the plane). I would thoroughly recommend a visit to this mystical country, and I only saw the half of it!
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Advantages: a testament to the genius/talent/skill of the ancient people. Lovely weather Disadvantages: the men are extremely rude, the temples are not given the respect they deserve
sekhmetscat 07.12.2002 ·
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Review of General: Egypt
Advantages: Close to the Egyptian Museum and other interesting places Disadvantages: Compared to the other hotels it was on the expensive side - but well worth it
Steven_Holroyd 07.06.2007 ·
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Review of Nile Hilton, Cairo
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