Walk Like An Egyptian

Sitting on a packed plane; not a spare seat in sight mind you, on my way to the bustling capital of Egypt, Cairo. You'd be forgiven if you weren't aware that only three years ago, Egypt hit world news for violent protests and subsequently fell off the tourism map for the average traveller.

In 2010, the Egyptian artefacts and antiquities of the Pharaonic civilisation enticed 14 million adventurers to follow in the footsteps of the Pharaohs. Yet in the last three years Egypt's tourism decreased by a staggering 37% and plummeted the country in to 85th position (there's only 196 countries in the world) as the world's best country to visit.

Rewind to 2011, when the Egyptian people took to the streets and staged demonstrations that brought down President Morsi amid scenes of violent and bloody clashes between security forces and protesters over legal and political issues with hundreds of protestors killed in Tahrir Square. In 2013 Egypt entered another phase in its volatile transition with its largest demonstration in history against the autocratic successor President Morsi, democratically elected in 2012, with more protestors killed. After months of clashes, the military ousted Morsi. Mid this year, the people democratically elected, in a landslide election, the former Head of the Military, Sisi, in to power.

Whilst the media tells the world to not dare step foot in Egypt due to a serious threat of violence against foreigners, terrorism and political and social unrest, to the utter horror of my family and friends, I booked a ticket to Cairo. So here I was in Egypt, three and half years after the first uprising. What's all the fuss the media is making? Locals seem more interested in persistently touting made-in-China trinkets so they could feed their families (as tourist numbers dropped so did the income of the locals who rely on foreign visitors) or were curious to know what brings me to Egypt at a time when the rest of the world has abandoned it.

From the Great Pyramids and the Sphinx of Giza, the Abu Simbel temples originally carved out of a mountainside during the reign of Pharaoh Ramesses II south of Aswan, the ruins of the temple complexes of Karnak and Luxor which stand within the modern city of Luxor, the monuments, temples and tombs on the West Bank of Luxor known as the Valley of the Kings and the lesser visited Valley of the Queens, to the only Roman influenced city in Egypt, Alexandria, founded by none other than Alexander the Great in 331BC, Egypt has 5000 years of history of one of the earliest and most sophisticated civilisations.

Once you've had your dose of history for the day, sample some national Egyptian cuisine which encapsulates years of history and gastronomic culture by making heavy use of vegetables, beef and chicken, due to the Nile being a rich source of water for vegetation. Grab a seat at a traditional coffee shop frequented by locals, order yourself a fruit flavoured shisha and an arabic coffee to reenergise, or cool off with a refreshing fruit smoothie and watch the world go by.

If you're after a spot of shopping, settle in for some bargaining in Khan el-Khalili bazaar in Cairo; an agglomeration of shops, much like a medieval mall, where you can buy everything from toy camels to soap powder. If you want a once-in-a-lifetime experience, sail the Nile under blue skies past indigenous Nubian villages frozen in time, fall asleep beneath a blanket of stars, enjoy Nubian meals, interact with the Nubian kids playing on the west shores of the Nile, sing and dance around campfires or awaken to the summoning of the faithful prayer, then hop on a two day traditional wooden Felucca sailing boat along the Nile from Aswan to Edfu.

When you're done and dusted seeing the abundant amount of millennia-old temples, pyramids, hieroglyphics and mummies, head to Hurghada for some rest and recovery, tanning and snorkelling in the still waters of the Red Sea.

- Simona

@Travelling_sombreo

#egypt #travel