Over Passover break, I had planned on going to Egypt with two friends. These two were still working on papers right up to the time we had to go, and this sort of threw a wrench into our plans. Basically, I got my visa, and they did not. Disappointed, I consulted with the mother and decided to go anyway—alone. I super planned every second, as some of you got a laugh out of (thanks for sharing, mom!) but I thought this way, there would be as few loose ends as possible for me to think about instead of enjoying the new foreign country and its ancient wonders.

There were, of course, so hiccups, which I actually enjoyed as much as the things that went smoothly. It’s all about intention, folks, and I was going to have a good time!

First, the task was getting there, and as it was too late to fly, that meant two buses (a 10 hour long journey). I arrived in Taba, the border crossing town near Eilat (the two towns share an interesting past, considering Taba once belonged to Israel when it took over the Sinai, and was developing into a fabulous resort town before Egypt took it back, and since then not much has become of it, whereas the military base in Eilat served as its Israeli replacement). Long story short, the man who sold me my bus ticket ushered me into microbus, confidently sending me on my way, (with 30 Egyptian pounds extra in his pocket). So instead of a bus, a van, 10 men and lil ol me. As soon as we started to drive off, I knew for certain that it was no where I should be. A Black ice car air freshener dangled from the rearview mirror, the driver downs his soda and throws the can out the window while lighting a cigarette and dodging a herd of camels crossing the road (is it a herd of camels? Better wikipedia that) At the first check point, the driver trades the guard a cigarette for my passport, and turns on Muslim prayer music which I could only assume would be played throughout the 7 hour leg of the journey—and then, we were cutting through a mountain… and I had to pee.

On route to the first pit stop, our driver spots anther taxi van, and decides to race it, for no reason apparent to me. We must have been going 120 mph, with the odd car coming towards us in the opposite direction, over hills, around bends, and neither driver would let the other get way with passing. The other American-looking people in the opposing team and I braced ourselves for impact in the seatbeltless vehicles. I had an internal battle with myself over whether shout at him to stop or to shut up and not risk distracting him from his dangerous maneuvers. We one, if anyone cares, and 30 seconds later we pulled into the “rest area.” I decided not to leave the vehicle for any reason—how terrible to be abandoned in the middle of Sinai!

Turns out, there were about a dozen occasions where I had to get out, and every check point. They searched our bags thoroughly and looked suspiciously at everyone’s passport. These were the only instances when I was reassured that we were actually going towards Cairo because everyone told the officers that it was so (“The Suez Welcomes You” sign was a bit worrying).

The music did change up a bit half way through the ride. I only mention it because the “D.J” began to play Medeski, Martin and Wood, and I started shouting “Hathahe, Hathahe!” (This! This!)—the only time I spoke, and they all looked at me like I was nuts and changed the music. (Whan, Wha…)

Cairo.

A mad house of cars and men. Even the friendliest exchanges are screamed, and all traffic moves are signaled with the honk of a horn. My hotel (Luna Hotel- really cheap, beautiful, clean, friendly, helpful, DEFINETLY check this place out if you travel to Cairo)arranged for a chauffeur/chaperon to take me to a dinner/Nile cruise. It was nice to get out and not have to think about logistics after what amounted to a long, tiring 36 hour period (my journey began in Tel Aviv). The food and the view were amazing, and I met some women who were on vacation but studying at the school I went to in Athens. There were belly dancers and whirling Dervishes. The Dervish guy was particularly entertaining; he almost gave some Japanese women heart attacks they were enjoying themselves so much. Though I doubt he was a genuine Sufi, he definitely was a seasoned cruise boat whirler, through and through.

Giza and Saqqara.

The next day was dedicated to the pyramids, and my hotel set me up with another driver and guide on my very one private tour. It was funny, I expected to be put together with other tourists throughout my trip (Easter week is one of the biggest week for tourists in Egypt, right at the end of the season) but strangely found myself in situations where I was very alone the entire trip.

My guide was very knowledgeable, professional, and easy to be with. He showed me the first pyramid ever built, and explained the evolution from simple “bench” style tombs to pyramid complexes. From Saqqara to Giza, about a half hour drive, the entire West bank of the Nile is a cemetery, and, I was surprised to find out that there are many pyramids within this area—just not in as good condition or as large as the three we know so well from postcards. Nearby, I got to go in my very first pyramid, the pyramid of Teti: while very small compared to the great pyramids of Giza, this one is completely covered in hieroglyphics, with the most incredible details. The great pyramid, the other one I saw the inside of, is completely devoid of markings; but what it lacks in decorations it makes up for in its massiveness. It was so cool to crawl/climb up and up the narrowing limestone passageway. It is the journey that makes the plain rectangular granite room at the end with a small broken tomb retain its magic. The Giza pyramids and the sphinx were great, but I am so glad I went to Saqqara also.

One thing I found interesting on my tour about the pyramids was that unlike what most Britons thought when they invented Egyptology, the structures were not just huge investments in large, pointless buildings. They served to unify the kingdom politically. During the flood season, which, before they built a dam (also the cause of there being no more hippos or crocs in Egypt, to my great disappointment—and probably Sudan’s frustration) there was no work for about three months a year, so famers from the north and south united in common belief and cause building the pyramids, tombs and temples for their pharaohs and other gods.

That night, I had another unexpected lonely experience. I took a long walk along the Nile (which is much cleaner and nicer that I had anticipated for Cairo). It was lined with lovebird couples. As the sun was setting, a headed to the felucca (sailboat) mooring point, expecting to see lots of tourists and share a boat with them, but there was not a sole. I was the lone girl on the boat with the captain who could only say “tip” in English, and did not want to play the “I’m learning Arabic” game. But I love sailing, and the ride brought back childhood memories of just me, Dad, and the Catermeran , Gull Island and overnight stays on Mur’s boat. Near the end of the ride, the call to prayer happened, and echoed in from all around the city… this was one of the most amazing moments of my life.

Day 3 in Cairo.

Full of ups and downs. Headed to the Egyptian Museum early, determined not to get ripped off by the tour guides, was anyway (“This is a sarcophagus, this is a necklace…”) , but then followed other tour groups around and wandered as a pleased. The Museum is huge, and more like a storage building—hundreds of mummy casings, and artifacts, poorly marked and situated, but incredible. It’s like everything they found was shoved in there; you could spend a week just going to the place. The museum made me really excited to go to Luxor, the town where ancient Thebes was located and the capital of the New Kingdom. I can’t stop thinking about what it must have been like when the explorers and archeologists found the tombs in the heart of the mountains in Thebes. Either they stumbled upon such greatness beyond their wildest dreams, or they finally discovered what had held their imaginations during the search of a life time. The picture of the guy opening king Tut’s tomb is priceless. A box, opening to a smaller box, and a smaller box holding the enchanting (yet relatively insignificant) body, all covered in shimmering gold and perfectly preserved for some four thousand years. Four thousand years since a pair of eyes or hands had laid upon it. And when the treasures were carried to Cairo—the whole world came to see, and it has occupied the world’s imagination ever since.

At lunch I took a cab to Islamic Cairo, but it broke down on the way. The driver insisted that I was close enough to walk, but I really didn’t know where I was going. I eventually found the main bazaar, which was bustling, and excitedly made my way through in search of al-Azzar mosque. Suddenly, a fist fight broke out right in front of me, and the crowd was quickly drawing in. I pushed my way out of the mass and bumped right into a man urinating on the street (like, really bumped him, gross) so I ran away, into the heart of the Bazaar, still disoriented. I was dressed just like all the other women there, but I’m sure my face told a different story, with foreign, lost and confused written all over it. I could read the street signs, but in Arabic it takes me a few seconds, especially without vowels. Every time I paused, I was grabbed—my arms, my waist, anything to get me to pay attention, come towards them, I guess. So I didn’t slow down, and just kept walking and walking, aimlessly deeper into the area—starving, there were no places to stop and eat. At this point I was feeling faint and overwhelmed, and so I gave up and hailed a cab back to downtown. Defeated, I had a tour organized for myself on an extra day at the end of my trip, but I still never had the experience I wanted—to wander around looking at the architecture, to see all those old Madrassas and Mosques. Next time. I spent the rest of my time in Cairo at a classy shisha (hookah) place watching the sun go down.

Luxor.

Far, far more incredible than Giza, though perhaps less tourist friendly. Ancient Thebes, home of the New kingdom, is made up of large complexes of temples and tombs, all vibrantly colored and decorated. If planning a trip to Egypt, I suggest doing it in the order I did with Cairo first, because had I see it the other way around, I probably would have been so overwhelmed from Luxor that I wouldn’t feel the magic of the pyramids. Go there.

So I’m told it went like this: after the three big pyramids were built, the later dynasties based in Memphis (near Cairo) were comparatively weak, and were faced with threats from the east. The southern part of the kingdom was also under foreign threats, but fared better than its northern counterpart. In its own interest of stability, the northern base moved everything south, from the land of the lotus flower to the land of papyrus and the new center became Thebes. With this move, they also stopped building pyramids. Pyramids served as a great symbol of wealth, honor, and focal points of worship, placed high above but very near the townspeople, but this also meant that they could be easily targeted for raids. In Thebes, tombs were built instead, deep within the mountains, protecting them. I got to go inside these tombs. They are massive, beautiful, and well intact. If it were not for all the tourists (who mostly were at the Valley of Kings, where king Tut was discovered among countless others) and the touts, it would be 100% out of this world. Equally impressive was the Karnak temple complex, on the East side of the river. I was especially taken by the hall of pillars there. There is a similar, smaller temple on the west side called Habu.

In other adventures, I had another felucca ride to an island made especially for tourists, growing bananas, mangos, and dates. My captain was very disappointed that I didn’t really want a picture in front of every kind of plant, so I humored him. After just two days walking up and down the Nile there, I became a familiar face among the felucca men that accost you there (they literally will walk a mile with you until you agree to see their boat or get angry with them) and actually had some laughs. They are people too (just much more diligent salesmen than I could ever be!).

I got ill on my trip, and actually am still fighting with this intestinal bug! But it did not stop me from my plans. I made sure to get a real bus home, and had a much calmer ride. Egypt was an amazing experience for me, my first real Arab country. The masculinity there is so heavy—something I didn’t realize until I bordered a women-only metro car and felt the weight lift. I think I would like Egypt more if I had the time to feel its femininity. Anyway, I’m sure I’ll go back.

For more pictures check out facebook! And I have some videos to post, but this is certainly enough for now....