Cairo: The Queen of the Nile

Travel Africa Add comments

Cairo is defined as a place with history, modernity, nightlife and is a luxury travel for the amazing capital of Egypt. It is one of the most visited cities in the world and in which the main attraction are the pyramids of Egypt in addition to its other features that are in museums.

Places to see in Cairo:

Cairo: The Queen of the Nile

Photography by Peter Shanks

The Egyptian Museum in Cairo shows the parts of the pharaohs, in a place that speaks of the history of ancient Egypt, its culture and its legacy. It is difficult to imagine any other museum in the world with the relics so handy. The exhibitions of the treasures of Tutankhamun have no mercy. Her jewel are in an exclusive lounge, dedicated to the young pharaoh, but was not glorious in his days as an agent, came to fame in the twentieth century by the great state of his tomb.

The Rosetta Stone makes up another story distinguished, in the museum is a replica, because the original is, as usual, in British hands. In manuscripts of the second century BC, was found in 1799 and enabled the first translations of hieroglyphics, as it offers the same inscription in three scripts. In hieroglyphics was written to God for the people in Demotic and Greek government officials.

After being face to face with Tutankhamun (or with the golden mask), one begins to be in Cairo. The museum is located in the modern center, opposite the Tahrir square, surrounded by «the only semaforitos (sic) to be respected in the city.» Traffic chaos in Egypt is almost as famous as Cleopatra. Drivers point to pedestrians rather than avoid them, so that crossing the streets is not a bad idea to accept the services of tourist police. Dressed in white, their agents are thrown to the pavement, shouting and whistles, to convince drivers to cede over to foreigners.

Cairo, Egypt

Photography by Bakar_88

Dozens of uniformed men with mustaches mostly shield also luxurious hotels were built in front of the Nile to offer the best view of the city. Apart from the comings and goings of the felucca (small sailboats) shows the sand-colored urban disorder, thousands of satellite TV antennas and, at night, the boat-restaurant lit by neon lights. From the upper floors are distinguished the pyramids of Giza.

Prevails in Egypt a high-end tourism and oil sheikhs designed to, accustomed to personalized service, with three employees per room on average.

Facts to consider:

Most hotels have metal detectors, but walking the streets is, in spite of the speakers, safe and very pleasant. The most typical are the wooded trails along the river. For them you reach the triangular area formed by attractive Tahrir Square, Abdeen and Bab El Hadid, which contains, something ruined, Art Deco buildings that gave the best nickname for the city: the Paris of the Nile

You can also reach the center by subway. Get off at Sadat Station, the museum itself. There are only two subway lines, but will be six in a few years, when the extension ends considered one of the most important infrastructure projects of the century. The work is so ambitious that the authorities call it the fourth pyramid, with some self-congratulation.

Line 3, scheduled for 2020, cross the Islamic quarter and flirty areas North of the Nile go under and come up Imbaba, one of the most popular in a city with 18 million inhabitants. The subways are filled during peak times, but you can travel without problems until late (closes at midnight) and the first two cars of each train are exclusively for women.

The Mosque of Mohammed Ali, is at the top of the citadel and is distinguished from most of the city. Built in the image of the great mosques of Istanbul, within their domes is imposing, for its 365 lamps. The site is not a museum but receives many tourists, who walk barefoot or nylon bags that wrap their shoes. Women also can not wear bare shoulders, so that at the door receive a green turbans, not too aristocratic.

The guides take advantage of the convenience of the carpet to recount details of Muslim customs in the country. Latif has the bold or browns mark on the forehead of many men indicated their level of religiosity, precisely because the time spent with his head on the floor, praying.

From minateres (towers) of the mosque, in excess of 80 meters, gentlemen known as the muezzin called for prayer. Now they do it through speakers and this is the area where more can be heard by the many religious centers. It is a very characteristic sound of the city, as calls are made five times per day.

In the Islamic sector is also the endless Khan El-Khalili bazaar, filled with shirts, camellitos in every possible way, objects in silver, gold and ivory, galabeyas (robes), cloth, spices and souvenirs. One of the most famous eastern markets in the world, especially in the form of narrow streets, arches and portals that have become a kind of Islamic outdoor museum.

Khan el-Khalili Souk

Photography by whobee

Is a must even for those who quickly get fed up of bargaining, they can expect in places like Café del Fishawy, bar with over two hundred years of history they are found writers, poets and musicians, as well as tourists. The place is a space dedicated to Naguib Mahfouz’s Nobel Prize.

The shisha smoking in cafes, which is based on water pipe in other countries is known as narghile. And hear Arabic music, mostly Egyptian or Lebanese, to distinguish them, the second has strong and deep voices, because the singers are usually mountain. In all cases repeated much habibi (my love), a synthesis of romantic color.

For evening, the main bars and restaurants are along the Nile There are shows from Monday to Sunday, something is considered to Cairo as the cultural capital of the Arab world. Even looks almost the same movement at night than by day.

A choice of output are the baladi, bars often have the word coffee in his name to conceal that sell alcohol. A good place to smoke shisha and have drinks by the river is Sequoia (late Abdu El Feda Street), or large hotels like Ramses Hilton, who in his 30th floor offers live music on top to complete a day dreaming, surely full of anecdotes.

View of Cairo from Cairo Tower / Gezira Tower - Cairo, Egypt

Photography by Berkowitz

Bon voyage!

Leave a Reply

You must be logged in to post a comment.

Rural Lodging - Sitemap.xml
Entries RSS Comments RSS Acceder