Me, Andy, Tino, and Denise took the red eye from Munich to Cairo. We didn't actually touch down until 1:30 am, but thank god we had a rep from our tour company there to meet us. Denise did some research and planned our entire Egypt trip through Lady Egypt. It's a private tour with just the four of us and we basically get all of our transfers and an Egyptologist at all of the sites. It's pretty cool. We have a contact where ever we go 24/7...thank goodness.
It's pretty nuts here in Cairo and Egypt as a whole. I don't think I've ever been this overwhelmed. I'm so thankful that we're pretty much taken care of this entire trip, cause I don't know how I could have done this on my own. This whole country is ghetto in some way or another. In Cairo alone there's 20-25 million people. It's the second largest city in the world next to Mexico City...and it sure feels like it too. There's no traffic lights here and traffic is chaotic! People cross the street by standing in free gaps in the road between cars. It's like a game of Frogger! Cars don't follow lanes and they just zig zag through the streets. They just go around honking their horns and flashing their lights to let others know to get out of their way. We had some near misses when we first tried it on our own, but we're pros now...hehe.
So Egypt in general is hot and dirty, especially dirty in Cairo and especially hot in Luxor. Every one here wants your money. The standard of living is pretty much crap for most of the Egyptian citizens. Tourism is their second biggest money maker next to the Suez Canal. People get paid next to nothing here and they pretty much rely on tips (or baksheesh in Arabic). Living in North America we know about tipping, but it's crazy here. They want tips for every thing! We even had police officers at the Pyramids getting us to climb up (which is not allowed) and helping us take pictures for a small tip! It's annoying, but people are pretty poor here. Egypt is very far behind the rest of the world. Most Egyptians, even the ones who work in tourism never leave the country because it's just too expensive. With that said they think every Oriental-looking person is from China, Korea, or Japan. It was funny in the beginning, but now it's making Andy and I totally mad! People are so desperate to sell you something that they approach you in a friendly manner, but always the same way. It's like they have this hand book or something. It's always "My Friend. Welcome. Where are you from? What's your name? China? Korea? Japanese?" Then they try to sell you something at a "special" price. It's unfortunate, but the impression that most people get, including us, is that every one is out to cheat or screw you over. On the other hand, people are pleasant and nice. There's a real sense of brotherhood here, like every one is looking out for each other (except the tourists).
Ok, I'm going to wrap things up now. We'll be back in Munich in a few days and I'll write more then. I know I haven't said much about the sites, which are amazing, but the real story is the stuff in between.
Hope every body is good at home! I can't wait to get back to Vancouver for sushi, refillable drinks, and bubble tea!
3 comments:
I'm sure glad to hear from you guys. Good to know that you are all doing well. Have fun on the rest of your trip.
Sounds like you're gone from Egypt now...if you return, please consider my friend Ibrahim as your private guide. His assistance makes the entire visit a delight. Here's a little more info:
He is a wonderfully personable, independent, licensed tour guide with a Master's Degree in Egyptology, who is one of the few tour guides in Egypt who speaks both fluent English and German without a heavy accent. He is well versed in all aspects of ancient and modern Egyptian history and provides superior tours at very reasonable prices.
Satisfied clients have said:
"I think the most significant statement I can make is that if Ibrahim says he will do something, he will do it! He was on time, every time."
"Ibrahim speaks multiple languages, and he speaks English fluently, knowing many words and phrases that demonstrated a thorough understanding of the language. His vocabulary was outstanding, and his pronunciation was impeccable! The depth of his knowledge on a multitude of subjects was quite impressive. This was no ordinary guide, or even just a good one! We have traveled independently and frequently for many years. We hire private guides and drivers when we are in an area where we do not want to drive and public transportation is inadequate, or when we feel the history of the destination is significant and we want to know more about it. We have used private guides in Greece, Morocco, Turkey, Malta, Thailand, Philippines, etc. Ibrahim was the best all round guide we have ever used."
"Whether you have an idea of what you want to see, or you just want to leave it up to Ibrahim to plan your visit, you will not be disappointed. For example, I took a tour of Coptic Cairo with a different guide. When I took a tour of Coptic Cairo with Ibrahim, I was amazed at the difference -- I learned so much more. Ibrahim never rushes, and you can ask him anything. He also knows good places for lunch -- just let him know if you want to be served or go through a buffet line. His service is all about helping you get the most out of your visit."
"Ibrahim emphasized on multiple occasions that this was our vacation and our money! He asked for feedback frequently, such as are we going too fast, too slow, too much or not enough detail, speaking loudly enough, and summarizing at the end of the day with “what should I have done differently”?"
"I only have the highest praise for Ibrahim. He accompanied my partner and I on a recent trip on the Nile and around Cairo and it was a fantastic experience. His knowledge of everything is superb and everything went smoothly ... as we said afterwards, it was absolutely "hassle free. Safety was also a concern for us and we felt very taken care of in that respect as well."
"We found his fees to be reasonable and he exceeded our expectations in his flexibility to work with us on what we wanted to see and where we wanted to go. We found more than a guide in Abe, we found a wonderful friend that we still periodically stay in touch with. I'm sure you will find a friend in him too!!"
"Our family will always have wonderful memories of our Egyptian adventure, and I know we have Ibrahim to thank for making it so personal and so meaningful, as well as so hassle-free. Without him we would have had to do a lot more coping, and I know the trip would have been much less enjoyable."
Many more references available.
gsimington@gmail.com
This blog is crap, but accurate. I can verify it's crap because I'm her sister and its accuracy because I was there.
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