Just a Bunch of Bricks (Cairo)

Member Name: Jon V

Product:	Cairo
Date:	21/01/02 (88 review reads)
Rating:

Advantages: Wonder of the Ancient World, Plenty to learn

Disadvantages: Untidy surroundings

Think of Egypt and it conjurs up an image of the Great Pyramids. A spectacular testament to the ability of mankind. Steeped in history, they are the most revered and recognized Wonder of the Ancient World and have for centuries baffled countless numbers of tourists, archaeologists and scientists courtesy of their sheer being.

I had been looking forward to visiting Cairo months beforehand and the journey itself was far from being without incident. I stayed in the southern Egyptian city of Hurghada. A relatively new resort quite isolated from the tourist areas of Luxor and Cairo, Hurghada draws tourists primarily for the coral reef located closely offshore. Unlike the Great Barrier Reef of Australia, the marine life of Hurghada is easily accessible and can be reached with a five minuted swim. It's close proximity and location have led to many dubbing it the second best coral reef in the world.

With Cairo a good six hour drive away, we rendezvouzed at the city limits at two o'clock in the morning. The Egyptian way of life is laid back: if it needs doing, it will eventually get done. The natives have a habit of being more laid back then us Europeans, but sometimes they can stretch this too far. During our journey to the city limits our taxi driver chooses to fill up his car. He gets out and starts filling up, and it is only after chatting to my friend for a couple of minutes that I realise he has left the engine on, AND has a cigarette in his hand whilst we are still sat in the car. I chose not to let my mother (who was sat next to me) know this and after considerable perspiration we reached the city limits without further ado.

Egypt has gradually become increasingly populated over the years, but there are still thousands of miles of open desert, giving bandits and outlaws the perfect opportunity to pounce on unsuspecting victims, inparticluar tourists. With this in mind, it is advised that all tourists have an a
rmed guard to escort them accross the desert and so our convoy of approximately a dozen coaches and taxis sets off accompanied by armoured personnel carriers at the front and rear.

In the film Raiders of the Lost Ark, Cairo is portrayed as a beautiful clean city of paradise. In reality this is far from the truth. Upon arrival you are greeted by countless rows of tower blocks, many of which are pitched precariously on the edges of cliffs and precipices. There is a strong sense of decay and poverty, but the most striking sight on offer comes not from that most renowned of attractions, but from another man-made contribution: smog. On BBC comedy The Fast Show, Caroline Aherene plays a Portuguese weathergirl forever casting bright sunshine. Apply this to Cairo and the result would be smog, smog and more smog. Upon entering the city boundaries a low cloud of smog in clearly visibal, like a blanket over the entire city. Like in the film Independence Day, this huge mass covers the entire city and blocks out some of the weather from the sky above. Bright sunshine? More like bright smoggy sunshine.

The famed River Nile is equally polluted. It resembles the River Thames after the Millenium Night celebrations: full of rubbish and sewage. The high rate of unemployment and poverty takes the blame for the majority of the city's appearance, but one fact that can be noted is that it hasn't dampened the spirit of the people. Local children play happily in the streets and workmen chat openly around the city centre. I have noticed that in many Third World Countries, such as India and Kenya, people are happy with what they have in a basic lifestyle. They may be poor, but they are content.

Cairo expanded so rapidly during the last century that it has been brought within touching distance of it's most famous attraction. We stop off for coffee and some traditional music and dancing, and are greeted with the surreal sight of one of th
e Pyramids towering over a shopping centre on the corner of the street. Next you think I'll be telling you there is a McDonalds there.

There is a McDonalds at the Pyramids. Is this devaluing one of mankinds greatest known achievements? Or perhaps it is just a good marketing strategy? We chose to give it a miss. One thing it doesn't do is detract from the initial sight of this astonishing piece of history.

There are three pyramids that tower above all in Cairo. Built in Giza, each of the main three was constructed as a temple for the Pharoahs who ruled over the ancient country. The biggest and most widely recognized is that of Cheops, at over 180 metres tall it is a staggering sight. When first built it was topped with gold and like the other two pyramids, stood as a symbol of the power the Pharoahs had. Guarding the main Pyramids is the famous Sphinx, an enormous Lion with the head of a Pharoah. Even today, people are at a loss to explain the complete significance of the Sphinx. Secret passages have been discovered within it's body and head ,suggesting that it may have had other uses or may be intended as something more than a guard.

There are numerous tourists about, inparticular Americans, and I realised that it was going to be difficult to see everything and learn about the history of the pyramids in such a short time. We scoured the area for locals and after a brief chat and a quick back-hander, we convinced one of them to take us off the beaten track and inestigate some other sights. There are other smaller pyramids at Giza, some only as a big as a terraced house. These are the tombs of the Pharoah's wives and are located further back from the main trio. We were shown inside burial chambers and learnt of the extraordinary way in which the ancient rulers were laid to rest. After death, the Ancient Egyptians believed that the soul lived on and for this to happen, all of the body's vital organs mu
st be kept in pristine condition. All organs were taken out and stored in jars and glasses. The body was then mummified and placed in a solid casket. After this it was dropped down a vast vertical shaft, where it would emerge below ground level, ready to be placed in it's final resting place in the tomb.

The Pyramids are an astonishing attraction and to experience them first hand was something I will never forget. However actually being there can take away some of the magic of the area. You have to remember that the people of Cairo have lived amongst these pieces of history for generations and to them they are both commonplace and a money-spinner. Whilst looking around I noticed locals climbing up the side of the pyramids and even kicking a football up against them. There are considerable amounts of litter around and at times the place resembles an ancient building site.

A point I must mention regards the famous laser show in the evening. I would advise giving this a miss. It is overpriced and over-rated. Bright lasers are projected into the air and a mouth flashed onto the Sphinx to make it look like it is talking. I would advise to find yourself a local guide, either offical or not so. Make sure they have lived there, they are more likely to know about the history and value of the area.

Take a camel ride. There is a vantage point, a ridge raised about fifty metres off the ground just past the pyramids that gives a great view and you can take a camel ride down the gentle slope back to the main attraction. The gentleman handling the camels had been doing so for fifty years and entertained us with stories of tourists and history.

We only stayed in Cairo for the day
and hence only chose to visit the main attraction. Given more time there are ancient museums, temples, cafes, bars and markets to explore. I'm sorry I can't give more information, but time and money restictions added to a curious
ity of the Pyramids meant that the centrepiece of Cairo was our main destination.

Be surprised, but be willing to learn and explore. The Ancient Pyramids have astonished many for generations and will continue to do so for years to come. Well worth a visit.

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