The opportunity to visit Egypt for a month came to me sometime very early in the year. Sit comfortably confirmed, E-visa was processed in less than 24 hours just a week before departure. I took 3 nights to visit Giza and the pyramids independently before moving to Madinaty for the remaining period.
In Giza I stayed at The Pyramids View Inn. They are located right in front of the necropolis, have a rooftop terrace with dining where you can hear the sound and light show depicting the known history of the pyramids for free.
My room also had a terrace directly facing the Sphinx and Pyramids. I could also watch and hear the everyday happenings of life in Giza and I took full advantage of this. I watched the sunrise and set and imagined what life was like back then but the life of the present moment also demanded attention.
Giza is an impoverished city and living here must be extremely difficult. It is extremely hot with a thick cloud of fine sand and dust that seems to hover over the entire country. The contrast between the influx of tourists coming in and out and those who live here is undeniable. The people in the hotel and those I personally encountered were beyond kind and gentle. I was treated well, very well, and respectfully. The hotel is family owned and many of the employees are family. When I arrived I was introduced to Haneen. A young woman studying tourism. She spoke English well and she was to be my contact and resource for anything I should need including taking out to shops or the ATM should I need. We had a most lovely time just chatting about our lives. The difference of our 50 years in age and culture seemed to be nonexistent. She will be a highlight of this trip and I am grateful that she asked to keep in touch.
From my terrace I watched donkeys and horse drawn carriages used to take tourist through the necropolis. Caravans of camels on parade. Dogs, cats and lots of vehicles always moving and adding to the atmosphere.
In my last afternoon I heard a lot of yelling and saw a street fight that became violent. Shortly afterwards there was some type of explosion and it seems there was a gas leak and fires were burning right out of the sidewalk. Men came with fire extinguishers and after several attempts they were able to control it. However the power and water were turned off.
I lay on my bed with the terrace door open listening to the sounds below. Men came with shovels and with the lights from mobile devices they worked to restore services.
It was 4 am when the ac unit turned on.
A few hours later I was given gifts by the hotel manager and was in a private car on my way to the National Public Library where I would meet my host.
To be continued as this adventure is still evolving
Fabulous pics mate. You transported me back in time to my first stay at the Pyramids View Inn and I once again could relive my memories. Egypt is a mystical place that gets into your blood, into your heart and once you visit it is a place you never forget. It isn’t for everyone but if you see it through the eyes of people like yourself, it’s magical, like being transported back in time. I have spent months at a time there, all started exactly like you even down to the hotel. Your words could have been written by me
Enjoy my friend, continue living that dream, it’s sometimes all we need to live and love life
Mate I must say it is certainly bringing in new perspectives and appreciation for even the simplest of things because here even those can be challenging.
I am myself having quite the time, good and challenging.
My host forgot a few things in her rush preparing for her departure. The electricity here is prepaid and nearly everything is cash only, Egyptian pounds as you know. She forgot to top off her meter and told me I would need to go pay it for her telling me where to go and also where to withdraw currency, she did not have enough cash or time left. There was only enough juice for maybe three days she said. Currently temps are 36-39 the walk is short but the heat is intense. The ATM has no cash in it x two days now. First visit to the civic center it was closed. I had come to early and didn’t realize that so I left.
Today I was smarter. Walked over at 6:30 am while it was still “cool” 28 , had only about the equivalent of $10 in EP she left me and I waited 3 hours after a very kind man who could not speak English but could write “open 9:30” so I waited.
I now have about 4 days to an ATM with dinero in it. Groceries is another tale for another time. I need a shower.
It sounds like an adventure and a half @Amparo & brilliant if challenging. Egypt is like an assault on the senses and only calm when you’re under the Red Sea I reckon The endless waiting & no access to money reminds me of having to ask for the “magic man” in India when you wanted make a call back to the UK in the 1990s and if he wasn’t feeling it then come back another day. Our only village ATM here in Turkey regularly runs out of lira too Luckily the locals don’t mind the “we’ll come back and pay tomorrow” Enjoy Cairo & all it’s mayhem (& the welcome shower) #makesyoufeelalive
Message us if you come @pietkuip - lots of advice if you’d like it it & there are some really nice sits here too. Istanbul is enormous so choose the suburb wisely #toptip
@Amparo , yep! That sounds like Cairo! One thing you will find is nobody much gets going until lunchtime or mid afternoon. They go out for dinner or whatever at like 10pm and stay in bed until midday. It’s the night when things come alive. Think I know where you are coming from with groceries, I found it very difficult to begin with and not sure it ever got easier lol
US dollars talks in Egypt, they love it and I rarely used the EGP though for your situation I understand, the electricity thing (hadn’t heard of that one before)! But if you have USD don’t be afraid to use it.
You certainly arrived at the hottest time of year, imagine Ramadan in June/July, it is sooo hard on them. I do believe that Egypt gave me the everlasting understanding of resilience and respect for those less fortunate than ourselves, it certainly is a country of struggles but nobody complains, they just get on with life and probably a good lesson for us all to learn.
Egypt was amazing to visit and I’d love to go again, but I’m not adventurous enough to return as a sitter. I appreciate getting to experience that vicariously through your sitting.
@Cuttlefish, I’d love to visit Turkey again, but there’s so much to see, I’d rather go without the responsibilities of sitting. If I return, I’ll be asking you for tips.
@pietkuip I mentioned it because the temperature in Egypt then can reach high forties or higher and as Muslims partaking in Ramadan cannot even take a sip of water and not a morsel of food between sunrise and sunset, that must really take its toll on their body, and mind. But a sacrifice they all make.
Are you kidding? This is what this forum is for. Building community, helping each other to grow, explore and share how we do what we do. Good and ugly because that’s reality.
Can I come too?
100% @Amparo - it’s not far from there and you’ll have the crazy temps, chaos, lack of money, water and power cuts and extensive waiting times all down to a tee! Another #çabukçabuk
, had only about the equivalent of $10 in EP she left me and I waited 3 hours after a very kind man who could not speak English but could write “open 9:30” so I waited.
The endless waiting & no access to money reminds me of having to ask for the “magic man” in India when you wanted make a call back to the UK in the 1990s and if he wasn’t feeling it then come back another day. Our only village ATM here in Turkey regularly runs out of lira too 
Luckily the locals don’t mind the “we’ll come back and pay tomorrow” Enjoy Cairo & all it’s mayhem (& the welcome shower) 
