Cairo, Egypt Travel Journals & Blogs

Egypte
- Oct 16, 2021, 6:48am · ☀️ 26 °C Altitude: 97 m
  Egypt Cairo Masākin at Ta‘mīr 30.11167, 31.39530°6’42” N 31°23’42” E
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Day 2
Hello l'Égypte ❤️
October 16, 2021 in Egypt ⋅ ☀️ 26 °C
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Trop contents d'arriver en Egypte !!! Et même si on sait que la journée va être trèeeeeeeeeees très longue (on a du dormir 4h), on a hâte de découvrir Le Caire !

Direction l'hôtel ... enfin l'auberge de jeunesse ... enfin, l'immeuble désaffecté 😅.
Blague à part, il est hyper bien situé dans le coeur historique du Caire, mais on ne comprend pas bien comment il peut être aussi bien noté ... il est un peu crados 😳😬. C'est pas grave, le proprio est super sympa (c'est peut être ça qui fait tout 😜) et on s'y sent bien, c'est le principal !!! On s'y fait d'ailleurs nos 1ers copains, des Belges en tour d'Afrique avec leurs 3 enfants !

On passera une grande partie de la journée à comater dans le salon/terrasse en attendant d'avoir notre chambre. On a juste le temps de se faire péter la panse dans un super petit restau local (trop copieux et pas cher !!!) pour enchainer avec une énoooorme sieste de 3h !

Seule loose de la journée, en voulant aérer la chambre je fais tomber mon tél du 7eme étage 😰😬🙃. Il est complètement explosé 💥 !!!

On verra ça demain ... Il est 20h, au dodo !Read more
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Traveler en mode sarcophage ! quelle capacité d'adaptation !
10/18/21Reply
Traveler très jolie mosaïque !
10/18/21Reply
Traveler je me suis bien appliqué 😁
10/18/21Reply
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Egypte
- Oct 17, 2021 · ☀️ 29 °C Altitude: 20 m
  Egypt Cairo Bāb al Lūq Armenian School 30.05029, 31.23630°3’1” N 31°14’10” E
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Day 3
Premier jour !
October 17, 2021 in Egypt ⋅ ☀️ 29 °C
Réveil super agréable ... Il fait chaud !!! On prend le p'tit dej tranquillou en tongs et sans pull ! Ça fait trop de bien !

On file ensuite avec Côme acheter un nouveau téléphone ... vu comment a terminé le précédent, je pars sur un entrée de gamme 😬.

On doit manger ce midi avec une autre famille qui voyage depuis 5 ans et qui termine son Périple par l'Égypte (c'est pas des rigolos du voyage !!!).
On a un super feeling avec eux et on passera la journée ensemble ... Pour le plus grand bonheur de Côme qui trouve un copain fan de mangas... 🥳🤩.

Du coup, programme qui s'improvise: repas traditionnel Égyptien (Koshari: des pâtes, lentilles, sauce tomate et pois chiches 🤤), café dans un bistrot du Caire, balade digestive dans le souk du Caire et ré restau le soir !

Belle rencontre, belle journée !

Nos premières impressions sur l'Égypte et les Egyptiens est super bonne ... On retrouve un pays avec beaucoup de vie, tout est simple et pas cher, les gens sont adorables ... Et surtout, on peut se balader partout en toute sécurité ... Ça nous manquait !!!Read more
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Traveler Bonne petite adaptation dès le début, cest vraiment super 😍
10/19/21Reply
Traveler Ça a l’air top !
11/2/21Reply
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Traveler EGYPT 2022
- May 21, 2022, 3:02pm · ⛅ 86 °F Altitude: 118 ft
  Egypt Cairo Bāb al Lūq Al Mutḩaf al Mişrī 30.047658, 31.23387230°2’52” N 31°14’2” E
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Day 5
Fantastic sighseeing day!
May 21, 2022 in Egypt ⋅ ⛅ 86 °F
Went to the Citadel, Alabaster Mosque, lunch (a typical Egyptian meal of bread, plate of carrots/peas/zucchini/French fries (I know 🧐) the warm cream chicken soup, more bread, then a sizzling grill of beef, lamb, chicken and rice pudding w/shaved coconut). Then the guided tour of Egyptian Museum which exceeded my expectations. A wonderful day. We are hot, sweaty. Resting before our welcome reception.Read more
Traveler Some of it reminds me of the musem at UPenn, since they have many Egyptian relics.thwt dome ceiling is just gorgeous!
5/22/22Reply
Traveler Dome ceiling is made of brass
5/22/22Reply
Traveler Born in Arizona, moved to Babylonia ...
5/27/22Reply
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Traveler EGYPT 2022
- May 30, 2022, 2:58pm · ☀️ 102 °F Altitude: 85 ft
  Egypt Cairo Ad Duqqī Maydān an Nahḑah 30.024254, 31.21737330°1’27” N 31°13’3” E
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Day 14
92 lb suitcase!
May 30, 2022 in Egypt ⋅ ☀️ 102 °F
This is a first! Dana and I had left one suitcase at the Four Seasons, took another one each on the Nile cruise. We did a good bit of shopping (as good little tourists!). My suitcase today on Egypt Air was 42.5 kg. Which equates to 92 lbs!! Holy cannoli. It was a tad heavy.

We overnight in Cairo then leave tomorrow afternoon. Our flight isn't until 730pm.
View from this hotel room is of the Nile this time!!Read more
Traveler View is surreal!
5/30/22Reply
Traveler And 92lb suitcase. Try heaving that bad boy into the overhead? 🤣
5/30/22Reply
Well, at least you'll burn off some of the calories you consumed on your trip trying to drag that thing around. 92 lbs. Seriously???? [Andi]
5/30/22Reply
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Christie Mitchell RTW 2022
- Aug 30, 2022, 12:00pm · ☀️ 91 °F Altitude: 66 ft
  Egypt Cairo Bāb al Lūq Al Mutḩaf al Mişrī 30.046995, 31.23375830°2’49” N 31°14’2” E
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Day 162
Cairo
August 30, 2022 in Egypt ⋅ ☀️ 91 °F
Miles: 2.4 Steps: 5638 Flights: 13

We went to downtown Cairo today to the Egyptian Museum. What a difference in areas - Everywhere that ISN’T downtown is littered with garbage, buildings falling down and just outright nasty. Then you cross into the downtown area and it’s clean and modern.

The museum was neat - we saw two actual mummies which was a first.

Spent the rest of our day at our hotel, working in the room looking at the pyramids out of window. So nice to have that view 24/7 since that’s what we came here for.

Saw another amazing sunset and the light show. Egypt is in a “reconsider travel here” warning by the state department - but so far, really glad we took the risk and made the stop here!Read more
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Traveler Ägypten - Marsa Alam
- Sep 16, 2022, 7:00am · ☀️ 20 °C Altitude: 20 m
  Egypt Cairo Masākin Abū al Futūḩ 29.996767, 31.16921429°59’48” N 31°10’9” E
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Day 6
Eine Stadt im Wandel
September 16, 2022 in Egypt ⋅ ☀️ 20 °C
23.00Uhr ging es los von unserem Hotel in Marsa Alam. Die ganze Nacht sind wir mit dem Bus gefahren in den frühen Morgenstunden erreichten wir Kairo. Zu unserem Glück wurde für uns ein eigener Bus mit eigenen Reiseleiter organisiert, sodass wir uns breit machen konnten.

In Kairo angekommen erlebten wir sofort das wahre ägyptische Leben, außerhalb der großen Hotelanlagen am Roten Meer.

Es wird viel gebaut und abgerissen. Alle Autos, Pferdekutschen, Busse, Motorräder und was noch so herumfährt/-läuft ist ein einziges Wirrwarr. Überall hupt es. Man fühlt sich angekommen im Orient.

Morgens ging es für uns zuerst in das „Ägyptische Museum“ in welchem man bis zu 7000 Jahre ägyptische Geschichte bewundern kann. Unser Reiseleiter schickte uns nicht alleine durch, sondern gab uns viele Informationen zu den einzelnen Artefakten.

Nach zwei Stunden Geschichte ging es zum Bazar von Kairo. Dort gab es einen ersten Kulturschock. Ein reges Treiben, viel Geschrei der Händler und wir mitten drin. Nach einer Runde durch die Gassen setzten wir uns in ein Straßenkaffee.

Bei einer heißen Tasse Schwarztee ☕️, schauten wir eine ganze Weile den Leuten zu. Dann ging es zurück zum Bus, natürlich quer über die Straße durch den völlig chaotischen Verkehr.

Nach dem Mittagessen, welches ich nur bedingt genießen konnte, ging es zuerst von der Parfümerie zu Papyrusmanufaktur. Die Verkäufer gaben sich dabei beste Mühe uns das Geld aus der Tasche zu ziehen.

Danach ging es für eine kurze Mittagsruhe zurück ins Hotel.Read more
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Traveler The Wicks go Back in Time
- Oct 16, 2022, 1:30pm · ☀️ 30 °C Altitude: 38 m
  Egypt Cairo Khān al Khalīlī Khan El Khalili 30.047164, 31.26183830°2’50” N 31°15’43” E
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Day 4
Khan al Khalili
October 16, 2022 in Egypt ⋅ ☀️ 30 °C
Islamic City of Al Mosaaz and the Bazaars. Some might believe this place is a tourist trap, but as Lonely Planet mansplained to me, they have been selling things here since the 14th century, long before the arrival of the first tour bus!
I have unwittingly labeled myself as an easy mark by wearing an Egyptian shirt I purchased 5 years ago on a trip to Luxor. All the local merchants who see my white, Egyptian cotton shirt know that I am the kind of guy who buys stuff from anyone who is persistent. This, coupled with my tendency to accidentally have money sticking out of my pocket confirms they will approach me. Again quoting Lonely Planet. “The merchants of Khan al Khalili are some of the greatest smooth talkers you will ever meet.” Everyone wants to get us inside their store. I have already bought some za’atar spice and have fended off everyone since then, but now Dianne is looking at a small tee shirt for a boy. (Spoiler Alert Janice, we bought Hendrix a tee shirt) A price is agreed upon and I cough up more cash. Of course not all of it is put away and some is still sticking out of my pocket. As we continue on our way, the sales pitches are more and more wearing. We decide with our guide Islam to stop for coffee at a 200 year old coffee shop, hoping to get some relief from the vendors. It just brings out a new crop of travelling sales people. A handicapped gentleman who had no legs and few teeth had my respect already and earned more as he loudly alerted me to the fact that my money would soon be leaving my pocket. It was just about on the floor as I had taken out my phone to google how much I should have paid for za’atar spice. Dianne gives me the “you’re doing this again” look as I tuck my bucks back in. It doesn’t stop the parade of vendors and beggars but at least I now have something to be thankful for. That helps. The most enterprising Pashmina salesman latches on to us. We have 4 pashminas at home, but eventually he finds one we must have as it is fireproof, certified Egyptian and a colour you can get nowhere else. We buy it with the money I have left and I feel a great relief. I have shot my wad. No more dough. Time to go back to the hotel.Read more
Traveler Just leave the shopping to Dianne!
10/16/22Reply
Traveler You know you love it!
10/16/22Reply
Traveler I miss my shopping partner!😎
10/16/22Reply
Traveler Hmm, hang on to some money. I'm gonna have a garage sale when you're back haha
10/16/22Reply
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Traveler Italy and Egypt 2022
- Oct 18, 2022, 10:32pm · 🌙 21 °C Altitude: 46 m
  Egypt Cairo Būlāq Abū al ‘Ilā port de Boulac 30.05781, 31.22504530°3’28” N 31°13’30” E
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Day 27
Back in Cairo
October 18, 2022 in Egypt ⋅ 🌙 21 °C
A good day, but no sights to report on…our brains can relax, and it is relative, but Cairo is much cooler than Upper Egypt (which is the south!)…in fact it is very pleasant tonight. We flew back from Luxor this morning, and by the time we got through the Cairo traffic from the airport we could check in to our rooms. We have a nice one with Nile view.

So this afternoon I had a good session of downtime in the room after a little lunch. Amr had a swim and then relaxed too. Tonight we were all taken to an extremely nice restaurant - the farewell dinner. Beautiful food, at a table right by the river in the open air. Everyone disperses tomorrow except for our little group of 10. We are moving to a downtown hotel, Omnia will be back in her apartment, and we will stay there too after 3 nights in the hotel. Said a fond farewell to our wonderful guide Bassem and tomorrow after breakfast we are on our own - that is, our group, and the “tour” part will be over. Omnia and Amr have made some plans for the coming days, and we will have more exploring round Cairo, and meet with some of their friends.Read more
Traveler Is the Yacoubian Building on the agenda?
10/19/22Reply
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Traveler Italy and Egypt 2022
- Oct 19, 2022, 11:21pm · ⛅ 21 °C Altitude: 31 m
  Egypt Cairo Bāb al Lūq Goethe Institute 30.04675, 31.23529130°2’48” N 31°14’7” E
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Day 28
Cairo - moved to a different hotel
October 19, 2022 in Egypt ⋅ ⛅ 21 °C
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Fairly relaxing day. This morning our official tour part ended, and we moved to a hotel in the centre of the city to be easy to get to places. In the interval between checking out, and checking in we first visited a school friend of Amr’s - also called Amr Ibrahim! - who lives in a beautiful apartment just round the corner from the Marriot. The building is one of those lovely ones built in the 1930s and right facing the Nile. It was like walking into another era with furniture from his parents - almost a museum. We had tea there and pastries, and then moved on with the second Amr as well to the Gezira Club which is very exclusive now, but Amr (both) and Omnia have been members since high school, and we went in as visitors. We sat outside under the trees and had one of the beautiful lemon juices they make, and very happily filled in the time between hotels.

Went back to the Marriot and had a bit of a wait - Egyptian time - for the mini bus to take us and our luggage. Not a huge distance, but much too far to walk with bags - even for us! - along the very uneven footpaths and risking life and limb crossing the roads! Now we are staying in the Steigenberger for 3 nights, and then moving to stay with Omnia in her flat. The others will stay on at the hotel. Omnia has organised some excursions - tomorrow we will visit the Islamic area of Cairo, and visit some mosques not on the tourist route, and on Saturday there is a visit to the Coptic area.

Tonight everyone did their own thing. I think people have enjoyed the Egyptian experience, and all us oldies have managed the quite strenuous activities!! But it is good to have a break…

We had dinner with another school friend of Amr’s - Magdi - and his wife and Omnia. Quite a posh dinner in a French restaurant in a boat on the Nile. Lovely evening. Not French food as in France, but I had a beautifully cooked fillet steak, perfect medium rare. Amr and I walked there from our new hotel (the restaurant was just near the old one!!) which entailed ducking across busy roads at peak hour….I used to find this an adventure, but think I am a bit over it now…just getting around anywhere in Cairo is a battle - either you sit in traffic and take hours to get a short distance, or walk into the busy roads…Peter and Louise started off with us just for a walk, but waved us goodbye when we plunged into second lot of cars…I can understand!!Read more
Traveler rewarding risk-taking
10/19/22Reply
Traveler Fabulous. Takes me straight back into Olivia Manning,s novels. What a treat they were to read.
10/20/22Reply
Traveler Rosie, that is a gorgeous photo.
10/20/22Reply
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Traveler Italy and Egypt 2022
- Oct 20, 2022, 10:55pm · 🌙 21 °C Altitude: 28 m
  Egypt Cairo Bāb al Lūq Goethe Institute 30.046833, 31.23535130°2’49” N 31°14’7” E
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Day 29
Another Cairo day
October 20, 2022 in Egypt ⋅ 🌙 21 °C
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A little weary to start, but it turned into a magical day. Omnia had organised a minibus to transport us to and from the Islamic area, and a wonderful guide - a professor in Islamic medieval history and architecture. We left early - you have to pick the moment here, after the school traffic (school starts at 7am) and before the commuter traffic..Pinpoint timing, and our drive was relatively easy - i.e. not standstill gridlock. Met our guide, and she led us through such interesting buildings, with history and background that we would never have found or known. The mosques we were hoping to see were closed for renovation, but there are so many amazing buildings anyway, with beautiful Islamic decoration…a complex which was mausoleum, hospital, school…

We stopped for a tea break at one point, and were each delivered a little pot of tea and a plate of fresh mint….just delicious! We finally ended with lunch in the same place where we ate on the tour’s Islamic market day (so we knew what we wanted to order from past experience!) and it is all amongst the bazaar shops and we did a little shopping after before getting the bus back to the hotel. Angela sadly was feeling a bit seedy and didn’t come (sad as she would have loved it)…most people have had a touch of the funny tummy, but Omnia and Amr are handing out pills, and most not too dramatic! I had a little way back, but it started in Italy, so can’t blame Egypt!! All totally fine now…

We got back in the early afternoon and everyone did their own thing for the rest of the day. Omnia, Amr and I went to visit the wife and daughter of their cousin who we will be visiting in Kuala Lumpur next week. They are back in Cairo as the daughter is in university here in her final year. Had a wonderful home cooked meal with them and a very nice visit. We took an Uber there, and got a taxi back as it was easy to hail one…a hair raising ride - no seatbelts and we were actually speeding between intersection jams…as I said before, getting round in Cairo is a complicated and difficult business!!Read more
Traveler Love reading your blog each morning Rosie
10/20/22Reply
Traveler Driving in Egypt should have its own blog 😂
10/20/22Reply
Traveler Now here we are in an Agatha Christie.
10/21/22Reply
Traveler Exquisite and straight from Naguib Mahfouz.
10/21/22Reply
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