Cairo is more than the pyramids

 

King Tut's sarcophagus, Egyptian Museum, Cairo

Every tourist who visits Egypt has the pyramids at the top of their sightseeing list.  And for good reason.  They are spectacular.  

pyramids in the murky distance beyond central Cairo

skulls and their crews on the Nile

But, there is so much more to see in Cairo.  For one, just watching the activity on the Nile can keep you entertained for hours.

There are somewhere around 4 million Coptic Christians in Egypt.  Coptic Christianity, which began about 50 AD when the Apostle Mark visited Alexandria, is one of the oldest Christian denominations  outside the Middle East.  You can visit Coptic Cairo, with its Coptic churches and ancient culture.

nave of Coptic Church in Cairo

In the 12^th century, Saladin built Cairo’s Citadel, a huge fortress with a large round tower.  The Citadel was the seat of government until the 19^th century and, today, is a fascinating place to visit.  Some of the countless packs of stray dogs who make Cairo their home spend a good part of their days snoozing in the warm sun of the Citadel’s courtyards.

Cairo Citadel

The Muhamad Ali Mosque, modeled on the fabulous Blue Mosque in Istanbul, is one of the beautiful places to visit in old Islamic Cairo.  

Muhammad Ali Mosque

From the terrace of the mosque, you get not only a wonderful view of Cairo, but a vista which has the Giza pyramids far off in the haze that envelops the city.  A beautiful tomb in the central courtyard shows off the artistry of the workers who built the mosque.

tomb in courtyard of Muhammad Ali Mosque

dogs snoozing in Citadel courtyard

golden casket, Cairo Museum

Not to be missed is the Cairo Museum.  While there is a new museum near the pyramids that will open in November, 2022, the Cairo Museum, on the famous Tahrir Square (where the 2011 revolution began) is full of beautiful artifacts from the Pharaonic era.  When I visited the Museum so many years ago with my family, it was dark, dusty and overstuffed.  Today, the displays are beautiful, well-lit, and breathtaking.  King Tut’s sarcophagus is still there, stunningly gorgeous.  I admit to sneaking a forbidden photo of the sarcophagus, along with everyone else in the room.  Except for King Tut’s special rooms, you can take photos everywhere. 

queen's image, Cairo Museum

Covid is a continuing risk when traveling and Egypt is no different from anywhere else in the world.  Six of our group of 12 came down with Covid, mild, thankfully, and spent several extra days in Cairo until they could safely return to the US.  So, one caution for travelers there, as elsewhere, is to be prepared in case you need to stay longer than expected.  We were fortunate to be in an excellent hotel with great room service.  You also want to be able to contact a doctor if you need medical assistance and to get a Covid test for your return.  Being flexible and prepared makes any foreign travel much easier, especially in the ongoing era of Covid.  We expect to keep traveling and will always have contingency plans in case something goes awry. 

sphinx outside Cairo Museum

There's nothing like Egypt's pyramids (except its tombs in Luxor)

Stepped Pyramid, Saqqara

The first time I visited Egypt was with my family nearly 40 years ago.  My kids were 10, 11 and 14, and that trip remains one of the highlights of our lives.  The skies were clearer and the crowds, much smaller.  We rode camels to the pyramids in Giza.  Today, despite Covid, there are more people, more vendors, more smog, and more camels.  I've visited the pyramids 5 times and am awed by their grandeur each time.  And would go back to see them in an instant, given the opportunity. 

Giza pyramids

The huge size, perfect geometry, intricately cut facing stones and mechanics of construction speak to the power and wealth of the pharaohs.  

facing stones on the pyramids

Though our guide insisted that slaves did not build the pyramids, and some Egyptian archaeologists agree, Herodotus wrote that 100,000 slaves built the pyramids.  It is hard to imagine that a society that relied on slaves for countless tasks to keep their economy going didn’t also use slaves for its greatest construction projects.  

hawkers in front of Cheops' pyramid

There are dozens of pyramids, besides the 2 or 3 we see in all the photos.  Above is the beautiful Stepped Pyramid, at Saqqara, within sight of the famous Giza pyramids.  You can crawl down a long set of stairs to one of the tombs under Saqqara and, much more easily, walk upright into other tombs to visit the beautifully carved and painted rooms inside.

offerings to the gods, Saqqara

I learned something new and very appealing on this visit.  The Sphinx has a tail!  The tail was buried by sand but emerged as the sand was cleared away over the years.  I guess the tail should not be a surprise, given that the Sphinx has a lion's feet and claws.  

tail of the Sphinx

Legend says Napoleon's troops shot off the Sphinx's nose, but apparently that may be little more than just a legend.  Erosion seems to have been the culprit.  Work continues today to stabilize the Sphinx. 

Sphinx with pyramids

The Giza Sphinx is only the most famous of dozens of known sphinxes.  They guard the entrance to the Egyptian Museum in Cairo and what remains of Egypt’s ancient capital of Memphis.  What was once a large city, Memphis is now a Cairo suburb, but you can find remnants of its glory days in the mounds of earth and rubble that abound in the area. 

Sphinx at Egypt's ancient capital, Memphis

Sphinx in front of Cairo Museum