One of our favorite days in Cairo (besides visiting the pyramids) was visiting the Egyptian Museum of Antiquities. It was an absolute delight. It houses the largest collection of Egyptian artifacts in the world, spanning 5,000 years of history. What the museum lacked in modern amenities was made up in the sheer quality and quantity of its content.
There was no air conditioning, it was dusty, the lighting was terrible, and the display cases were smudged with fingerprints. Some items had handwritten descriptions on note cards. Objects were grouped in areas or rooms with many items/rooms were without a description at all.
At the entrance of one room was a small sign that read: 19th -20th Dynasty / 1,200 BC - 1,000 BC. That was it, no other descriptions on the items. Basically: "come on in folks, have a look around, there's some really, really old stuff here". We loved it.
The kids had a wonderful time exploring the museum. We let them take the lead and we went from one ancient artifact to another. The giant statues were impressive. They especially had fun with the hieroglyphics and guessing what they said. One favorite was a large stone that was a thank you note from one King after a victory in battle. We don't know how long it took to carve but I think I read that it took two years to arrive at its destination.
Of course we were all excited to see the mummies. Most mummies on display had no labels but among the collection are the complete burials of Yuya and Thuya, married nobles (King Tuts' great grandparents). Their tomb was robbed but it still contained chests, beds, chairs, a chariot, and many other items.
Another favorite was the treasures of King Tutankhamun (better known as King Tut). There was a surprising amount of gold and other valuable jewels in his display and throughout the museum. We also got to see his sarcophagus and his perfectly crafted gold mask (unfortunately, no photos are allowed in this room).
When we walked through the museum's massive doors, we didn't know what to expect, but it really blew us away. Parker and I followed our kids as they excitedly explored both floors, room by room. Strategically, we stood a little longer at the exhibits that were near the large fans that were scattered throughout the building. We stayed at the museum until the heat became unbearable.
Cairo is building two new museums, the Grand Egyptian Museum and the National Museum of Egyptian Civilizations. King Tut's treasures and most of the mummies will be relocated to one of these two new buildings. We are lucky that we got to see everything in once place before they get separated. We drove by the Grand Egyptian Museum, which was super fancy and modern, but there was something very special about the Egyptian Museum of Antiquities. Its lack of amenities, unassuming presence, and invaluable treasures made it memorable and fun to explore.
*****
Cairo was our kids' first introduction to a developing nation: no traffic rules (at least the rules weren't followed), insufficient infrastructure, and lack of price transparency to name a few.
Transportation in Cairo is wild to say the least. That's saying a lot since we have previously spent a year traveling in Asia. First of all, be prepared to hear honking from each vehicle EVERY five seconds.
The honking will begin at about 9am and will not end until 12am. This is not an exaggeration, it is actual insanity. No one bothers to use their side mirrors so it seems that honking is how the drivers communicate: 1) honk... I'm about to pass, 2) honk... I just passed you, now I'm here, 3) honk... no room, better not pass me, 4) honk... I'm turning first, don't even think about it, and 5) honk... I'm pissed because you did not understand my honk's intention.
Now imagine crossing the street in this environment. It was obvious to the locals that we were fresh meat. They helped us cross until we got comfortable crossing ourselves. Pro-tip: make sure the locals are on the oncoming traffic side... ha. One guy went out of his way to safely guide us. He said "My friends, welcome to Egypt, here we close our eyes and open our hearts before we cross". Long story short, you walk straight across all lanes of traffic and pray you don't get ran over. The key is to maintain your pace and the vehicles will anticipate and flow around you. It was terrifying every time.
Tahrir Square is located at City Center, where we were staying. It is a busy center with a traffic circle and a plaza across the street. We landed on a Friday night so everyone was hanging out at the Square. One of our favorite things was watching the roller bladers (teens/young adults) go in and out of traffic, sometimes holding on to the back of bumpers. Roller bladers on the highway! Just another Friday night in Cairo, Egypt.
*****
A lack of price transparency in Egypt means get your bargaining skills ready. No one in Egypt is going to tell you the actual price for anything, because there isn't one. Short of booking accommodations online, everything is up for negotiation. Everything. Also, Egypt has a long tradition of tipping (baksheesh), that can be confusing.
Khan el-Khalili is a famous open-air bazaar in the middle of Cairo. Merchants have been trading there since the 14th century. Now it is jam packed with over 4.000 vendors selling everyday items such as clothing and spices to intricate textiles and semi-precious stone.
Navigating the crowded, narrow walkways of the market was an experience and a first for the kids. Parker sticks out like a sore thumb and prices double when he's around. I just make sure he stays back when I'm trying to buy something!
Kaia wanted a dress so it was a good opportunity to teach the kids how to not totally get ripped off. The first price you are told is probably double the actual number. So just keep that in mind and know that half price is probably local, and if you pay just a bit more than that (but not double) that's fine. We're tourist after all, paying a bit more is OK but not double, triple or more.
When Kaia found the dress she wanted, the vendor said 1,300 Egyptian Pounds. Crazy. Knowing the local price was probably around 250-300 pounds, I was good with paying around 400, so I offered 300. He chose the wrong girl. We haggled for a bit and Kaia walked out with a 400 EP dress. Not the local price but a fair tourist price. She was happy, the vendor was happy. We still talk about that exchange to this day and how I saved 900 EP.
The tipping culture is long standing, expected, and exhausting. Don't tip too little but don't tip too much, and yes, everyone gets tipped. We wanted to be respectable tourists so in the morning, we went over everyone we might come across that day and how much to tip them. First there are the servers for every meal, then our driver, the guy who opens and closes the building doors, tour guides, hotel people, cleaners... the list goes on and on. Who to tip and how much? So exhausting but I think we did pretty well.
*****
On our last night, we booked a dinner cruise on the Nile River. The kids were tired (we all were) but we couldn't leave without experiencing the Nile River. We didn't look too much into what we booked, it sounded easy and fun with the kids. The cruise had on-board entertainment including live music, a belly dancer, and traditional folk dancers. It was only a few hours on the ship, but it was special to be cruising on the Nile River, even for a short time.
To keep us as safe as possible, Parker always checks the US Travel Department website for travel advisories before booking flights to the next country, we felt safe while we were in Egypt, but we kept a close eye on the news and our surroundings. To be extra cautious, we kept our visit brief and only stayed five days. Egypt has always felt so far away. What a dream that we got to experience it together.
And what a world schooling field trip for the kids!
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