Ancient Egypt is one of the four great ancient civilizations. It is referred to as "Ancient Egypt" because modern Egyptians now predominantly follow Islam, which differs greatly in terms of writing systems and religious beliefs from those of the ancient Egyptians. Nevertheless, many ancient Egyptian monuments still exist, such as the pyramids and the Sphinx.
Traveling to Egypt requires a connecting flight. After more than ten hours in the air, we finally arrived in Cairo, the capital of Egypt, in the early morning, and our journey began. To better understand the local culture and customs, before visiting the pyramids, we decided to explore the city first. Cairo’s history dates back over 3,000 years BC, and historical relics and ancient sites can be seen everywhere, some even located right next to residential buildings.
Although Cairo is Egypt’s largest city, it is also quite chaotic. The buildings are mostly old and dilapidated, and air pollution is severe. However, the cost of living is relatively low. The local currency is the Egyptian pound, with about 300 Egyptian pounds exchangeable for around 22 Hong Kong dollars. Although Egypt is located in a desert region with extremely hot and dry weather, the Nile River irrigates nearby farmland, making Egypt abundant in fruits. When you go to the market, you’ll find a wide variety of fruits available, such as dates, grapes, figs, and pomegranates, all at surprisingly low prices.
In addition to fruits, the markets also have rows of cafés. A favorite pastime for Egyptian men is sipping coffee and smoking shisha, making these cafés great spots for socializing and chatting.
Besides cafés, Egyptians also love cakes, so there are many bakeries around, offering a wide range of pastries for sale.
After a brief tour of Cairo, we headed to nearby Alexandria, a port city on the Mediterranean coast named after its founder, Alexander the Great. It is Egypt’s second-largest city. With its long coastline and numerous beaches, it is a popular holiday destination for Cairenes. The beaches along the coast are privately owned, so entry and swimming require payment. The entire port area is connected by a four-lane highway.
After returning to Cairo, we immediately went to visit the main highlight of our trip – the pyramids. Egypt has discovered over 100 pyramids, most of which were used as tombs for pharaohs (kings) or their spouses. Why did the pharaohs invest such massive manpower and resources into building the pyramids? Ancient Egyptians believed in eternal life, and the pharaohs were no exception. The pyramids were designed to house the mummies and treasures of the pharaohs after death, preserving them forever in hopes of continuing their luxurious lives in the afterlife.
Among Egypt’s hundreds of pyramids, the most famous is the Great Pyramid of Giza, also known as the Pyramid of Khufu. It is the oldest and largest of the three renowned pyramids in Giza. It is also the oldest and the only surviving structure among the Seven Wonders of the Ancient World. Of the three pyramids, the largest belonged to the father, the second to the son, and the smallest to the grandson, all built over 3,000 years ago. The construction of the pyramid used approximately 5.5 million tons of limestone, 800 tons of granite imported from Aswan, and 500,000 tons of mortar.
Next to the pyramid stands the Sphinx. Legend has it that this mythical beast was built to guard the entrance of the pyramid, and its face resembles that of the pharaoh’s son. As for the exact year of its construction, there is no definitive record.
Most of the items originally inside the pyramids have been looted by tomb raiders over the years. The remaining artifacts are now kept by the government, with some displayed in museums in Cairo for visitors to see.
In recent years, due to political instability in Egypt, the exchange rate has dropped significantly, severely impacting the local economy, especially the tourism industry, which has taken a major hit. In response, the government has begun constructing a newer and larger museum to stimulate the economy. It is expected to be completed in 2019 and will surely attract more tourists to Egypt.
At night, with temperatures dropping to around 30 degrees, the city becomes even livelier. Visiting the bustling Khan el-Khalili market, you’ll find stalls everywhere and crowds of people.
After leaving Cairo, our next stop is a train ride to Aswan.