Egypt… Well, let me start by saying, we were warned and probably should have known better. While my experience of this country was very limited, to Cairo, and mostly Giza, I can say nothing good about it. This was in fact the first international destination I have had that I can say confidently, I could not recommend others visit. While the Pyramids drew us, pretty much every other aspect of our experience drove us away with a bad taste in our mouths.

EXPERIENCE

We arrived late to Cairo and things were a whirlwind of chaos and creepiness right from the start. I was shocked by how different the Muslim culture felt in this country versus in Turkey, the dominant male vibe was overwhelming and I was never able to shake this uncomfortable dynamic. We were constantly bombarded with scammers and hustlers and rarely felt safe outside of the hotel. The dirtiness, pace and population felt similar to India, but the vibe was all different. While here a highlight was taking in the city via our thrilling cab rides out to Giza and back. The traffic was completely insane and this drive was one of the most exhilarating of my life.

Once in Giza, we made the mistake of walking to The Pyramids and Sphinx. We were harassed and met with a myriad of men in riot gear hidden behind blast shields. We were disappointed to see these world wonders completely neglected and disrespected, trash and animal poop everywhere. We walked around, posed with a seemingly mistreated camel and were on our way. We had looked forward to checking out the new Grand Egyptian Museum that was meant to already be opened at the Great Pyramids Site, however it was not yet complete. Because of our experience, we decided to enjoy the pool in the hundred degree heat rather than fight off harassment and aggressive “tour guides” at The Museum of Egyptian Antiquities.

STAY

In Cairo, we again stayed at the Le Meridian. We stayed at their Giza location to have close proximity to the Great Pyramids. While by Egypt standards this place was likely nice, to us it was not. Again, the contrast in cleanliness and professionalism was staggering from our experience in Turkey just days before. I can say, despite the hotel being completely disorganized and quite unclean, we felt safe here and enjoyed the pool and restaurants. 

EAT

We honestly were not feeling safe enough to venture out an explore the Egyptian cuisine. We did get to experience the mezzes at the hotel which were quite different from Turkey. Our stay was short, but the prices we right, so we kept full between the hotel pool bar and buffet. 

Camels at Giza

The Sphinx