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Dear Our Friends There,
   Well, we have now arrived back in Australia after our wonderful time in Cairo, Egypt. Our hosts Mr. Mohammed Reiad (Bazaar in Egypt Owner) and Ms. Eman (Operation Manager) certainly looked after us well. On our arrival we were met at Cairo International airport by Ahmed from Sun East Tours. We were escorted through customs and driven to our hotel in the Zamalek area. Later in the evening after some much needed sleep we were picked up by Mr. Reiad and Ms. Eman and taken on a lovely dinner cruise on the Nile River, with a beautiful buffet dinner and entertainment with belly dancing and live music. It was a wonderful evening had by all.

The next day we were taken on a guided tour to the Egyptian Museum, and then the Pyramids of Giza. It was truly amazing to be able to see so much of the Egyptian history at the museum and our guide was very knowledgeable and helpful. You could easily spend a whole day at the museum as there was so much to see.

The Pyramids have always intrigued me and Jay, and we were in awe standing there next to them. It is totally different seeing them like that, compared to all the photos we had previously seen. Our camera came well to use, and we now have plenty of memories from the area. Our guide Amr gave us a very good insight into the history of the Pyramids and the area. We were also able to have a ride on camels and have our photos taken by the locals.

On our third day we went for another guided tour of the Citadel, Memphis and Sakkara.
One of Cairo's major attractions, the massive Citadel complex dominates the city skyline. Built on a limestone spur by Salah al-Din (Saladin) in the 12th century, most of its features are associated with Mohammed Ali, the early 19th century leader who freed Egypt of the Mameluke yoke. The Citadel offers fantastic panoramic views of Islamic Cairo in a castle setting rich in history. Within the Citadel complex are the following attractions: Al-Gawhara (Jewel) Palace, Mohammed Ali Mosque, Police Museum, Sultan Al-Nasir Mosque, Military Museum, Carriage Museum, Archaeological Museum, Suleyman Pasha Mosque and Bab el-Azab. The architecture was magnificent and well worth a visit.

A nice side trip from Cairo is down to the ancient capital city of Memphis. Though little remains of this Pharonic city, the open air museum here is worth a visit, especially to see the huge fallen image of Ramses II that the museum was built around. Here we were also able to get photos and our guide Mona gave us a good overview of the history of Memphis.

Our next stop for the day was Sakkara and this is one of the most extensive archaeological sites comprising many important monuments such as the Step Pyramid of Djoser, Pyramid of Unas, Pyramid of Sekhemket, Mastaba of Ti and the deep underground Persian Tombs. The step pyramid of Zoser is a marvel in itself and was a precursor to its more famous cousins at Giza.

After the historical tour we also managed to visit a Carpet School where children and adults are taught how to make or weave carpets according to the traditions used for centuries. They are made in wool or silk blended with wool, and every piece is a true piece of art. The gallery had thousands of pieces on display and it was amazing to watch the making of them and the speed in which they were made.

We also visited a Papyrus Institute where we were shown how the papyrus plant is processed and made into the paper on which the paintings are done. This also made us appreciate the extent of time and effort that goes into the pieces of art that were displayed in their gallery.

The following night we were taken by our tour guide Ahmed to the Pyramids of Giza for a sound and Light show, which we thoroughly enjoyed. They have different times of the evening with a selection of languages spoken for the tourists and it is very spectacular and well done. It gives you a good overview of the history of the pyramids and at the same time it is a wonderful sight seeing them lit up at night with different effects.

Our days were finished off by a lovely lunch together with Mohammed and Ms. Eman, our hosts from “Bazaar in Egypt” and we were looked after so well in every way. We had another two days of exploring the markets in Khan el Khalili, one of the world’s oldest market places dating back to 1382. The maze of alleys and the amount of shop fronts were amazing. We also were able to visit Bazaar in Egypt work shop where the gold and silver jewelry are made. After a long day on our feet we could relax at the local café "EL FISHAWE" and have a nice tea and try the “Shisha” which is a fruit flavored tobacco smoked through a water pipe which date back from ancient times. It was great fun and we hold so many fond memories.

Mr. Mohammed and Ms. Eman arranged for some lovely gifts for our family in the way of hand made Cartouches with our names spelt using Hieroglyphics. They are exquisite and we all wear them proudly now.

Our week in Cairo quickly came to an end, and we felt like we could have stayed for another week and still not have had enough time. We had such a good time and were able to see so much in the short time we were there, absorbing a great deal of the local culture. The people were all so friendly and we were looked after in every way. Jay and I will most definitely try to make another visit to Egypt in the future and hopefully be able to stay a bit longer in order to visit some other places as well.

Thank you Mohammed and Eman again for our time with you, and here’s to next time we see you!!

Love,
Marie and Jay