Cairo/Aswan

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The sun was already high up in the sky when we awoke. We had breakfast early and waited for our tour guide to take us to interesting places around the Giza province.

Pyramids of Giza Cheops

They are one of the Seven Wonders of the World, the most amazing and world-renowned iconic features in all of Egypt. We skipped the journey into the heart of the Pyramids as we have been there before.

(Majestic and ancient)

The journey to the innermost chamber is hot, humid and claustrophobic for some. The biggest of the 3 Pyramids to look for is Khufu (at nearly five hundred feet high), Khafre and Menkaure.

(Sentinels of time)

The Sphinx

Besides the Pyramids, another popular feature on Giza Pyramids is the Sphinx and the Temple of the Sphinx. This human headed lion was originally built in honor of the sun god Re-Horakhty. Looking at the majestic statue we wonder what had happened to the Sphinx's missing nose?

(The largest monolithic sttatue)

We visited the Egyptian cotton store and a perfumery. But didn't buy anything there much to the guide's dissapointment. Buffet lunch was at the Imperial Restaurant, a cozy tied down converted boat house on the river Nile.

(Sleepy camels)

The Egyptian Museum

The Egyptian Museum was first built in Boulak. In 1891, it was moved to Giza Palace of "Ismail Pasha" which housed the antiquities that were later moved to the present building. The Egyptian Museum is situated at Tahrir square in Cairo. It has 107 halls. At the ground floor there are the huge statues. The upper floor houses small statues, jewels, Tutankhamon treasures and the mummies.

(Collection of treasures)

Khan El Khalili Bazaar

We spent less than an hour visititng the Hussein Mosque and Khan El khalili Bazaar. The bazaar is named after Prince Jaharkas Al-Khalili, who was one of the powerful Mamluke Princes in the 14th century. It is famous for its unusual, typically oriental souvenirs, and handmade crafts. The Bazaar is situated next to the famous El-Hussein mosque.

(Cemetery of the Fatimid Caliphs)

We arrived 2 hours earlier at Cairo train station. The sleeper train was scheduled to leave Cairo at 8pm. It was already dark, the station was chaotic packed full with commuters and foreigners bound for Luxor and Aswan.
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(Cozy double decker beds)

The more than 12-hour journey from Cairo to Aswan was comfortable with dinner and breakfast served by our personal butler in the cabin. The rest of the night was spent sleeping soundly, gently rocked by the gentle movement of the speeding train.

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