A dream come true: the pyramids of Egypt

Amazing view from Sofitel El Gezirah

Hi, back on this blog after a long time. Yes, a lot has happened since the last entry, when we lived in Africa. We left South Africa in January 2022 to settle in Hamburg, Germany.

Almost six months have passed and we are almost 100 percent installed. I have many adventures to tell about these months living at the other end of the globe.

Lobby Sofitel El Gezirah

But as my birthday was approaching, my husband gave me a little surprise: a trip to Cairo, to see the pyramids. Obviously it is easier to do it from Europe than from South Africa. So I will tell you about the adventure to that land full of magic and legends.

Between the Apocalypse and the disco boats

We traveled from Hamburg to Vienna with a 7 am flight from Austrian Airlines. It was June 9, 2023. We had no setbacks in passenger control. At the Vienna airport we had time to have breakfast at Jamie Oliver's restaurant. Afterwards, we flew with Air Egypt.

Restaurant Kebabgy

Egyptian Bear

We arrived in Cairo and a taxi service picked us up. It was hot, 30 degrees. The driver told us that June was a good month to visit Egypt, because in July, the temperature was 10 degrees warmer. On the way to the Sofitel El Gezirah Hotel, I had the impression that I was on the set of an apocalyptic scene from Mad Max. The heat, the sand and some buildings in poor condition, gave a desolate and sad touch to the city. But arriving in the city, we saw more well-kept buildings, and yes, the traffic is heavy, as they say, but the city is organized under all the stress of cars.

I think it is not easy to maintain a building in the middle of the desert. The heat and the sand must cause corrosion and that impression of carelessness.

Cairo by Night

The Sofitel Hotel is a tower located on the banks of the Nile. From there we could see the pyramids in the distance. The view was wonderful and what captured the attention, due to the volume of the music, are the disco boats that pass by the hotel and vanish down the Nile. The famous cruise ships. They were like discotheques on the water. You could even see the passengers dancing! They delighted us while we dined at the hotel. They were a party in the water.

A beautiful breakfast in front of the Nile

That day, we only had dinner at the Hotel Kebabgy restaurant with specialities like roast meats and all Egyptian delicacies like Kabab and Kofta. In addition, the hotel has an oven where two cooks prepare the bread, known as Falafel. Delicious and fresh!

The Egyptian Museum of Cairo

The Egyptian Museum of Cairo

The great adventure of the day began after breakfast, on Saturday, June 10. We walked from Sofitel El Gezirah to The Egyptian Museum of Cairo. It was a 20-minute walk and we liked getting a closer look at the city and its inhabitants.

We feel very safe, although there is no denying that the traffic is heavy and pedestrians do not have a secured path.

Like the Sofitel, this museum has a lot of security. Police at the entrance and control bags by metal detector.

You can stay a week admiring every piece at 
the Museum

Entering the museum is a bit of chaos, since many of its pieces will be taken to the new museum, the Grand Egyptian Museum, which has not yet been finished, let alone inaugurated. But you can visit it to learn about its architecture. We tried the next day, but our internet registration didn't work.

The Tutankhamun chamber

Anyway, the museum left me speechless. See all the different pieces, especially the sarcophagi and two original doors from the time of the pyramids and what to say about the Mask of Tutankhamun. You can spend a week walking through all the corridors and reading all the inscriptions. I look forward to returning to Cairo and visiting the new museum. But I can't complain, the Pyramids were waiting for us in Giza. I will tell you about this in my next entry.

Dog, a pharaonic guardian

The day ended again with a dinner directly on the Nile. We returned to the restaurant of the Sofitel Hotel, Kebabgy. Once again we are delighted with the Arab specialties, with the music from the disco boats and with the privilege of dining with the locals. And yes, we had a deja vu from Dubai because in front of the hotel, there is a fountain on the Nile, with music like this Emirate.

Tahir Place: an historical corner

An amazing lady baking Flatbread

 We already needed a vacation like these! Thanks for reading and until the next entry!