In Giza, Cairo

 

Hello, back in this blog with the continuation of our trip to Cairo in June 2023.

View from my hotel window

On June 11, we left the Sofitel El Gezirah Hotel to move closer to the pyramids in Giza. We arrive at the Mena House Marriott Hotel, a building that has experienced part of the history of Modern Egypt.

This hotel was built by the English and has seen how Egypt regained its territories at the hands of Israel. It has had world leaders since World War I. International singers and artists have stayed and enjoyed the fascinating view of the Pyramids as they are not so far away. Only 10 minutes walking, approximately.

Amazing sculpture at the mall

It was Sunday and that day we decided to spend it visiting a shopping center and not in the pyramids. On Monday we would go early because on a Sunday the pyramids would be completely full of locals and visitors.

Marriott Mena House

Chased by a security guard at the Mall of Egypt

Here we go!

We took an Uber from the hotel to get to the Mall of Egypt. We did not plan to buy souvenirs, as we had already done so at the Egyptian Museum in Cairo, but maybe something for our daughters.

Sphinx

Exactly as I imagined!

We always like to visit shopping centers to be closer to the inhabitants of the city. And yes, we saw few tourists since this center is approximately half an hour from the Marriott Hotel.

Khufu´s

We immediately noticed that a security guard was behind us. Oh no, I thought, what did we do wrong? But no, not at all that he was looking for us for some crime, not the contrary, he asked us how he could help us. We told him that we were looking for all-Egyptian shops. At his recommendation, I start our tour of this very western mall.

So western that we ended up having dinner at Chilli's restaurant. Burgers, of course.

We had the restaurant just for us!

This center is a jewel because the locals take shelter from the heat. I loved a statue of a woman at the entrance to it.

The Pyramids: A Mirage?

After the tourist break, the tour to the pyramids began just before 8 in the morning. We had an early breakfast and at 7:40 in the morning our journey through the streets towards Giza began.

Original egypt breakfast at Khufu´s

We got there before most of the tour buses, the camels, horse carts and all the vendors. And believe me, this was a treat. We had the pyramids almost to ourselves. Although the guards on every corner of Giza, were talking to us to sell their photographic help.

I cannot describe the feeling of having visited the Egyptian Pyramids. It was a dream come true. The sun made them appear like a mirage. I could not believe it. There they were, showing the improbability of their dimension. How could they have been created? Who built them? How many secrets do they harbour? What discoveries will continue to be made? In short, I dedicated myself only to observe and admire them.

A great path to visit the restaurant, but to many cars

A recommendation to any visitor. Please print your map of Giza before you come to them. At the ticket office we did not have any map nor could we locate any during our tour. My husband took a photo on the Internet to be able to locate us and get to the viewpoint where you can see the three. Khufu, Kafre and Menkaure.

It was a delight to walk through Giza. Admire the Sphinx, the temples in the middle of the desert. An hour later, Giza was filled with tourists brought in on camels and horse-drawn carts. The drivers didn't really understand that we wanted to walk in the sun, but we did. We thoroughly enjoyed this experience.

A secret tunel

A restaurant just for us. Very romantic

Let´s go to the swimming pool!

The tour was about to end, but not before going to appreciate this marvel from the viewpoint of the Khufu restaurant. We weren't sure it was open but we still decided to go in and ask. And yes, we could have breakfast there. On the terrace with a view of the pyramids. I really didn't have much of an appetite, but the waiter recommended that we have breakfast with all the Egyptian specialties. And we did. It was wonderful because it was as if we had reserved the terrace for just the two of us. Very romantic.

The dream to know the pyramids continued to enjoy the afternoon in the pool of Casa Mena. Under the shadow of the Egyptian sun. The day ended with dinner at the hotel.

Mena House by night

The next day we would wake up to the news that our princess Puddle Lola had died. Our daughters had taken her to the doctor for vomiting on the Friday when the trip began. On Saturday she improved remarkably. On Sunday it got worse again and on Monday she was hospitalized. When we arrived in Hamburg, the vet showed us the X rays. The stomach, the organ, not her tummy was very large. Apparently a tumor. Lola passed away half an hour before her scheduled operation. Life was good to her because it spared her this surgery which she would not have survived.

Good bye Cairo!

You can imagine how we feel. We left her well and came back and we couldn't hold her in our arms anymore. I said goodbye to her and loaded her before traveling to the airport. She gave me a deep sigh because she was asleep. But we thank life for having put her in our path and we thank God that this tumor did not make her suffer too much. She accompanies us with her spirit. Our angel Lola.

Well, that's life. For our family, this sad event made us reassess the privilege of being together and not stop telling each other and showing each other how we love each other. How we did with our Lola from the first moment she came into our lives in Cape Town. Thanks for reading and until the next Aterrizando.