Egypte / Egypt 2002

June 30, 2002 – Cairo (Cont.)

I am in front of the entrance of the museum. The military and the police heavily guard the entrance, all of them with their weapons ready to open fire on terrorists. It is like this in every town of Egypt. I am not sure that is very reassuring to see all these men with Kalachnikovs, but we will say that it is for our safety …

Before entering the garden, you have to put your bag for x-ray testing and you go under the metal detector. On the left, you have a small building to leave you camera or video recorder if you don’t want to pay the camera ticket. On the right you will buy the tickets (10/20 EGP and add 10 EGP for a camera and 100 EGP for video). Egyptians know how to make business with tourists but I find these extra tickets not fair at all because we take pictures for our personal use and the cost for filming are simply outrageous.

Inside the museum, the tourist has again to go under the metal detector and the bag is x rayed (just to check if you have a camera inside it) and they will ask you the famous ticket. All these procedures make us feel like terrorists.

The museum, in itself, is a terrible mess. They have wonderful and unique pieces but most of them are poorly enlighten and sometimes there are too many pieces to really enjoy them. Even with a map of the museum it is not that easy to see where you are.

Mask of Tutankhamun

On the 1^st floor, the magic is here because nearly all the objects discovered in the tomb of Tutankhamun are here on half of the 1^st floor (dozens of gold pieces, silver pieces, thrones, statues…). It is really beautiful and you can imagine what was inside the other tombs of the most famous Pharaohs before the pillars came inside. The nicest pieces are located in a modern room at the rear of the floor. The light is great there and you can find the famous mask and 2 sarcophagi. It is a real pleasure to see so closely such pieces. For years you have seen them (especially the mask) on TV or on school books but now you here next to them. The place is crowded but you always find some minutes where you are nearly alone to admire them.

Mask of Tutankhamun

Detail of one of Tutankhamun’s sarcophagus

On the 1^st floor there is also the Mummies room but I will not visit this, if you want you have to pay an extra ticket and cameras are not allowed inside the room (20 EGP student fare or 40 EGP without ISIC card).

Throne of Tutankhamun

Around 4:30, I go back to the hotel and on my way I understand that Brazil won its 5^th world cup. In the room and I meet Wan, the Malaysian guy and we talk a lot before a 1 hour rest, I am a little bit tired after 48 hours with not so much sleep.

After this break, I go outside to find a fast access to internet because at the hotel it is just a normal modem. I found this internet café just near the hotel in Al Bustan street and it was 8 EGP for an hour compared to 7 EGP at the hotel.

In this late afternoon time, I go to the train station to secure my travel to Aswan by the 10pm train on Tuesday night. No problem, an Egyptian explains me the fares and he gives me the timetable and the ticket prices. I take one ticket and it costs me 55 EGP (student fare = 33% off regular price). To come back to the hotel, I take the subway. They are currently building the 3^rd line that will go near Khan Khalili. The subway is very cheap: 0.25 EGP for 4 stations. The cars have air conditioning or fans and it is nice compared to the temperature outside. But I am surprised because the high temperature at the pyramids (over 45°C) is really bearable if you drink a lot.

At the hotel, I meet a Korean guy who is in Egypt for 2 weeks before going to Italy and Spain. We talk a lot and Wan joins us.

I go outside to try one of Egypt specialty, my first Koshary (mix of a lot of noodles, lentils, corn, tomato sauce and grilled onions). I have the bad idea to ask for 2 big Koshary without looking at the size, the price was very low (1 EGP for the small one and 2 EGP for the big one). But it is really too much and it will be hard to finish the first one.

Around 11pm, I notice 2 known figures, Jack and Cathy, 2 French that I saw yesterday at the airport, we were on the same plane. We start talking and we will stop at 1:30am. Exhausted we go to bed to get energy for our second day.

Main expenses of the day:

Train ticket for Aswan, departure at 22pm : 55 EGP (student fare) otherwise 75 EGP

Taxi for the pyramids : 10 EGP

Entrance for the pyramids : 10 EGP (student fare) otherwise 20 EGP

Bus 357 from the pyramids : 2 EGP

Entrance of the Egyptian Museum : 10 EGP (student fare) otherwise 20 EGP

Camera ticket at the museum : 10 EGP for everyone

Hotel night (New Sun Hotel) : 15 EGP in a dormitory otherwise 30 EGP for a single

Drinks (water, soft drinks, tea…) : 15 EGP