Let's face it. When you think of Cairo, Egypt you think of pyramids. Palm trees. The Nile. And that's all true. Giza is awesome, the first few times you go. And if you're going, definitely check out the laser light show, it's worth seeing. However, here are a few spots in Cairo that may not be the first things that come to mind. After all, if you go only for the pyramids, I promise you'll be missing out. I'll address five different places and activities worth checking out in Cairo, as well as a few tips on how to get the best deals, some key Arabic phrases, and a recommendation of which other Egyptian cities are worth going to.
Mokattam
link, colloquially called “Garbage City” by everyone from residents of Mokattam to tour guides, is a place past the Cairo citadel where there are literally piles of garbage in which Cairo’s poorest families can be found living amongst and rummaging through. These people, called Zabaleen literally "Garbage People" collect and sift through all of the garbage that the bustling metropolis discards on a daily basis in order to find salvageable materials to recycle or feed to their livestock, especially goats.
Now you may think, why would I, as a tourist, be interested in visiting such a place as that? Well, first of all, I'd recommend going if only to get the real culture shock of how a large part of Cairo's population really lives. But secondly, they make a living out of selling recycled paper products such as stationary and greeting cards, and they are beautiful and worth purchasing. Thirdly, if you're into community service, there's an orphanage there that loves it when anyone visits just to play with the 0-3 year-olds they look after. These tots don't get as much attention as they deserve from the devoted workers because there aren't many people to help out. I know from experience that the toddlers revel in the attention that volunteers give them, and the workers thank you for your time. Mokattam is a side of Cairo not everyone sees, and, in my opinion, an important and moving place to visit.
Khan El Khalili
This is a must-see for international shoppers. The Khan is the best place to find all your Egyptian toys and souvenirs to bring back to friends and family. But even if you're broke, the Khan is a fun place to go to in general for it's great, trademark friendly Egyptian atmosphere. Walking through the open market, you'll pass by stalls and vendors who call out to you in English with overly flattering compliments and cute quips to try and get you to look at their wares. "What beautiful wives you have!" and "How can I take your money today?" being a few of the phrases. Please note that the "wives" comment is a joke, so don't be offended. We've gotten that comment a lot and my mom and I just grin and play along. Generally, your first instinct may be to ignore people who call out to you, which is fine, but believe me it's much more fun to engage in conversation with them. You generally get better deals if they like your disposition, and you play along with their banter. Of course, the prices in the Khan start out, by Egyptian standards, obscenely high, but by relative standards, even high prices (for Egyptians) is a deal for foreigners. While you can barter and get a better price, you know that you'll always get a better deal here than you would in international markets, so it's a win-win situation. As my friend put it, "They'll try to rob you blind, but they'll be honest and polite about doing it!" But there are great treasures to be discovered in the Khan, from belly-dancing costumes to crystal perfume bottles, from copper ware to shisha pipes, from silver jewelery to cheesy tourists T-shirts. But be warned-- if you're offered a cup of tea, I'd advise you take it, unless you have a very good reason not to. First of all, their tea (usually mint or camomile) is absolutely divine, but second of all because it's considered insulting to refuse. Also, it's very soothing to sip your tea and chat with the vendor while you check out what he has to offer you.
There are two vendors known among the international community as "The Crazy Brothers" whose store is a little out of the way and a great little secret to know about the Khan. They are down one of the many crowded alley's and up a set of stairs which opens into a courtyard, and they can normally be found drinking tea, playing backgammon, or chatting aimiably with their return customers. These guys have copper and bronze as their specialty, but also sell beautifully carved wood work, including pearl inlaid boxes. My father bought a large, Napoleanic stew pot from them which I can sit down inside of and it looks like a cauldron. I love it and hope to steal it from my dad one day, but it's two heavy to just snatch and run.
Additionally, in the Khan you can find the famous Naguib Mahfouz Cafe, as well as the equally acclaimed El-Fishawy cafe, both wonderful places to sit down and relax after some heavy shopping. The Naguib Mahfouz Cafe doubles as a restaurant, with a nice vegetarian selection. It is named after the Nobel Prize winning Egyptian author of Children of Gebelawi, The Thief and the Dogs and Chitchat on the Nile. These two eateries are lovely places to relax and take in the classic Egyptian culture and to savor a warm cappuccino or a cool mango juice.
A Falucca on the Nile
While not in itself a sight to see, it is definitely an activity not to miss. First of all, you may be asking yourself, "Well, Cinders, what the heck is a falucca?" Well, reader, a falucca is a simplistic sailboat with a narrow body that can be found all over the Nile. Plenty of tourists take the cruise between Alexandria and Cairo, but in my opinion the faluccas are a much more genuine Egyptian experience, and cost much less. Friends and I would rent a fallucca for one-two hours on Friday nights and relax, playing cards and having a few drinks while we talked and laughed. The best time to take a falucca out is probably right at sunset. The sunsets in Cairo are gorgeous due to the air pollution, which colors it in bright pinks, violets and oranges, and is a stunning sight. It's a wonderful and inexpensive thing to do to wind down after a long day of sight seeing or shopping. You can hire it by the hour, and it's generally only about ten-fifteen pounds per person, depending on how many are in your group (we generally had about four-six people renting). By the way, just to give you an idea on the exchange rate, it's about six Egyptian pounds to the American dollar, so really that's much cheaper than it seems. So for about 60-100 pounds (all together, about 10-15 dollars) you can rent the boat and an Egyptian to manage it for the hour. If you want, you can take a deck of cards, a picnic lunch/dinner, a bottle of wine, whatever and just enjoy the quiet, floating on the Nile as you watch the sunset.
The City of the Dead
For those of you who want to see modern culture melding with history, I recommend a trip to the City of the Dead, which isn't a little village of zombies. Actually, those who populate the City of the Dead are very much alive, or at least half the population is. This phrase refers to a large part of the population living in the vast cemeteries on the outskirts of Cairo. This is actually a consequence of a housing shortage problem in Cairo. This location is a burial place chosen by former rulers of Cairo and is filled with the graves of Fatimids, Abbasids, Ayyubids, Mamlukes, Ottomans and many more. But the Egyptians don't see the cemeteries exclusively for the dead. They see it as a place where life begins, and inhabit the area out of necessity. These people live without water, sanitation services or electricity. For more information about this fascinating quarter of Cairo, please read the BBC article link and the TourEgypt article link.
The Best Restaurants in Cairo
You can't really say you've visited a country until you've tried their food. Now, I have several great restaurants to try for all kinds of food lovers. If you want authentic Arabic cuisine, I recommend Abu El Sid in Maadi or Tabbouleh in downtown Cairo. Abu El Sid has a brilliant array of Middle Eastern food, as well as the opportunity to have some top quality shisha with your meals, if that's your thing. If not, enjoy the wooden arches and classic Egyptian music this boisterous restaurant has to offer. If you're downtown, Tabbouleh is closer, and equally wonderful, with portions enough to share.
But if you're not into exploring food, the best place for a hamburger in Cairo is Lucille's restaurant on road 9 in Maadi. It's run by a wonderfully pleasant southern women who is the restaurant's namesake. Also on its menu are chicken strips, tacos, country fried steak and a variety of soups and salads. But they have the best iced tea in Cairo, which comes with a tiny pitcher of liquid sugar, to sweeten at your leisure.
If your tastes are much more high class, the revolving restaurant on top of the Mariott is well worth your time.
Key Arabic Phrases
Salaam Alekhum: Literally "Peace be upon you" but serves as "Hello."
Alekhum salaam: "And peace be with you" but also serves as a reply to the above.
Salaam! Ana isma [name]: "Hello, my name is [name]."
Shokhran: Thank you
Afwan: You're welcome
Min fadluk: Please
Aiwa: Yes
La'a: No
Mumkin: Is it possible?
Mish mumkin: Not possible
Mafeesh mishkayla: No problem
Humd'alla: Praise be to Allah (to be said after a good thing happens!)
Insh'alla: If God wills it. (Often said by repair men when you try to set a date).
Getting through the Khan
Mafeesh faluce: No more money
Mish eiza: Not interested
La, shokhran: No, thank you
Cab instructions
Yimeen: Right (direction)
Shimel: Left
Alatool: Straight
Hena kwa'ayse: Here is good
Estenna Shwaya: Wait a minute
Numbers
1: wahed
2: etneen
3: telata
4: arba
5: hamsa
6: sieta
7: saba
8: tamanya
9: tessa
10: asara
Other Sights in Egypt
Alexandria is a popular destination, especially for those already on the Mediteranian who don't want to stray too far from their Italian, Greek, Turkish or Spanish homes (among other Med. countries). There are a few memorials to the world wars there, but be careful! There are still live 70-year-old mines buried in the desert, so don't stray from the road. But it's a great, European-style city for those who like to spend their holidays in the happening city scene.
Another popular (and a personal favorite) destination is Sharm El Sheikh, a resort town with beautiful beaches, comfortable hotels, and happening nightclubs, not to mention great eating and shopping. But the best thing to do in Sharm is snorkel, or take a boat out and go scuba diving. At least, that's what I do when I'm not tanning on the beach. Beware the October 6 long weekend, however! That is traditionally when all the international kids from Cairo come up and have a good time, so unless you want to be overwhelmed by locals who speak English, I'd go sometime in the spring or summer. Additionally, those who are political minded may like to know that the leaders of Israel and Palestine, along with American presidents, often meet in Sharm El Sheikh. Clinton, Sharon and Arafat often met there to try and discuss peace arrangements.
A third favorite spot is Luxor, which is great for history buffs who want to learn more about Ancient Egypt. The Valley of the Kings is near there, as well as a dozen temples to various Egyptian gods.
There are plenty of other cities and sights to scope out in Egypt-- Hergada, El Gouna, Karnak, Aswan-- and totally look into them, but I think I've given you enough to whet your appetite for more about Egypt. You can research those on your own.
In truth, Cairo is an exciting and exuberant city to discover. As usual, be wary of your surroundings when you're exploring. Just because most Egyptians are friendly and pleasant doesn't mean there aren't a few out there who want to take advantage of your touristy unfamiliarity. Don't be afraid to take taxis, they're the cheapest form of transportation, so long as you're with a couple of people and you know where you're going. And most of all, have fun!
Mokattam
link, colloquially called “Garbage City” by everyone from residents of Mokattam to tour guides, is a place past the Cairo citadel where there are literally piles of garbage in which Cairo’s poorest families can be found living amongst and rummaging through. These people, called Zabaleen literally "Garbage People" collect and sift through all of the garbage that the bustling metropolis discards on a daily basis in order to find salvageable materials to recycle or feed to their livestock, especially goats.
Now you may think, why would I, as a tourist, be interested in visiting such a place as that? Well, first of all, I'd recommend going if only to get the real culture shock of how a large part of Cairo's population really lives. But secondly, they make a living out of selling recycled paper products such as stationary and greeting cards, and they are beautiful and worth purchasing. Thirdly, if you're into community service, there's an orphanage there that loves it when anyone visits just to play with the 0-3 year-olds they look after. These tots don't get as much attention as they deserve from the devoted workers because there aren't many people to help out. I know from experience that the toddlers revel in the attention that volunteers give them, and the workers thank you for your time. Mokattam is a side of Cairo not everyone sees, and, in my opinion, an important and moving place to visit.
Khan El Khalili
This is a must-see for international shoppers. The Khan is the best place to find all your Egyptian toys and souvenirs to bring back to friends and family. But even if you're broke, the Khan is a fun place to go to in general for it's great, trademark friendly Egyptian atmosphere. Walking through the open market, you'll pass by stalls and vendors who call out to you in English with overly flattering compliments and cute quips to try and get you to look at their wares. "What beautiful wives you have!" and "How can I take your money today?" being a few of the phrases. Please note that the "wives" comment is a joke, so don't be offended. We've gotten that comment a lot and my mom and I just grin and play along. Generally, your first instinct may be to ignore people who call out to you, which is fine, but believe me it's much more fun to engage in conversation with them. You generally get better deals if they like your disposition, and you play along with their banter. Of course, the prices in the Khan start out, by Egyptian standards, obscenely high, but by relative standards, even high prices (for Egyptians) is a deal for foreigners. While you can barter and get a better price, you know that you'll always get a better deal here than you would in international markets, so it's a win-win situation. As my friend put it, "They'll try to rob you blind, but they'll be honest and polite about doing it!" But there are great treasures to be discovered in the Khan, from belly-dancing costumes to crystal perfume bottles, from copper ware to shisha pipes, from silver jewelery to cheesy tourists T-shirts. But be warned-- if you're offered a cup of tea, I'd advise you take it, unless you have a very good reason not to. First of all, their tea (usually mint or camomile) is absolutely divine, but second of all because it's considered insulting to refuse. Also, it's very soothing to sip your tea and chat with the vendor while you check out what he has to offer you.
There are two vendors known among the international community as "The Crazy Brothers" whose store is a little out of the way and a great little secret to know about the Khan. They are down one of the many crowded alley's and up a set of stairs which opens into a courtyard, and they can normally be found drinking tea, playing backgammon, or chatting aimiably with their return customers. These guys have copper and bronze as their specialty, but also sell beautifully carved wood work, including pearl inlaid boxes. My father bought a large, Napoleanic stew pot from them which I can sit down inside of and it looks like a cauldron. I love it and hope to steal it from my dad one day, but it's two heavy to just snatch and run.
Additionally, in the Khan you can find the famous Naguib Mahfouz Cafe, as well as the equally acclaimed El-Fishawy cafe, both wonderful places to sit down and relax after some heavy shopping. The Naguib Mahfouz Cafe doubles as a restaurant, with a nice vegetarian selection. It is named after the Nobel Prize winning Egyptian author of Children of Gebelawi, The Thief and the Dogs and Chitchat on the Nile. These two eateries are lovely places to relax and take in the classic Egyptian culture and to savor a warm cappuccino or a cool mango juice.
A Falucca on the Nile
While not in itself a sight to see, it is definitely an activity not to miss. First of all, you may be asking yourself, "Well, Cinders, what the heck is a falucca?" Well, reader, a falucca is a simplistic sailboat with a narrow body that can be found all over the Nile. Plenty of tourists take the cruise between Alexandria and Cairo, but in my opinion the faluccas are a much more genuine Egyptian experience, and cost much less. Friends and I would rent a fallucca for one-two hours on Friday nights and relax, playing cards and having a few drinks while we talked and laughed. The best time to take a falucca out is probably right at sunset. The sunsets in Cairo are gorgeous due to the air pollution, which colors it in bright pinks, violets and oranges, and is a stunning sight. It's a wonderful and inexpensive thing to do to wind down after a long day of sight seeing or shopping. You can hire it by the hour, and it's generally only about ten-fifteen pounds per person, depending on how many are in your group (we generally had about four-six people renting). By the way, just to give you an idea on the exchange rate, it's about six Egyptian pounds to the American dollar, so really that's much cheaper than it seems. So for about 60-100 pounds (all together, about 10-15 dollars) you can rent the boat and an Egyptian to manage it for the hour. If you want, you can take a deck of cards, a picnic lunch/dinner, a bottle of wine, whatever and just enjoy the quiet, floating on the Nile as you watch the sunset.
The City of the Dead
For those of you who want to see modern culture melding with history, I recommend a trip to the City of the Dead, which isn't a little village of zombies. Actually, those who populate the City of the Dead are very much alive, or at least half the population is. This phrase refers to a large part of the population living in the vast cemeteries on the outskirts of Cairo. This is actually a consequence of a housing shortage problem in Cairo. This location is a burial place chosen by former rulers of Cairo and is filled with the graves of Fatimids, Abbasids, Ayyubids, Mamlukes, Ottomans and many more. But the Egyptians don't see the cemeteries exclusively for the dead. They see it as a place where life begins, and inhabit the area out of necessity. These people live without water, sanitation services or electricity. For more information about this fascinating quarter of Cairo, please read the BBC article link and the TourEgypt article link.
The Best Restaurants in Cairo
You can't really say you've visited a country until you've tried their food. Now, I have several great restaurants to try for all kinds of food lovers. If you want authentic Arabic cuisine, I recommend Abu El Sid in Maadi or Tabbouleh in downtown Cairo. Abu El Sid has a brilliant array of Middle Eastern food, as well as the opportunity to have some top quality shisha with your meals, if that's your thing. If not, enjoy the wooden arches and classic Egyptian music this boisterous restaurant has to offer. If you're downtown, Tabbouleh is closer, and equally wonderful, with portions enough to share.
But if you're not into exploring food, the best place for a hamburger in Cairo is Lucille's restaurant on road 9 in Maadi. It's run by a wonderfully pleasant southern women who is the restaurant's namesake. Also on its menu are chicken strips, tacos, country fried steak and a variety of soups and salads. But they have the best iced tea in Cairo, which comes with a tiny pitcher of liquid sugar, to sweeten at your leisure.
If your tastes are much more high class, the revolving restaurant on top of the Mariott is well worth your time.
Key Arabic Phrases
Salaam Alekhum: Literally "Peace be upon you" but serves as "Hello."
Alekhum salaam: "And peace be with you" but also serves as a reply to the above.
Salaam! Ana isma [name]: "Hello, my name is [name]."
Shokhran: Thank you
Afwan: You're welcome
Min fadluk: Please
Aiwa: Yes
La'a: No
Mumkin: Is it possible?
Mish mumkin: Not possible
Mafeesh mishkayla: No problem
Humd'alla: Praise be to Allah (to be said after a good thing happens!)
Insh'alla: If God wills it. (Often said by repair men when you try to set a date).
Getting through the Khan
Mafeesh faluce: No more money
Mish eiza: Not interested
La, shokhran: No, thank you
Cab instructions
Yimeen: Right (direction)
Shimel: Left
Alatool: Straight
Hena kwa'ayse: Here is good
Estenna Shwaya: Wait a minute
Numbers
1: wahed
2: etneen
3: telata
4: arba
5: hamsa
6: sieta
7: saba
8: tamanya
9: tessa
10: asara
Other Sights in Egypt
Alexandria is a popular destination, especially for those already on the Mediteranian who don't want to stray too far from their Italian, Greek, Turkish or Spanish homes (among other Med. countries). There are a few memorials to the world wars there, but be careful! There are still live 70-year-old mines buried in the desert, so don't stray from the road. But it's a great, European-style city for those who like to spend their holidays in the happening city scene.
Another popular (and a personal favorite) destination is Sharm El Sheikh, a resort town with beautiful beaches, comfortable hotels, and happening nightclubs, not to mention great eating and shopping. But the best thing to do in Sharm is snorkel, or take a boat out and go scuba diving. At least, that's what I do when I'm not tanning on the beach. Beware the October 6 long weekend, however! That is traditionally when all the international kids from Cairo come up and have a good time, so unless you want to be overwhelmed by locals who speak English, I'd go sometime in the spring or summer. Additionally, those who are political minded may like to know that the leaders of Israel and Palestine, along with American presidents, often meet in Sharm El Sheikh. Clinton, Sharon and Arafat often met there to try and discuss peace arrangements.
A third favorite spot is Luxor, which is great for history buffs who want to learn more about Ancient Egypt. The Valley of the Kings is near there, as well as a dozen temples to various Egyptian gods.
There are plenty of other cities and sights to scope out in Egypt-- Hergada, El Gouna, Karnak, Aswan-- and totally look into them, but I think I've given you enough to whet your appetite for more about Egypt. You can research those on your own.
In truth, Cairo is an exciting and exuberant city to discover. As usual, be wary of your surroundings when you're exploring. Just because most Egyptians are friendly and pleasant doesn't mean there aren't a few out there who want to take advantage of your touristy unfamiliarity. Don't be afraid to take taxis, they're the cheapest form of transportation, so long as you're with a couple of people and you know where you're going. And most of all, have fun!