Cairo is one of the most fascinating cities on earth. Ancient and modern history intricately blends with the people of today's Cairo. Although there are many poor among Egyptians, they manage to gracefully carry the weight of centuries.
Modern Cairo is a nearly-150 year-old a city bustling with activity and lined by wide boulevards, built to impress kings and Europe's politicians during the opening ceremony of the Suez Canal. Modern Cairo often is compared with Paris, though many of the buildings are now in disrepair and beggars are everywhere. If one can manage to close their eyes to the bad and open them to the wonderful shops in downtown Cairo, relaxing times at one of the cafes or restaurants awaits you.
Buy leather shoes made in Egypt. They are a bargain, comfortable and beautiful. If you want to buy clothes and can't sew, it is best to check quality of the sewing. One can also find bargains of conservative and colorful clothes.
If you love bargaining, the suq, or bazaar Khan el-Khalili is a good bet, but check the pricing firs at several booths. El-Khalili dates back to 1382 and was originally a caravanserai. There are many small factories and workshops which produce the merchandise right in front of your eyes. You can wander around without a guide and won't get lost. Just walk in any direction and you will reach a street where you can hail a taxi. Just remember—you need to bargain. Souvenirs are of the same quality as those bought in the hotel shop, but for a better price, because you can bargain. Jewelry, perfumes, cheap clothing, spices, food, and much more is available. Stop at the two hundred year old Fishawi café and enjoy its food at any time, day or night. It never closes. You will love the inside with all the mirrors and the small tables and chairs.
Before going on, get the flair of Cairo's history at the National Museum. It's open from 9 a.m. to 4:45 p.m. Some of the rarest treasures of ancient Egypt can be viewed in the 100-year old building. There are 136,000 treasures on view and more than 40,000 still hidden in crates in the basement. It is even rumored that these treasures are sinking in the soft ground underneath and will have to be dug out. On the first floor are the treasures from the 14th century BCE tomb of Pharaoh Tutankhamon and Akhenaten from the Amarna period. In room three is Tutankahmon's golden mask, decorated with many rare gems. Other rooms hold mummies, sarcophagus, Tutankhamon's bed and wooden throne, and Akhenaten statutes. There are coins, amulets, exotic Egyptian jewelry and so much more. It is just the right thing for the history buff.
Next stop is the Citadel that was for 700 years Cairo's easily defendable fortress. The Dome of the Wind Pavilion was built in 810; though Saladin did not build the rest of the fortress until 1176. Saladin wanted to protect Cairo against the Crusaders- the infidels from the North. There is even an aqueduct with four pumping stations- so no one could cut the water supply. There are several beautiful mosques, among them the Muhammad Ali, Sulatan al-Nasir and Sulyman Pasha Mosque. The Muhamad Ali Mosque is spectacular, imitating closely a Turkish Mosque. It is said to be colorful on the inside as a Faberge egg and slightly tacky. But who cares? It still is an impressive building with its marbled floors, tall arcades and a joy to look at when approaching the Citadel.
Those who visit local universities wherever they go will want to see the Al Azhar Mosque, the most important and oldest religious Muslim university in the world. There are 90,000 students. Nowhere are modern overcrowded classrooms. Students gather around the teacher in a circle, just as in ancient times. The architecture is fabulous and the colors are exquisite.
Before returning home, there are a few other areas of Cairo that should not be missed. Old Cairo's Coptic quarters, with its Hanging Church and the Coptic Museum that holds sixteen thousand memorials from the time when Egypt changed from Christianity to the Muslim faith, is open between 9 a.m. and 5 p.m. daily. Here, one can see on the upper floor papyrus sheets of the Gnostic gospels found at Nag Hammadi in 1945, and the oldest preserved codex in the world. There are many small ancient churches and synagogues with active congregations that makes one feel that they have stepped into a different century.
Visiting the Pyramids of Giza should be the last before leaving. Cairo's suburbs almost touch the Giza pyramids, which rise at least five meters above the buildings surrounding them. They are impressive. Ignore the aggressive guides. Just walk on and get the feel and touch of the ancient structures. One can enter the smallest and largest of the pyramids. If you are claustrophobic, don't go. In the largest pyramid one can visit the old tomb chamber and the King and Queen's chambers. Whoever loves caves will feel at home here.
Don't let Cairo, the home of sixteen millions Egyptians, Arabs, Africans and many others, overwhelm you. It is chaotic, noisy, polluted, charming, ancient and fascinating.
One last warning, don't visit between June and August as it is too hot. Other months are better, though it might be a little on the cold side during the winter months and a little on the warmer side between March and May and September and November.