Last of Egypt
October 8th, 2007(Unless something exciting happens tomorrow)
Well, the Mt Sinai glow did wear out quickly. I took a cab from where my backpack was stored in Cairo to a hotel in Giza where I planned to hole up until I could fly out and also to see the pyramids again. The taxi driver quoted me a price and I went higher to 30 Egyptian pounds to make sure he did exactly what I wanted. I only told him the pyramids. While on the way, I told him the specific location – Mena House Hotel at the pyramids. When we arrived I handed him 30. He told me 50. Another one!!! No, thirty is what you get even though you now think it should be double the going rate because we are at the gate of a nice hotel. Exactly, why I negotiated the price based on the pyramid entrance in front of the hotel and not the hotel. He told the guards what was going on as I pulled out my bags. I told them they were out of line and we agreed to 30 which I paid. I walked right past them and the driver put yet another curse on me.
The pollution this morning was the worst I have ever seen. I did not visit the pyramids because I can barely see them. I cannot wait to get out of this country. I am hiding in my room. Maybe tomorrow I will see them again before catching my overnight flight to Nairobi on the way to Madagascar. This country has the most fascinating things I have ever seen yet I really don’t ever care to return because there are 80 million people forming the lowliest culture I have encountered. This place is a mess. I hope Egypt can find its way, but I don’t have a good feeling on this one. In fact, I have less hope for this country’s future than Cuba’s. I do fear a fundamentalist movement and that fear is mostly about what they will do with the treasures – the art that depicts life forms which is directly against the teachings of the Quran. This country is way over-populated given that they can only live on 5% of its total land (rest is basically unhabitable desert) and it seems like a runaway population boom is ongoing. Their president is clearly a dictator and one that we support because the alternative may be worse.
It is really horrible to be in this position of saying that I just saw the most amazing sites and possessions possible yet I hope I never have to come back. I want to come back to see more, but I really don’t care to ever have to be an asshole just so I can survive all the creeps and scammers that pop up around almost every corner. I certainly would not recommend this place for a vacation. I say go to Egypt if its holdings are as important to you as they are to me, but beware of every person who comes your way until you are sure they are not going to try something. And do expect your lungs to age a bit! I can imagine that doing Egypt in a group would insulate you a bit from the scum, but I do warn you that a lot of the packaged group tours look quite miserable and you are never going to be totally removed from the corrupted culture. Maybe a small tour with a good guide would be best. Also, I highly recommend never coming here during the high season (October – April and July – August) because it has to be absolutely nuts. The reason to come here to have real contact with the antiquities would be impossible during the high season so I really do not see the point. Maybe when the next terrorist attack occurs (I am that sure that it will happen) then right after that would be the best time to come since the crowds will be down (repeated pattern) and maybe the locals would be that much nicer. Or maybe they would try even harder to separate you from your money! I’ll be optimistic and say they are going to welcome you with open arms and smiles. Yeah right… P.S. I have photograph overload and don’t know when I will get any uploaded. Also, thanks for the great company, Peggy. I am so glad I did not have to put up with this insanity on my own. You made a steady keel for my shaky ship! Thanks for putting up with my Egyptian Diatribes! What’s the most important word for travel in Egypt? “NO!!!!”
vagabondrick