I arrived in Cairo around 3am in an overnight bus from Nuweibaa. So I was curious to check out what the city would feel like during the day. Unlike what I had imagined, the streets were not too chaotic. And many people told me, “Welcome to Cairo.”
@ Cairo downtown, Cairo, Egypt, February 13, 2019
I didn’t notice it last night, but during the day they set up a stand for Egyptian flatbread, Aish Baladi, in the middle of the street. This area is known for automotive repair shops with lots of traffic, so food in the open air does not seem particularly appetizing, yet I am sure that the bread is very popular with the repair workers.
@ Cairo, Egypt, February 15, 2019
The famous Pyramids and the Great Sphinx @ Giza Necropolis, Egypt, February 16, 2019
As soon as I left the well-maintained Giza Necropolis, or the area of the Pyramids and the Sphinx, I am faced with some of the real-life scenes of the people in Giza.
@ Giza, Egypt, February 16, 2019
A woman is on the phone in front of the Muslim Scientists collection inside the main hall at the library of Alexandria.
The great library of Alexandria was one of the most significant libraries of the ancient world and it was constructed around 260 BC. The new library was inaugurated in 2002 near the site of the old one.
@ Library of Alexandria, Alexandria, Egypt, February 19, 2019
Karnak Temple Complex, or Karnak, was the most important place of worship in Egypt during the New Kingdom. It is a huge open site, comprised of temples, pylons, obelisks, etc. And it is believed to attract the second most visitors in Egypt, after the Great Pyramid in Giza.
One of the notable features of Karnak is the 134 massive columns placed in 16 rows. Among them, the taller ones reach 21 meters. Thanks to the ancient construction of these awe-inspiring columns, Karnak is the favorite place of my travel guide in Luxor, where there is no shortage of impressive temples.
@ Karnak Temple, Luxor, Egypt, February 22, 2019
The Colossi of Memnon stand at the entrance to the Temple of Amenhotep III, a Pharaoh who was worshipped as a god-on-earth. The original twin colossi were identical to each other and they reach 18 meters in height and 720 tonnes in weight per statue.
The 3400-year-old collossi survived several earthquakes. The damages rendered the upper bodies almost unrecognizable but still awe-inspiring.
@ Colossi of Memnon, Luxor, February 23, 2019
Muizz Street is in the Islamic Cairo and is one of the oldest streets in Cairo. There are street vendors of sweets, decorative items, and traditional costumes against the backdrop of well-preserved medieval palaces and mosques. For me the best part was seeing many locals just having a relaxing evening there.
@ Muizz Street, Cairo, February 17, 2019