Walk Like an Egyptian

The city abruptly slinks away, giving birth to the ever encroaching blanket of sand. The sepia painting in front of me shines brightly in the bath of midday sun. Protruding from the middle are ancient skyscrapers. The limestone tops glistening; triangular beacons to any traveler from miles around.

Have you ever dreamed of going to a place so much that the place in your head was nearly tangible? I dreamt of Egypt as a child. A place as mysterious and alien as Mars. I was enamored by its megalithic buildings. Pyramids so precise and mysterious that its still a mystery how they were built. I dreamt of bustling markets, and warm people quick to welcome you and peddle their wares. White stone buildings, palm trees and camels. What can I say? I'm a product of the 80s when Indiana Jones and the 1930s rush of archaeologists was still a romantic adventure I had wholly bought into. I wanted to be an archaeologist and solve ancient riddles.

That was then, when our attention, as a country, was turned to the near east, not the middle of it. As I embarked on my travels, I knew the middle east was a place I had to see (its really north Africa, but its shared culture through the Mesopotamian crescent). Regardless of pleaded warning and vague threats of imagined danger, I booked my tickets. I was hesitant. Everything the media has built up says this is terrible idea, but I rationalized it to see through to achieving my dream. How can 15 million people be living in a place so turbulent that my very presence there puts me in immediate danger?

The gamble paid off. As I crept up on the pyramids, escaping Giza city, the vision in my head became reality. The pyramids peaked between city buildings, trying their best to blend into the city skyline. One it cleared into open, arid plains, the pyramids stood as solitary marvels of human engineering. It was magic.

Cairo is a bit different. The city has been neglected since the rush of travel in the 50s. Cairo is no walk in the park, but the city is comfortable in its peaceful chaos. People walk the street as casually as I stroll down Boston Commons. Markets are lively. The streets are organized madness. People are happy to see you, or any tourism for that matter. Granted, you will feel like a walking wallet, but cut past the salesman routine and people are genuinely kind.

Within its walls is its ancient skeleton. Its echoes of a city rich with history and religious significance. The Coptic city still exists, protected, as a city untouched by time.

Fortunately for me, I had good friends to accompany me through Cairo. I was brought to the Red Sea, where more of Egypt's magic was revealed.

Ultimately, any city is a product of its people. The people I got to spend time with showed me that, at its roots, if you can adjust to Egypt's pace, and way of life, the city is a treasure trove of truly great people, history, and some of the most awe inspiring monuments ever created. Don't miss the opportunity to live your dreams.