38 Days in Egypt - Travel Egypt - Egyptian Travel Blog - Visiting Egypt on a Budget - Egypt off the Beaten Path - Cairo Dahab Luxor Siwa Alexandria Red Sea Sinai Peninsula

A video of our experience in Egypt. 

Welcome to 38 Days in Egypt: A Travelogue. 

My wife and I created this blog to create a travelogue of our visit in Egypt.  We wanted to have a way to remember the journey and share it with others who were interested in what Egypt is like.

We also built this site to show that, although Egypt is seen to many as a dangerous place to visit, that tourists have little to worry about when visiting Egypt.  Overall, for tourists, the country is quite safe.  The military and police to go extraordinary lengths to make sure that tourists are out of harms way.  There are huge penalties in place for assaulting a tourist and locals are very warm and caring for those.  While there is a great amount of hassle to tourists in Egypt, salespeople will generally help you out in the end, even if you do not purchase items from them.  As far as countries that I have visited, both of us would say that the people of Egypt have been some of the most friendly in the world.

Lastly, I created this website to help others who are visiting Egypt.  While there are a lot of good guidebooks available.  We used the The Rough Guide to Egypt and found that it was very helpful.  With that being said, sometimes guides do not have enough space to tell everything, and I wanted to answer some of the questions and show some of the places that the guide books do not have room to go into in great detail.  I would recommend this book, however, if you are planning on visiting Egypt. 

As students, we did not go to Egypt with a large budget.  One reason we visited Egypt was due to the low cost of traveling at the current time.  Egypt is considered a bargain right now, and flight prices from the United States, Europe, and other parts of the world are at an all time low.  Also, the Egyptian Pound (LE or EGP) is at a very favorable exchange rate at the moment.  With that being said, Egypt can still be a very expensive country to visit.  There are touts and unforeseen expenses here, just as there is anywhere.  As this blog was geared towards the budget traveler, I have taken the time to review hotels and hostels in various cities that cost around $10 a night and under. 

This blog is still a work in progress, and I have a lot to add in the coming weeks.  Thank you for reading. 

Here are some recent updates to this blog.  This post will stay on top for the time being so that readers can see what has been updated.

1.  Video of The Catacombs in Alexandria: July 3, 2013
2.  Video of the Blue Hole: July 3, 2013
3.  Map of our Travels: July 3, 2013
4.  Review of Sindbad Camp in Dahab: July 7, 2013

Interested in seeing where we are traveling now? Check out "Travels with Sephie."

Day 8: Bus Ride to Siwa Oasis

The day was younger than a weaned kitten when we disembarked from our hotel in Alexandria and made our way toward the corniche where we would make an attempt to flag down a micro bus. We were able to stop one van, whose driver let us know that we were doing the sign wrong. There is a special hand signal for each route, and for the bus it is holding your hand up beside your face with your palm facing out and moving the hand up and down as a driver passes. Most of the drivers held up one finger as they went by, which I did not know the meaning of. The finger that was held up was the index finger, not the middle, at least.

We eventually were greeted with the grin of a taxi driver who quoted us 20 EGP to get us to the bus station. Even though the microbusses are 1 EGP each, we figured that it would be worth it to pay the extra and just get there quickly. It was still only about $3, so not really a big deal. The taxi driver let us into his yellow and black chariot and we raced along the corniche toward the bus station, which is on the south side of town. Even though the taxi driver was quick about getting us to the bus station, the ride was not too crazy, as it generally is in a taxi.

When we got to the bus station we were about an hour and a half early, so we sat down and watched kids sell tea and shoe shining. It's like something out of Oliver Twist here. While we waited I decided to grab some snacks for the bus and to check out the bathrooms. When I made my way to the potty, I noticed one has to pay 1 EGP to use it. I paid, wondering if it was even worth it, and when I walked out, I realized that I didn't even to go in the first place. It was more of a donation than anything.

I picked up a couple bags of chips (small bags), a couple hostess type chocolate snacks, a big bottle of apple soda, and a bottle of water. It all came to 17 EGP, which seemed spendy compared to other small shops, but it was the bus station, so it is expected.

Beverly and I decided to play a game called “I spy a tourist looking guy” since there were none around. The bus station was full of buses and there were a lot of people present, but we were the only tourist looking people around. Beverly said that she saw a girl tourist when I was in the bathroom, but I did not see her. It is still very strange to me that so few people are visiting Egypt now.

The bus area was a bit confusing, as the buses are not marked very well and a few companies use the bus station. When it was getting close to time to leave, we made our way up to a couple busses that were loading passengers, and asked if they were the bus to Siwa. The second bus driver nodded and put our bag under the bus. We got on, noticing that the bus that we would be taking was less fancy than some of the others. It was a cramped ride and the seats were not soft by any margin, but it was at least our bus and that meant we were on our way. Our tickets assigned our seats, but on the bus the numbers are only in Arabic. I have gotten pretty good at quickly reading Arabic numbers, but it can still be confusing.

We eventually pulled out of the bus station and made our way through the delta area. There was a huge oil refinery that we passed through and then the green areas began to slowly disappear. Later we passed through some towns where there were houses sitting on hills overlooking the water. Some of the houses were crazy compared to others. There was one house that was huge and pink that looked like a castle. There were also some newer style condo buildings being built. It was a pretty interesting ride.

After getting out of the area around Alexandria, it quickly grew more dry and the only things growing were small bushes. At one point we saw a couple of camel herds next to the road. Later on we passed a couple of military checkpoints and about three or so hours into our bus ride we stopped in the city of Mersa Matrouh. We got off the bus, as we really had to use the potty at this point. The bus itself was air conditioned and I brought a sweater just in case. I was glad I did, because it was very cold on the bus. Anyway, being that it was cold, the soda had moved through me and at this point it was worth finding a bathroom. I was not sure how long the bus ride would be, as we had read it was 10 hours total with up to 3 stops on the way.

The bus station area was confusing, and we noticed that nobody really knew English where we were. So, it was very hard to communicate with people. A few taxi drivers knew enough English to be able to tell me that they could drive us to Siwa instead of taking the bus. Another guy kept telling me over and over that Siwa was no good. I was not sure how much time we had at this bus station, since the driver did not speak English, so Beverly watched the bus while I went to find a restroom. After looking around a bit, I was able to find one. I went back to her and showed her where it was. The bus didn't look like it was going anywhere anytime soon, as everyone had left and disappeared somewhere. So we went and bought some snacks afterwards and then went to sit on the bus. The bus was at the stop for about an hour and a half until it left. Many people got on and some had to stand or sit on the floor.

We then left Mersa Matrouh and took the turn to Siwa, which leads into the deep desert. A sign said that it was 296 km to Siwa and about 300 to Alexandria, so we knew we were over half way. I spent the time reading while the bus made its way into the Sahara. I was finishing Twenty Thousand Leagues Under the Sea while Beverly tried to avoid car sickness due to the bus moving all over the road. Eventually she took a nap and I joined her. After a while I awoke noticing that we were deep in the desert. I listened to some music and watched the scenery pass us by for a while and after a couple more hours I noticed that we were in a very hilly area of the desert. I woke Beverly and told her we might be close. We passed a military checkpoint where a large assault rifle was aimed at the bus by a guard next to us. That was interesting. Then we entered the Siwa area. The landscape quickly turned green with date palm trees and we came to our bus station rather quickly.

We got off the bus and made our way toward where we thought our hotel would be. At first, we went in the wrong direction, but we turned around and found where the center of town looked to be. We walked in that direction as young boys driving donkey carts and men on motorcycles passed us by. A sign at the bus station warned women to dress modestly. Siwa is even more traditional and conservative than other areas of Egypt, especially Cairo and Alexandria. Men are not allowed to show their shoulders and women must cover as much as possible. Even when swimming, women are expected to wear pants and cover most of their arms. Many of the women here in town are fully covered, including their faces.  Although Beverly wears an abaya and hijab (the scarf), she feels that she is underdressed.

We came to our hotel and checked in. We were not able to reserve a room, so I was somewhat worried about not getting one. However, there seemed to be nobody else staying here when we checked in and there were plenty of rooms. A regular room without a bathroom costs 30 EGP for two people and a room with a bathroom inside costs 50 EGP for a double. We decided to pay the extra for the bathroom and noticed that our room also had a balcony, which is nice. It views the city and the park that is nearby. We also have a great view of the ancient city of Shali, which is inside the modern town area. The city of Siwa itself is only populated by about 25,000 people and it is much better looking in person than the pictures that I had seen before.

The person who checked us into our room told us about some tours and showed us the rooftop balcony. There is an amazing view from the top of the whole city and the desert and oasis lake beyond. There are many hills to the west and to the south is a sea of palm trees before ending where sand dunes begin. The hotel is also very close to the old city of Siwa, which is made of mud and rises out of the earth like a mountain.

We settled in our room and then went out for some dinner across the street. After dinner we returned to the roof top deck to watch the sun set. The sun set so fast over the water of the oasis lake that you could actually see it moving. It was a gorgeous sight. The clouds and water turned crimson red as the large disc of the sun slid over the horizon. The city then lit up beyond and the call to prayer from the nearby Mosques filled the air. In the distance we could see a group of people at the old city, climbing the hills. In the streets below, donkey carts and motorcycles passed as the evening came over the town.

Alexandria: Catacombs of Kom el Shoqafa, Pompey's Pillar, The Roman Theatre and Villa of the Birds

In this post:  The Catacombs, Pompey's Pillar, Roman Amphitheater (Kom Al-Dikka) and Villa of the Birds

It was around 8:00 a.m. when we set out on foot to find the catacombs in Alexandria.  The morning was surprisingly cool and there was a nice breeze blowing. It was looking to be a good day.  My traveler's diarrhea had seemed to have subsided, yet my stomach still churned angrily at the thought of food.  That did not matter, it was either see the sites today or possibly miss out on them for good.  So we began to walk south toward the train station where we first had arrived.

Many people take a taxi to the catacombs and Pompey's pillar from downtown, but the walk is not too bad. However, I will say that it is an interesting walk through areas that many middle class American's only see on television.  The area in which we turned west from the train station is a more gritty area of the city, where the travel brochures don't show you.  In fact, you could probably say that this area is Alexandria's East Sprague, if that makes any sense.

However, that does not mean that one should not venture into this area.  It is an eye opening area and one that a visitor should see.  It is not scary, but it is not the waterfront, either.  It's a working class neighborhood in a country where the average income is far lower than in the United States or the EU.  As we walked along the streets where taxis and micro-buses rushed past us, we made our way along old factories and storefronts selling all sorts of goods.  Everything from auto parts to cows' legs dangling in the hot sun.  There were stray dogs around, one of which was feeding on the rotting carcass of an unidentified mangled animal whose stench filled the air for at least a block.  Stray cats dug in the sand and packs of dogs ran along side us as we made our way along small streets and alley ways towards the catacombs.

The road turned and we found ourselves climbing a small hill towards our destination.  Here there were many old apartment buildings.  On balconies, a bounty of colorful clothing flapped in the wind.  Men sat at tables smoking sheesha.  Women walked together, some covered, others not.  And then, at the top of the hill, we saw something that looked out of place.  Roman style pillars.  It was, at last, the catacombs!

A short video showing the interior of the catacombs (below):



We paid 15 EGP each to get into the catacombs and were told to leave our camera at the gate.  We made our way into the tombs along an old spiral stone staircase until we reached the bottom.  Inside of the catacombs are many dark passageways, like a maze, of walls of open tombs.  The bodies have long since been removed.  However, it was still somewhat eerie down there.  We were told that we were the first to arrive at the catacombs and while we were underneath, we were alone.  In reviews, we had read that it usually is very busy, so it was nice to have the whole place to ourselves.  I took advantage of that and did a video while I was down there.  You see, I did not leave the video camera at the gate, only the digital camera.

At one end of the catacombs is a big room at the bottom of more stairs with some carvings in the stone.  Around this room are separate passages that have walls with square slots in them for caskets.  When we were in one of the tombs, a local came down and seemed to want money.  We did not understand him and he left.  We then made our way to another part of the catacombs where there were some old Greek style drawings.  The catacombs themselves are said to have been a burial ground for Christian men and a couple of horses.  The horse bones still remain in the catacombs at the end of one of the halls.  It is interesting to see the mixture of Egyptian and Greek mythology in this set of tombs, and we were glad we got there early to have it to ourselves.  As we were leaving, a tour bus arrived, and a small group of tourists were entering.

After the catacombs, we retraced our steps towards Pompey's Pillar.  Pompey's Pillar did allow photography and is mostly outdoors.  However, there is an underground area where a statute of a cow-like deity, the Apis Bull, stands.  This is called the sanctuary.  There is another tunnel which goes down into the earth, but it was hard to tell what the purpose of this one was.  At the top is Pompey's Pillar, made out of a single slab of granite.  In front stands two Sphinx statutes, standing guard.  There are other artifacts strewn about.  Overall, it was very interesting, and was the same price as the catacombs.

"Master...."

As we walked back from the catacombs we found ourselves lost. We had taken another way through the neighborhood that we were in because a market area caught our eye. As we walked further, the area changed again.  One way in which we could describe this part was as an outdoor Home Depot.  Stacks and stacks of wood lined the sides of streets where nearby workers loaded them into trucks.  This is the part where we got lost.  We thought that maybe taking a different way would allow us to see something new and cut off some time, but we instead found that we went around in a big circle.  Eventually we came out onto a one way and Beverly remembered that the road we were on was a one way going away from the train station.  So, like salmon, we went against the flow of traffic and eventually reached the train station. We were very relieved as we were getting tired.

Near the train station is the Roman Amphitheater and the Villa of the Birds, which are both separate sites but connected in one large area.  There are separate admission fees to get in, and it came to about 46 EGP total, for both of us and both sites.

The Villa of the Birds is a small site that cost us 8 EGP each, but it is interesting.  It was an old villa that was the home of a wealthy family in Roman times.  The floor was undergoing restoration, but artistically placed upon it are mosaics of birds.  Outside, the villa is mostly in ruins and more excavations are going on.  The Amphitheater, however, is the most popular of the exhibits and was interesting to see.  Many people probably don't realize that Roman civilization had its reach in Africa, but there is a lot of Roman archaeological sites in Alexandria.  In fact, Alexandria was founded by Alexander the Great.

After spending about an hour at this site, we headed back to get lunch and then rest at our hotel.  We also purchased bus tickets for our next destination, which we leave for tomorrow at 8:30 a.m.  It is a town deep in the Sahara desert known as Siwa Oasis.  We are really looking forward to spending a few days there, and we imagine it will be a lot different than Cairo or Alexandria.




After resting we headed out to watch the sun set over the Mediterranean sea.  Then we decided that it would be nice to get some stomach medicine so the bus would not shake and quake our innards in the morning.  So we made our way to the pharmacy and talked to a doctor who prescribed us a double pack of antibiotics so we can have some for our whole trip.  He asked us what we ate and we told him juice, falafel, foul, and everything, to which he replied "too much Egyptian food for you."  He was really nice and helpful.  The medicine was super cheap, less than a dollar for an entire packet of antibiotics.  It is crazy how cheap the medicine here is.  Back home that kind of medicine would have been a lot more.  It's also nice that you can get antibiotics over the counter here.

It was then time for sweets.  So, we high tailed it to a cafe known as Delices.  Alexandria is known for its coffeehouses, so we could not leave without spending an evening at one.  We may have got too much chocolate.  Let me explain.  First, we went in and ordered a strawberry heart shaped cake and a cup of chocolate pudding like cake which had profiteroles in it.  Then I got an iced chocolate latte with chocolate added.  Then we ordered some fries and Beverly played it safe with some peppermint tea.  It was, all together, a bit too rich, so we did not finish the pudding cake which was insanely chocolaty.  But, overall it was nice to sit outside and feel the cool breeze as we enjoyed our last night here.  The whole ordeal cost about $10 and we are done with chocolate for a long time now.

Day 5: Around Alexandria

On this, our fifth day in Egypt, we took the tram, which is located right outside of our hotel, to the fish market and Fort Qaitbey.  The tram ride was nice, although the train does move quite slow.  A man on the tram exchanged some small paper bills for coins with me.  I had read that the 1 EGP and the 50 piastre bills are rare and have been phased out, so I was happy to get them.  I hear they are hard to exchange now, but as a souvenir they are nice to have.



The fish market was just a small building with many people selling fish outside on small tables.  There were a couple of ice cream restaurants between the fish market and the fort, and we decided to go inside and get a plastic container of mixed flavor ice cream each (4 EGP for 1/2 a pint).  As we ate, we headed towards the coast where the fort stands.  The fort is built on the site of the ancient lighthouse of Alexandria and is made with some of the pieces of it.  The lighthouse was destroyed during an earthquake, but it remains at the bottom of the sea, shattered.

We only spent a while around the fort before walking along the corniche back towards the main part of the city.  We took the chance to take some pictures and videos as we walked along the sunny walkway.  Many tour buses were lined up and many people were selling goods.



On our way back we stopped by the tomb of the unknown soldier, which is surrounded by Roman columns. This area was packed full of people, many of which were vendors selling everything from clothing to corn on the cob.  The traffic here was a beast as well, and we found ourselves snaking through many cars and police vehicles.  We were not sure what else was going on, but it seemed as if there was something big happening.

The new Library of Alexandria

After lunch we made our way to our hotel to rest. Later in the evening we went out again.  We decided that we would take the old elevator down five floors to leave the building as it looked like there was some work being done on the stairs.  The elevators here are somewhat rickety looking and feel very old.  In fact, we have used a few, but don't really care for them.  Well, this elevator, like most, is open to the outside.  However, this elevator had no door, so you really feel like you are exposed.  On the second floor, between floors, the elevator decided to stop in between and we found ourselves hanging there, unable to get the elevator to move.  It was quite scary, but I held the button down for a moment and it eventually went down all the way.  That was quite a scare and we probably won't be using it again.

The elevator shaft.

After leaving the hotel, we headed east towards the Library of Alexandria, which is a new modern building that replaced the old library.  It is an impressive structure that rises out of the cement along the coast.  It is very modern compared to the incredibly old high rises that surround it.  We did not go in the library, but continued onward looking for a park that we read was nearby to relax in.

A juice vendor makes his way along the streets of Alexandria.

As we walked toward where we thought the park was, we came upon an old cemetery.  When we walked by we saw a line of people inside.  Then we heard a sound of wailing and screaming.  We realized that there was a funeral going on.  We realized then that we were going in the wrong direction and doubled back, making our way towards where the park actually was.

Beverly with ice cream!

When we reached the park, which is known as Shallalat Gardens, we noticed that much of it was closed.  In fact, we thought the whole park was closed at first, but as we walked, we saw people inside and found an open gate.  There was an area of grass and trees where we sat for about an hour and talked.  We discussed our thoughts on Egypt and what we thought of the culture.  I must say, that I do like a lot about the culture in Egypt.  For example, I think it's great that people are modest here.  Both men and women cover much of their bodies, and compared to what I am used to back home, it's a nice change.  Also, I believe that the media makes Muslim women seem unhappy and oppressed.  However, I have noticed that many of the women here are very happy and playful people who enjoy life just as much as Westerners.  I also think it's great that society in Egypt and in the Arab world is not as obsessed with alcohol as much as back in the US and Europe.

Of course, there are some things that I dislike about Egypt.  For example, the heat is a bit much.  It's very dry and that takes a toll on a person when combined with the dust.  Also, the constant honking of cars gets old.  However, I could probably spend a couple of years here happily.  In fact, I wish this trip was longer, as I would welcome additional time here.  It has been a great experience.

Near the Tomb of the Unknown Soldier.

As the sun went down we headed back towards our hotel along the main street.  It was starting to get busy as we made our way back.  The evenings in Egypt are very popular (another thing that I like) and people come out and do their shopping, eating, and smoking.  While alcohol is not a part of Egyptian society, smoking is huge here.  Sheesha, or water pipe, is very popular.  Cigarette consumption is higher when compared to the United States.  For example, I have never seen young eight year old boys smoking cigarettes at a train station in the U.S.

We grabbed an "Oriental Pie" or "Fateer" on the way home to take up to our room.  It's basically a piece of thin dough that is filled with toppings and wrapped up and baked in an oven.  It's a lot like Roti in Singapore, which is probably where it gets its name.  It was rather large, clocking in at a mere 28 EGP.  I posted a video of it below for those who are interested.  This video is not ours, but shows exactly how it is made.

Thank you for reading, tomorrow we are going to the Catacombs and Pompey's Pillar, as well as purchasing our bus tickets to our next destination.  

Day 4: Train to Alexandria

It is often said that trains are usually late in Egypt.  Ours was no exception.  We were to leave at 9:00 a.m., but that locomotive pulled out of the station at 10:40 a.m.  However, once we left the station, we had a nice ride to Alexandria, Egypt, which is in the north along the coast of the Mediterranean Sea.

The previous night in our hostel was hot, to say the least.  But we were quick to check out and make our way to a taxi which took us to the train station and dropping us off after doing a special u-turn.  Feeling good about being early, we decided to get some orange juice at a juice man as well as pick up some rice pudding from a vendor outside of the train station.  The man with the rice pudding had each puddin' pre-made in glass bowls.  On top was some type of home made shredded wheat-like topping.  Yum!  The price: only 4 EGP each!

The interior of the Cairo train station.

We then headed back to the train station after being asked if we wanted a taxi a few hundred times.  This was probably due to the fact that we had our backpacks on and looked like we had just arrived.  But we had not.  Instead, we would soon be leaving to Alexandria.  Or that's what we thought.

Farmland in the Nile river delta.

View from our room in Alexandria.

The corniche in Alexandria.

But the train was late!  We walked in and saw that train 909 to Alexandria would be leaving at 10:00 a.m. instead of the originally scheduled 9:00 a.m.
departure time.  So, we sat ourselves down and we waited an hour and forty minutes until that train pulled up.  Once it did we got on and found our seats, and rode north to Alexandria.

Upon arriving in Alexandria we made our way to our hotel, which is called the Transit hotel.  It's along the corniche in Alexandria, and very close to the water.  We checked in and got our room.  I will review the room later, but I will say that we are very happy with it.  The price is higher than other accommodations in Egypt, but that is because Alexandria is pretty popular right now, as it usually is in the summer.  That is because it is somewhat cooler here, with sea breezes and options for swimming and diving.  There are many ruins out at sea, including the old lighthouse of Alexandria, which is one of the seven wonders of the ancient world.

Streets of Alexandria.

After we checked in we got some lunch at a small restaurant a few blocks away called Mohammed Ahmed. The restaurant has many vegetarian options and we ordered a lot of good food for a great price.  We ordered falafel with tahina, beets and salads, and foul with tahina, lentil soup, pita bread, and creme caramel. When we were presented with the bill we almost fell over dead!  It was only 24 EGP, about $3.50!  For a meal that expanded our bellies and made us feel crazy full.  Not only that, but afterwards we went swimming in sugar cane juice at a local juicery.

We decided to break the day into two, as it's very hot out now and the traffic is something else.  Therefore, we will be going out this evening and walking along the sea as the city lights up.  I will perhaps do a short entry on that.  But for now, that has been our day so far.

***UPDATE***

After awakening we took a stroll on the corniche, which was quite busy with people.  There were vendors selling all sorts of food, such as grilled corn on the cob (2 EGP), some type of beans in a bag (2 EGP), ice cream, tea, and other things.

After walking along the water, we went back towards our hotel and got some more juice and some fried dough balls with chocolate and powdered sugar on top (9 EGP).

The weather is much better here, as there is a sea breeze.  Overall, we are liking it a lot here so far.