Cairo and Athens Suggestions

Cafe Society
1

My wife and I are taking a whirlwind tour of Cairo and Athens in something of a “Tour of the Ancients” in July.

We pretty much have our itinerary set, but if there is anything you think we could fit in, please let me know. I am more interested in any travel suggestions, cultural tips, souvenir ideas, and of course, food suggestions!

Here’s the itinerary:

Friday- Fly to Cairo

Saturday- Arrive and check-in to hotel (on the Nile). We try to do very little the first day, as my wife is not a good transatlantic flyer. It is best to eat a day and recoup, so the trip goes well the rest of the way! We might do something small or get a good meal.

Sunday- Morning- Guided tour of the Pyramids/Sphinx, Afternoon- Egyptian Museum, Evening- FREE

Monday- Morning- Guided tour of Memphis and Saqqara, Afternoon- FREE, Evening- Cheesy Light Show at the Pyramids.

Tuesday- Morning- Plane to Athens, Afternoon- Arrive in Athens/Check in to Hotel, Evening- FREE

Wednesday- Morning and Afternoon- Tour of Athens (via a Hop on/Hop Off Bus). Want to see the Parthenon. Other Suggestions invited! , Evening- FREE)

Thursday- Out of Athens excursion to Delphi, Evening- FREE

Friday- Day Cruise of the Greek Islands (Full-day guided tour of Hydra, Poros, and Aegina islands_, Evening- FREE but likely tired!

Saturday- Fly home

Any help filling in the blanks would be appreciated.

2

My time in Cairo was whirlwind as well, so I don’t have any suggestions to add. Just wanted to say that, after having read about Egypt since I was in the third grade, and having majored in archaeology in college, that seeing the pyramids/sphynx in person, as well as seeing certain objects in the museum, was … indescribably wonderful and eye-opening. There were times where I literally cried. So … have a fab time.

3

I was in Cairo for 10 days a few years ago, and you have my sympathies that you will be there in July. If you don’t own a Tilley hat buy one now. :slight_smile:

I have some recommendations for you, but the names escape me at the moment. I’ll be back online tonight with specifics. If you don’t mind my asking, are you staying at one of the Hiltons? If so, which one? We stayed in a private residence just across the street from the Ramses Hilton (it’s actually visible in the picture of the hotel in one shot on that page, but I don’t know if that picture is static, it has a “Philips” sign on top of it that was not there when we were). Anyway, I can recommend highly the restaurant in the Ramses Hilton. It’s not authentic Cairo cuisine, but it might be a good “first meal” place.

EDIT: Oh, very important, especially if you’ve never been to Egypt before: when you change your money, get small bills. The baksheesh will eat you alive if all you’re carrying around is 20-, 50-, and 100-pound notes.

4

Beware the heat. We were in both places last month as part of a cruise. We went to the Parthenon ourselves, taking the Metro from Piraeus. It was cold and rainy, and by the time we were done we canceled our plans to go to the Archaeological Museum, which is highly recommended. When my brother went to the Parthenon during the summer he was wiped out by the heat. The museum on the Acropolis is still closed. I’ll get crap from any Greeks here, but I preferred the Elgin Marbles in the British Museum myself.

For Cairo we did a tour. Cairo is big and crowded, and I’m from New York. In the tourist areas people took dollars with no issue - actually they were better accepted than Euros. My New York experience in saying “no thanks” quickly and not making eye contact stood me in good stead around the Pyramids in warding off the sellers of tourist crap. I saw people who said more than that, and they got followed.

The weather was perfect. I spent $10 bucks and went on the “go into the pyramid” trip. This consists of a steep descent with a very low ceiling, a steep ascent, a few minutes in a spacious chamber in the middle of the pyramid, and then going back out. It was hot when we went, I think it would be torture in July. It is not recommended if you are the slightest bit claustrophobic. You go down a long ways leaning back as if you were doing the limbo. My legs ached for 3 days afterward but so did my daughter’s, and she is 22.

We also went to the Muhammed Ali Mosque / Saladin fortress, which was interesting.

Most interesting thing about Cairo - the homeless have moved into the major cemetery, which now sprouts satellite dishes.

Most entrepreneurial person: My daughter, who rides, took a short camel ride. Several hours and many miles later, as we were leaving the Papyrus Institute (one of the places tours take you to try to get you to spend money) a guy runs up to her with a picture he had taken of her on the camel. She haggled him down to $4 for the picture, which was actually a good one.

We also went to Ephesus in Turkey, which I found amazing. That’s the place I wish we had more time at. Pergamon is also supposed to be good, but we saw the altar in the Pergamon museum in Berlin, so we might have gotten the best of it.

Our trip was a tour of the ancients also, since we also went to Rome and toured the ancient altars in Malta.

5

Athens the Byzantine Museum is a must see. And I would suggest rescheduling your departure from Athens so you have a spare day before you go, the trip is totally knackering. You’ll love Hydra, bloody hell I am going to retire there, so calm and peaceful and the women were easy on the eyes. Porus was a bit too touristy for my taste. On Aegina, when they say “most well preserved temple in Greece”, it means it has a couple of more pillars standing; seriously! :smiley: Be sure to try the Pistachio Ice cream there.

I would also visit the temple of zeus.

Travel; beware of Greeks driving taxis (or driving period!), take the metro, its new, clean and fairly easily to understand even if its ;literally all Greek. Some of the stations uncovered architectural sites (Acropoli station I think has an exhbit).

Nightlife, quite a few good resturants in the Plaaqa (sp?) area of Athens.

6

Recommendation noted! Oddly, I was going to be there the first of June, but my wife put us off until July. Good thing, actually, because President Obama is giving a speech the day we would have arrived had I gotten my way! Can you imagine how shut down that city will be when an American President is there giving a speech on US/Muslim relations?

We are staying just across the bridge from the Hilton (at the Marriott…I have points!). I think this might be a good recommendation for us on Day 1 if my wife is up for a little walk!

It’s as bad as I’ve read, huh?

7

I would also warn you, after a while when you go to all the sites it get annoying hearing the tourguide say and this is where xyz statue stood, its is now in London!

8

The Elgin Marbles and the Greek statues in the British Museum WERE fantastic!

9

Confirmed. That’s the station you use for the Parthenon. I wasn’t thrilled by the Greek Metro (but I had just spent 4 days riding the awesome Metro in Berlin.) Beware pickpockets.

One important thing I forgot to mention about Cairo - be careful of what you eat. Salads especially may be washed in polluted water. High class restaurants are fine, but not street food. The ship was absolutely paranoid about this, since one ship was shut down for a week by an outbreak of GI disease. In Alexandria, and a few days afterwards, they didn’t let anyone near the serving implements at the buffet (even coffee) but had the staff serve everything. No one got sick, but they were on full alert. When we lived in Africa my mother got terribly sick eating a salad at a clean-looking restaurant in Brazzaville, and I wouldn’t wish that on anyone.

10

It’s pervasive and unavoidable. It’s only bad if you, as I did at one point, only have fifties and you have to baksheesh the men’s room attendant. Singles are much easier to part with and usually sufficient.

On the other hand, when we were leaving, I explained quite politely to the guy who took our bags (unrequested) out of the taxi for us at the airport that I had not planned on baksheeshing anyone else, I hadn’t asked for his help with the bags, and all I had left was a 50 piaster note. He looked at me like I’d spit on his shoes.

11

Also a word. From south of the dabube to the Khayber Pass, red lights are not a signal to stop, but merely a suggestion tpo drive a bit more carefully. There is no right of way! I nearly got ran over in Athens when I foolishly crossed the road thinking hey the light says green for pedestrains