Only 25 km from Cairo, Egypt's biggest riches look into the sandy horizon. The pyramids, one of the seven wonders of the ancient world, tower over the Giza plateau and turn into stone the tenacity and traditional skill of the people on the shore of the Nile. Among them, the Great Pyramids of Giza, popularly known as the Pyramid of Keops, is not only the most impressive given its size (the pyramid is about 139 meters tall and for over 3800 years, it was the tallest building in the world), but also offers you one of the most unusual leisure activities, given that you are so close to the desert: golf. The huge golf course at the base of the Great Pyramid belongs to Egypt's oldest luxury hotel, Mena House, and in order to play some golf in an ancient background, you must pay 12 euros. Don't worry about a dress code: you will be allowed to step on the course wearing any kind of T - shirt and even sneakers.
After that, you must also make at least one stop at one of the Egyptian capital's religious sites. Cairo is often called "the city of one thousand minarets", due to the multitude of buildings influenced by Islamic architecture and the high number of mosques there. The Mosque of Muhammad Ali Pasha or the Alabaster Mosque is the most famous of them, being over 60 meters tall and the first building greeting you from the distance as you draw closer to Cairo. Sultan Hassan's Mosque became famous in ancient times due to its size and innovating architectural style, with the dome shaped like an egg carved in wood. As for the Al - Azhar Mosque, its construction was finished in the year 972, which makes it the city's oldest religious building.
The taste of Cairo
After so many trips, a hearty meal is an absolute must. Egyptian cuisine is famous for the generous amount of vegetables it uses, perfect for regaining energy after a day in the desert. Mesa'a'ah is one of the most savory choices: slices of grilled eggplants, onions, peppers covered by tomato sauce and Egyptian spices.
Cardamom (Hell in Arabic) is the most popular spice in Egyptian cuisine, which actually combines an amazing variety of spices, both Asian and African influence.
Mutton is Egyptians' favorite meat, (not the case of my husband, so I consider myself so so so lucky ^___*), either grilled or baked, with tahina sauce and a lot of herbs.
Bread (Eish Masri or Eish Balad) is also an important component of traditional Egyptian meals and the places you can have the best bread are Bedouin villages. Made of thyme and corn seeds, the bread of these desert inhabitants comes as an extra treat when you sit in their welcoming tents, in shelters made of stones and decorated with pillows.
Beyond being the lead character in the story of Arabian culture, Cairo stands out as a city that manages to offer its tourists many reasons to be fascinated, regardless of the social and political context. Which is another piece of evidence that the great Egyptian city, a not to miss vacation destination, is triumphant every day.
