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Egyptian Museum – The Egyptian Museum
is a big noisy dusty place and you’ll run into groups of Egyptian school
kids. (Don’t be surprised if the Egyptian school kids want to ask your
kids lots of questions.) A definite "must see" in Cairo, even
kids who aren't big museum-goers will be totally bowled over by the Egyptian
Museum. |
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The Tutankhamun collection is boggling, all that gold. Aside
from the big pieces, the funerary jewelry is to die for. We all wanted cobra
earrings or other "mummy accessories" from the collection. |
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Once you’ve looked at the Tutankhamun stuff, cruise over
to the royal mummies. In this exhibit, more than a dozen mummies have been
unwrapped so you can see their faces. The royal mummies are amazing –
your kids may be enthralled or scared, or both. |
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Islamic Cairo – Cairo is much more than the ancient
antiquities. It is a great capital of Islamic culture. Hop a taxi to the
Khan al Khalili bazaar. This area is touristy but the teeming bazaar is
a lot of fun. At the Khan al Khalili you can buy lovely gold and silver
jewelry. |
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 If
you are more adventurous, from the Khan al Khalili, take a walk down
the Sharia al-Muizz to the Bab Zwayla gate. Walking down the Sharia al-Muizz,
the life of the bazaar is timeless, especially as light filters through
the the covered roof over what what once the Silk Bazaar. Today the street
is crowded with small trucks, horse carts, school kids in blue and white
uniforms, ladies dressed in black from head to toe, vendors selling all
kinds of textiles, fruits, vegetables, spices, household goods etc. When
you reach the Bab Zwayla, go into the Mosque of Al-Muayyad, pay the
caretaker some baksheesh and climb up the minaret atop the gate for an awesome
view of the rooftops of Cairo. |
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Take
an excursion to the Citadel, the magnificent but crumbling fortress
founded by Saladin. Within the walls, visit the extravagant Mohammed Ali
Mosque – the chandelier was the biggest I’ve ever seen –
and don’t miss the clock in the courtyard. Mohammed Ali traded the
obelisk from Luxor (which now stands in the Place de Concorde in Paris)
for this clock that never worked. |
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Take a river taxi – Get out on the Nile
in a river taxi. You can pick them up from the Maspero dock. Take a short
hop north towards Roda Island and Coptic Cairo. |
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Or,
for a great day trip, take the 1 ½ hour ride south to Qanatar. Qanatar
is an island in the Nile with picnicking Cairenes, small amusement parks
with bumper cars and ferris wheels and some amazing Victorian stone bridges
and locks. To return to Cairo, hop on a taxi or take a minibus. |
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Cairo Tower – The Cairo Tower, a tall
60ties concrete tower with a revolving restaurant, is like the Space Needle
in Seattle. You ride up the elevator, jammed in with other Egyptian families
riding to the top. From the observation deck and revolving restaurant, the
view of the Nile and Cairo extends over the medieval city to the east and
the desert to the west. |
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As a bonus, a young man in ancient Egyptian dress came by
our table and used his computer program to produce a "Pharonic Personal
Analysis" for each of us. For a small fee, we received a sheet of imitation
papyrus with each name in Egyptian hieroglyphics and a personality analysis
in English and Arabic. |
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Gorgeously illustrated
story that captures the heart of Cairo. Ahmed drives his donkey
cart through crowded streets to deliver heavy bottles of cooking
fuel, stops to buy beans and noodles from a street vendor, eats
his lunch in the shade of a thousand year old wall, as he watches
camel caravans pass by. (Picture book)
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Delightful,
funny folktales about Goha, the humble hero, sometimes wise, sometimes
foolish, and a beloved character in Egypt and the Middle East.
Our favorite story, " Goha Gives His Son a Lesson About Life."
Beautifully illustrated with quilted pictures, handmade in Cairo.
(Picture book)
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In
the Egyptian Museum, you'll see fabulous treasures from the tomb
of Tutankhamun. Step into the life and times of the boy pharaoh,
discovery of his tomb centuries later, with step-by-step reconstruction
drawings the burial chamber, layered coffins, Tut's mummy, and
all the tomb goodies. (Illustrated chapter book)
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Irresistible,
humorous tale of a camel, Habibi, and Ahmed, his owner. Wearing
a jaunty red fez, Habibi leads his owner on a lively chase through
the bazaars of Cairo. Free-spirited illustrations.
(Picture book)
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Islam (Eyewitness Books)
Philip Wilkinson
Before you take
a walk through old Cairo, check out this excellent introduction
to Islam – the prophet Muhammad, mosques and famous schools
in Cairo, society and culture, festivals and ceremonies. Rich, detailed
illustrations. (Picture book)
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Flat Stanley is delivered to Egypt, and his first stop is the museum and bazaars. Stanley longs for adventure, and finds it with an unscrupulous antiquities dealer. (Easy reader)
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Vibrant
history of Cairo through the centuries – from the founding
of Cairo, al-Qahira, in the 10th century, to Saladin and the Citadel,
Mamluks, Ottoman Turks and Napoleon, neighborhood life, merchants
and caravans, women at home, plague and hard times, festivals and
celebrations. Excellent historical illustrations. (Chapter book,
illustrations)
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(More children's
books on other Egypt pages) |
