Egyptian Wonders

Stop and Smell the Spices

This gentleman caught my eye from his stool in the back of the store as I wandered through the narrow alleys of the Khan el-Khalili souk in Cairo, and he beckoned me to come in.

Thinking of my already overstuffed suitcase and still a bit skittish...

Nighttime Camel Rides

Pretty amazing part of our farewell party

The Khamussin

At Nasser’s stables, I hoist myself up into the saddle of a mottled Arabian mare. She’s small, but spirited, and we canter for a while into the dark gray void that appears abruptly at the edge of Giza and doesn’t end until it spills into the...

On Top of the World at Bab Zuwayla

Bab Zuwayla was part of the original walls of Cairo built in 1092. The Zuwayla gate is one of the most well known landmarks in the city and is also one of three remaining gates of the Fatimid dynasty. This historic gate contains twin towers, each...

The Needle of Hatshepsut

Walking in deepening twilight past a towering obelisk, and then through the Hypostyle Hall and colonnade of 134 massive pillars—10-12 meters tall—capped with stylized papyrus and calyx, into a broad solar court, I was able to envision only the...

Hookah and Tea Mid-Market

In the heart of the El Khan Khalili souk in Cairo is the El Fishawy coffee and tea house. Stop in for a mint tea, a plug of hookah, and some people watching. It's a popular tourist spot, but it's one place to sit back and watch the market happen....

Bedouin Tea in the White Desert

Traveling six hours by bus from Cairo may not seem like a big deal, but once you leave the sprawling, yellow city, the only thing you see is sprawling, yellow desert. Miles and miles of it. At the end of the journey is the Bahriyah Oasis, and when...

The Magnificent Abu Simbel

The Great Pyramids of Giza are very impressive and rightfully earn their wonder of the world title. But then there's Abu Simbel. The site has, well, personality. Ramses II is present at every turn, as is his wife Nefertiti. Four giant likenesses...