Travellers have been marvelling at Egypt’s wondrous antiquities for thousands of years,
even the ancient Greeks and Romans were awed by them.
These days, a visit to Egypt is far more than an immersion in past glories.
The clamorous present inevitably intrudes with constant reminders that Egypt is
an Islamic country at the crossroads, not just of ancient history but of modern
political and cultural currents.
Egypt’s river of humanity is a force every bit as powerful as the Nile.
Mud-brick villages sprout TV antennae, stone and glass highrises loom over
ancient
monuments and pop music from boom boxes counterpoints the call to prayers.
A pizza parlour and fried-chicken franchise offer prime views of the pyramids.
Always, there are the relentless hawkers and touts, and then there are the
periodic terrorist attacks, sometimes targeted at tourists, that disrupt public
places,
despite the firm commitment by the government to keeping the nation safe for
all to enjoy.
The sad irony is that despite the occasional political violence,
Egypt has been one of the safer countries in the region, and its people are
among the most hospitable, warm and generous in the world.
While modern life has begun to crowd the legacies of the past,
it has also opened up other possibilities for exploring Egypt.
Although the focus for most travellers has remained the great monuments of
the Nile Valley
and the boisterous markets of Cairo, it is also possible to go diving along the
Red Sea coast and to make treks to remote desert oases and the mountains of
Sinai.
What is now Egypt has been a nation for much longer than most.
Menes, the first Pharaoh, united Upper and Lower Egypt in 3050 BC,
creating an empire whose legacy is unmatched in recorded history.
Elaborate tombs were designed, magnificent pyramids constructed, and a
vast and impressive pantheon of deities was honoured in huge temples.
Hieroglyphs were etched in stone, detailing everything from the lives of the
gods
to the lives of the lowest slaves.
The Nile was harnessed for irrigation.
By any standard, this dynastic society was very successful.
Geographically, Egypt is dominated by sand and water. Nearly all of Egypt is
desert,
but the small part that isn’t, the valley of the Nile River is vital to the nation
(95% of the population lives within a few kilometres of the Nile’s banks).
Most tours of Egypt, whether by cruise, via train, on a bus or in a private car,
never stray too far from the river’s shores.
Egypt is the largest country in the Arab world, and among African nations,
is second in population only to Nigeria
(Cairo, the continent’s most populous city, alone has 10 million people).
Cairo is also the oldest continuously inhabited city in the world, since 969 AD.
For more detailed maps click here
Parts of this text were borrowed from other sources.
