My Summer Visit to Cairo, Egypt

Recently I arrived back from a month-long trip to Egypt. We stayed in Cairo, the bustling and ancient city that is the most populated city in all of Africa. It straddles the Nile River, which is the lifeblood of the region and the source of both transportation, recreation, and entertainment.

In Cairo we were residing in a suburb that is called Nasr City, which is a relatively new part of Cairo. It is a very large suburb now, with some very large streets and many attractions. The main places to see in Nasr City are the malls. The largest mall in Cairo is by far the CityStars mall. This mall was amazing, and is a must-see if you visit Cairo. It has all the major American restaurants in it, lots of great tourist stores, many coffee shops, and a cinema. But you're probably going to Egypt mainly to see the ancient stuff and pyramids. Luckily we did some of that too.

We didn't get to see the pyramids up close, but we saw them from the Cairo Tower(nowadays they look better from a short distance than directly next to them). The tower is a great spot to check out also. Located on the Nile island of Gezira, the Cairo Tower is the tallest building in Cairo, and gives you a very nice panorama of the whole area. We saw the pyramids from here, along with the business district of Cairo, the Nile, and all the bustling traffic. We didn't stop by to eat there, but you can dine in a revolving restaurant that is quite fancy.

Another great area that you must see if visiting Cairo is the Egyptian Museum. This museum, which was built while Egypt was still a British colony, contains some of the most impressive Ancient Egyptian artifacts. The most important is the King Tutankhamun mask and its surrounding specimens. These are all located in a special room, which also houses lots of jewelry and other pieces. When we came to the museum I learned a lot about ancient Egypt, and also more recent history too.

We also visited some of the historical mosques in Cairo, actually the same ones that Barack Obama saw one day prior to us. These are the Sultan Hassan Mosque and theMosque of El Rifaey. The Sultan Hassan Mosque is older, dating back to the 14^th century. This one features an outdoor portion that is amazing to see. The Mosque of El Rifaey is newer and has much more intricate designs inside, as it was built in the 19^th century.

Touring Cairo isn't complete without stopping by Khan El-Khalili, the bazaar in the oldest part of Cairo. This unique shopping district is mesmerizing and features lots of great souvenirs. The area also has some interesting and hidden places, such as a 200 year old trading center we toured.

Overall, it was a great trip and we had a lot of fun there. Going to Egypt doesn't have to be limited to just Cairo, as there is the Red Sea and also Alexandria and the Mediterranean Sea coast. However, Cairo definitely can keep you busy and is the most exciting part of Egypt.