The Egyptian Museum

So after I escaped all the nice people who wanted my money, I headed over to the museum. I didn't know where to go, as they don't have any signs anywhere, just a bunch of guards. So they pointed me to the security checker.

They check your bags here at every tourist place to make sure you dont have any weapons and stuff. I know I don't look terroristic but its standard procedure. So the guy looks in my bag and I dunno what I said but he asked me in Arabic if I was Egyptian. I did have my sunglasses on but still I was suprised. I said no and then he asked me where I was from, and I told him America and he then asked, still all in Arabic, if I was Egyptian American and I said no. I guess he was confused but that was it. I certainly was confused.

So I went in and bought my ticket, and there was no issue with group tours, so I just realized what a major sucker I am.

After you buy your ticket there are guides all over that offer their services. I wasn't gonna get suckered so when I was asked if I needed a guide I said no thanks. I wondered if I could get an audio tour thing, but then thought maybe thats why there are guides. Hmmmmm....

So I entered the grand musuem and was overwhelmed instantly with huge granite statues and tombs and heiroglyphs everywhere. I saw two signs, one direction was the old stuff and the other was the new stuff. So I checked out the old stuff.

I had read in my Egypt book that the museum is overcrowded, things are not displayed well and the lighting is not good. I could see that right away. They have amazing pieces of rock and art and they are all just packed in.

The locals there just touch the items like its no big deal and then you get the loud obnoxious American tourist who do the same thing and say, "Man, you could never do this in the state!" While he's touching everything and saying "come here check this out. Touch it!"

I was standing there cringing wishing the guards would tell him to cut it out, but no. Egyptians are really laid back.

But I did see almost everything in the musuem. They have amazing things in there. I saw chariots, boats, statues in marble and granite and alabaster lamps. I saw jewelry and swords and even ancient bread. Almost everything is from the tombs where they find the mummies. Everything was buried with them.

I'd have to say King Tut's items were the most amazing. They are the most colorful and most intact. Many other coffins are painted and stuff but some are faded or vandalized, but Tut's was gold and beautiful. They had so many things of his and it is an amazing collection.

I spent about five hours in the museum and I was tired and hungry when I got out. So I headed to the cafeteria and was not shocked at the prices but knew I wasn't gonna have a meal. I just had a coffee and some fries and a bottle of water = $8.00. Tourist pit I tell ya.

So headed out to the metro back to Maadi, about 8 stops away. Its pretty far, and the metro only costs me 1 Egyptian pound = 20 cents. Thats the real Egypt.