Tyler Sharp
The Great Egyptian Hustle
After a lifetime of wonder and anticipation, I finally arrived in Egypt. What followed in my short time there was, as is with most places you imagine going to, very different then I expected. Experience varies greatly with the company that you keep, and I always manage to meet someone who shows us something hidden and unique. Cairo, Egypt, though not as mysterious and majestic as the ancient kingdoms that I learned about as a boy, was very charming and exotic, and revealed some of its’ guarded secrets to us in our brief journey through its’ time wisened streets.
First of all, Cairo has some of the worst traffic in the world, so we had the privilege of a slow and languid tour of the city as we braved the sea of motorized vehicles. To make the taxis even more exciting, every ride is a barter, and the fare meter on the dashboard is a beautiful antique, and only gives the illusion of fairness. Depending on how seasoned of a Cairo taxi traveller one is, or how hard of a bargain you drive, you can either pay more or less than you actually need to. By the end of our stay, we had learned the appropriate prices for certain distances, and negotiated accordingly. The cab drivers know that they are trying to rip you off, so they usually don’t say anything when you get out of the car, toss the “fair price” into the front seat, and shut the car door.
Old Cairo Taxi Cab (Pre-Negotiations)
We had organized a car and guide ahead of time, so we enjoyed a short breath of relief from the taxi negotiations, and saw what we could during the day with our hired help. The first order of business was the Pyramids at Giza. Being one of the most famous monuments in the world, there were enough tourists there to fill the fleet of tour buses that lined the parking lots. It proved somewhat difficult to get any decent shots of the pyramids, at least without the beat red skin of European grandparents in it, or the swarm of aimlessly wandering Chinese sightseers. Despite the crowds, it was basically surrounded by a desert, so one could easily walk into the distance, away from vendors and tour guides for hire, and find a quiet photographic moment. There were flocks of camels lounging at the ready for riders, or even picture takers. Nothing is free in Cairo though, and I was hustled for money even when taking photos from afar, or when someone happened to walk in the frame. After an extensive survey of the camel quarry, we decided on one particularly charming camel to ride, seeming to have the most character and vigor among all of his camel mates. Dubbed “Michael Jackson,” our noble camel steed awkwardly paraded us around the pyramids, groaning, gargling, and spitting all the while. Once we had our photographic fill, and the camel’s smell had worn out its’ welcome, we decided to climb into the pyramids.
Horse & Rider at Giza
Tyler of Arabia
“Michael Jackson” the Camel
The pyramids are something that you have to mentally prepare yourself for. One could easily go there to see them, climb inside and photograph them, and easily be underwhelmed by the routine of it. You almost have to keep reminding yourself where you are, how magnificent of a structure you are witnessing, and cultivate a sense of awe. The immensity of the structure is striking, but the power and spirit of them seemed to come from within, after a pursued meditation. We went inside the tombs, leaving our guide behind, and crawled up the very small, slick and steeply ascending plank way. The air grew thicker and heavier with every ascending step, until we reached the high ceilinged room where the open sarcophagus was. There was a very tangible ancient vibe to the chamber, not threatening in any way, but death was certainly in the air. As our hearts slowed from the climb, and our breath stilled, we sat in silence and felt the powerful aura of the room. We out lasted the rest of the tourists, and sat in silent mediation for close to 20 minutes. The power echoed off of the walls until it became a deafening hum, penetrating all senses, and blanketing everything. We emerged from our trances, climbed down the galley towards the fresh, hot desert air, and re-constituted our senses to the bustle of the scene outside.
Brady of Giza
Old Giza
We saw the Sphinx on the way out, and I struggled to get shots that I felt even remotely excited about. Part of this might have been due to the fact that you have to remain on a cliffside perimeter 20 feet off the ground, and were kept at a distance of at least 50 yards at all times. Despite the impressiveness of the structure, I lost photographic interest, and went back through the giant pillars that lined the walkway until I got to the front entrance. This scene outside of the main attractions is what I affectionately dubbed “The Great Egyptian Hustle.” There are droves of people of all ages and sizes, all fervently pushing some product on you; be it crappy post cards, bad plaster replicas of the pyramids, bookmarks, stickers, head wraps, sodas, crystals, and even peacock feathers. These hustlers would follow you as long as you would let them, and would not take no for an answer. I have been to many places where people were desperately trying to sell you things, but I have never seen anything like this. It was a new level of badgering and expectation, and every person you eventually struck a deal with always acted put out and insulted when you handed them the agreed amount, always demanding more. Even the bathroom attendants expected tips at all times, pointing authoritatively to the money dish after he handed me a paper towel, and coldly said “money.” The look that he gave me when I did not tip him made me think I had just run over his mother’s foot with a car. I had no money though, and did not feel the least bit guilty, as a handed towel is hardly worthy of that, especially when I usually save the paper anyway.
The Sphinx
Pillars outside of the Sphinx
We concluded our expedition to Giza with some horseback riding around the pyramids. It was a really fun and picturesque activity, but we could hardly get the horses to gallop. It became quite clear that the horses had their own agenda, and had no intention of of co-operating, or letting us get our money’s worth. It was a good thing that Brady grew up on a horse farm, as he knew how to make the horses “giddy-up,”, and we were able to gallop across the sand dunes for a short while before our horses turned and headed for home. The negotiation for the horse ride prices was hilarious, and Brady tricked the man into saying a lower price, whereafter he followed us all the way back to the car. We eventually had to push his hands out of the car window, shut it, and drove off, leaving him to be satisfied with the more than adequate sum that we left him with. His frustration could only be because we had not fallen for his jacked up tourist price.
Horseback at Giza
Brady Giddyin’ Up in the Desert
To end the day appropriately, we managed to find a really unique restaurant on the Nile River to have dinner. They had a very fresh and eclectic local menu, and had more than enough Egyptian style to go around. They immediately brought us several hookahs with different flavored tobaccos in it, which were refilled with coals every 10 minutes until we had finished our meal. Lounging on cushions, smoking hookahs, and having our fill of Egyptian cuisine, we finally realized the uniqueness of our dinner on the Nile, one of the most famous rivers in all of history. We basked in the knowledge that we had found one of Cairo’s hidden jewels, and continued to puff contentedly until closing time. After one last hair-raising taxi ride, and a particularly hilarious taxi fare negotiation, we retired to the hotel to catalog the day’s photos, and to plan the next day’s journey into the heart of one of the oldest cities in all of the civilized world.