EGYPT

Egypt gave birth to what later would become ‘Western civilization’ long before the greatness of Greece and Rome. -John Henrik Clarke

This country is a place of dual identities because it is the link between Africa and the Middle East. Egypt is full of rich history that is well preserved in parts of the country. It is exciting to visit places that most people will only experience by watching movies.

Egypt is a country of contradictions. For example, the magnificent Nile river flows from south to north and is the life line of the country. It provides lush, fertile land that Egyptians have lived off of for centuries. In contrast, the desert can be extremely hot and dry and it can be hard to find relief from the sun.

Ancient Egypt

Ruins, tombs, and temples preserve Egypt’s history, which dates back to the time of the pharaohs. Cairo is a bustling city that is home to multiple pyramids and ruins. They will make you wonder about how the Egyptians could have possibly built them without modern technology. However, Luxor is my favorite city. It is much quieter and has historical sites that have been fairly well preserved considering that Egyptians built them more than 4 thousand years ago.

The People

I truly believe that a country’s language provides a window into the culture and people. Arabic is a hard, yet beautiful and poetic language. The people are passionate and feisty, yet welcoming. A true reflection of the language they speak.

The Food

To be honest, I broke my normal travel pattern and did not eat a lot of Egyptian food. Traditional food consists of java beans called ful (pronounced like fool) and falafel, which is made of chickpeas. The most traditional Egyptian food is called Koshary, which is a mix of rice, macaroni, lentils, chickpeas and a red sauce. It’s cheap and supposed to be filling.

However, I did eat Sharwarma, a popular street food that is a twist on the Greek Gyro. Fattah, is a traditional dish I think everyone should try. It consist of crispy bread, rice, meat, and vinegar/tomato sauce. Egyptians traditionally serve it at big feasts and celebrations. You should definitely drink the fresh juices; strawberry was my favorite.