Egypt
Egypt
Egypt provides an opportunity to see first-hand how civilization evolved with temples and pyramids that can be over 3000 years old. The Cairo Museum has artifacts that could not be carted away by Europeans or tomb robbers - and those from Tutankhamun's tomb which was found intact. Cairo also has a beautiful Coptic Christian church and, of course, the Pyramids.
Cairo is a city of 21 million and Alexandria has 17 million people. You must join a group tour to visit, see the Cairo sights for a couple of days, and fly to Luxor in ancient Egypt for a Nile tour where you will visit many temples, the Valley of the Kings, and Abu Simbel, which is very impressive.
Stay longer in Cairo if you want to visit older pyramids in Memphis or Alexandria's sights. Traffic can only be navigated by a native. No stop lights, no lanes, twenty-one million people, lots of polite honking, with most cars showing dents, unwritten rules. Accidents are resolved after the two drivers yell at each other and then fight. Smog is ever present, as bad a Beijing or India, not only due to the population but that most Egyptians can only afford Chinese cars without any catalytic converters.
Since the Revolution in 2010, tourist income has collapsed down by 90% from pre-2010 and teeters on disappearing if there is a large unrest event. Guides, for instance, who used to work five-six days a week, are working two days a month. They have years of study in archeology or in hieroglyphics. With a strong dollar and the Egyptian pound fixed by the government and a struggling economy, you may get good prices for tours. Young Egyptians visit and study in the U.S., if they can get the opportunity.
You'll go through checkpoints, with military carrying AK 47s. Security is tight in some areas to prevent incidents that would collapse their tourism. The food is plentiful on tours and the Egyptians you meet are very interested in making your visit memorable and in encouraging you to return.
Definitely, a trip of a lifetime, especially if you are a history, architecture, archaeology or just a culture buff.
Sweet-Toothed Egypt Endures a Sugar Crisis: ‘People Are Going to Snap’ (see other linked articles for more info on Egypt)
Both the Chinese and Russians have moved in with financial backing for projects while the U.S. wages its wars in the Middle East. The U.S. is losing any influence, and recently diverted over $100 million in aid from Egypt to Tunisia, announced after Egypt voted with the Russians on the U.N. resolution on Syria. China is funding a new capital for Egypt paying $45 billion to build it. Half of our billions in aid in past decades went to Egypt so they could buy weapons from the U.S. The Russians funded the Aswan dam and are planning a joint military exercise with the Egyptian military. Egypt has sold some military equipment to the Russians. Egypt has also obtained loans from the IMF and from israel and Saudi Arabia.
Egypt's Arms Deal with Russia: Potential Strategic Costs