On this year’s International Women’s Day today, Egypt Travel Blog would like to pay homage to one of ancient Egypt’s most famous figures and a woman whose life and legacy are worthy of remembrance.

Cleopatra is one of the most famous women in all of human history. She was a beloved queen of an ancient people who skillfully forged powerful alliances through love, lust, and marriage and waged war for the preservation of her empire. In the end, though, she and her mighty empire were ultimately defeated by the even mightier Rome, and Cleopatra is said to have committed suicide on 12 August 30 B.C. rather than witness the end of an independent Egypt.

With Cleopatra’s tragic demise also came the virtual disappearance of all physical traces of her existence from the earth, as the location of her burial site and remains have been lost to antiquity. But in a sense, a part of history’s greatest queen did survive for an unknown period of time – her DNA – via at least one known surviving child whose decedents criss-crossed the Mediterranean for centuries in royal marriage after royal marriage.

Cleopatra herself bore at least four children. The first of which we know was fathered by Julius Caesar, and the next three by fellow Roman Mark Antony. After Cleopatra’s death, her eldest son and successor, Caesarion, was assassinated on the order of Octavian, later the Roman Emperor Augustus. Her three remaining children were taken to Rome, but her two surviving male children soon mysteriously disappeared from history. This leaves only a daughter named Cleopatra Selene as her only surviving offspring.

After being paraded through the streets of Rome in gold chains with her brothers so that Rome could revel in its victory over Egypt, Cleopatra Selene, also known as Cleopatra VIII (her famous mother was not actually the first Cleopatra, but the seventh, although by far the greatest), was raised and educated in the royal Roman household before being strategically married off to King Juba II of the north African kingdom of Numidia (present-day Libya and Algeria, but then a Roman client-state). The couple were later sent westward to rule over another Roman client-state called Mauretania, which is now present-day Morocco.

With Juba II, Cleopatra Selene had a son that she named Ptolemy in honor of the last dynasty of pharaohs that ended with her late mother and brother. Ptolemy of Mauretania became king in 23 A.D. on the death of his father and in 38 A.D. his wife gave birth to a daughter named Drusilla. Two years later, King Ptolemy was called to Rome by the Emperor Caligula where he was assassinated on the ordered of the Emperor.

After she came of age, Drusilla was married off to the Roman governor of Judea, Marcus Antonius Felix, although we do not know of them producing any children. After he divorced her and married another local princess named Drusilla, Drusilla of Mauretania married again, this time to King Sohaemus of Emesa, another Roman client-state in modern-day Syria. With Sohaemus Drusilla bore a son named Gaius Julius Alexio, who became known as Alexio II upon becoming king in 73 A.D.

Alexio’s reign was short, however, and he died just five years later in 78 A.D., but not before producing a son and heir named Gaius Julius Fabia Sampsiceramus Silas, or Silas III after he became King of Emesa. King Silas continued to pass along Cleopatra’s bloodline to his offspring, including his heir Gaius Julius Longinus Soaemus, later King Soaemus.

At least one more generation of Cleopatra’s legitimate direct decedents is known to have ruled in Emesa, namely Gaius Julius Sulpicius, son of Soaemus. After that the historical record begins to get a bit murky. Some believe the line continued for several more generations until it circled back to join the Roman imperial line with the daughter of Emesean king Gaius Julius Bassianus, Julia Domna, who married Roman Emperor Lucius Septimius Severus and bore him two sons who would become the emperors Geta and Caracalla.

Aside from “legitimate” royal descendants, it is highly likely that Cleopatra’s male descendants also had numerous extra-marital offspring who co-mingled with the noble and common populations across the ancient Mediterranean world. But knowledge of these common descendants and her royal offspring alike have since been lost to history. Regardless of an absence of her physical and genetic legacy, the historical record of Cleopatra’s greatness lives on and her incredible legacy remains larger than life.

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We all know that the ancient Egyptians mummified the dead bodies of their loved ones with elaborate rituals and scientific rigor, whether they were a revered pharaoh or, if non-royal Egyptians could afford it, a beloved family member. But even in modern times, we can understand that human love and affection extend beyond just our two-legged relatives. Our pets hold very special places in our hearts too.

So it should come as no surprise that ancient Egyptians of sufficient means wanted to give the same care to their beloved pets in death as they did in life. And from this very human tendency comes… yes, you guessed it – pet mummies.

Animals were loved, respected, and often revered by the ancient Egyptians. Not only were many of their gods and goddesses depicted in animal form, but it was also believed that mistreating mortal animals could be a bar to successful entry into the afterlife.

Treating Mittens with respect in ancient Egypt was no joke. It’s no wonder cats today act so high and mighty. The “good ole days” they can harken back to are when they used to be painted as gods and mummified like pharaohs.

But it wasn’t only cats that were mummified. Dogs, mongoose, birds, monkeys, baboons, crocodiles, and plenty of other animals have been preserved for all eternity using the ancient art of mummification as well. And lucky for us, a significant number of these animal mummies have been found and are on display for the curious at museums around the world.

The British Museum in London has a few notable animal mummies in its collection. But if you really want to see the full range of animal mummies that have been dug out of Egypt’s sands, you need to head to the Egyptian Museum in Cairo, and specifically to their animal mummy room.

Many visitors to the Egyptian Museum miss the animal mummy room because it is tucked away on the upper floor of the museum towards the front of the building, while most of the more famous exhibits are on the sides and at the back of the building. But if you make the effort to wander back towards the front, you’ll notice a little recessed area off to the right (looking from the back of the building on the inside towards the front) where you can go around a corner and into two connected rooms.

It’s there that you’ll find an entire fascinating collection of animal mummies. Some were revered pets, while others were preserved as offerings to the gods. But mummification was an involved and expensive process in ancient Egypt, so all of these animal mummies served a very important purpose in the afterlife, whether for companionship or divine appeasement.

If I were an ancient Egyptian noble or royal and could afford it, I’d surely have my little princess [i.e., dog] Ariel mummified when she dies with all the pomp and ritual necessary to ensure that she could be with me in the afterlife too. Wouldn’t you?

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The greater Cairo area is a sprawling metropolis of nearly 20 million people spread out over dozens of suburbs on both sides of the Nile River. The city of Cairo technically occupies the eastern bank of the river, while the city of Giza sits on the western bank. On Giza’s western edge, at the point where urban sprawl meets the edge of the Sahara Desert, lies the only remaining wonder of the ancient world – the Great Pyramid. And accompanying this remarkable monument at the same site are two additional kings pyramids and six queens pyramids. These we collectively know as the Pyramids of Giza, or often just “the Pyramids.”

The Pyramids of Giza are by far the most popular set of pyramids because they’re the largest and best preserved. However, there have been well over 100 other pyramids identified in Egypt as well, including more unique and older structures at sites like Saqqara, where the the Step Pyramid is located, and Dashur, where the Red Pyramid & the Bent Pyramid are located, both to the south of Giza.

Unless you’re staying in one of the few hotels within walking distance of the entrance to the Pyramids complex, such as the Mena House or Le Meridian, you’ll need to either take a taxi or Uber from your hotel or arrange for a private car and driver with a travel company or your hotel concierge. Taxis are cheap in Cairo, but you’ll need to haggle over a firm and fair price with the driver unless you get one of the newer taxis that are metered. Definitely try to find one of those first. However, a much better option these days is to just use Uber.

As you approach the entrance to the Pyramids complex, beware of the taxi jumpers and firmly – and aggressively, if necessary – shoo them away if they pounce. You should even tell the driver that you won’t be paying him if he doesn’t kick them out and continue on to the main gate immediately. These schiesters usually offer a kickback to the taxi driver if you go with them and rent one of their camels or horses, so sometimes the drivers will hesitate to kick them out of the car just to see if he can possibly collect your full fare plus get a commission from the taxi jumpers. But be insistent, and even rude if you have to be, and they’ll go away.

When you do make it to the complex entrance, you’ll need to first go to the ticket office and get a ticket to enter the site. If you’d like to go into the Great Pyramid, you’ll need to purchase an extra ticket for that at the same ticket office outside of the main entrance. Pyramid interior tickets are sold in limited numbers each day, so peak days during peak periods could see these extra tickets sold out during the morning. But don’t worry, just being in the complex and seeing everything from the exterior is incredible enough and more than worth the journey.

Some, including myself, even question whether it’s worth it to spend the extra time and money going into one of the pyramids, given that there’s nothing left in there at all – no wall art, no mummies, no treasures, nothing except an empty sarcophagus. But even still, there is a sort of coolness factor in being inside of a pyramid, so some may find it well worth it for the experience.

Don’t do it if you’re claustrophobic, though, as you’ll have to duck down and walk through some cramped spaces. And don’t do it if you’re in really bad physical shape either, as the climb up the interior  passageway can be hot, muggy, and exhausting.

Once the worker at the door tears your ticket for you and you pass through minimal security screening, you’ll be inside the compound and free to walk around for as long as you want. But once you’re in and as you’re walking over towards the structures, beware of the fake site workers that always “work” the area just inside the main gate.

Here’s their scam: they catch you as you’ve just entered, after you’ve had your ticket torn and passed through security, and they ask you for your ticket again. If you’re an unsuspecting tourist, you may pull it back out of your pocket and give it to them. Then, they’ll hold onto it as they walk with you a ways up and try to sell you on all kinds of “extra” services, like guiding, camel or horse rides, souvenirs, etc. They use all kinds of lines on tourists without regard for that time-honored concept of “the truth,” and many unprepared tourists fall for this trap and end up wasting tons of time and money with these schiesters.

For Pyramids visitors who have been warned about these guys just inside the gate, they’ll resist giving them or even showing them their ticket. The schiesters will keep asking for it and insist that they work there. They’ll pretend to be offended that you’re ignoring them and will demand that you show them your ticket because they “work there.”

Some of them may technically work there, not as ticket checkers but as site guides. However, you should definitely avoid hiring any of these guys as guides because the ones who pounce on and deceive tourists with the “show me your ticket” scam are the very bad ones. If you want a guide to walk you around the site, arrange for one in advance with a travel company or your hotel concierge, or accept the services of one that approaches you on site but who identifies himself as a guide and not using the “show me your ticket” scam.

Once you’re past this mini-gauntlet, you’re almost free to explore the site and enjoy its awe-inspiring majesty. I say almost because you’ll likely next be approached by a series of guys offering you camel rides, horseback rides, donkey rides, soft drinks, head dresses, and various other souvenirs for sale. Some of these guys can be persistent and annoying, like the camel guys who follow you for a while saying “You know how much?” or “I give you good price.” or “You come back later?”

It can actually be well worth it to take one of these guys up on their camel ride offer if you’re traveling independently. Just make sure you agree with them on the full price of the entire ride before getting on the camel and going off with them on a ride around the site. Then you’ll probably want to tip them a little on top of that too, but only a little extra. Don’t be tricked into paying significantly more under the guise of a tip.

They’ll lead you and your new camel friend around the base of the Pyramids and probably out a short ways into the edge of the desert from whence you’ll be able to take some great panoramic photos of the Pyramids, you in front of the Pyramids, and you on a camel in front of the Pyramids. Again, just make sure you’re clear on how much you’ll pay before you embark. If you don’t, they’ll always pretend that whatever you overpay them in the end is far, far below what they expect. Egypt is schiesterland, so make sure you’re prepared and in the right frame of mind for dealing with it at these major tourist sites and you’ll have a much better experience.

Take some time to roam around the complex on your own too. It’s amazing to just have some alone time with these monuments and take in their awesomeness from a number of spots and perspectives. Take plenty of photos, but again watch out for any of the locals there who offer to take photos for you or with you. They’re just looking for money and will likely demand some to give you your camera back.

If you’re visiting the site alone, it can be well worth it to have them take some good photos of you in front of the Pyramids for you, but just know that you’ll need to compensate them a little for doing it. This includes taking photos with them or their animals, even if they volunteer.

When you’re finally done at the Pyramids, you’ll want to head down towards the Sphinx, another amazing monument that sits at the same site as the Pyramids of Giza.

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The Valley of the Queens in the area of Luxor is a lesser visited royal necropolis in which various family members of several dynasties of pharaohs were laid to rest. As the name suggests, many queens were buried here in elaborate tombs befitting their status and wealth, but many princesses and even princes had dedicated tombs here as well.

One of the valley’s most famous eternal residents was Nefertari, the favorite wife of Ramses the Great. Nefertari was so beautiful and beloved by Ramses that he built a temple for her alongside the greatest temple he built for himself now at Abu Simbel. Her tomb in the Valley of the Queens is the most lavish and spectacular, although sadly it’s closed to the public due to its delicate condition. However, several other tombs are usually open at any given time, including usually those of Queen Titi, Prince Amunherkhepshef, and and Prince Khaemwaset.

In total there are roughly known 90 tombs in the greater vicinity of the Valley of the Queens, although as with most of Egypt they valley remains an active archaeological site and new discoveries are being made all the time.

I generally consider this site to be worth visiting if you are in Luxor at least one night and two days. I would not prioritize it over Valley of the Kings, Hapshetsut’s Temple, or Karnak Temple. But since all of those can be seen in one day, if you’re staying for more than one day then you should certainly consider adding the Valley of the Queens to your itinerary.

If you already have a car and driver with you on the east bank of the Nile where the main part of the town of Luxor is, you’ll have to drive about 20 minutes south to cross over the river on the main big bridge. But the easier way to get to the Valley of the Queens from downtown Luxor is to take a quick water taxi across the river and then grab a cab on the west bank to take you there. That’ll save you about 30-45 minutes of extra riding time and will be a lot cheaper if you’re going via taxi. And there’s always something very pleasant about crossing the Nile by boat, the same way Egyptians both royal and common have been doing for millennia.

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Despite its prominent name, Luxor Temple is actually the second most famous temple in Luxor behind the much larger and greater Temple of Karnak just down the road. However, Luxor Temple has several unique features of its own that merit a visit and some independent attention.

The first and most obvious aspect of Luxor Temple that you’ll notice when you arrive in Luxor is that it’s situated right in the middle of the town, making it by far the easiest and most convenient site in the area to explore. I actually resisted going inside Luxor Temple over the course of many visits to Luxor because I used to think that you could see all you needed to see of it from the outside during the course of riding to and from other sites and walking around town. But when I finally did go into Luxor Temple, I began including it as a must-see site while visiting the south of Egypt.

The oldest parts of Luxor Temple are over 3300 years old, dating to the reign of the pharaoh Amenhotep III. The temple was one of the few buildings that the boy king Tutankhamen was actually able to put his mark on as well, despite the brief nature of his reign and his early death. Other famous pharaohs also added onto Luxor Temple in their time, including Ramses the Great. Even Alexander the Great had a shrine built to honor him inside the temple complex, although it is unlikely that Alexander himself ever made it this far south during his time in Egypt.

The prominent mixing of cultures, empires, and religious traditions within Luxor Temple is one of this site’s very unique characteristics. While the original temple during ancient Egyptian times was associated with the gods Amun, Mut, and Khonsu as well as with the deification of the pharaohs themselves and it played a central role in the annual Opet Festival, the site later played host to both a church and a mosque that were built within its walls by later societies that came to rule Egypt. In fact the mosque still stands prominently within Luxor Temple and is utilized for worship by the town’s local population today.

The Romans also turned the temple into their headquarters after they took over Egypt from its Greco-Macedonian rulers upon the death and defeat of Cleopatra. While many of the Roman remnants have long since vanished, there still stands today a small chapel on the grounds built by the emperor Hadrian that was dedicated to the Roman god Sarapis.

One peculiar thing you’ll surely notice when you first walk up to Luxor Temple’s modern entrance is the random asymmetrical obelisk. This obelisk did originally have a sibling that stood with it at the entrance to the temple for thousands of years, but in 1832 the Ottoman ruler of Egypt, Muhammed Ali, gifted the right-hand obelisk to France, which promptly whisked the gigantic artifact off by barge to Paris where it is today prominently still on display as the centerpiece of the Place de la Concorde.

Much of Luxor Temple was covered with sand and debris for hundreds of years until the French Egyptologist Gaston Maspero began re-excavating the complex in the late 19th century. By the 1960s much of Luxor Temple had been reclaimed for preservation and display, but some adjacent parts of the original temple complex had since been built over and absorbed into the modern city of Luxor.

One such area was the Avenue of the Sphinxes, which laid buried beneath roads, shops, and houses in which modern Egyptians had built and lived their lives. Once discovered beneath the city in 2010, the Egyptian government had to relocate a good number of families who lived in the homes and apartments that had to be torn down in order to excavate the site. This yet again goes to show that much of Egypt is still an active archaeological site with countless ruins, artifacts, and treasures still undiscovered and teasing us from beneath the earth.

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5. Papyrus

Papyrus is the world’s earliest example of paper, made from reeds in the river Nile. Pieces of “papyrus” with painted scenes from the life of the pharaohs are often made from banana leaves. Real papyrus is resistant to bending and the production of the authentic papyrus can be seen at the Papyrus Institute of Aswan, Cairo and Luxor. You can buy there a range of souvenirs made of papyrus, from small postcards to beautiful works of art.

6. Alabaster

Alabaster “factories” are present all around Luxor, where the pink, orange, and purple-hued desert stone is carved into small decorative sculptures and vases. Alabaster is used to make statuettes and copies of antiques such as scarabs. The best places to buy alabaster are in the shops in Luxor and in the settlement of Gurna in the Theban necropolis. Products made of alabaster are the best Luxor souvenirs.

7. Carpets, rugs and tapestries

Egypt is famous for its handmade rugs. In Saqqara or Aswan, it is worth trying to look for a small rug or other weaving product with a wonderful African or oriental color. The carpets are most often made of camel wool. Camel wool is coated with lanolin (natural animal fat deposited on wool), which makes it allergy-friendly (does not attract dust and allergens) and does not quickly absorb dirt. Moreover, the strength of the camel wool fibers is 70% higher than that of Merino sheep.

8. Stylish chandeliers and lamps made of brass or metal

Do you want to have a real substitute for Egypt at home? Be sure to get a decorative lamp. Traditionally used during Ramadan, they give a beautiful light effect and bring a wonderfully cozy atmosphere to your home. Egyptian handmade lights are unique in every way and will add a distinctive sense of character and personality to every interior.
Why not purchase an original souvenir from Egypt!
 

9. Gold jewelry

Egypt has always been famous for gold since ancient times. The skin of the ancient gods was said to have been made of gold. Today, Egyptians continue to prize gold, as you can see, with the number of jewelers in each city. As you wander about the tourist markets you will come across many stores full of golden trinkets. Don’t forget to treat yourself whilst you’re there!

Walking through the streets of Egypt, you will quickly get the impression that everywhere is full of gold. Part of this is due to mentality – Egyptians consider gold investment the best form of capital investment, and Egyptian women, the most beautiful jewelry. Tourists are eagerly interested in Egyptian jewelry, because gold in this country is relatively cheap.

Gold jewelry that we will see in Egypt will be partially adapted to the tastes of European women – here we most often encounter 18-carat gold. However, there are also many shops in Egypt, which have goods that are similar to the Egyptians themselves. Here, gold has to be 21 carats, and the design will rarely be accepted by tourists. The prices of jewelry depend on the weight of the metal used in production and the cost of the labor. The price of the pure gold bar is officially published in the daily Egyptian Gazette.

In addition to gold, tourists eagerly buy silver pendants in the form of cartouches, on which their name is engraved upon request – the name is written in ancient hieroglyphs.

10. Kohl 

Kohl is a black powder stored in a tiny wooden, plastic or iron bottle. It functions as a black eye crayon and can also be used as a pencil for eyebrows. An additional advantage of the original kohl is that it closes the blood vessels of the eye, making the eyes appear whiter.

Get all the gifts & Egypt souvenirs you need from a local bazaar, but don’t forget to barter!

Your Inside Egypt team knows what else you should add to this list and will endeavor to help you in your search for the best souvenirs to get from Egypt.

Looking for a memorable vacation in a beautiful, colorful country? Check out our luxury Egypt tours and be a part of an unforgettable adventure!

Egypt’s Ministry of Tourism and Antiquities has said that the newly discovered mummies will eventually be put on display at the new Grand Egyptian Museum in Giza.

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The Step Pyramid of Djoser at the Sakkara necropolis south of Giza.
(Photo credit: Shutterstock)

The Step Pyramid of Djoser at Sakkara is one of the most unique pyramids in Egypt and the oldest pyramid still standing anywhere in the world. While most of the other famous pyramids nearby at Giza and Dashur have been generally open for the public to go inside of them to explore the narrow passageways and see the vast hollow burial chambers, the interior of the Step Pyramid at Sakkara has remained closed for the past 14 years as it underwent major restoration work to shore up its structural integrity.

A 5.9-magnitude earthquake in 1992 centered in Dashur caused significant damaged to the Step Pyramid’s interior and rendered the monument unstable. The government began a multi-year, USD 6-million renovation project at the site in 2006, but the tumult and fallout of the Arab Spring halted work in 2011 and 2012. Work resumed in 2013 and was finally completed this year, allowing the government to safely reopen the Step Pyramid of Djoser to the public.

The Step Pyramid is unique not only because it looks different than Egypt’s other pyramids, but because it represents an important transition in technique and style for Old Kingdom pharaonic burials. Previously, royal and noble burial monuments took the form of a rectangular mound called a mastaba. The two layers typical of these structures caused them to resemble a bench, hence their Arabic name of mastaba – or bench – in Arabic.

Under the direction of the Pharaoh Djoser’s famous adviser and architect, Imhotep, the Step Pyramid was the first royal burial monument to begin to take on a more pyramidal shape as the rectangular form was squared off and additional successively smaller layers were added to the top of the structure.

The monument dates to the 27th century BC during the Third Dynasty, which corresponds to the first dynasty of the Old Kingdom period, and was the central structure of a larger necropolis complex consisting of mortuary temples and additional tombs. The pyramid originally stood 62.5 meters (205 feet) tall, but interestingly it was not a perfect square, with its base measuring 109 meters by 121 meters (358 feet by 397 feet).

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The very first week after I moved to Egypt I met a guy named Sherif. I was walking around Tahrir Square in the center of Cairo with some friends, taking in the magical chaos of one of the largest cities in the world and getting accustomed to our new home for the next year. As we strolled along the street in front of the Egyptian Museum, a man approached us. His name was Sherif. He was famous, but we didn’t know it at the time.

Sherif was a true artist, of the con variety, but an artist nonetheless. He was skilled, crafty, and intelligent – a true genius. But he preyed on unsuspecting foreigners wandering around the streets outside of the Egyptian Museum like we were that lovely autumn day.

Sherif introduced himself and was quite a pleasant man. He spoke great English. He was intense but friendly. He seemed genuinely interested in who we were, where we were from, what the thought of Egypt so far, and what all we had seen. He thought we were just coming out of the museum, hence his eagerness to pounce.

Sherif said that he was an Egyptologist. Not just any Egyptologist, but the head of the “Papyrus Institute.” He explained that this research facility was involved in the study and interpretation of ancient Egyptian documents, as well as the restoration of ancient art and artifacts. He said that after 9/11, tourism to Egypt fell off sharply and that scientists like him had taken up tours, sales, and other means of side work to support their families.

Seemed legit. We were, after all, brand spanking new to Egypt and didn’t know any better. He could have said he was the heir to the Pharaonic throne and we’d probably have believed him. Even though we were living there now, we were only a week in, so for all practical purposes we were just tourists in terms of experience and gullibility.

The two friends I was with and moved to Egypt to study Egyptology, so they were eager to pepper Sherif with questions about his profession. Where had he studied? Where had he excavated? What materials did he use for his restoration work? I distinctly remember him uttering a quick reply of “uhh, plaster” to the last question and quickly changing the subject.

Sherif explained that the “Papyrus Institute” he headed was about to relocate to a new facility and that they were eager to downsize their collection, which could not be fully accommodated in the new facility. He offered to take us to see the institute’s storage facility, but first he insisted upon inviting us to tea.

He led us away from the open public areas of Tahrir Squre to the back alleys of a nearby neighborhood. As we meandered through the smaller streets of the hood, we tried to make conversation to mask our nervousness. It wasn’t a scared kind of nervousness, but more of a shy nervousness. After all, we were just out for an exploratory stroll, and now we were suddenly being invited to tea in a local area by an out-of-work Egyptologist. How strange yet cool.

Over tea Sherif got more and more anxious and energetic. He tried to avoid the conversations my friends wanted to have about the specifics of Egyptology and instead peppered us with more questions about where we were from and what we thought of Egypt so far.

Being from the southern United States, I was very unaccustomed to hot tea and opted for a cold soda instead. This seemed to be off-putting for Sherif, who passive-aggressively told my two mates all about how I was making a mistake by not drinking hot tea with them because the weather was so hot and I’d be hotter by drinking a cold beverage. It didn’t make sense then, and it still doesn’t today. But being Southern I was also polite and just smiled while sipping my delicious ice-cold Coca-Cola as we all dripped sweat even in the shade.

During the course of our conversation, Sherif mentioned that one of his sons was getting married the following week, and he insisted we come to the wedding as his guests. When we were done, Sherif also insisted on paying. The tab for three teas and one cola was only about twenty Egyptian pounds, but he wouldn’t let us even attempt to pay.

Sherif then walked us further into the hood to a back alley shop that was full of papyrus. There was papyrus on the walls, on tables, stacked on the floor in plastic sheaths, on tables in a second room. It was everywhere. It didn’t seem very institute-y, but it did seem like some sort of storage facility. As we browsed the hundreds of sheets at his insentience, he hovered and commented on each one we pulled out to look at.

After about 10 minutes, he began suggesting ones for us to take home, his voice becoming sterner and more commanding. We were polite for a while, commenting on the beauty of several nice pieces. But ultimately we were uninterested in shopping that afternoon and our disinterest began to show.

At this point, Sherif started becoming more desperate. Perhaps the thought of having spent a half-hour salivating over the potential spend of a fresh group of seemingly fresh tourists was too much for him and he began to crack.

“This piece. This piece is only twenty dollars, my friend. Twenty dollars is nothing to you, my friend. It is nothing.”

The pressure began to mount, both for Sherif and for us. He went around to each of us pressuring us to buy something.

“My friend, you can buy this one. This is one of a kind. Remember we are moving tomorrow. You will never have a chance to buy these pieces again. These prices are so cheap to you. This is nothing to you.”

After several minutes of being in the Egyptian pressure cooker, my friends and I looked at each other and mumbled some jokes under our breath, desperate to find a way to politely get out of this situation.

With Sherif’s continued hovering and whip-cracking, we finally cracked ourselves and agreed to buy one piece each. I can’t remember how much we paid, but it had to be around $15-20 per piece of papyrus.

After we paid, Sherif was as quick to usher us out the door as we were relieved to finally be released. When I asked Sherif how we were supposed to know where to go for his son’s wedding, he hurriedly muttered, “just email me at sherif at yahoo.com.”

I never tried the email to see if it was really him, but I’d bet twenty dollars and a piece of fake papyrus that it wasn’t.

That was my introduction to the highly advanced art of Egyptian tourist scams. Later throughout the year I’d often find myself strolling through Tahrir Square and occasionally I’d see Sherif intensely following a small group of tourists down the street and talking to them.

Sometimes I thought of approaching and warning them about his scam. But it seemed like it would be interfering with the natural process of a kill in the wild. Getting ripped off a little is a part of the experience of visiting Egypt. And Sherif is like a lion prowling the plains of Tahrir Square for unsuspecting American or English or German gazelles.

For the record, that same papyrus souvenir we bought for twenty dollars from “Doctor” Sherif can be acquired for a mere eighty cents from more honest salesmen outside of the museum’s exit gates.

You live and you learn, and the cycle of life – and tourism – continues.

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There have been quite a few recent developments about mummies in Egypt lately, including the largest discovery of mummies in over a century near Luxor, which was followed by the eruption of a minor a controversy over where those mummies will now be housed (national officials prefer the new Grand Egyptian Museum while local Luxor officials prefer them to be added to the Luxor Museum’s collection to boost interest in tourists also visiting that museum too).

In addition to those stories, Egypt Today is also reporting that most of the mummies of Egypt’s ancient pharaohs, currently housed in the downtown Egyptian Museum’s royal mummies room (which requires a more expensive extra ticket to enter once you’re inside of the museum and which most tour companies fail to include in tour packages), will be moved to the yet-to-be-completed National Museum of Egyptian Civilization in the southern Cairo neighbourhood of El Fustat in June 2020 instead of to the new billion-dollar Grand Egyptian Museum by the pyramids in Giza.

While this is indeed unexpected news, given that the Egyptian government has made a big deal about wanting Egypt’s most valuable and prized artifacts and collections to be housed together in the GEM, it is perhaps a smarter move and one that is better for Egypt’s economy and its tourism industry.

I have been opining for more than a decade that Egypt should spread out its artifact collections into several themed or topical museums rather than having all of them in one place and only charging a measly 10 US dollars for access. Up until now, everything has been housed in Egypt’s main national museum in Tahrir Square in central Cairo, with the expectation that the new Grand Egyptian Museum would become the replacement repository for all of the current museum’s collections.

However, I have long believed that Egypt should have a series of museums, such as a mummies museum, a royal treasures museum, a King Tut museum, a history and culture museum, etc., in order to encourage visitors to spend more time (and money) lingering in the capital and spreading out their visits over several days. Most visitors spend a maximum of three days in Cairo, often hitting the two most popular attractions – the pyramids and the main museum – in the first day days, and often times in the very same day before moving on to other areas of the country.

While plans very well could change, as they often do in Egypt, at least it seems now that the government is being smart about its still-in-development museum strategy and starting to spread some of its most famous museum attractions out over several facilities in different parts of the greater Cairo area.

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