Visiting Cairo in December 2024 was like stepping into a living postcard—one that’s frayed around the edges, layered with history, and slightly chaotic in the best (and worst) ways. I went for the pyramids, of course. Who wouldn’t? It’s one of those “bucket list” places that feels more myth than reality until you’re standing in the sand, craning your neck to take in the jagged geometry of the Giza Plateau.

Let’s start there: the Pyramids. Seeing them in person? Surreal. Walking up to these 4,000-year-old monuments, I kept thinking: these shouldn’t still be standing. But they are—stoic, monumental, and buzzing with tourists and camels. I even went inside one of them, a steep, narrow climb that’s not for the claustrophobic. It’s hot, and very crowded…(at least when I was there) , and somehow exhilarating. Knowing that you’re actually inside an ancient pyramid, one that you’ve seen movies about, read about in school, etc, is kind of mind-blowing. You emerge breathless—not just from the climb, but from the weight of time pressing down around you.

Then there’s Cairo’s souk—the famous Khan El-Khalili. It’s vibrant, loud, and filled with spices, lamps, jewelry, leather, and voices calling you to just take a look. I wandered through it for a while, haggled (badly), drank mint tea, and tried to not to get lost. Immersing myself in Egypt was easy. The culture is rich, the people are warm, and I actually found a vegan restaurant!

Another interesting spot was the National Museum of Egyptian Civilization, particularly the Royal Mummy Hall. It’s quiet, dimly lit, and honestly a little eerie—in the best way. Seeing the actual mummies of pharaohs you’ve read about in history class is both fascinating and humbling. These were real people—rulers, priests, queens—preserved for thousands of years and now resting behind glass, with names like Ramses II and Hatshepsut etched into the display. It’s not flashy, but it is powerful.

But—and it’s a big but—you have to be ready for the scams.

From the hotel lobby to the camel rides, tour guides, and even a couple of Uber drivers, scammers reigned supreme. Some are charming, some aggressive, but almost all of them are persistent. I’m guessing a lot of this is rooted in economic hardship, and it’s tough not to feel for people trying to make a living in a system that seems stacked against them. Still, when you’ve been promised one price and charged another for the fifth time in a day, or simply not got what you paid for, ……..it starts to wear on you.

That said, I’d still recommend Cairo to anyone with an adventurous spirit. Just go in with your eyes open. Set clear boundaries, bargain hard, and when in doubt, walk away. But go. The Pyramids alone are worth every ounce of hassle.

Just don’t waste your money on the Giza light show. It’s underwhelming, hard to hear, and oddly dated. Watch a YouTube video of it later if you’re curious.

As Shakespeare once wrote in All’s Well That Ends Well:

“The web of our life is of a mingled yarn, good and ill together.”

Cairo is just that—a mingled yarn. Ancient and modern, beautiful and broken, frustrating and unforgettable. And I wouldn’t trade the experience for anything……but seriously, skip the light show.

The web of our life is a mingled yarn, good and ill together.
-All´s Well That Ends Well