Cairo (Giza) - Gazing at the Great Pyramids & The Sphinx

The Great Pyramids ... One of the Seven wonders of the Ancient world, the oldest and the only surviving wonder preserved till date, facing storms of winds, time and eras of history - who wouldn't have known them and thought about them so it was a dream come true when I got the unplanned opportunity to visit Cairo en-route my stay at Toronto. I was always fascinated by how the Great Pyramids came to be, how they were built in an era when the technology & machines weren't as advanced and what was the vision behind creating one of the most iconic piece of architecture in human history both in terms of magnanimity and opulence.

 The Historical aspect takes us back to the Egyptian Empire where the pyramids were built for the Kings called as Pharaohs and their queens across the old & the new kingdom. There are eight pyramids that are well known and the best preserved of them are the ones in Giza, built for pharaoh Khufu, his wife and his brother.

It was early September 2018 when I landed in Cairo and almost everyone in the airport tried to sell me a tour of the Pyramids, but the solo backpacker that I'm, I was sure I wanted to do it on my own , with a small twist though. I was in touch with a Couchsurfing friend and she volunteered to be my guide in Cairo and honestly, it couldn't be more thrilling than that. Asmaa was a student of Egyptian tourism, perky and cheerful and as soon as I came out of the airport she called me and sent me the exact location to reach the pyramids. I took an Uber from the airport and followed her directions and as my car was nearing the Holiday Inn at El Giza, from a distance, I could see the mammoth structures, beckoning me with an instant yet strong attraction as if this was something I wanted to visit for ages. After getting my entry ticket for the Pyramids Asmaa was waiting for me at the base platform from where we started walking towards the endearing pyramids. As I looked up to the pinnacle of the largest one of the three in the complex, I couldn't help but wonder on the architectural marvel this was, given the fact that it was still intact, for most parts and well preserved across centuries, witnessing the rise and fall of the glorious Egyptian empire.

Though most of the facade is now eroded by the forces of nature, Khufu's Pyramid still stands tall at 455 ft, each base side is about 790 ft long and the mass is approximately 5.9 million tonnes. Therefore, it becomes impossible to not think about how such a structure got built and how the entire place was designed by the ancient Egyptians. The pyramid remained the tallest man-made structure in the world for over 3,800 years, unsurpassed until the 160-meter-tall (520 ft) spire of Lincoln Cathedral was completed in 1300. The structure is made of limestone with steps cut in between for the tourists to scale some of it to understand the complexity of structure and also to enjoy the view of Old Cairo city from there. Asmaa and I went up and clicked a lot of fun pictures, while still in awe of Egyptian architecture and history as she kept me abreast with all the information from her Tourism course which greatly help us appreciate the predecessors of human evolutionary history. 

We then took a walk to the other end of the complex where we could see the Sphinx from a distance and started walking towards the vast plain of desert to witness another Egyptian marvel. The Great Sphinx at Giza, near Cairo, is probably the most famous sculpture in the world. With a lion's body and a human head, it represents Ra-Horakhty, a form of the powerful sun god, and is the incarnation of royal power and the protector of the temple doors. The Great Sphinx of Giza is a giant 4,500-year-old limestone statue situated near the Great Pyramid in Giza, Egypt.

As we reached the Sphinx, I was immediately in complete awe and surrender of its beauty and grandeur. Measuring 240 feet (73 meters) long and 66 feet (20 meters) high, the Great Sphinx is one of the world’s largest monuments. It is also one of the most recognizable relics of the ancient Egyptians. near the Sphinx are small, closed chambers where the workers and artisans lived while the construction was in full swing, Asmaa told me. As we were gleefully clicking pictures and looking at the finer details of the place, Salma joined us. She was Asmaa's friend and was excited to meet a solo woman traveler from India. Salma greeted me with rare enthusiasm, offered me a local drink that she carried with her for me and went on to describe the story of the Pyramids and Sphinx.

It was 3 PM in the afternoon and I still had ten more hours in the city so both Asmaa and Salma took me to Cairo Downtown for a sumptuous lunch of Koshary and Shawarma along with some Simit. Koshary is a uniquely Egyptian dish that is made of a mixture of rice, macaroni or spaghetti, lentils and chickpeas, covered with a spicy tomato sauce. Simit is sesame-covered bread that looks like a cross between a bagel and a pretzel and has a soft, fluffy interior. Shawarma is pita bread filled with spicy chicken and pickles and all this is served with Egyptian Tea. The food is tasty, served fresh and is high in healthy components both my companions told me.

Our next spot was the Egyptian Museum of Antiquities. We reached there after taking a local bus and the subway ride as I wanted to experience the local travel of Cairo. The driving in Cairo is not for the faint-hearted as people literally don't follow the traffic rules. They cut lanes and swear at each other, well it was fun for me but driving is not recommended for first time travelers. It has close to 120,000 items, mostly in store rooms and a representative amount on display, showcasing the splendor of Egyptian History and Power.  What I didn't like about it so much was that there were not many explanations inside and so I was lucky to be there with Asmaa and Salma, my local Couchsurfing friends who could explain the details of the artifacts. We spent about two hours in there, carefully examining the idols of the pharaohs and their queens, the sculptures depicting deities and animals, tools, jewelry and household items, looking at ornate tombs and limestone cutouts. We were like three kids in a candy store and I felt the inner historian in me appreciated the genius of our fore-fathers.

We came out of the Museum at about five and Salma very graciously offered to host me at her home for dinner as her family also wanted to meet me. For them it was rare that a solo female traveler from India has come all by herself into their city to explore Egyptian wonders and I gleefully accepted as I looked forward to see the hospitality of people in Cairo.

Her family welcomed me by serving Turkish Coffee, an Egyptian specialty along with some cinnamon buns, another Turkish delicacy. They shared with me their experiences as a traveler across Egypt and told me to plan a visit to Alexandria, Luxor and Aswan to truly enjoy what the Nile valley has to offer. They shared a warm, home cooked dinner and a heart full of love and generosity. We chatted after dinner over simmering cups of fennel seeds tea and some Baklawa and for a few hours I completely forgot that I'm all alone in the land of Nile and the fact that it was my first visit to Cairo. I felt at home and felt for the familiarity that the traveler in me aches for - the familiarity that breeds with the realization that its is our collective history as humans that has the power to alleviate us and unite us as the mightiest power in the universe - the sisterhood of travels!

Suffice to say, Cairo remains as fresh in my memory as the freshly brewed black coffee I have every morning, knowing there are people in that city I can call friends and that is the most precious collectible from a journey for any traveler - meeting new people and connecting with them.

How to reach The Great Pyramids 

Regular Flights to Cairo and then a 45 minute Taxi ride to El Giza

Must Try Foods

Koshary, Shawarma, Falafel, Fennel Tea, Turkish Coffee and Cinnamon Buns

Total Cost of this Trip (Excluding Flights)

 3500 - 4000  INR

Egypt Visa - 1900 INR

Best time to Visit Cairo

September - March

Chaul - the charm of Temples, Ruins and Beaches

When my then best friend and now my partner for life suggested we go to Chaul to escape a rather bad work week in Mumbai, I was not exactly excited to say the least. It was a terrible time at office and this was a long weekend and I could certainly do away with going someplace new and full of nature and even though I'm pretty well versed with Maharashtra's terrain, had never heard of this place.

The Gateway has always fascinated me as if it teleports me to the era where traders from the medieval times used to come to port Bombay for trading and also to enter Indian economic capital. When I came to know that to reach Chaul, we had to take an hour of ferry ride and then some driving across small and narrow roads of small towns and vast patches of green fields, I was looking forward to the much needed break.

We started at about 9 in the morning from Mumbai’s Gateway of India where there was a huge queue to get into the ferry. Luckily we had the tickets already for the AC room which was small, compact yet comfortable as it was very hot and humid in April. As soon as the ferry started I almost zoned out as if my mind found peace at last from the maddening, rushing life and I woke up with a thud when my partner told me the ferry is about to arrive at Mandwa port (Yea the same Mandwa which is the plot for the very famous AB movie called Agnipath). I looked around and what was in front of me was a small port harbor with two bridges, one that was old and ruined completely and the new bridge that took us out to the main road where a number of buses and autos were waiting to take us to our destination. We decided to take a local auto ride till our hotel, The Fern Silvanus in Chaul and it took us almost an hour to reach there as we crossed bustling small towns, lotus ponds, green paddy fields and small hills all along the beautiful ride.

The Fern Silvanus is a nice, little cottage style premise which is located on the top of a secluded hill, adorned with a small pool, lush green shrubs and trees all over, accessible via a small village road, surrounded by houses on both the sides and a small patch of dense forest at the base of the hill. As I stepped out I knew this place had a calming effect on us immediately.

‘Why Chaul?’ I asked. He replied wait till we go out in the evening. Since it was only noon and very hot outside, I started walking in the lawns of the property, looking at the blooming spring flowers and sprawling greenery and the beauty of it all.

In the evening at 5 PM we took a brisk hike down the trail of forest laden hill, blanketed by tall trees on both ends, protecting us from heat and Sun alike, towards the main road to catch another auto for Paradise beach, a local beach, mainly patronized by the residents so we thought it would be less crowded. While on our way, I saw a lot of ruins and that’s when my interest in the place grew manifolds. Paradise beach was true to its name. The black-grey sands, a typical of the Western Ghats on the Konkan belt welcomed us with white waves and froth and to our delight very few people were there, strung far away from each other and the beach had a helm line of tall coconut and palm trees all along its periphery. It was a very peaceful and romantic evening in nature after months.  As we were sipping on the fresh coconut water, our vendor told us about the rich cultural history of the place.

Chaul was a part of the Portuguese province in the 14^th century, which is now in shambles. In many parts of the nearby villages we could see that influence of Portuguese architecture and they have an old fort where the battle of Chaul was fought where Gujarat rulers vanquished the Portuguese in 1508.

Next morning we started for the very famous and highly recommended Dutta Mandir at 7 AM, before the Sun came up and it got hot. The temple is located on the top of a steep hill and the only way to reach the top is to climb the 1500 concrete steps, which also gives you the access to witness some of the most breath-taking views of the entire village, nearby valley and the sea on the other end. On one end you could see the vast valley and the forest covers till the very end of the horizon, on another you could see trails of small villages, the pale sea bordering the clear skies along with lush green paddy fields. 

We took almost 40 minutes to reach the top and I was exhausted by then however one look at the panoramic view and all my fatigue were replaced with bliss, happiness and deep sense of relaxation. We sat at the view point for almost 15-20 minutes, just soaking in the beauty and simply talking to each other. Getting down was pretty fun. I was stepping and skipping stairs and by the time we came down, a few local women had set up small stalls selling flowers and tea. We savored tea and came back to our hotel to freshen up.

In the following evening we decided to stop at another remarkable temple on our way to Paradise beach again. The Sri Rameshwar Mandir caught our attention as it oozed with the typical Maharashtrian style architecture with a large pond surrounding the main entrance. As we went inside the priest told us that the style of architecture is very common in Maharashtra and is called the Hemadpanthi style, popularized by small scale, built without any binding between the stones which have been cut to specific shape, uses locally found stones, A pillared Nandi mantapa, at the centre and Mandapa having balustrade entrances on three sides, held aloft by four ornamented pillars. True to its external beauty, we were fascinated with the ornamentally designed interiors of the temple as well. The temple is 275 years old and looks every bit regal and beautiful the priest told us. We sat there, clicking pictures and soaking in our rich yet forgotten cultural heritage before walking towards the beach.

The last evening at Chaul was full of ethnic fish curry, lal math ki sabzi, nachni bhakri and dal rice with traditional steamed modaks for dessert. Little did I know when I started for Chaul that I’d encounter such serenity and beauty along with peace.

As we were walking up the steep hill path, in absolute peace and silence, holding hands, the lights of our hotel twinkling like stars, I looked at everything around and beside me and remembered these lines by Martin Buber – “All journeys have secret destinations of which the traveler is unaware.”

Ways to Reach Chaul :

Ferry from Gateway to Mandwa port

Tuk-Tuk, Auto, Bus ride to Chaul Village

What to eat:

Try Local Maharashtrian Fish Thali at Nivaant

Best time to Visit

October to April