Egypt 27 years later

After 27 years, in March ’08 my wife and I went back to Egypt; we went on the Grand Circle Travel trip “Ancient Egypt & the Nile River.” BIG difference 27 years later!

In 1981 there were very few tourists; we had the country to ourselves. Not this time. Everywhere we went we faced hordes of people, mostly Europeans (from Spain, France and Italy), Brits and Japanese. While Egypt is not real expensive, the euro, yen and pound go a lot further than the dollar.

Every destination was jammed with people plus buses by the dozens. The huge crowds made photography difficult. Although we did not go down to Abu Simbel, those who did complained about there being shoving and pushing without any real control.

Every sight had fences around it and required an entrance fee. There was none of that back in 1981.

The pyramids, the temples at Luxor and Karnak and all other temples were in much better shape on this trip than in 1981. They were very well developed and there was much much more to see. The restorations and diggings are ongoing, so every time you return there will be more to take in.

The Egyptian Museum, too, was much more crowded than before but still dreary inside — but what a collection! It’s worth every moment. They are constructing a new building near the pyramids, so that should be a plus in a couple of years.

The souvenir sellers inundate every site, but it’s part of the experience. And traffic, as in most of the world, has gotten much heavier, so be careful walking.

We stayed at the same hotel as in 1981, the Cairo Marriott, and it was outstanding!

Regardless of the changes, we were happy to have been able to return to Egypt. It may not be as provincial as it was in 1981, but it was still worth every moment.

LEWIS SIEGEL

West Bloomfield, MI