EversinceHerodotus2,theancientGreekhistorianandtraveler,firstdescribedEgyptas“thegiftoftheNile3”,shehasbeencapturingtheimaginationofallwhovisither.
Theawe-inspiringmonuments,leftbythePharaohs,GreeksandRomansaswellasbytheearlyChristiansandMuslims,attractthousandsofvisitorseveryyear—butthepyramids,temples,tombs,monasteriesandmosquesarejustpartofthiscountry’sfascination.
ModernEgypt—wheremud-brickvillagesstandbesidePharaonicruinssurroundedbytoweringsteel,stoneandglassbuildings—isattheculturalcrossroadsofEastandWest,ancientandmodern.WhileTVantennaedecoraterooftopseverywhere,fromthecrowdedapartmentblocksofCairotothemudhomesoffarmingvillagesandthegoatskintentsoftheBedouins4,thefellahinthroughouttheNile’sfertilevalleystilltendtheirfieldswiththearchaictoolsoftheirancestors.
Inthegargantuan5cityofCairothesoundofthemuezzin6summoningthefaithfultoprayercompeteswiththepopmusicofghettoblasters7andthescreechofcarhorns.Andeverywheretherearepeople:swathedinlongflowingrobesorwestern-styleclothes,hangingfrombuses,weavingthroughanobstaclecourseofanimalsandexhaust-spewingtrafficorspillingfromhivelikebuildings.
Spectacularedificesaside,theattractionofthiscountryliesinitsincrediblenaturalbeautyandintheoverwhelminghospitalityoftheEgyptianpeople.
ThrougheverythingtheNileRiverflowssereneandmajestic,thelifebloodofEgyptasithasbeensincethebeginningofhistory.
