Welcome to
Aircairo-eg.com your introduction to Egypt
Egypt has long held a mythical
attraction to visitors from all over the world, it's history
and plethora of artefacts relating to a different era hold a
fascination to many. As you arrive in Egypt you will more
than likely be stepping off your plane straight into the
hustle and bustle of the fascinating city of Cairo. Cairo is
known by various monikers - the Jewel of the Orient, the
city of a thousand Minarets and the Melting pot of ancient
and modern Egyptian civilisations are just a few. This city
will engulf your entire visit should you let it with the
Antiquities museum where King Tut's earthly goods are
stored, the huge Citadel, the various bazaars of which Khan
Al-Khalili is a must see and of course the Saqqara Pyramids
at Giza, just outside the city. Cairo fits the description
of a city with millions of inhabitants; it is noisy, busy,
polluted and intriguing all at the same time. For some it
can take some time to acclimatise to the unabashed chaos you
will have stepped into. Leave the driving to the taxi
drivers, who will try to to rip you off and don't be put off
by the fact that the car would not pass a basic safety/road
test in most other countries. Alternatively hire a driver
and car for your stay. Unless you wish to take your life in
your own hands, driving yourself is NOT recommended.
Although Cairo offers a multitude of ways to spend a day,
from exploring the old Islamic city to sitting in a cafe,
sipping tea and smoking Shisha, when planning a visit to
Egypt you must try and make time for (amongst others) the
likes of Alexandria, Luxor, Giza and Sharm El Sheikh for the
divers amongst you, in order to truly experience Egypt.
Thank you for visiting our
site, I am sure that you will be able to find everything you
might need in order to research and plan a trip to the
country that is effectively a huge World Heritage Site.
Click around and explore Egypt before you get there. Wherever
you are travelling, don't forget a camera, as the pictures
are your memories for a lifetime.
Most ancient
Egyptians were farmers tied to the land. Their dwellings
were restricted to immediate family members, and were
constructed of mud-brick designed to remain cool in the heat
of the day. Each home had a kitchen with an open roof, which
contained a grindstone for milling flour and a small oven
for baking bread. Walls were painted white and could be
covered with dyed linen wall hangings. Floors were covered
with reed mats, while wooden stools, beds raised from the
floor and individual tables comprised the furniture.
The ancient Egyptians placed a great value on hygiene and
appearance. Most bathed in the Nile and used a pasty soap
made from animal fat and chalk. Men shaved their entire
bodies for cleanliness, and aromatic perfumes and ointments
covered bad odours and soothed skin. Clothing was made from
simple linen sheets that were bleached white, and both men
and women of the upper classes wore wigs, jewellery, and
cosmetics. Children went without clothing until maturity, at
about age 12, and at this age males were circumcised and had
their heads shaved. Mothers were responsible for taking care
of the children, while the father provided the family's
income.
The staple diet consisted of bread and beer, supplemented
with vegetables such as onions and garlic, and fruit such as
dates and figs. Wine and meat were enjoyed by all on feast
days while the upper classes indulged on a more regular
basis. Fish, meat, and fowl could be salted or dried, and
could be cooked in stews or roasted on a grill. Music and
dance were popular entertainments for those who could afford
them. Early instruments included flutes and harps, while
instruments similar to trumpets, oboes, and pipes developed
later and became popular. In the New Kingdom, the Egyptians
played on bells, cymbals, tambourines, and drums and
imported lutes and lyres from Asia. The sistrum was a
rattle-like musical instrument that was especially important
in religious ceremonies.
The ancient Egyptians enjoyed a variety of leisure
activities, including games and music. Senet, a board game
where pieces moved according to random chance, was
particularly popular from the earliest times; another
similar game was mehen, which had a circular gaming board.
Juggling and ball games were popular with children, and
wrestling is also documented in a tomb at Beni Hasan. The
wealthy members of ancient Egyptian society enjoyed hunting
and boating as well.
The excavation of the workers village of Deir el-Madinah
has resulted in one of the most thoroughly documented
accounts of community life in the ancient world that spans
almost four hundred years. There is no comparable site in
which the organisation, social interactions, working and
living conditions of a community can be studied in such
detail - adapted from Wikipedia
