“Taxi meesta? Taxi meesta” is the chant that arose as I passed through Cairo airport. A wry smile crossed my face as I have flash backs to 40 years ago. Welcome back and nothing has really changed. Constant hassle and attempted extortion is still a way of life in Egypt. Cutting a swathe through the touts I negotiate a taxi to the pyramids. Starting price 1000 pounds, finall price 300 pounds and on arrival at Giza a further attempt, unsuccessful, by the driver to extract more money.
Strangely smoggy skies over Cairo have me wondering about the plan to break up my flight for a quick half day trip to the pyramids. I arrive at 8 am and walk up to the Giza plateau and literally have the place to myself. Not at all what I remember and it is both evocative and atmospheric. The clouds finally burn off and the kiss of morning sun lights up the yellow sandstone blocks of the pyramids and sphinx. I immerse myself in the peaceful beauty and wonder if post Covid had the Egyptian tourist industry taken that much of a beating?
When I was last here there was no ticket office and one could just drive up to the pyramids. Similarly the barrier to exclude tourists from the base of the sphinx is new.
At 9am I finally reach and turn around the Cheops pyramid to see the tourist buses disgorging passengers and almost instantly the place has become a veritable “zoo”. Clearly the tourist business is still alive and well. Nonetheless I manage to avoid the crowds successfully and collect some nice images in the process.
