Cairo, Egypt Photo Gallery

I think this is the Gulf of Agaba, where you can see Egypt, Israel, Jordan and Saudi Arabia.
New Administrative Capital (NAC) Central Business District of Egypt.
I took this photo from the plane. Our guide said that it's plans for a new development close to NAC.
The view from our hotel where you can also see the historic Mena Hotel that is being renovated at this time.
Brian at the Mena Hotel in front of the Great Pyramid. We could not believe our view from our hotel.
The 139, our favorite restaurant at the hotel. It's named 139 because the Great Pyramid is 139 meters in height.
The Great Pyramid was lit up 2 of the nights we were there. We heard later it was lit up because the weddings happening at the hotel had paid for the lighting.
Brian and I at The Mena Hotel with the Giza Pyramids behind us.
Towel animals at the Mena Hotel.
The beautiful and relaxing pool at the Mena Hotel.
Brian in front of the Great Pyramid built by Pharaoh Khufu.
Brian now standing on the Great Pyramid.
Brian getting ready to go in the Great Pyramid. He said it was tough on the knees and back and it was a good thing that I didn't go in.
Instead I walked around and took a picture of the 2nd Giza Pyramid and a camel.
Looking out at the Sahara Desert.
These are the Giza Pyramids, 9 altogether, 3 big ones for the pharoahs and 6 little ones for wives.
This is the third Giza Pyramid, built for King Menkaure and his 3 wives pyramids.
Gwen touching the top of the pyramid.
Now Brian poking the top of the pyramid.
Camel rides in the desert.
Great Sphinx of Giza and the 2nd Pyramid built for King Khafre, built shorter than the Great Pyramid, as was proper for a son to do, but sitting at a higher elevation to appear taller.
Brian and I in front of the Sphinx.
Another view of the Great Sphinx of Giza and the Great Pyramid in the background.
At our lunch place these women were showing us how they make the fresh pita bread. It was delicious!
Tombs in Saqqara.
In the tomb of Kagmni, vizier of King Teti, 6th Dynasty, you see scenes of normal life.
More scenes in the tomb.
The scenes were so detailed. See this guy is pouring water on the sand to make it hard and therefore easier to pull a heavy load.
Some of the colors remain. The whole tomb was painted, so you can imagine how colorful it would have been.
Pyramid of King Teti.
We both went in this pyramid and Brian is in the burial chamber.
Brian walking through one of the corridors where he had to duck down.
This man and his donkey in the Saqqara area.
Pyramid of Djoser, also called the Step Pyramid, the oldest complete stone building complex known in history.
The walls of the Step Pyramid-Large pits can be found within the Step Pyramid complex at Saqqara. It would have been ideal for storing grain. It could have been made by the Hebrew vizier Joseph who had many similarities to the vizier Imhotep who designed the Step Pyramid complex.
Looking out from the walls of the Step Pyramid at other pyramids. We didn't know Egypt had so many pyramids, 118 to be exact.
You can't drive a motorcycle like this in the United States.
These structures are for training pigeons. It's a big thing here in Cairo. They also raise pigeons to eat.
The Citadel is a medieval Islamic-era fortification built by Salah ad-Din.
Mohamed Ali Mosque in the Citadel.
A walkway at the mosque.
The lighting in the mosque.
The domes in the mosque.
A view of Cairo (the 6th most populated city in the world) from the Citadel.
Another view of Cairo from the Citadel.
The women you see are dressed in many different ways, but how can you see when all you have is a little slit.
The Egyptian Museum.
Statue of Ramses II who ruled Egypt for 66 years. He lived to be 90 years old, which was very old compared to life expectancy at that time.
Statue of King Djoser sitting in front of blue faience tiles symbolizing eternal paradise.
Statue of King Khatre, the builder of the 2nd pyramid at Giza.
The falcon god Horus behind his head spreads his wings to protect him and legitimate his royal status.
The symbol on the throne represents the unification of Upper & Lower Egypt-the lotus flower & the papyrus plant tied together.
Triads of King Menkaure, the goddess Hathor (on his right), and 3 different personifications of nomes of Egypt (on his left). There's such details in these statues!
A statuette of King Khufu, builder of the great Pyramid.
The seated scribe-which is represented on the 200 LE Egyptian money.
Seated statues of Rahotep, brother of King Khufu, & Nofret.
Look at her eyes, they look so realistic!
Sphinx of Amenemhat III
One of the pair of guards to King Tutankhamen's tomb. I saw King Tutankhamen's golden mask and 2 sarcophagi, which were amazing pieces of work in gold and many jewels, but we were not allowed to take photos.
This contains 4 jars which hold King Tutankhamen's organs after the mummification process.
King Tutankhamen's golden throne.
The sarcaphogis of Yuya or Thuya. It's a good substitute so you can imagine a much better one for King Tut.
Thuya's mummy.
A colossal statue depicting the royal couple, Amenhotep III and his wife Tiye.
Looking over the Nile River to Cairo skyline.
Where we had lunch down on the Nile River.
Great egret on the Nile River.
Look at all the satellite dishes on these buildings.
The Hanging Church, named because it was built suspended over other structures..
The belief is that this is where Joseph, Mary & Jesus came when they fled to Egypt.
Here's a stone with a map of their journey.
The entrance to the church, which is Saint Virgin Mary's Coptic Orthodox Church, one of the oldest churches in Egypt which dates back to the 3rd century.
A stained glass window in the church.
This cross is made out of camel bones.
The pulpit of the church, 6 pillars on each side to equal 12, the number of Jesus' apostles.
Another piece of art at the church.
Saints Sergius and Bacchus Church, also known as Abu Serga, in Coptic Cairo is one of the oldest Coptic Christian churches in Egypt, dating back to the 4th century.
This structure of alternating bricks and wood at Abu Serga has helped it stand against earthquakes.
The church was named after Sergius and Bacchus, both of whom were martyred at al-Resafa in Syria for their Christian beliefs.
Baptismal from the 4th century.
In the Church of Abu Serga.
The crypt where Mary, Joseph and the infant Jesus are said to have rested.
These are people's apartments along the highway. The road needed to be expanded, so they just cut off some rooms and now it looks very unfinished.
This is the route that people will go to the new Egyptian Museum so they are finishing the cut buildings off to make them look better.
After finishing the final touch, advertisements are placed on the buildings, which looks a whole lot better.
These are the Abu-Sir pyramids which is near Cairo and I saw on my flight from Aswan and the Nile River Cruise.
This is the National Museum of Egyptian Civilization seen from the airplane. They're doing a lot of work on the area to make it nicer.
The Citadel and Mohammed Ali Mosque from the airplane.
The soccer or futbol stadium in Cairo.
The National Museum of Egyptian Civilization.
A statue of King Thutmose III, one of the greatest warrior kings.
Intricate designs on a chariot.
The jewelry of Egypt.
More jewelry.
This was a night-time clock. It was filled with water, and as the level dropped you would know the time.
Cross from a Coptic church.
Torah and Torah cases.
This was used each year to carry the "Kiswa" covering of the holy Kaaba, which used to be made in Egypt.
This museum holds many mummies of Egyptian kings and queens, which cannot be photographed. These were costumes used in the special parade through town to bring the kings to this museum.
We had a sail on the Nile River in a boat similar to this one.
Brian on Nile River sail.
At the Khan al Khali Souk bazaar.
At the Khan al Khali Souk bazaar.
At the Khan al Khali Souk bazaar.
A coffee shop at the Khan al Khali Souk bazaar.
The lobby at the Hilton Heliopolis where the flowers were beautiful.
New flowers before we left.
Peacock at the Hilton.
Another peafowl.