18 Jul 2021
We started the day exploring the Egyptian Museum in Cairo. As there are not many signs in the museum, our guide Hamada explained to us the key artefacts. For instance, an important artefact is the Narmer Palette, which depicts the unification of Upper and Lower Egypt. Hamada explained the engravings very well, which gave me a richer understanding of the significance of the palette.
There are so many artefacts to see and with the crowds in the museum, Hamada was able to guide us to the main ones so that we would not miss out.
After spending about 3 hours in the museum, we went to Coptic Cairo and visited the Abu Serga church (Saints Sergius and Bacchus Church) and the Ben Ezra synagogue. We then visited the first mosque built in Cairo (Amr ibn al-As mosque), before heading to Islamic Cairo.
Walking within the massive enclosure of Islamic Cairo was amazing. Hamada skilfully guided us through the busy Khan El-khalili bazaar and explained various aspects of the ancient streets and complexes. He then took us for some great coffee at El Fishawy, which is a very popular spot for locals and tourists to meet for shisha and coffee/tea.
We really enjoyed our time in Egypt with Hamada. If you want a memorable experience in Egypt, you will have a great time with Hamada.