Finding the Promised Land…in Egypt

Cairo was covered in a thick brown cloud of pollution. On the way to the hotel, our driver masterfully zoomed in and out of absolute chaos.

“The lane lines are just for decoration,” he laughed, just dodging a pedestrian crossing the highway.

Cars paid no mind to the chickens and sheep in the middle of major intersections. There was a constant hum of horns blaring. Michael and I just looked at each other and shrugged.

After swerving past a family of five on one motorcycle, the guide pointed to the left. Then my mind went quiet.

Poor quality but true picture of my first time seeing a pyramid.

This is what we came to see, but coming here was riddled with much internal conflict.

Planning a trip to Egypt involved research, anxiety, cold feet, and logistical nightmares. It felt a little risky to visit a country that was coming out of a recent period of political clashing, and a place that had controversy tied to it literally of biblical proportions, but we knew we’d be safe from our in-depth research and friends who’d also gone.

The night before we departed, a terrorist attacked occurred in Barcelona, putting all travelers on high alert. It would’ve been easy to let that rational fear keep us from this once-in-a-lifetime experience.

But we ended up going, and the next two days would make the anxiety worthwhile. Our guides from All Tours Egypt were the most friendly, patient and welcoming ambassadors for their country. They gave us the best possible experience.

No matter how long we stared at the pyramids, it was never enough time to comprehend them.

Pyramids of Giza

The Great Pyramid of Giza – the largest of the three and one of the only seven wonders of the ancient world that is still intact. Built with about 2,300,000 bricks, each weighing an average of 2.5 tons. It is, mysteriously, perfectly symmetrical. There are many other mindblowing and unexplainable facts and about this structure. Google it.

Distance view of the three main pyramids of Giza. They can be seen from space, and match perfectly with the three stars in the Orion belt. How did they do that (cough, cough…aliens?)? Though it looks smaller, the great pyramid is on the far left and is the largest of the three.

The barren desert landscape with the oldest pyramid in Egypt on the far right. It was constructed in 2630–2611 BC.

365 lamps for each day of the year at the exquisite Mosque of Mohammed Ali

Egypt is a majestic place. It obviously has some of the most significant historical artifacts and mysteries of the world, but that’s not the only thing that makes it worth visiting.

It is where many have sought out their promised land in a different place. Ironically, it is also where I found my own promised land. The people and the sites made me embrace life over fear, and that is the best version of the promised land I can imagine.

Go if you can.