>>37083037Well, as a tourist, the culture and history may be fascinating, but present day Egypt is pretty hostile. We stayed in a hotel that was in a fenced in neighborhood to keep the locals out. Had to go through a security checkpoint with bomb sniffing dogs to enter the neighborhood, as well as another when we arrived at our hotel. While these are safety precautions, it definitely made me question my safety outside those walls.
What else? A few friends got sick (we think from ice at the hotel bar). The girls went shopping by themselves and store owners refused to help them or sell to them because they were girls. Some local man offered to help them but expected money for his services. A lot of people begging outside the walls.
Pyramids were awesome though. Given its a tourist trap, a lot of people there were friendlier. I'd say our experience at the pyramids was worth everything else, but... I honestly don't know if I can.
