facts will change your plans about Egypt
Egypt

5 FACTS WILL CHANGE YOUR PLANS ABOUT EGYPT

Visiting Egypt is like a dream to every traveler. Egypt indeed deserves visiting, to enjoy the sun, the beach, the pyramids and much more. However, there are many concepts that make visiting Egypt is like a gambling. I came from Egypt and lived in Cairo (the capital of Egypt) for more than 20 years. I will try in this article to answer the most common questions about visiting Egypt.

Dress code

Generally, Egypt is a Muslim conservative country. Cairo is the most crowded city. Most of the people in Cairo are a medium and low socio-economic class. Most of the female citizens are wearing a long dress and cover up hair by scarf ‘Hijab’. However, the options are more flexible for the tourists. Covering your hair is not mandatory. People in Egypt understand the cultural difference very well, so yes, tourists can show up in short, sleeveless dress. On the beaches, you will find some Egyptian women in a swimsuit too.

Food

The Egyptian cuisine is tasty and cooked well. easily you can find the international and fast food restaurants everywhere. Definitely, you must try the different Egyptian dishes. My favorite is ‘Koshari‘, which is a mix of rice, pasta, and lentil with onion rings and tomato sauce. A common tradition in Egypt is to eat 2 dishes of Koshari not only one. ‘Molokhia’ is a cooked green leaves and looks like a green soup, it is very tasty. Don’t miss the Egyptian bread with Molokhia. The mashed fava beans and the well-known Egyptian Falafel are essential in the traditional Egyptian breakfast.

Koshari (free license photo from yahoo search engine)
Koshari (free license photo from yahoo search engine)

The Weather

Egypt is an African country, so don’t expect a friendly sun. The sun is really hot most of the year, but it is nice and warm in the winter. The cold months are December and January, less cold in November and February. It never snows in Egypt, except parts of Sinai and Saint Catherine’s mountain. Red sea-coast is more hot and moist than the north coast. The weather is very hot in the southern part of Egypt especially Luxor and Aswan (where you can find most of the temples and Pharaonic monuments). But the winter is sunny and warm. April and May are stormy at most of the Egyptian cities. In brief, the best time to visit Cairo is February and November. July and August for the north coast, December and January for Luxor and Aswan.

Safety Concern

Maybe you will not believe me, but Egypt is safe, and one of the safest countries all over the world. However, you should be keen to avoid the over-crowded and dangerous areas. Better to stay near to your tour guide if you are visiting crowded or local areas. Most of the Egyptian cities are alive 24/7. You can go out and roam in the streets freely at any time of the day. However, it is wise to make your walk in the main streets.

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Konafa (free license photo from yahoo search engine)



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Ramadan

Ramadan is the Muslim’s holy month. Muslims fast from sunrise to sunset. The streets, touristic areas, and beaches are almost abandoned. That is not the only reason you should visit Egypt during the month of Ramadan. Most important, life starts after the sunset till sunrise. All stores are open till very late hours. Special kinds of desserts are common in Ramadan, such as ‘Konafa’ and ‘Qataif’. In Ramadan nights you can attend many cultural cafés, we call it Ramadan’s tent, where you can enjoy food and non-alcoholic drinks, served with music, songs, and dancing. Most of the restaurants are open during the morning time, however, please don’t eat or drink in public areas. Next Ramadan will start on May 6, 2019.

Hello, My name is Yahya. I am 39 years old and soon will be 40. I was born and lived in the historic city of Cairo, Egypt. I Work as a doctor; cardiologist. Traveling is my passion. I am proud to be the owner and creator of Traveler78 website. If you like the material on my website, please subscribe to my website and share it with your friends. Also, you can follow me on your favorite social network. For further information, please contact me either in the comments or via E-mail.

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