CAIRO/THE PYRAMIDS (4/7/12)

CAIRO AND THE NILE RIVER

∙ GEOGRAPHY 101
          ∙ Land Mass/Continent: Africa
          ∙ About Cairo: Cairo is the capital of Egypt
          ∙ Estimated Population: 6.8 million in the city and 19.4 million in the metropolitan area; the largest city in Egypt, by far; the largest metropolitan area in Africa and the 16th largest in the world
          ∙ Distance From Home (San Diego, CA): 7,627 miles
          ∙ The Water That Got Us Here: None - we’re taking a 1-hour morning flight from Sharm el-Sheikh to Cairo

∙ ITS PLACE IN HISTORY/INTERESTING FACTS
          ∙ Local time: 
          ∙ A Center of the region’s political and cultural life

GIZA PYRAMIDS

          ∙ Cairo is associated with Ancient Egypt, due to its proximity to the ancient cities of Memphis, Giza and Fustat – only 15 miles from The Giza Necropolis (pyramids/sphinx)
          ∙ It suffers from high levels of pollution and traffic, but has a busy metro (the only one on the African continent)
          ∙ Its economy was ranked first in the Middle East

DEMONSTRATIONS AT CAIRO'S TAHRIR SQUARE 2/8/11

        ∙ Egyptian Revolution: A popular uprising began on 1/5/11, demanding the overthrow of Egyptian President Hosni Mubarak
               ∙ There have been 846 deaths and 6,000 injured in these clashes
               ∙ The uprising took place in Cairo, Alexandria and other Egyptian cities; Cairo was described as a “war zone”
                    ∙ On 2/11/11, President Mubarak fled to Sharm and resigned there, turning power over to the Armed Forces; he now faces trial for the murder of peaceful protestors and could face the death penalty, if convicted
                    ∙ Grievances focused on issues like police brutality, state of emergency laws (by which police powers are extended, the constitution is suspended and censorship is legalized), lack of free elections or free speech, corruption and economic issues
                    ∙ Go figure – the Egyptian people wanted freedom, justice, a responsive government, and a voice in the management of their country's resources -- who could blame them?!
                    ∙ In spite of recent elections, some protests have continued amid concerns the military will rule indefinitely; a Presidential election is scheduled for June, and political posters are seen all around the city
          ∙ Travel video:  http://www.youtube.com/user/THEWORLDOFTRAVEL#p/search/0/ZHs9Ff7hfQo

∙ CLIMATE
          ∙ Cairo has a desert climate, with high humidity due to the Nile river valley’s effects
          ∙ Average low for April: 58.3
          ∙ Average high for April: 82.9

∙ HIGHLIGHTS/THINGS TO SEE

THE GREAT SPHINX OF GIZA

           ∙ The Giza Necropolis: An archaeological site on the outskirts of Cairo, including the pyramids, sphinx, several cemeteries, a worker’s village and an industrial complex
                    ∙ The Pyramids of Giza: three pyramid complexes

THE GREAT PYRAMID OF GIZA

          ∙ The Great Pyramid of Giza is the oldest and largest of the three
          ∙ It is the oldest of the Seven Wonders of the Ancient World – and the only one still standing today
          ∙ It is believed to have been built as the tomb of Pharaoh Khufu
                    ∙ The Great Sphinx of Giza: a statue of a mythical creature with a lion’s body and a human head
                              ∙ It’s the largest of the monolith statue (consisting of a single massive stone or rock) in the world at 241 feet long, 20 feet wide and 66.34 feet high
                              ∙ It’s the oldest known monumental (large) sculpture, believed to have been built during the reign of the pharaoh Khafra during the Old Kingdom
          ∙ The Museum of Egyptian Antiquities (aka Egyptian Museum)

EGYPTIAN MUSEUM

           ∙ Cairo Citadel - sometimes considered a Wonder of the Medieval World
           ∙ Tahrir (Liberation) Square - the square at the heart of Cairo