All language subtitles for Rick Steves Europe Collection 1 05of12 Egypts Cairo 1080p

-Hey. I'm Rick Steves,
venturing beyond Europe,

to a land where there's
no shortage of serendipity.

We're in Egypt.

It's Cairo.
Thanks for joining us.

♪♪

♪♪

♪♪

♪♪

Cairo, straddling the Nile,

is the biggest city
in North Africa

and the biggest
in the Middle East.

It's the capital of Egypt

and one of the leading
cities in Islam.

With about 20 million people
in greater Cairo,

it's bursting at the seams
and pulsing with energy.

And this energy will carry us

to some of Cairo's
greatest sights

and most vibrant neighborhoods.

We'll explore the back streets
local style,

help chisel a tombstone,

greet the ancient Sphinx,

marvel at King Tut's gold,

drop in on a mosque...

-Buy one, two free today.
Cheapy-cheap.

-...haggle with a gauntlet
of eager merchants,

have dinner at home
with a family,

and marvel at the pyramids.

In the southeast
of the Mediterranean,

Egypt, 50% bigger than Texas,

gathers its 100 million
people mostly

along the Nile River.

We'll explore
its leading city, Cairo,

and finish
at the Pyramids of Giza.

Cairo is a fascinating clash
between traditional and modern,

religious and secular,
East and West.

While its chaos
can be exasperating,

it can also be
a rewarding challenge

for the adventurous traveler.

♪♪

Cairo's downtown is modern

[ Horns blaring ]
and can feel European.

Streets, squares,
and grand buildings

are reminders of the
country's colonial past

from the 19th
and early 20th centuries.

The riverfront throbs
with energy --

stately bridges busy
with traffic,

fancy riverside restaurants,

and towering
apartment complexes.

The Nile is still
the lifeblood of the city,

sprawling endlessly
on both sides.

The heart of Cairo
is Tahrir Square.

It's long been ground zero
for the people's spirit.

If there's a demonstration
going on --

and there have been massive
ones in recent years --

it's likely here.

In addition
to its political energy,

the city's long been
a religious capital.

♪♪

Ever since the forces of Islam
swept across North Africa

from Arabia,
in the 7th century,

spreading the teachings
of their Prophet Muhammad,

Cairo has been a leading
city of the Muslim world.

♪♪

And, today, Cairo's known

as the City
of a Thousand Minarets.

Stepping into Al-Hussein Mosque,
like any neighborhood mosque,

you'll find
a worshipful tranquility.

It's believed that resting here
invigorates the soul.

There's more intensity
around the adjacent shrine,

believed to contain
a sacred relic --

the head of Al-Husayn ibn Ali,

a grandson
of the prophet Muhammad.

In a mosque, men and women
worship separately.

As praying can be physical,
with lots of bending over,

it's considered more respectful
to allow women their own space.

I find that a respectful tourist

is welcome to be
a part of the scene.

♪♪

Along with minarets,
you'll see church spires,

especially in Cairo's
Coptic Quarter.

While Egypt is
predominantly Muslim,

today, about 10%
of the country is Christian.

The Egyptian, or Coptic, Church

actually predates Islam
by six centuries.

Because they worship
in an orthodox style,

stepping into a Coptic mass
is like going back in time.

The faithful believe that,

when Mary, Joseph,
and baby Jesus

escaped Herod
by fleeing to Egypt,

this very spot
is where they took refuge.

♪♪

Later, in 43 AD,

it's believed
the evangelist Mark

came to Egypt and established
the Coptic Church.

Mark was their first pope,
and the first

in an unbroken line
of Coptic popes,

stretching back
nearly 2,000 years.

-[ Chanting
in foreign language ]

-The Coptic Quarter comes
with high security.

Throughout Egypt,
travelers will notice

armed guards,

security barriers,

and a high-profile
police presence.

These are reminders of a pent-up
tension in Egyptian society.

They reveal the challenges
Egyptian democracy faces today.

While many modern Muslims

would prefer a separation
of mosque and state,

others believe Egypt
should be ruled in accordance

with a strict interpretation
of the Qur'an.

Religious fundamentalism
is a challenge here,

as it is in America.

Cairo is intense.

I love traveling here,

but I do it with safety
and sanity in mind.

While prices on the street
may be cheap,

if you want rich world comfort,
you'll pay rich world prices.

I sleep in an international-
class hotel.

It comes
with first-class security.

I hope the future
will be more relaxed,

but, for now, I splurge,
for the peace of mind.

♪♪

Cairo's mighty citadel,

capped by a dramatic
19th-century mosque,

is a reminder
that the need for security

is nothing new here.

For nearly 700 years,
this was the fortified home

of Egypt's rulers
and government.

Back in the 13th century,
it was one

of the most impressive
such fortifications of the age.

But buildings only partially
represent the story here.

The people you see
on the streets

are the living descendants
of one of the oldest,

and greatest,
civilizations in history.

The people of today's Egypt
represent the latest chapter

in a story that goes back
5,000 years.

Even if you don't understand

its long and complicated
history,

just observing how old
and new come together

is rewarding to the traveler.

Egypt's heritage goes back
twice as far as ancient Rome.

And ancient Egypt,
that's what draws the tourists.

♪♪

The iconic sights of Egypt,
4,000 or 5,000 years old,

are basically buildings
and art for dead people.

Back then, they believed
you could take it with you

and your big challenge --

to be sure your body
and your valuables

survived the journey
into the afterlife.

That's why, if you had
the power and the money,

you'd lock everything up
in a big tomb --

a pyramid.

These are the most famous,

the Pyramids of Giza.

♪♪

But the oldest pyramid
is actually nearby, at Saqqara,

the tomb of the king,
or pharaoh, named Zoser.

This structure,
which marked his tomb,

is a step pyramid.

Dating from around 2,600 BC,

it's a century older than its
more famous sisters at Giza.

This first-ever
towering stone structure

is more than just
a grave marker.

With an innovative stacking
of layers,

it provided a new way
to glorify a king,

creating a stairway to eternity.

♪♪

A visit to Cairo's
Egyptian Museum

helps bring the country's
many ancient sights to life.

Along with the
Grand Egyptian Museum at Giza,

this museum shows off
the best collection

of ancient Egyptian art
anywhere.

The core of the collection,

art from the age
of the pharaohs,

dates from about 3,000
to 1,000 BC.

Nearly everything filling
these old halls is funerary art,

art designed to help save
the souls of the pharaohs --

statues filled with symbolism,

written prayers,

and offerings
to deal with the gods

and help assure a happy
transition into the afterlife.

♪♪

This ancient art
is so well-preserved

because most of it was
hidden away for 4,000 years,

dark and dry, in tombs.

♪♪

This portrayal of geese,
from 2,500 BC,

is perhaps the oldest
surviving painting.

♪♪

This seated scribe

recalls the importance
of the educated elite

in the court of an often
illiterate king.

And this couple,
a husband and wife,

was also found in a tomb.

It's all art for the dead,

locked up until rediscovered
in modern times.

Many mummies patiently
await your visit.

Ancient Egyptians
preserved bodies

through a complex process
of mummification,

in hopes that the soul could
reinhabit it in the next world.

And the coffins
were elaborately painted

with an inventory of things
that, hopefully,

would accompany the body;

and with prayers,
to be sure all went as planned.

The art looks essentially the
same from century to century.

A remarkable thing
about ancient Egyptian art,

and society, as a whole,
was its stability.

For 2,000 years,
from 3,000 to 1,000 BC,

relative to other times
and other cultures,

very little changed.

♪♪

Religion permeated
Egyptian society.

As long as things were
going reasonably well,

the gods were happy
and it was status quo.

Every year,
the Nile would flood,

bringing water
and fertile silt to the land.

When the gods are happy,
the people have food,

and you don't change things.

And the pharaoh
was considered a god.

If your leader is a god,
you question nothing.

You obey the rules.

Things stay the same.

Akhenaten was the one exception

in a 2,000-year line
of conformist pharaohs.

Rather than the same
predictable, idealized features,

Akhenaten had his own
voluptuous looks,

from a strangely
curvaceous body

to big, sensuous lips.

Ruling around 1,400 BC,

he was considered
history's first monotheist.

Akhenaten replaced all the gods
of the Egyptian pantheon

with one all-powerful being,

the Sun god,

whom he called Aten.

In reliefs from the reign
of Akhenaten,

we see Aten, the Sun,
shining down on everything.

During the time of Akhenaten,

people were portrayed looser,
more intimately.

Casual family scenes?

Must be from the time
of Akhenaten.

♪♪

As always, I appreciate
the services of a guide,

so I'll understand the symbolism
and know what to look for.

So, we're joined by my friend
and fellow guide, Marwa Abbas.

She explained how lots

of ancient hieroglyphic writing
on papyrus survives,

and how it helps us
better understand

the mysteries of the pharaohs.

-Papyrus is made out of the stem
of the plant papyrus,

which is hammered and then,
it is woven

and then, we press it
in a pressing machine or stones

to get those beautiful papers.

These are the hieroglyphs,

one of the most ancient
written languages

because of which
we understood a lot

about the civilization
of ancient Egypt.

So, these are beautiful
paintings of the afterlife.

Even in the afterlife,

they were trying to bribe
the gods and deities

in order to help them
in the afterlife path.

Even here, in front
of the judge Osiris

is a big offering pile
of lotus, onions, oxen leg,

as well as breads
and vegetables.

-Anything to make the god happy.

-Anything to make him happy.

-The son of Akhenaten
was Tutankhamun,

perhaps the most famous pharaoh.

A highlight of the
museum's collection

is a section filled
with King Tut's treasures,

from his splendid coffin

to his jewelry.

This is exquisite.

-It is a beautiful piece
of the jewelry of Tutankhamun,

around the year 1300 BC,

made out of gold,
turquoise, lapis lazuli,

and you can see the beautiful
symbolism over here,

where you can see the scarab,
the sign of existence,

as well as the sun disc.

The cobra is wearing the crowns
of upper and lower Egypt

as well as the ankh,
symbol of life.

The ancient Egyptians used
to mummify their bodies

and also mummify their organs.

King Tutankhamun,
around the year 1,300 BC,

had his organs inside this
beautiful alabaster box,

and that was also inside
a wooden gilded beautiful box

that had the surroundings of the
four goddesses for protection.

So it was always
about the protection.

♪♪

-The mask of Tut
looks like his face

so his soul could recognize him
on his journey to the afterlife.

Placed over the head
of his mummy,

it was 24 pounds of gold,

with a cobra and a vulture
to symbolize

the united kingdom
of Upper and Lower Egypt,

which Tut proudly ruled.

♪♪

After the museum,

Cairo's characteristic
old quarter

is a colorful celebration
of today's Egypt.

Khan Al-Khalili is the
mega mall of medieval bazaars.

Six hundred years ago,
it was a caravanserai,

a stop on a caravan trade route.

Then. when the Ottoman Turks
took Egypt,

it became a bustling
Turkish bazaar.

Today it's a stop
for every tour group

and the merchants
are standing by...

-How are you? Ah!

How can I take your money?

-...eager to charm you
into a little shopping.

-Welcome,
just have a look here,

everything is free.

Welcome to Egypt.

-Today, 100% discount

because today my birthday.

-Buy one, two free today.
Cheapy-cheap.

-No money, no honey.
No cry!

-The hustlers can be
intense and annoying --

or fun,
depending on your approach.

-Hello, my friend!
-My friend!

-Hello!
Good morning.

-Dive in, with a sense of humor.

Bargaining is expected
in Egyptian markets;

treat it as a game.

Never feel sorry for --
or obligated to -- the merchant.

If you see something you like,
show some interest

and see how low
you can get the price.

-Here, your size.

-Maybe $5.

-Big size, for you.
-[ Laughing ]

-Give me $5.

Okay, okay.

♪♪

-I find that simply venturing
a few blocks away

from the tourist-
friendly bazaar --

suddenly, the tourists are gone

and I'm swallowed up
in a completely local scene.

Wandering through the
colorful market streets here

in Cairo's Islamic quarter,

you feel that it goes
on forever.

Three-wheeled tuk-tuks

[ Horn bleating ]
weave through the action.

I love to hop in one
for a quick joyride.

There's something
strangely graceful

about this chaotic dance

of careening vehicles,
merchants, and pedestrians.

♪♪

Exploring the Islamic quarter
creates a montage of memories.

It's a commotion of activity.

Everywhere you look,

something you've never
seen before

is happening.

Somehow, bikers balance
rustic racks of bread.

Craftsmen inscribe
marble tombstones

with verses
from the Holy Quran:

"The peaceful soul,
after a blessed life,

will finally rest in heaven."

With a little effort,
you'll find it can be easy

to become part of the scene.

♪♪

In this shop, a man spins
delicate strands of flour

that will become
a favorite local pastry,

kanafeh.

♪♪

The classic street food
here is koshary --

lentil, rice, pasta,
garlic, and tomato sauce,

all mixed together
into a quick and cheap treat.

♪♪

The distinctive clanging
stokes local appetites.

[ Clang, clang ]

[ Clang-clang ]

♪♪

And small bakeries

are steadily producing
hot balloons of pita bread,

destined to be filled
with falafel.

♪♪

Bread is subsidized
by the government,

to make life easier
for people struggling

to feed their families.

♪♪

Walking through neighborhoods
like this,

you gain an appreciation
for how just making ends meet

is a daily struggle for millions
in a teeming city like Cairo.

♪♪

I make a point to explore
a variety of neighborhoods.

♪♪

[ Horns blaring ]
Here in Egypt,

like almost anywhere,

there's a big gap
between rich and poor.

In the relative cool
of the evening,

the prosperous streets
of downtown are filled

with window shoppers
and thriving eateries --

clearly a world for Egypt's
more privileged class.

♪♪

And gated social clubs
in a place like Egypt

provide a refuge

where the wealthy can live
in a parallel world,

protected from the gritty
reality of the streets.

My friend Tarek, who runs
a successful tour company,

has invited me out
for the evening.

Tarek grew up as a member here.

He met his wife here

and today
their children enjoy

this privileged environment
almost daily.

♪♪

These clubs have something
for all generations --

birthday parties,

playgrounds,

competitive sports.

Adults can retreat
to the no-kids zone

to play a quiet game of croquet
with friends they've been

socializing here with
since childhood --

or just to watch
from the peaceful terrace.

We finish our evening just
down the street,

at Tarek's home,
joining his family for dinner.

How do you say -- in France,
you would say, "bon appétit" --

-Bon appétit, yeah.
-...in Arabic?

- Bailhana' walshifa'

- Bailhana' ...?
- Bailhana' walshifa'

- Bailhana' ...
- Bailhana' walshifa'

-That's very difficult.
Bon appétit.

-[ Laughs ]
-It's easier.

-I think so.

Mmm.

Heba, this is so beautiful.

Can you give me, please,

a tour of this
beautiful Egyptian meal?

-Sure.
This is moussaka;

this is stuffed vine leaves...

-Stuffed vine leaves.

-Okay, and this is okra
with tomato sauce.

-Okra?
Nice.

-Very delicious.

And this is Egyptian beef
with onion sauce.

And this is, of course, rice.
-Yep.

-This is rokak.
-Rokak?

-Yes.
-What is rokak?

-It's some kind of pastry

stuffed with mincemeat.
-And...

-This is tzatziki.
-Tzatziki!

So, we have moussaka...
-Yes, in common with us

and the Greeks.
-I was gonna say.

Moussaka, the stuffed
grape leaves, and tzatziki.

-Yeah.
-A Greek would say,

"that's my food" --
but it's Egyptian also?

-We cook it differently.

-Okay...

There we go.
Thank you.

So is it normal for children
to speak English and Egyptian?

-Actually, they're
in an international school.

-Yeah, and your kids go
to international school?

-Yes, American ones.

-Sometimes on Friday
or Thursday,

we watch, on the TV Netflix --
we choose an English movie.

-You can choose,

Egyptian or English?
-Yeah.

-Family movie!
-Yes, we call it family movie.

-Every Thursday night,
it's family movie.

-And Heba, what do you
wish for your daughters,

to be successful
and to be happy?

-Mm.

To have good faith,

good education as well,
to be open-minded...

-Uh-huh.

-Self-confident.
-Beautiful.

I think you're on the
right road. I think you're

on the right road.
-I hope so.

I hope so.

-That's lovely.
[ Laughs ]

-[ Chuckles ]

♪♪

-Cairo sprawls.

It's a jam-packed city
of over 20 million.

Massive blocks of apartment
flats spring up,

many violating building codes

to congest
the ever-growing suburbs.

Driving through
half an hour of this,

we finally reach the desert

and the sight that draws
most tourists to Egypt:

the Pyramids at Giza,

one of the most recognizable
scenes in all of tourism.

Towering before us are the tombs

of three great kings,
or pharaohs.

These monuments were built
to mark, and to protect,

the bodies of fabulously wealthy
and powerful pharaohs.

They spent a good part
of their lives,

and their kingdom's wealth,

building huge pyramids,
which served as lockers

for whatever they wanted
to take into the afterlife:

their bodies, their treasures --

even their favorite pets.

The pyramid
of the pharaoh Cheops

is the only survivor

of the Seven Wonders
of the Ancient World.

This grandest of all pyramids --
700 feet long on each side --

was built 2,500 years
before Christ.

♪♪

The neighboring pyramids
are likely those

of Cheops' son and grandson.

The smaller ones?

They're for the wives
and daughters.

♪♪

Experts guess that,

with 10,000 laborers
hard at work,

it took 20 years to build
the pyramid of Cheops.

According to my abacus,

that's 200,000 man-years
of hard labor.

Workers dragged over two million
huge stones up ramps,

eventually constructing
this 450-foot-high monument.

In their day,
the pyramids were encased

in a shiny limestone veneer.

I sure hope Cheops
was satisfied.

♪♪

Long, secret corridors,

originally blocked
by sliding stones,

lead to the tomb chamber,

deep in the center
of each pyramid.

Climbing this passage,
you marvel at the design

and the audacity of the project.

Finally,
reaching the burial room,

you're hit by the thought
that this was the most sacred

and precious chamber
in the ancient world --

silent for 4,000 years,

until the arrival of tourism.

This is it: the center
of this massive pyramid.

The pharaoh's mummy was put
in this stone sarcophagus.

The sarcophagus is bigger
than the passageway --

so this must've been
here first,

and then the pyramid
built around it.

This huge chamber was filled
with treasures.

A little shaft was designed
into the pyramid

to provide an escape passage
for the soul of the pharaoh.

For the pharaoh,
the most important treasure

was his soul,
which needed to be free

for the ascent to the afterlife.

♪♪

Back outside,
complementing the scene,

is the mysterious Sphinx.

As old as the pyramids,

it was carved out of a piece
of hard rock

that stuck above the
limestone plateau.

♪♪

With the body of a lion
and the head of a king, or god,

it came to symbolize
both strength and wisdom

as it faces east
and the rising Sun.

♪♪

The sphinx faces the promise
of the rising Sun,

and so does Cairo --

as Egypt's ancient story
continues to unfold.

Thanks for joining us.

I'm Rick Steves.

Until next time,
keep on travelin'.

-It's bursting with energy

and pulsing with vigor.

-[ Chuckle ]
That was good.

-So this must've been
here, first,

and then the pill--

pyramid -- [ Slap ]

built around it!

-You know it's better
if you don't look at him.

It's a little weird.
-[ Laughs ]

-It's like adoring gaze
kinda thing.

♪♪

♪♪

♪♪

♪♪