In a departure from travel advice, John shares the history of the Rosetta Stone and story of the talented linguist whose rare genius was finally able to decipher the mysterious language of ancient … [Read More...] about The Man Who Deciphered the Rosetta Stone
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Latest “Egypt Travel Podcast” Episode
The Man Who Deciphered the Rosetta Stone
Latest Articles About Egypt
Egypt’s Ambitious Plans to Build Dozens of Modern New Cities
It’s not often that you hear of a country constructing brand new cities from the ground up, but Egypt plans to do precisely this in 45 different locations over the next several years. Such a project might sound overly ambitious, but the Egyptian government contends that it was necessary for the country’s rapidly increasing population, […]
Egypt Unveils 3,400-Year Old ‘Avenue of the Sphinxes’
After its discovery in the late 1940s and after several rounds of excavations and restorations since then, the ancient Avenue of the Sphinxes finally reopened to the public following a grandiose celebration on November 23, 2021 to mark the occasion. The 2.7-kilometer-long road, originally lined with hundreds of rams head sphinx statues on both sides stretching its entire length, connects the Temple of Karnak and the Temple of Luxor, two of the most important […]
EgyptAir launches first “official” direct flights to Tel Aviv
At the beginning of October of this year (2021), I saw headlines all over the travel news sphere lauding EgyptAir’s “first” flight to Tel Aviv and, given that TLV is the only commercial international airport in the entire country, to Israel too. However, amid the pages and pages of goole news search results all saying […]
New archaeological finds in Egypt continue to astonish
Important discoveries out of Egypt have again been flooding the global news as archaeologists continue to explore beneath the sands of the Saqqara necropolis near Cairo, which is home to temples, burial grounds, and pyramids of the once-mighty ancient empire. Over the last year, researchers have unearthed at least 210 sarcophagi not touched since their burial two millennia ago, including the coffin of Queen Neit, […]
More Unsealed Mummies Discovered at Saqqara
If you’ve ever wandered around the rocky grounds of the Saqqara royal necropolis, the site of the Pharaoh Djoser’s famous Step Pyramid just south of the most famous pyramids at Giza, you’ve likely walked above hundreds of undiscovered treasures, mummies, and noble tombs still hidden in the ground beneath your feet. Frequent readers of the […]
Step Pyramid Interior Reopens to the Public
The Step Pyramid of Djoser at Sakkara is one of the most unique pyramids in Egypt and the oldest pyramid still standing anywhere in the world. While most of the other famous pyramids nearby at Giza and Dashur have been generally open for the public to go inside of them to explore the narrow passageways […]
Mummies on the Move
There have been quite a few recent developments about mummies in Egypt lately, including the largest discovery of mummies in over a century near Luxor, which was followed by the eruption of a minor a controversy over where those mummies will now be housed (national officials prefer the new Grand Egyptian Museum while local Luxor […]
Beware! – Scams, Taboos, & Faux Pas
“Dr.” Sherif and the Great Papyrus “Institute” Scam
The very first week after I moved to Egypt I met a guy named Sherif. I was walking around Tahrir Square in the center of Cairo with some friends, … [Read More...] about “Dr.” Sherif and the Great Papyrus “Institute” Scam
All About Camels… and the Pyramids Camel Scam
What’s the first you think of when you think of Egypt? Pyramids. Ok. Yes. But what comes after that? CAMELS! Camels are awesome creatures. Most of … [Read More...] about All About Camels… and the Pyramids Camel Scam
What NOT to Wear in Egypt
Even the most liberal of Arab countries is pretty socially conservative by the standards of every other region of the world. Whether it be the "West," … [Read More...] about What NOT to Wear in Egypt
Cairo’s Chaotic Traffic
Visitors to Egypt have told me that they’ve seen equally chaotic traffic in places like India and China, but I’ve yet to witness an equivalent level … [Read More...] about Cairo’s Chaotic Traffic
Taking the Right Type of Taxi in Cairo & Giza
Cairo is one of the easiest cities in the world in which to hail a cab, as its crowded and chaotic streets are literally flooded with taxis. But there … [Read More...] about Taking the Right Type of Taxi in Cairo & Giza
The Super Aggressive “Taxi Jumpers” at the Giza Pyramids
Unlike Europe and North America, many developing countries are better experienced with the helping hand of an experienced travel company or tour … [Read More...] about The Super Aggressive “Taxi Jumpers” at the Giza Pyramids
Other Stuff We Stan
Common Misconceptions about Egypt: Fact vs. Fiction
I'm always amazed at how off people's conceptions of Egypt are sometimes. Whether it's in regards to ancient Egypt (which wasn't even called Egypt, by … [Read More...] about Common Misconceptions about Egypt: Fact vs. Fiction
Egypt marks Mawlid al-Nabi in the sweetest way
Egyptians love their sweets, and that's especially true when it comes to the holidays. Whether it's Ramadan, Coptic Christmas, or this year's Mawlid … [Read More...] about Egypt marks Mawlid al-Nabi in the sweetest way
Mummies on the Move
There have been quite a few recent developments about mummies in Egypt lately, including the largest discovery of mummies in over a century near … [Read More...] about Mummies on the Move
Pet Mummies
We all know that the ancient Egyptians mummified the dead bodies of their loved ones with elaborate rituals and scientific rigor, whether they were a … [Read More...] about Pet Mummies
Reflections on the Media and the Arab Spring in Egypt
When I was in Egypt in early January of 2011, only a few weeks before the outbreak of the Egyptian Revolution, everything seemed perfectly normal. The … [Read More...] about Reflections on the Media and the Arab Spring in Egypt
Fun Facts about the new Grand Egyptian Museum
When it is completed, the Grand Egyptian Museum just outside of Cairo on the Giza Plateau (and next door to the Pyramids) will not only be the new … [Read More...] about Fun Facts about the new Grand Egyptian Museum