Ancient Egypt: Travels Beyond the Grave - The Wise World Traveler: Becoming a Part of All that You Meet - page 184

13. Ancient Egypt: Travels Beyond the Grave
That undiscovered country from whose bourn no traveler returns
— Hamlet
Most travelers venturing to Egypt travel to see memorials to an ancient past. Disappointment
descends on those expecting to find some continuity between an ancient past and today, for
there is none. On the streets of Cairo cars clog the roadways, pedestrians mill and surge,
and dust from collapsed buildings clings to clothes and noses. Against the cacophony gen-
erated by a city of over sixteen million comes the piercing cry of a muezzin calling the
faithful to prayer. The traveler coming to Egypt, expecting the sights and sounds of long
ago made familiar through movies, books, and opera, is shocked to discover an Arab cul-
ture dappled with traces of former British overlords, an upper-class fondness for French and
Italian styles, and working-class familiarity with American music. But one should not des-
pair, as the scene, while unanticipated, is magical.
The difference between ancient and modern Egypt was made even more pronounced by
the uprisings against the government in the winter of 2010-11. Part of what became known
as the “Arab Spring,” young Muslims and others joined against the government of President
Hosni Mubarak, resulting in the latter's banishment from office. Ancient treasures were for-
gotten by tourists, as they coped with disruptions caused by riots in the street. Today tourism
has dwindled to a mere drop in the bucket as the dire aftermath of the Arab Spring continues
to plague Cairo and the rest of the country. But wise travelers await the day when both the
Egyptian government and people will open their arms once again to tourists from abroad.