Egyptian Experience - Day One
My Egyptian sojourn began at dawn as the Egypt Air flight from Mumbai landed in Cairo. The temperature was a chilly 9 degrees. Immigration was a breeze. 23 others were partaking of my adventure. A tall gilded statue of Serket – the ancient Egyptian goddess of protection – welcomed us with open arms in the baggage hall. Our guide, a qualified Egyptologist was waiting to receive us. 20 minutes later, we sat down to a traditional Egyptian breakfast of Ful Medames (stew of fava beans), Ta’ameya (Egyptian Falafel), fried aubergine slices, potato fingers, and hummus. These are staples of Egyptian cuisine. Indo-Egypt Bonds 90 minutes later, we sat down on the steps of Baron Empain Palace and were treated to a scintillating presentation on the Indo-Egyptian connections by Bharat Gothoskar, the founder of Khaki Tours who had carefully curated our experience. Trading ties between India and Egypt hark back to the Ptolemaic and Roman periods. One of the most significant cultural co...
