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 Cairo
comes alive at night, the best time to shop, eat delicious Middle
Eastern cuisine, or simply watch the world go by from a pavement
cafe. You can dine in a floating restaurant on the Nile, sample
a shisha at a coffee-shop or see oriental dancers and cabarets
at a luxury hotel. The splendid Opera House complex houses several
galleries (including the Museum of Modern Art), restaurants and
concert halls. Listening to Arabic music under the stars, in the
open-air theater, is a magical experience. At El-Ghuriya, in the
heart of Islamic Cairo, you can watch folk musicians and whirling
dervish dancers. And don't forget the most essential after-dark
experience, the Sound and Light show at the Pyramids, a dramatic
fusion of light and music recounting the story of antiquity.
Giza
 Giza
is where the Great Pyramid is located, but there is more to the
west bank of the Nile. Several important districts are located
here, along with wonderful restaurants and great shopping opportunities.
Giza is more then the Pyramids and the Sphinx, and more even then
the other Pharaonic monuments around them. Cairo University, which
is Egypt's largest university, is here. Also the Cairo Zoo, though
this is not a recommended attraction due to its condition. Taking
Sharia al-Haram, or Pyramids Rd, which starts just south of Midan
Giza (one usually hires a cab for this), the road winds a little
over 6 miles out to the Giza plateau where the Sphinx and great
Giza pyramids reside. The road is notorious for its nightclubs
and casinos, but there is probably better entertainment in town.
 Prior
to reaching the Pyramids, there is a cutoff at the Maryutia Canal
that leads to the village of Kerdassa, where a number of items
sold to tourists in the Bazaars are made. If this is of interest,
follow the road to the village which is slightly over 3 miles
away. Otherwise, There is also the Wissa Wassef Art Center on
the road, which specializes in tapestries, batiks, and ceramics,
but also has a small museum.
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When
you need a break from city life, try a round of golf on the famous
Mena House course overlooking the Pyramids, watch the horse racing
at the Gezira Club or visit the Zoo and the Botanical Gardens. Take
a trip on the Nile in a felucca or ride on horseback from the Giza
Pyramids to Saqqara. For a day trip outside Cairo visit Haraniyya
village and see the beautiful tapestries and weaving produced by
local people. If you wish, you may get away from it all at the top
of the Cairo Tower, a modern 187 meter-high tower with views of
the city from all sides, topped by a revolving restaurant.
