Aida Operas and other Entertainment from the Cairo Opera House

Q: How can I obtain tickets to Aida and other entertainment at the Cairo Opera House?

A: We can help with all these types of things or you can of course telephone +202 341 7313 or Fax +202 341 7314. or Email opera@frcu.eun.eg or opera@link.com.eg

Liquor

Q: We are four good friends traveling to Egypt, and are wondering what the restrictions for bringing in alcohol to the country are. I mean, it is the new year and we would like to bring some. Especially champagne. Can we?

A: Yes. Individuals may bring in up to two liters.

Q: What is the legal drinking age in Egypt

A: 21 Years Old

Pets

Q: We are planning a trip to Egypt and wonder whether we will be able to bring our cat. Is this possible?

A: Yes. Pets may enter Egypt provided you provide a certificate of origin and a health certificate. There are no forms for this, but a dated, signed letter is acceptable. The certificate of origin may be provided by the pet store where your pet was purchased or by a vet. The certificate of health must be provided by a vet.

Getting Supplies, Brochures and other Media

Q. Where can I get printed brochures, maps and other media about Egypt?

A. The best place to get brochures and other media are your nearest Egyptian Tourist Authority (ETA) Office. Other material that people have requested includes Maps The Globetrotter Travel Map Egypt can be found on-line on Amazon at http//www.amazon.com/exec/obidos/ASIN/1853687138/ qid=949774044/sr=1-2/102-7946049-1844002 However, we like the Freytag & Berndt map of Egypt that we found at Barnes and Noble, but this map does not seem to be available on-line. Guide Books Our two favorite printed guide books to Egypt are The Lonely Planet Egypt which is available from Amazon at http//www.amazon.com/exec/obidos/ASIN/0864426771/ qid=949774770/sr=1-2/103-0791651-4507806 And the Knoph Guides to Egypt, also available from Amazon at http//www.amazon.com/exec/obidos/ASIN/0679755667/ qid%3D949774880/103-0791651-4507806 We believe these two books compliment each other and supply most of the information any traveler would need. Posters http//www.art.com/ has literally hundreds of Egyptian related posters. Give it a search.

Driving Cars into Egypt

Q. I wish to drive my car into Egypt. What is required to do this.

A. Unfortunately this cannot be done. Some cars may be ferried in, but in general, you should not plan on bringing your car into Egypt. Once there, you may rent a car, but in many instances I cannot even advise you to do that. Particularly in Cairo, it is much safer to take a cab, due to the driving habits of most people in Cairo.

Photography in Egypt

Q. Am going to Egypt for the first time in March 2000 and would love some tips on taking pictures there. Film speeds, etc. appreciated. Also, places I should not missss. Also, travel tips. Some friends think I am crazy to go, some respect the idea that I am looking to experience a different culture than I have at home. Any info appreciated.

A. With regard to taking photos in Egypt, thankfully, the main difficulty most people encounter is that they are spoiled for choice when it comes to things to shoot. Normally, I take a mixture of ISO/ASA 100 & 400 print film. This is due to the fact that you are, virtually guarenteed bright sunny conditions for outside photography, for which ISO/ASA 100 is ideal, whereas ISO/ASA 400 offers greater flexibilty for shots taken inside museums, temples, tombs. etc. Although I always recommend that people employ a polarising filter, to reduce glare & enhance the colour of the gloriously blue sky on outside photos & reduce the reflections from glass cases in museums (bear in mind also that most of the open tombs are now fitted with perspex screens to protect the walls from inadvertent damage), though if your camera can't be fitted with one it isn't a major problem. One advantage of the ISO/ASA 400 film is that, on most SLR cameras, it can be pushed/pulled in speed from ISO/ASA 100 - 1600, thus allowing it to be used for both brightly lit exteriors & the, somewhat darker, interiors of tombs & museums (In both these cases flash photography is not allowed, due to it having the potential to damage ancient paint - & also proving very distracting for other people.). You will find that at museums & tombs there is an additional fee for photography; LE5 - LE10 for museums (but not the Karnak Open Air Museum) & LE5 per tomb. Although this is sometimes reported as being just a means of ripping off tourists, in some of the backpacker oriented guide books, the actual amounts involved; less than £1 - £2 (Sterling), are insignificant & do help in a big way to fund the activities of the Supreme Council of Antiquities. In respect of what I would consider unmissable, I am currently involved in writing a guide to the monuments that one will encounter on the "classic" first time tour of the Nile Valley; starting with the non-royal tombs of the Theban West Bank (as a lot of the shorter tours start & finish in Luxor & never actually make it as far north as Cairo). This should start to appear in the magazine, work schedules permitting over the next couple of months, &, hopefully, should be complete before your trip. Perhaps one of the best things about any trip to Egypt is the fact that it is quite possible, enjoyable & perfectly safe (despite the dire warnings of some locally based foreign tour company rep's to the contrary) to just go off for a wander along the streets & amidst the Egyptian people secure in the knowledge that there is sure to be something new & interesting around every corner. Additionally, so many tourists listen so carefully to the spiel of the company rep (Don't do this, it's dangerous/You aren't insured) that they miss out on what is, probably, the greatest joy of any trip to Egypt, namely the chance to get out & encounter the Egyptian people outside of the context of hotel staff. This is a real tragedy, as they will never come to know a people who I feel are without doubt the most friendly, welcoming, kind & generous in the world.