Fifty years after 'Tut-mania,' fascination and excitement remain around Egypt

May 30-CAIRO - I've been enamored by Egyptian archeology since my freshman year of high school.

That year, the mask of King Tutankhamun and more than 130 artifacts from his tomb were displayed at Seattle Center, marking the second time they had toured the U.S. since their discovery in 1925.

I remember walking through the exhibit, mesmerized by the golden mask and the rich history behind it. I wasn't alone in my fascination. The intrigue around the mask and the king was something Seattle and cities across the country had experienced nearly 35 years earlier.

To coincide with America's 200th anniversary, the Metropolitan Museum of Art in New York coordinated an exhibit that displayed the mask for the first time ever in the United States. The first stop on the tour opened at the National Gallery of Art in Washington, D.C., in November 1976, and drew visits from President Jimmy Carter and a collection of other dignitaries.

At each stop, millions of people gathered to get a glimpse at the mask of the boy king. The craze even prompted the song "King Tut" by Comedian Steve Martin, who performed it on Saturday Night Live in April 1978.

When the mask arrived in Seattle in the summer of 1978 as part of the seven-city tour, more than 1.3 million people visited the exhibit hosted by the Seattle Art Museum, 50% more than anticipated. The crowds prompted hourslong wait times and an excitement dubbed "Tut-mania" as more than 650,000 people flocked to Seattle from out of town to see artifacts from the boy king.

Merchandise sales boomed, membership to the Seattle Art Museum quadrupled and an economic impact study estimated that the exhibit contributed as much as $60 million to the Seattle economy.

All to see a mask that caught the attention of millions and has become a symbol of ancient Egypt.

When King Tut's mask visited Seattle again in 2012, the excitement returned. More than 700,000 people visited the exhibit at the Pacific Science Center in Seattle, making it one of the most popular exhibits the museum has ever displayed.

Ahead of the country's 250th anniversary, and a World Cup that will see the Egyptian National team play in Seattle and stay in a basecamp in Spokane, it seems fitting that excitement around the pharaohs has returned. And when I had the opportunity to see the mask in person, this time at its new home in a billion-dollar museum near the Great Pyramids, it was an opportunity I could not pass up.

Travel

Although there are no direct flights from Seattle to Cairo, my travel was relatively straightforward, though it took approximately 22 hours each way after accounting for layovers.

My trip to Cairo included a layover in Vancouver, British Columbia, and Zurich, Switzerland, before reaching Cairo International Airport. My return flight routed me through Frankfurt, Germany, before finally returning home.

It is generally easy for those with American passports to travel to Egypt. Although a tourism visa is required, this can be obtained in the airport after landing, shortly before going through customs. The visa costs $30 USD, and can only be paid in cash, though the process took less than 30 seconds.

I did, however, make a mistake in not arranging my ride to the hotel before landing. While I had originally planned to Uber, poor cell service meant I couldn't request a ride on the app. After trying and failing to use the app, I instead caught a ride with one of the eager drivers waiting directly outside of the International arrivals area of the Cairo Airport. The ride was unexceptional, though at a cost of 2,400 EGP ($45.96). It was about 10 times more expensive than my scheduled return trip to the airport at 239.94 EGP.

First impressions

The heat hit me before I even get off the plane, and I began to sweat while is was taxiing to the gate. The hotel employee at the front desk told me day-time temperatures were abnormally high for this time of year, which frequently reach into the triple digits.

The next thing that caught me by surprise was the road system in Cairo. While I've been to some of the most highly populated countries in the world, I've never experienced anything quite like Egypt. Cars are driven with a near every-man-for-himself mentality, and drivers honk car horns to alert other cars of their presence.

Pedestrians trying to cross the street operate similarly, and look for short breaks in between cars and often coming within inches of being hit. While it seemed like uncontrolled chaos, I'm amazed that during my five full days in Egypt, I did not see a single crash.

The high temperatures quickly zapped my energy, and I tried to drink as much water as possible during my trip. It's generally recommended that Americans avoid drinking local water, which, while treated, contains unfamiliar bacteria that can easily cause illness. The recommendation extends to items that contain local water, including washed fresh fruit, ice at restaurants and sink faucets when brushing teeth. Instead, it is recommended to only drink bottled water, which can be purchased at corner stores on nearly every block.

Safety

Admittedly, walking on the streets of Egypt can be intimidating. Gun laws are strict, and citizens are typically prohibited from carrying rifles and shotguns, but it is hard to walk more than a few blocks without seeing heavily armed police officers stationed on street corners.

While I never felt unsafe during my trip, I did take precautions before and during my visit. Before I arrived, I registered with the U.S. State Department, so they were aware of my presence in the country and so I would receive safety alerts should the need arise. The State Department currently assesses the risk at a Level 2, and advises visitors to exercise increased precaution and avoid certain parts of the country due to terrorism and other safety risks.

Out of an abundance of caution, I carried my passport with me at all times so I could easily identify myself as a U.S. citizen if stopped by police. While neither action was ultimately needed, they did provide me with a sense of security.

Although they were not threatening, locals were eager to take advantage of those they perceived as foreign tourists. Upon arrival in Cairo, my driver from the airport to my hotel quickly added me on WhatsApp and repeatedly tried to sell me guided tours to the city's attractions. After dropping me off at my hotel, he then tried to take me to his friend's restaurant, though I repeatedly declined.

While walking to the Egyptian Museum in downtown Cairo on my first day, a man offered to give me directions to the museum, only to lead me instead down a back alley to his "art gallery." He was friendly and offered me a cup of tea as I looked at an assortment of art painted on Papyrus paper. I purchased two pieces, not realizing that I was being overcharged significantly on nonauthentic art. When I was approached later in the day by a man with a similar sales pitch, I declined and left.

While leaving the Egyptian Museum later in the trip, I was approached on the street by a man who looked vaguely familiar, asking for a tip for his previous help. While I knew we had crossed paths at some point, I could not place where or when that had happened. Still, after his insistence, I gave him 300 Egyptian Pounds (a little less than $6).

While eager to capitalize on out-of-town tourists, I still felt locals were honest. Unbeknownst to me, after driving back from a day trip to Alexandria, my pair of wireless headphones fell out of my pocket and into the backseat of the car I was riding in. Even though they are worth about a month's salary at the average Egyptian wage, my driver flagged me down while I was walking into my hotel to return them.

Sites to see

The most famous landmark in the country, and one of the seven wonders of the ancient world, the Great Pyramids of Giza are a must for any trip to Egypt. The pyramids are located on the outskirts of Giza, about a half-hour's drive from downtown Cairo. I recommend going with a guided tour because they can provide insight into the history of the monument and because their presence lessens the likelihood of being approached by scammers.

The nearby Grand Egyptian Museum is also a must-visit. At a cost of more than a billion dollars, the museum is central to the Egyptian government's strategy to increase tourism to the country. The open-air museum contains some of the most priceless artifacts ever discovered by archeologists in the country, including the gold mask of the famed King Tut.

Now in its final resting place, the mask of King Tut similarly draws crowds looking to catch a glimpse of his mesmerizing stare. During a visit in mid-May, around 100 people eagerly waited in a queue to get an up-close look at the mask. I instead opted to view the mask from outside of the queue, which offered equally impressive, although slightly obstructed, views.

Although it's now more than a century old, I also recommend visiting the Egyptian Museum in downtown Cairo. With so much focus on the GEM, the museum offered a comparatively quieter experience with equally impressive artifacts. The centerpiece of the museum is a 23-foot-tall limestone statue of Amenhotep III and Queen Tiye, which dates back to 1387-1350 BCE and is centrally located in the museum's main hall. From there, guests can walk through the oldest archaeological museum in the Middle East, which houses more than 170,000 items.

To escape the daunting heat, a two-hour drive north from Cairo will bring you to Alexandria, which was founded in 331 BC by Alexander the Great. Located on the Mediterranean Sea and at the mouth of the Nile River, temperatures were about 20 degrees cooler.

My tour included stops at the Catacombs of Kom El Shoqafa, which is considered one of the Seven Wonders of the Middle Ages. In Arabic, the name translates to the "Mound of Shards" and originates from the large piles of broken terracotta jars and plates archeologists discovered there. Broken dishes, wine jars and tableware sat near the site's dining hall, where relatives would gather to share a meal in honor of the deceased. Not wanting to bring the plates and cups back to their homes, families would opt to break the cutlery at the site.

Once lost to history, the ancient burial ground was rediscovered in the 1900s after a donkey fell down an access shaft, revealing a layered burial site carved deep into the rock below. Although the remains have been removed, archeologists believe the site was the final resting place for hundreds of people in ancient Egypt.

The next stop was the Roman Amphitheatre in Alexandria, which is the only amphitheater of its kind in the country. While standing and observing the Mediterranean influence, it was hard to believe that just the day before, I was looking at the Great Pyramids. The site was believed to be the location of ancient religious discussions and other presentations, and is located in the Kom el-Dikka archaeological zone. The complex is home to small Roman baths, villas and classrooms, and continues to be excavated to this day.

The highlight of the tour was a visit to the Citadel of Qaitbay, a fortress that was built on the same site that previously housed the Lighthouse of Alexandria. Once used as a protection against the forces of the Ottoman military, the site now offers breathtaking views of the Mediterranean Sea and the Alexandria Skyline. Protected by walls, the tower includes a mosque, weapons storage and an area for the Sultan Qaitbay to observe oncoming ships. The limestone structure jetties out into the water, offering nearly 360 degrees of views and ideal photo conditions.

The final stop on the tour was to see the ruins of the Library of Alexandria, which previously housed up to 700,000 scrolls. Once one of the largest museums of the ancient world, the library was gradually destroyed, in part by a fire accidentally set by Julius Caesar.

Although few ruins remain, a new library, the Bibliotheca Alexandrina, opened near the original site in 2002. Following an international competition, the museum was designed in a disc shape to represent the rising sun of human knowledge. The museum draws more than 1 million visitors each year, and contains enough space for 8 million books. Outside, visitors can see a 52-foot-tall mural made up of 6,400 panels that depict 4,000 hand-carved characters, alphabets, mathematical symbols, Braille, and musical notations, from more than 120 languages, which symbolizes the quest for knowledge.

Food

Walking the streets of Cairo, it's hard not to get at least a little hungry.

The most common street food I found was shawarma, which is a traditional Middle Eastern dish of thinly sliced meat that's wrapped in flatbread or pita and topped with fresh vegetables and topped with sauce.

The meat, which is typically chicken, lamb or beef, is slow roasted on an inverted meat spit and rotated on a special grill. The result is a decadent sandwich that is among the most popular dishes in the Middle East.

After walking by a shop near my hotel repeatedly, I finally broke on my last night, and bought a piece of the dessert they sold. I'm still not entirely sure what it's made of, but after reading online, I've learned that Knafeh is typically made of a spun pastry dough that is layered with cheese. The dish is also soaked in a sugary syrup, which is spooned over upon serving. While delicious, it's hard to have more than a few bites without it tasting a little too rich.

I also had to stop at the nut shop across from my hotel, which was seemingly open day and night and offered dozens of flavors of pistachios, almonds and cashews. I opted for a bag of lightly salted almonds, which were freshly roasted and cost around 50 cents. The nuts were fresh, and lasted me throughout my trip home and a few extra days.

Nuts are extremely popular in Egypt, both in traditional desserts and as an evening snack. They are considered a luxury item, since the Egyptian climate is not suitable for growing tree nuts.

Mistakes

The biggest mistake I made was deciding to stay in downtown Cairo. The hotel itself was nice, but the street sounds made it challenging to sleep. Drivers in Egypt loosely follow traffic rules, and instead rely on near-continuous honking to alert other drivers where they are. The honking continued well into the night, with only a brief break early in the morning, which meant I needed to sleep with my window closed to block out as much sound as possible.

The flipside was that with temperatures remaining in the mid-90s overnight, opening the window was not an option to cool down my room. I learned from another traveler that this was a common problem at hotels located near the center of Cairo, though the commotion and sounds of the city's streets quieted near the Pyramids and in other areas farther away from downtown.

Sleep was hard to get, and I usually tried to get an early afternoon nap in before temperatures peaked for the day.

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