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ch_client = "goarticles";ch_type = "mpu";ch_width = 336;ch_height = 600;ch_non_contextual = 4;ch_vertical = "premium";ch_alternate_css_url = "http://scripts.chitika.net/static/css/goarticles550x250.css";ch_noborders = 1;ch_sid = "Travel - Right Of Article Body";var ch_query = document.title; ch_client = "goarticles";ch_type = "mpu";ch_width = 420;ch_height = 200;ch_non_contextual = 4;ch_vertical = "premium";ch_alternate_css_url = "http://scripts.chitika.net/static/css/goarticles550x250.css";ch_noborders = 1;ch_sid = "Travel - Below Article Title";var ch_query = document.title; Egypt is probably the world's oldest civilization having emerged from the Nile Valley around 3,100 years ago, historically. Egypt is probably one of the oldest vacation spots. Early Greeks, Romans and others went there just for fun, and to see the wonders of some of mankind's earliest triumphs, but Egypt is much more than Pyramids and monuments. It is also Red Sea scuba diving, hot night spots, luxury hotels and five star restaurants. It is romantic cruises down the Nile on festive river boats, a night at the grand opera and it is a cultural experience like none you have ever experienced. Egypt is a land bustling with life, sound, visual beauty and excitement. More than anything else, we want you to think of Egypt as fun. For thousands of years, it has been the playground of emperors and kings, and we hope you will take the time to find out what is the reason behind. Economy:Labor force is 22.4 million (2004) . Unemployment rate.16.4% (2004). Inflation Rate s 5.9% (2004). Gross domestic product (total value of goods and services produced annually) is $267.1 billion (2004 est.). Budget is $19.8 billion. Debt is $30.5 billion (2004). Exporting is $5.1 billion, primarily crude oil and petroleum products, cotton yarn, raw cotton, textiles, metal products, chemicals. Importing is $15.5 billion, primarily machinery and equipment, foods, fertilizers, wood products, durable consumer goods, capital goods. Defense spending is 8.2% of GDP (2004 est.). Highways are 73,000 km (2004) Visa & Passport: Non-Egyptian visitors arriving in Egypt are required to be in possession of a valid passport. Entry visas may be obtained from Egyptian Diplomatic and Consular Missions Abroad or from the Entry Visa Department at the Travel Documents, Immigration and Nationality Administration (TDINA). It is, however, possible for most tourists and visitors to obtain an entry visa at any of the Major Ports of Entry. Please check with your nearest Egyptian Consular mission for more details concerning visa regulations applying to your citizenship. The visa form must then be completed, either by printing it out and filing it in or via a graphics editor and sent to the nearest Egyptian Embassy or Consulate. Visitors entering Egypt at the overland border post to Taba to visit Gulf of Aqaba coast and St. Catherine can be exempted from visa and granted a free residence permit for fourteen days to visit the area. Citizens of the following countries are required to be in possession of a pre-arrival visa: Afghanistan, Algeria, Armenia, Azerbaijan, Bangladesh, Bosnia-Herzegovina, Chechnya, Croatia, Georgia, India, Indonesia, Iraq, Iran, Israel, Kazakhstan, Kirghizia, Lebanon, Macau, Macedonia, Moldavia, Montenegro, Morocco, Pakistan, Palestine, The Philippines, Russia,louis vuitton handbags, Serbia, Slovenia, Sri-Lanka, Tadzhikistan, Thailand, Tunisia, Turkmenistan, Ukraine, Uzbekistan and all African countries. Residents of the above countries may apply for a visa through their nearest Egyptian Consulate or Embassy. Click here to find the Embassy or Consulate nearest you. Those in possession of a residence permit in Egypt are not required to obtain an entry visa if they leave the country and return to it within the validity of their residence permit or within six months, whichever period is less. There are three types of Egyptian visa: Tourist Visa: is usually valid for a period not exceeding three months and granted on either single or multiple entry basis. Entry Visa: is required for any foreigner arriving in Egypt for purposes other than tourism, e.g. work, study, etc. The possession of a valid Entry Visa is needed to complete the residence procedure in Egypt. Culture:Egypt is a Middle Eastern country and has Middle Eastern customs. Whether Muslim or Copt, the Egyptians are deeply religious and religious principles govern their daily lives. Combined with religious belief is commitment to the extended family. Each family member is responsible for the integrity of the family and for the behavior of other members, creating an environment that would be envied by many people in the West. Certainly, the result is that the city of Cairo is safer than any western metropolis. Yet when westerners visit Egypt they are often apprehensive. Their views of Egyptians and Arabs, fomented by unkind and untrue media stories, often bear no relation to reality. Travelers are often surprised by their friendly, hospitable reception and take home with them good feelings about Egypt and its population. Egyptians have been raised in a social environment steeped in Islam, a background that can color their decision-making in a way difficult for foreigners to understand. Yet it is precisely this training that makes Egyptians some of the most charming and helpful of hosts. By understanding the culture and with consideration for your hosts, you can be a welcome guest in Egypt. Woman Traveling Alone:In Egypt, a woman traveling alone is generally safe, but she will be noticed, less in large cities than in the country. However, if problems do occur, seek help from the police or any shop nearby. Although you probably will never be accosted, take simple precautions as you would anywhere: don't walk in deserted areas alone. Although most invitations are innocent, don't accept them from strangers.Visitors Responsibilities:Major tourism mosques are open to the public unless services are in progress (the main service is on Friday at noon). Other mosques are not. Keep in mind that a mosque differs from a western church in that Christian churches are considered houses of God, while mosques are more a gathering place for the faithful of Islam. Unless otherwise posted, tickets to some that have been restored are sold by the caretaker for about LE3-6. All visitors to mosques, mausoleums, and madrasas must remove their shoes. Most Muslims walk around in their stockings but those mosques that are major tourist attractions have canvas overshoes available; a tip of 50PT to LE1 is in order for the people who put them on for you. Women must cover bare arms and should also have a hat. Crime & Drugs:Crime in Egypt is nearly nonexistent, and violence is usually limited to family feuds. However, in tourism areas some pickpockets and petty thieves may exists, so be careful and remember that the ever helpful tourism police are usually nearby. Women must be cautious, especially in out-lying areas. Stay completely away from drugs and leave yours at home. Calendars & Public Holidays:The business and secular community in Egypt operates under the Western (Gregorian) calendar (BC/AD). But other calendars have official status in Egypt. The Islamic calendar (AH), used to fix religious observances, is based on a lunar cycle of 12 months of 9 or 30 days. The Muslim year is thus 11 days shorter than the year according to the Gregorian calendar and months move forward accordingly. In the Gregorian calendar, for example, April is always in the spring, but in the Muslim calendar all months move through all seasons in a 33-year cycle. The Coptic calendar (AM) is based on a solar cycle and consists of 12 months of 30 days and one month of 5 days. Every four years a sixth day is added to the shorter month. An adaptation of the Coptic calendar is used by many farmers for planting and harvesting crops. It is used by the authorities of the Coptic Orthodox Church. The following are months for the Muslim and Coptic calendars Public Holidays: January 7th is the Coptic Christmas, February 22nd is the Union Day, April 25th is Sinai Liberation Day, May 1st is Labor Day, June 18th is The Evacuation Day, July 1st is the Bank Holiday, July 23rd is the Revolution Day, September 11th is the Coptic New Year, October 6th is The Armed Forces Day Official Cultural Events:Cairo has been the entertainment capitol of the Arab World for more than a century. You can tell if you were there during New Year's Night. The entire city looks like one big party. Cars and people walking in the streets until the next day. Either poor or rich, everybody is cheerful and trying to have fun on the last night of the year. Thousands of Arabs, from North Africa and the Middle East, fly to Cairo for that special night. Beginning the year is the International Book Fair sponsored by the General Egyptian Book Organization at the Madinat Nasr Exhibition Grounds in Cairo. It is a three-week affair with displays by foreign and local publishers. Also in January is the International Documentary and Short Film Festival sponsored by the Ministry of Culture. February has two interesting observances. The first is a gift from the ancient Egyptians. In Abu Simbel the ascension of Ramsses II to the throne of ancient Egypt is celebrated on February 22. Ramsses ordered the temple built in such a way that on this day the sun penetrated into the inner sanctuary of the temple lighting his statue within. The second event is the International Fishing Tournament held at Hurghada on the Red Sea. Sponsored by several associations and the Ministry of Tourism, this event welcomes fishermen from around the world. March heralds the spring and the Annual Flower Show at the Orman Gardens, Sharia Giza, in Giza. It is accompanied by the International Children's Film Festival, sponsored by the Ministry of Culture. The hot summer has little to offer in the way of festivals, but September and October are busy months. A new festival is the Alexandrians of the World Festival: the cities bearing that name (there are over 40 in the world) join in the four-day celebration held in Alexandria, Egypt. The second yearly celebration at Abu Simbel, this time commemorating the birth of Ramsses II, occurs in October. Every year in October the Alexandria Mediterranean Biennale offers a wonderful venue for artists. Toward the end of the month is the annual commemoration of the Battle of Al Alamein, with services conducted by both former Allied and former Axis countries. In Ismailia, the International Folk Festival is attended by participants from all over the world. And then there is the Pharaoh's Rally,louis vuitton purses, an 11-day, 2,900 mile (4,700 km) daredevil motor vehicle race through the deserts of Egypt. November hosts the Egyptian Arabian Horse show,www.louisvuittonperfectstore.com, with fine Arabian horses on display, and the International Children's Book Fair at the Madinat Nasr Exhibition Grounds, while December is high-lighted by the International Film Festival. Details of these events are usually advertised in local English language publications including Cairo Today, Places in Egypt, and Cairo's, all available at bookstores throughout the country. Weather:Egyptian summers are hot and dry in most of the country and humid in the Delta and along the Mediterranean Coast. In recent years the humidity has spread to Cairo and the city swelters in August. Winters are mild with some rain, but usually there are bright, sunny days and cold nights. There is a short spring and autumn and during the 50 days (khamseen) between the end of March and mid-May, dust storms can occur sporadically.Foods & Drinks:In Egypt, dining out can range from stand-up sandwich bars to luxurious five-course meals. You can find small, inexpensive establishments that serve good Egyptian food for only a few pounds. If you're in a hurry, try the local snack bars. While the cubbyholes off the street (which probably have running water) are generally safe. The larger cities even have Western-style fast-food chains like McDonald's and Kentucky Fried Chicken, but they're relatively expensive. In cities both food and water are safe although the change in your diet may produce short-term gastrointestinal upsets. Egyptian Meals:Although Egyptian eating habits may seem erratic, most natives begin the day with a light breakfast of beans (or bean cakes), eggs, and/or pickles, cheeses, and jams. Most families eat their large, starchy lunch around 1400-1700 and follow it with a siesta. They may take a British-style tea at 17:00 or 18:00 and eat a light supper (often leftovers from lunch) late in the evening. Dinner parties, however, are scheduled late, often no earlier than 2100, with the meal served an hour or two later. In restaurants lunch is normally 13:00-16:00, dinner 20:00-24:00. Restaurants: In Egypt, as in the rest of the world, restaurants are only as good as the cooks they employ, and cooks seem to be continually changing. For current information on the best restaurants, the expatriate community is unbeatable, and the magazine Cairo Today includes monthly tips listing places to try, and publishes an annual dining guide. Most establishments use native ingredients and will offer fruits and vegetables in season. Menus are in both Arabic and English except in Alexandria, where they are in Arabic and French. In large restaurants, the maitre d'hotel will speak English, French, and possible German, Italian, or Greek. These establishments serve a mixture of international cuisine but often include Egyptian or Middle Eastern fare as well. Most hotels also maintain 24-hour coffee shops. Many of the smaller, Egyptian-style restaurants specialize in basic meat and fava-bean dishes. They are simple and inexpensive. Waiters speak little English, so use your phrase book. Snack Bars:Throughout Egypt, little stand-up shops dispense the Egyptian version of the fast food. Most of these shops in major cities are clean and offer quick, inexpensive, and nutritious meals. Most shops have helpful staff, but during their busy times you may have to push your way into the pack of Egyptians to get waited on. You can buy roasted chickens that the shop will season for you. You can also get shawirma (Gyros), lamb cooked on a vertical split, available most of the day. Facts & Information about EgyptETL Egypt Travel Link
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