I too found Egypt fascinating. The pyramids at Giza were truly awe inspiring, but the crowd of tourists and the people hawking trinkets detracted some from the feeling of mystery. The next day we went to the pyramids at Saqaara. It was a more spiritual experience as there were fewer tourists and the carnival atmosphere was absent. The Egyptian museum was full of statues, sarcophoguses, and other antiquities from 3000-5000 years ago. The King Tut exhibit was stunning especially considering that he was not a very important pharoah. However his tomb was the only one that had been found intact. During our tours we went to shops where we saw how papyrus was made, how rugs were made, and how perfume was made. Of course we were given the opportunity to buy at all of these places. One evening we had a dinner cruise on the Nile. The entertainment included Egyptian music, whirling dervishes, and a belly dancer.
Though the tours were fascinating, Cairo was overwhelming. When we flew in we could see tall buildings packed tightly together from horizon to horizon. The traffic on the ground was packed together just as tightly. Our driver Mohamad had nerves of steele. Cairo will not be my retirement home of choice though all of the people we met were incredibly friendly and hospitable.