Learn Arabic as it is really spoken. Listen to and read Egyptian Colloquial Arabic.

Yomna tells us about the early morning adventure she and her sons had just across the street, at one of the most iconic places on Earth.

يوم الاتنين اللى فات كان شم النسيم. و رغم انه يوم اجازه و كان نفسى انام لوقت متأخر لكن سلمان ابنى الصغير معندوش الكلام ده. عينه مظبوطه ع المعاد اليومى للصحيان. طبعاً لما بنصحى بتبتدى الدوشه. و بيصحى جوزى على صوتنا. قررت انى اسمحله فى اليوم ده يستمتع بشويه نوم زياده. اول ما صحيت انا و الولاد، لبسنا و نزلنا. مكانش فى دماغى اى خطه للخروجه، لكن كنت نازله اضيع وقت. ركبنا العربيه لقيتها محتاجه بنزين. بدأنا باول خطوه. رحت على اقرب ماكنة سحب فلوس، و بعدها ملينا بنزين. جنب البنزينه، محل السندوتشات اللى بيحبه حمزه ابنى. و ماله؟ دخلنا خدنا سندوتشات طعميه. كان ع الترابيزه اللى جنبنا اتنين اجانب. بما ان المحل قدام الهرم، اتوقعت انهم رايحين يزوروه. و هنا جتلى الفكره. يلا يا ولاد، عاملالكو مفاجأه. ودخلنا على الاهرامات. حمزه انبهر. رغم اننا ساكنين جنب الهرم و بنشوفه من العربيه دايما، لكن رؤيته عن قرب مبهره جدا. كان عايز يدخله بس انا اقنعته يأجل الموضوع ده للزياره الجايه. دخول الهرم تجربه شيقه بس مرهقه. انا جربتها قبل كده. اخدته على متحف مركب خوفو. دى بقى عجبته جدا. المتحف بيديك متعه الفضول و الترقب و التشويق. الاول بتشوف الحفره اللى كان فيها المركب. و بعدين تطلع بالتدريج لحد ما يظهر لك المركب بالحجم الطبيعى فى مشهد مهيب و مذهل. كانت تجربه مبهره جدا للاولاد و ليا رغم انى دخلته قبل كده. لكن كل مره بيمتعنى. مطولناش. كانت زياره سريعه. و وعدت الاولاد اننا نكررها قريب. خرجنا و رحنا نشرب عصير. و فى طريقنا للبيت، حمزه كان بيقولى هنلاقى بابا صحى. و انا بقوله هيكون نايم. اول ما وصلنا تحت البيت حمزه قعد ينادى: يا بابا اصحى يا بابا. طبعا طلعنا و كان لسه نايم. لما صحى بيقولنا: انتو صاحيين من بدرى؟ قعدنا نضحك. احنا عملنا مغامرات و رحنا الاهرامات. طبعا كانت رحله لطيفه جدا و مفاجاه. و ان شاء الله نكررها.

Last Monday was Sham el-Nessim [the spring festival]. And although it was a holiday and I wanted to sleep in, my little son Salman didn’t have the same idea. His eyes open at the same time every day. Of course, once we wake up, the noise begins. And this wakes my husband, too. I decided to give him the opportunity to sleep more that day. As soon as we woke up, we got dressed and went out. I didn’t have a plan for the outing, rather I was just going out to kill time. We got into the car and found it in need of fuel. So we started with the first step. I went to the nearest ATM. Then I got some gas. Beside the gas station is the sandwich shop that my son Hamza likes. Why not? We went in and got falafel sandwiches. At the table beside us was a foreign couple. And as the shop is in front of the Pyramids, I expected they were going to visit it. I then got an Idea. “Come on, kids. I have a surprise.” And we went to the Pyramids. Hamza was amazed. Although we live beside the Pyramid and we always see it from the car, seeing it up close is really amazing. He wanted to go inside [the pyramid], but I convinced him to postpone this until the next trip. Going inside the pyramid is an exciting experience, but it’s so exhausting. I’ve tried it before. I took him to the Khufu boat museum. And he liked it a lot. The museum gives you the joy of curiosity and anticipation and suspense. First, you see the hole where the boat was first discovered Then you gradually go up to where the boat starts to appear to you in its true scale in the majestic, marvelous scenery. It was an amazing experience for the kids and for me, even though I’ve seen it before. But it gives me pleasure every time. We didn’t stay for long. It was a quick visit. And I promised the kids we’d do it again soon. We exited and went to drink some juice. On the way home, Hamza was telling me we’d find dad awake. And I told him we’d find him still sleeping. When we arrived in front of our building, Hamza started shouting, “Dad! Wake up!” Of course, when we went inside we found him still sleeping. When he woke up he said, “Did you get up early?” We laughed. We had some adventures and went to the Pyramids. It sure was a nice, surprising trip. And God willing, we’ll do it again.

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