Here in Cairo, the Egyptians don't celebrate Halloween. But then again, they don't have to. Every day thousands of people flock to see the living dead. How can this be? Because Egypt is the home of mummies! Cairo is like an ancient city of the dead!

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Fortunately for us all, the dead aren't wandering around in the streets. They're kept locked away in the Egyptian Museum. They say it's to protect these mummies from sand, air and light, and from the living like us. I wonder, though, if it's really not to protect us from them!

When we arrived in Cairo, Kavitha and I decided go to visit the ancient pharaohs at the museum. They were wrapped up in bandages from their ankles to their wrists, all the way up to their necks. But their hands, feet, and faces had been uncovered by professional mummy un-wrappers. We weren't allowed to take pictures, so all I can do is tell you that it's amazing to look at the faces of kings and queens who lived thousands of years ago! Some had precious stones laid in their eyes, but on others I could just see straight down into the empty eye sockets. But the skin was all there, and some had eyebrows painted on their black faces.

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After leaving the mummies, we walked around the museum, looking at all the things archeologists have uncovered in the tombs of the pharaohs. The pharaohs were buried with things they would need in the afterlife. There was gold jewelry and masks, clothes, and wooden ships. There were even mummy cats, crocodiles and monkeys! You never know what you are going to need in the afterlife.

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Best of all were the treasures from the grave of the young king Tut Ankh Amun. You might know him as King Tut. He was only 19 years old when he died in 1327 bc. King Tut is famous because his tomb was found by archeologists before grave robbers got to it.