Travel Day 158: Update on Cairo

Merry Christmas!

Flat Stanley was amazed by the Pyramids at Giza and Sekkara:

Jackson is the only one who can stand up tall in these tombs: The famous Sphinx: At the Mohammed Ali mosque (most beautiful mosque in Egypt):
Khan el Khalili Market (souk) in Old Cairo (chilly enough to wear Darlene's Jacket!):

It's been a hectic and tiring couple of weeks. From Arusha, Tanzania we went to Longido. The four nights spent there were broken by the wind against the walls of the canvas tent. (It was a great experience for all of us living and mixing with the local Maasai people.) We caught another shuttle bus and traveled for six hours or more north on the terrible dusty excuse of a highway to Nairobi, Kenya. What ensued was an evening at a mall and the night at the Nairobi airport. We passed on a room since our flight to Cairo, Egypt was in the middle of the night. We made our way to Cairo safely.

However, it started on a ridiculously stupid note. If it weren't so typical of our African experience, in retrospect, it wouldn't be funny now. Our pre-arranged airport pick-up did not show up. After waiting for about an hour, we grabbed a taxi and arrived at the so-called Canadian Hostel (a marketing scam that takes a country's name as a brand). Just as we arrived from a dirty 24-hour sleep deprived journey out of East Africa to Cairo. the water in the hotel building was shut off. (This was the second time in as many weeks after a harrowing journey of travel. Kathi is beside herself and we are all at our wits' end and Cairo .) Despite the nice disposition of our hosts, explanations are vague and typically devoid of forthcoming material information - except that this never happens sir. We scrambled and wasted our afternoon looking for alternatives and stressing over what to do. We looked at hostel alternatives in the area and were not enticed. We found a mid-range hotel that was an upgrade. It had no room for the evening but took us for the next two nights. They offered us a room to take showers, as the people who had booked the room would not be arriving until late. We desperately took advantage of it.

Afterwards, refreshed, we took an evening cruise on the Nile River complete with belly dancing and whirling dervishes and the next day checked out of the 'no water catastrophe' and into the City View Hotel. The staff there was very friendly and helpful and it was in a great central location right across from the Egyptian Museum. They arranged our guided tours which included exclusive use of a minivan with driver. All considered, it was good value and the guide provided much information and carefully took us in and out of the must see and do places while avoiding the pitfalls that can trap tourists. In particular, avoiding the touts that are always in your face trying to hawk something.

Our expectations for Cairo were low. However, generally, it was a good visit with a couple of days of guided tours to see the main highlights of Cairo. The first day included as follows: a visit to the great pyramids of Giza and Sekkara including a visit inside one of the smaller tombs and a camel ride; a visit to a perfume factory and to the Sphinx just outside Cairo. The weather was great, there were not the hoards of people that one would expect during the holiday season, and the pyramids were truly impressive.

The second day included a visit to the Mohammad Ali Mosque, the Khan el Khalili Market, and the Egyptian Museum. The market was interesting but we didn't have a lot of time there. There are vendors of all kinds of souvenir items always inviting you in to look. It's "free to look". Kathi got a couple of 100% Egyptian cotton scarves that she decided could be her Christmas present.

The Egyptian Museum has thousands of items with the treasures of the tomb of King Tut being the highlight. His importance was not so much because of any historical importance as the boy king who lived to age 18 or 19. But because the discovery was one of the most complete finds. It included some 3500 items including the final of six caskets or 'sarcophagus' that is over 100 kilograms of solid gold and the solid gold mask that finally covered his head. This is all inside one box inside another - six altogether.

The streets of Cairo are a mess. Five lanes of traffic cover three. Horns blast constantly all day and late into the night regardless of whether it is moving or not. Mostly it is not moving. Smog and dirt hangs in the air and there is no system for crossing the roads. No system except to take your life into your hands and take your chances.

On the morning of the 23rd we headed for the airport. We are enroute to Dubai, UAE, somewhat relieved to be leaving Africa. All is well until about two thirds into the flight. We are told that because of a technical issue (with no proper explanation) that we will be diverted to Riyadh, Saudi Arabia. After two hours on the ground, without leaving the plane, we depart again. We arrive at Dubai without further incident - just late. However, our bags are stuck on the plane for another two hours. We wait patiently and unfortunately miss our ride. Christmas is coming and we have to do some shopping. Oh joy!

TE