YaY ! ! ! Mum is ok ! ! ! XOXOX
Today we visited the Museum. Museums aren't all that intriguing to me but the drive into the core of Cairo during morning rush hour sure was. Insanity ! ! ! At one point someone asked "what are the lines on the road for?" Because they DO NOT use them ever. Not even on the highway. A marked three lane highway could be 5 cars wide. And people walk on the side of them. Cleaning them with a broom (the only thing they clean! The garbage that is EVERYWHERE really is incredible) People walk on the highway to catch a ride or get dropped off. There is absolutely no way I would ever consider driving here. Our driver today even got hit. But no one did anything - it is what it is !?!
Anyway, back to the museum. Ok, it's pretty cool. It's all things that have come from the tombs. My brain really doesn't compute what I am seeing. It has a hard time believing just how old this stuff is because it is so intricately detailed and, you got it - massive ! And then what they did just to prepare for their death. Craziness.
It was also pretty interesting to be were all the protesting was during the revolution. To see where it all happened was interesting.
Next stop lunch. Just a quick bit to eat at a great takeaway in the downtown. Shawarma. Yum yum.
And then the Citadel. Spectacular view of Cairo . . . With the pyramids in the background.
And then the Citadel. Spectacular view of Cairo . . . With the pyramids in the background.
The pyramids in Egypt are like the CN Tower in Toronto . . . They are just "there".
Finally the Khan al-Khalili Bazzaar. The rest of the group took off shopping. This place is the size of a city block. Full of tons of little alleys and paths that are full of vendors. It is . . . massive !
John and I are going to be back on Friday so we found a place to have tea at the famous al-Fishawy:
Some 240 years ago, a man named al-Fishawy began serving coffee to his friends in an alley of Cairo's Khan al-Khalili district each evening after prayers.
Al-Fishawy, they say, gradually added mint tea and anise tea to his informal menu, as well as shishas, or water pipes. Thus was born Qahwat al-Fishawi, Fishawy's Café, now the most renowned café in the Arab world and a monument to the traditional Egyptian social style of relaxing with friends, colleagues and the occasional stranger over coffee, tea and tobacco.
"We are different from the other coffeehouses because we work to preserve the old style," says Akram al-Fishawy, one of the café's seventh-generation owners. "Qalnvat al-Fishawi" really represents Egypt's past."
I was happy to let the others do their shopping so I could get an idea of the prices. You have to haggle over EVERYTHING ! It is freaking exhausting. The vendors are at you non stop. Do not make eye contact or touch anything unless you intend to buy.
John and I are going to be back on Friday so we found a place to have tea at the famous al-Fishawy:
Some 240 years ago, a man named al-Fishawy began serving coffee to his friends in an alley of Cairo's Khan al-Khalili district each evening after prayers.
Al-Fishawy, they say, gradually added mint tea and anise tea to his informal menu, as well as shishas, or water pipes. Thus was born Qahwat al-Fishawi, Fishawy's Café, now the most renowned café in the Arab world and a monument to the traditional Egyptian social style of relaxing with friends, colleagues and the occasional stranger over coffee, tea and tobacco.
"We are different from the other coffeehouses because we work to preserve the old style," says Akram al-Fishawy, one of the café's seventh-generation owners. "Qalnvat al-Fishawi" really represents Egypt's past."
I was happy to let the others do their shopping so I could get an idea of the prices. You have to haggle over EVERYTHING ! It is freaking exhausting. The vendors are at you non stop. Do not make eye contact or touch anything unless you intend to buy.
Back to the Grand Pyramids hotel in the Giza district. Out for some food . . . where there isn't a menu in English the staff barely speak English. The place is a big tent between buildings and we sat in tents/shelters (reminded me of Sultans tent in Toronto.) Fantastic food, wonderful people. Even though we can barely communicate, all they want to do is help. Truly amazing. So friendly.
Oh boy . . . Have to be up at 5am and it is after midnight.
Oh boy . . . Have to be up at 5am and it is after midnight.
Nighty night xox
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