Cairo 7

A day in Khan El-Kalili
The Cairo Bazaar, known as Khan El-Kalili is quite an experience. We were dropped off at one of its gates by one of the ubiquitous black and white taxis that crowd the Caire streets and seem to aim for any pedestrian brave enough to try and cross to the other side of any road.

The market is made up of thousands of stalls and shops, one on top of the other in a neighborhood that dates back to medieval times and is defined by narrow alleyways, crumbling buildings and beautiful mosques. The folks that crowd the streets represent slices of every nation and every culture known to man....and the vendors usually approach passers-by by asking "Where you from?". Mike started saying that he was from Bulgaria...and most of the vendors would reply as they would have if he had said New York: "Bulgaria? Beautiful country. Nice people. Welcome to my country. I have what you're looking for!"

We walked around for a while, taking it all in...overwhelmed by the amount of goods that were being sold everywhere, and ranged from plastic pyramids to jewelry...from waterpipes and inlaid boxes to fabrics....and t-shirts, galabeyas, dresses, scarves, sandals, hats, etc. etc. etc. And at the same time as our senses were being attacked by the copious amount of colors, textures, smells, and sounds..we also had to fend off the constant invitations to "buy something cheap"...or "just come in and look".

Alfredo gets a close shave.
We took lots of pictures...talked with many Egyptians...bargained for fabrics and other small gifts. While Mike was checking out yet another inlaid box "factory", I wandered into a barbershop next door and got myself as proper haircut and shave. We were the only Westerners in the tiny establishments and the fellows that were there seem quite amused. Chris befriended the barber's young son and taught him to use his camera...and the kid turned out to be a naural shooter. In the meanwhile I enjoyed a few minutes sitting down and having my bangs trimmed and my chin cleaned up. Jacob was tempted...but vowed to keep his beard until we return to the US...so he passed.

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El-Fishawy in Khan El-Kalili
Khan El-Kalili is Cairo's great bazaar - a bustling place with a thousand winding little streets filled with vendors hawking all types of merchandise. Among this veritable chaos, in a narrow alleyway behind Midan Hussein is a small café that is considered the oldest one in the area: El Fishawy.
El -Fishawy became our meeting place, and we spent a few memorable hours enjoying a glass of cold and delicious lemonade...a hot chiai...a little turkish coffee...and of course, the ubiquitous "shisha" (waterpipe). The time spent at El Fishawy was magical. The place exudes great atmosphere...and you can feel the weight of the thousands of travelers who have stopped in this Cairo landmark to rest their weary feet. Of course, all sort of street vendors would come by constantly trying to sell us wallets, visors, watches, or bracelets...each with a different approach, and a different line. At one of our last stops there, Chris ended up buying a couple of watches - after some hard negotiating. The rest of us resisted temptation but enjoyed the general haggling and negotiating. By the way, my favorite line was: "How can I take your money?"

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In search of the perfect sandwich.
Jake has developed quite a sophisticated level of expertise when it comes to street sandwiches...so, while in Cairo - a city with an abundance of street vendors, Jake set upon his quest for the absolutely perfect street-side sandwich. After a few different tastings...he was advised to try a particular spot by two Egyptian businessmen that wanted to help him achieve his objective. His taste buds tingling with excitement he took a bite of the lamb filled delicacy...and immediately he awarded the Grand Prize to a delighted young man by the name of Lil' Mohammed. The rest is history...and we expect that after Jake's reviews, Lil' Mohammed's Famous Cairo Sandwich Shop will be overrun by locals and tourists alike. Lil' Mohammed was extremely appreciative of the award, and moved nearly to tears. At the end - he agreed to take a picture with Jake....and we're happy to report it on our blog!

Cairo 4

The Mena House.
No trip to Giza should go without a stop at the Mena House. This venerable hotel has been the host of many great visitors - from artists to heads of state. We lived here for a few weeks when we first arrived to Egypt...while my father found a house for us in Alexandria. My brother Alex and I played many a tennis game on the clay courts in the back...with a clear view of the Pyramids as a backdrop. So...I dragged everyone there for a drink after our tour of the pyramids.

Shopping and soccer.
The walk was a bit longer than I remember because today they have built a huge wall around the pyramids, and the gate where we entered and exited is a few blocks away. On the way to the hotel, Mike and I stopped and bought a couple of presents for friends and family...and Mike (as usual) ended up taking photos of himself with the folks that were in the store....a nice Egyptian woman and her four daughters. Outside, Jake sat waiting - while Chris was engaged in a game of pick up soccer (in which he performed quite impressively against the neighborhood's kids).

The International Belly Dancing Competition.
When we finally made it to the Mena House's bar, we were delighted to find out that this was the location for the finals of the International Belly Dancing Competition. Mike immediately disappeared..but was quickly spotted with the representative of the Venezuelan federation...trying to see if she was part of a family business. Mike is indefatigable when it comes to work! Chris decided to join him and they chatted in Spanish with the young ladies, who then obligingly posed with them for a couple of shots. We tried to talk our way in...but we were not dressed for the occasion and the cover fee was extraordinarily high...so we decided to skip the competition - but we promised we'll catch it next time we're in Cairo!!!

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The Egyptian Museum
Chris, Mike's son, flew in from New York late on the second night that we were in Cairo around 2:00am...just as we were getting home from a long night out. The next morning he was up and about early, so we went to the Egyptian Museum. Chris and I went to the same museum I had visited 30 years ago as a student...and was a little surprised to see that it had not changed at all. In fact, there were artifacts seemingly tossed in corners of the rooms...with crates strewn about in the middle of the exhibit floors. The signage that identifies the artifacts was probably produced before my last visit to the museum...it was just as I remembered...sheets of paper typed on a typewriter and taped to the glass cabinets. Signs everywhere said "No Flash Photography"...so I started taking some reference shots without flash - after a few photos I was approached by security who asked me to erase the photos from my camera...and stood there while this happened. Obviously the rules have changed...but not the signs.

The Pyramids at Giza
On our way back to the hotel we walked across the bridge that spans over the Nile and met up with Mike and Jake who were anxious to visit the ancient Pyramids. So, we hopped in a cab and headed towards Giza.

We were dropped off at a side gate...in front of one of the many establishments that offer horses and camels. Each of them assures you that they are the best deal in town...and not to trust anyone else. We spoke to a couple of different operators and got quotes that ranged from 70LE per hour to 120LE per hour. By the time we got there, it was around 4:30 and the Pyramids close at 6:00...so we opted to purchase our entry tickets and take a walk around them.

At first we were greeted by the Sphynx...which is not as large as it appears on most pictures...but it is still a sizable monument. Behind it the three large pyramids of Giza stood tall, as they have for millenia. These monuments to humanity and past civilizations are a truly remarkable experience...and I was glad to share it with Jake, Michael and Chris.

The camel pictures.
As it always happens, there were many vendors aggressively hawking water, postcards, and souvenirs...as well as pictures with camels. Chris and I walked up to catch up with Jake who was ahead of us, and we noticed that Jake was standing by a camel and getting fitted with a turban by one of the locals. The man invited Jake to saddle up on the camel...which Jake did while the camel emitted the kind of guttural sounds that only camels can do. As the camel got up, Jake held on to the saddle...and I captured the episode on film. After that, it was Chris's turn...then mine. At the end, the man asked for "bakshish"..and when we gave him 20LE he grabbed Jake and said that he had told him 20LE per person. People are much more aggressive and more physical in the Middle East than we are used to...so Chris and I stepped in and told the man that 20LE is all he was getting and we walked away. At the same time another man on a camel....who might have been a member of the tourist police approached us and told the man to back off...which he did...and we shook hands and walked away.

This type of confrontation is quite typical in Egypt...and for us westerners that are not used to it, the reaction can range from annoying to intimidating....but as we got more used to the general approach, we learned to dismiss it as just a part of the experience.

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The Sufi and Dervish Show at Khan El-Kalili
Michael's new Cairo "buddy" - Mohammed - told Mike about a dance show that was taking place this evening near a mosque at Khan El-Kalili (Cairo's biggest bazaar). So...we went. We told Mike we had already experienced a Sufi show in Istanbul...but we were in for a surprise!
First of all the setting was absolutely breathtaking. The stage was located at one end of a medieval courtyard of a three story building built in typical Islamic style. Some of the musicians played from the balconies on the second floor, while the dancers performed below them - accompanied by other musicians at stage level. The dramatically lit building would have stolen the show...hadn't the show been such a formidable spectacle.

The show consisted of a series of skits featuring drummers and pipe players creating hypnotic sounds while dancers in elaborate costumes performed to the music. The dancers twirl...and twirl...and twirl...and they do this for what seems like 1/2hour without ever stopping. I would certainly throw up...or at least fall over. While they do this they also perform all sorts of other feats - from taking off layers of their colorful skirts and twirling them as they twirl themselves...to unfolding flags and waving them for the crowds - and then folding them back up into a neat little package....while never-ever stopping their twirling. It's hard to describe...but the sound and the motion and the color and the setting all made for an unforgettable experience. By focusing on the twirlers it seemed that one could easily fall into a trance-like state.

After the show we walked outside and took pictures with some of the performers. I particularly liked the Sufi singer who chanted in Arabic and sounded similar to the prayers that one hears during praying tine at the Mosques.

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Cairo: Sofitel El Gezirah
Our hotel in Cairo is an absolutely luxurious place....a building situated at the tip of an island in the middle of the Nile that is lavishly decorated and features the latest amenities. What a place!

Shukran, Alessandro!
At this point I should thank my brother, Alessandro (Alex) who has made all the arrangements for us on this trip...from hotel to airlines - with cars picking us up and driving us from Alexandria to Cairo and back. Alex was supposed to join us on this trip...and we're sad he could not make it because we know he would have added a lot of color to our adventures. He called us all the time...just to make sure we were OK - which was very nice. So...in case anyone is interested in traveling to Europe, I would highly recommend that you drop him a note: tsp.gesi@tiscali.it

The Nile River
The views from the hotel are absolutely spectacular. From our room we can see several of the bridges that cross the Nile, and the busy Cairo skyline dotted with tall buildings and many, many mosques. At night the view is even better...with the city lit up from one end to the other. And, at street level, one can walk outside and watch the Nile flow by. There's something magic about rivers...and in the case of the Nile, it is simply amazing...especially if you stop to think about the thousands of years, the many great dynasties, and the millions of people that have inhabited its shores and survived because of its waters.

Mike O'Malley makes it to Cairo.
Cairo is where we were supposed to meet up with my best friend from college: Michael O'Malley...and his son, Chris. Mike was already in Cairo when we arrived and Chris would join us the next day. Mike is an indomitable traveler who has visited countries across the globe and spends much of his time in exotic destinations. We met up with Mike on our first evening in Cairo....and - after one day in the city - he was already full of stories and adventures. To start with he told us how he talked his way into Wimbledon during the tennis tournament (a little side trip he made since he had about a ten hour layover in London). Few people can pull off this type of stunt...but barely anything that Mike does amazes me anymore. Next, he told us about making a few friends in Islamic Cairo...one of whom took him to the top of a minaret...from which he could get an amazing view of Cairo's rooftops. His "buddy's" name is Mohammed and he owns a spice shop in Khan El-Khalili (Cairo's famously chaotic bazaar). The other fellow he met owns a perfume shop down the street from Mohammed's spice emporium. Later, we would get to meet both of these characters.

Dinner in the alleyway.
By the time that Mike made it back to the hotel, night time was approaching and we decided to head out to dinner. We settled for a place called Ar Rifai, in Midan Saiyida Zeinab in the Islamic section of Cairo. At the base of the hotel we opted to take a regular taxi instead of the hotel car...which would save us the princely sum of $5. However, as soon as we departed it became fairly apparent that the cab driver had no idea where this place was...and we had a bit of a time explaining where we needed to go. Finally - after asking many different people for directions - we ended up through a crowded doorway into an empty lot with a few tables outside in the dirt..and from there into a narrow alleyway where they were cooking sheesh-kebabs. No one spoke English..and I forgot my phrase book, but the folks were very hospitable and helped me order some food for us - which ended up being delicious. By the time we left, we felt quite at home...and on the way out we took pictures of us holding on to skewers with th erest of the kitchen staff. BTW: We're pretty sure that we never made it to Ar Rifai...but this place was excellent!!!

A little Shisha
In Egypt water pipes are called Shisha. In nicer cafes, they come in a variety of flavors from apple to mango to melasses. The café that we stumbled upon after our meal only offered tobacco flavor and it was quite harsh...but, hey...that's the Cairo experience!!! Mike and I enjoyed a little smoke after dinner while Jake watched on - having had enough water pipe experiences in Istanbul. After our smoke we headed back to the hotel...where we drank a couple of beers overlooking the view...and by 3:00am we were ready to lay our heads to sleep. Note: People think that I don't need much sleep..well, Mr. O'Malley puts me to shame...and keeps going and going and going...and then passes out. Of course I have to wait until he's passed out before i go to bed as well - not being one to retire before my friends.