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!!!