Cairo (pre-revolution!)

After and early, pizza-filled, low-key night at the hotel Chris and I woke early to catch our 6:30 am train. Low and behold we entered the lobby downstairs to find our escort already up and waiting for us. He ran as we casually biked to the station.


Catching the train out of Asyut- police escorts behind

Once on the train, we comfortably watched scenes from life on the Nile quickly passing by from our window seats. I barely had time to notice whole towns fly by, unaware of how slow their morning rituals are. Outside the villages an early morning fog hovered to create a thick sea of whiteness, covering the ground and allowing only the tops of the date palms to be seen.


Early morning river fog from train window

We arrived around noon at Giza Station, then biked our way over the bridge to Garden City, a slightly upscale neighborhood where many embassies are located. Chris and I stayed here a few days with a friend and former ASU student, Na'ila, who is currently living and freelance writing for some arts magazines in Cairo. She knew Chris through the Islamic Students Association and Al Hamdulilah for Facebook she invited us over!

Cairo left and right, divided by the Nile

We spent the next few days exploring the ins and outs of Cairo together, getting tips on which street food vendors won't rip us off and sharing endless stories of Egyptian men being creepy and sometimes outright sexually harassing. Chris and I always have attention on us but especially in Egypt and Cairo I face a near constant army of men staring, yelling, hissing, kissing, and trying to talk to me. While on my bike a guy reached out a taxi van window and slid his hand down my back as I passed. So freakin creepy. It's much harder for Na'ila because she is alone.

Chris and Naila entering the Coptic Quarter

Na'ila took us first to the Coptic neighborhood, where we wandered in and around the empty churches, admired the architecture, silently observed Egyptian scenes of Jesus' life and biblical figures exibited through various art mediums, and soaked in the thick clouds of burning frankincense. We even paid some baksheesh to get into a tomb, peering through lattice screens from the women's hidden quarter upstairs.

Coptic Cairo by night

Ladies' view of the pew, upstairs and behind lattice screens

Afterward we went to a chic art gallery to see exhibits by contemporary Egyptian artists. Some pieces were interactive, some mixed media, others photography and paint exhibits. Outside in a garden sat what looked to be a large tomb; inside a table with bottles of snake venom and a warning that tonight the hallucinogenic drink would be free. (It was actually just water but fun to take the first sip)

Testing the weight of the glass floor inside the Darb1718 Art Gallery


Same man, many disguises

Mystery snake venom tomb

Entering the snake tomb

Hallucinogenic Snake Venom

Then a large crowd of hip and in-the-know Cairians gathered to sit on plush orange bean bags strewn across the lawn, comfortably watching Egyptian electronic ("egyptronica") performers playing from the gallery's rooftop. I am glad to see and experience this unique atmosphere, but simply sitting to listen to sounds of the moog is not my cup of tea.


Egyptronica at Darb 1718

Chris and I also rode our bikes over to the National Egyptian Museum, an enormous warehouse full of ancient artifacts and statues. The interior is that of an old British library; dusty and stuffed full of worn, wooden cases. I was incredibly disappointed in the complete absence of labels, English or otherwise. At best they might say the carbon date or pharonic period, but overall nothing in the museum actually taught or enlightened visitors about the life, culture, habits, etc., of the Egyptian people.


Outside the Egyptian Museum

I'm glad I took several archaeology courses and have a fairly good knowledge base already, but then what is the point in coming to a museum? On the plus side, highlights include a display case of ancient wigs (have you seen 3000 year old hair??), Tutankhamen's bust, and several rooms full of papyrus scrolls depicting hieroglyphs and Greek scribbles.


No cameras prohibited inside, so we capture the public statues

Our first (and only) sphinx outside the National Museum

Na'ila took us to meet a friend and explore the grand Khan el-Khalili bazaar, the endless maze of Egyptian treasures. Without realizing we arrived on a Sunday night, all the shops were closed down. Instead, we wandered around the Islamic quarter, a street of magnificent mosques and old shops that is colorfully illuminated at night.


Strolling the well-lit cobblestone cooridor on Muizz Street


Minbar at the Qalawun Complex, Along Muizz Street (Islamic Cairo)


Ancient architecture on Muizz Street (Islamic Cairo)


Inside a han, from the early Islamic-Ottoman dynasties, inside Islamic Cairo

A note about biking:
Despite the insanely traffic-clustered streets we have found Cairo to be fairly easy and enjoyable to navigate through. This is mostly because it is flat and we can slip passed cars by sliding along the side gutter gaps, allowing us to bike faster than cars and reaching "far" distances sooner than we would by metro. Having said that, I will admit we are almost constantly suffering headaches due to the smoggy pollution and exhaust.

Beautiful, old buildings on every corner

One afternoon Chris and I biked over above the citadel to Al Azhar Park, a beautifully landscaped greenspace overlooking the city. The park was created by the Agha Khan Trust for Culture, as part of a historical preservation project, helping to recapture and renovate the land, as well as creating "lungs" for the city.



Fountains at Al Azhar entrance, where families splash around


Young couples and families picnicing at Al Azhar park, overlooking Cairo's cityscape


Peaceful picnis at Al Azhar Park


Dusk and mosques from Al Azhar Park

From there we popped in to the Khan el-Khalili bazaar (again), a series of long streets bustling with Egyptian goods and tourists. Most of it is just highly marked up Chinese junk, and everybody says as soon as you enter you will get ripped off. Lucky for us we don't want to stock up on pyramid paperweights or shiny belly dancer costumes.


Open all night: Khan el-Khalili street vendors


Sheesha browsing inside Khan el-Khalili

Over in the Islamic quarter is the sheesha street, where dozens of sheesha supply shops await entrepreneurial cafe owners. After about a half dozen shops Chris decided on the place, where a trio of Muhammeds helped assemble 5 sturdy and ornately decorated sets. They are more expensive than most other options we saw, but definitely higher quality. Next trick will be trying to find a way to pack them on the plane!


Personalizing all the parts of pieces of Chris' sheeshas


Chris and Muhammeds 1, 2, and 3, the sheesha salesmen

Chris' first set! Hookah lounge here he comes!

Before leaving town we stopped at our favorite street stall, where fhuul (bean) sandwiches are 20 cents. Not only beans, but any combo of falafel, egg, egg stuffed falafel, deep fried egg, eggplant, babaganoush, salads, fried potatoes, and chips can be arranged. I'm partial to bean, boiled egg, and eggplant pide, a protein packed meal I've been severely lacking. We also ran across a small series of protestors out in the streets. Small and civil, nothing outrageous, which made us scoff a bit about the rumors of big demonstrations to come.


Street meals: falafel, fried eggplant, boiled eggs, beans, pickled veggies... all delicious!


One of the first protestors we ran across


Small, orderly protests before the Big Day


Police units are organized (if not nervous!)

This time we departed from Ramses Station, which is under heavy construction. Navigating through ply board passageways and with a near constant sprinkling of dust from overhead rafters, we booked seats on the two pm departure.

Typical Garden City apartment entrance, influenced by early century English gardens


Final train ride- to Alexandria!