Trip to Egypt

Day 3 of our trip, and still no luggage. Fortunately, this time to Northern Africa, we packed so we have a change of clothes (for some reason, I didn’t put in an extra blouse, ah well) and all Grant’s meds with us in our carryon bags. Lost luggage does make it easy to decide what to wear each morning. Same old, same old.

We are at the Fairmont Nile Hotel, with a wonderful room overlooking the Nile. Between us and the riverside People of Egypt Walkway is a 6-lane road with constant traffic night and day. I use the term “6-lane” loosely, as lanes seem to be suggestions, not rigid rules. But there are lane markers. Buses, trucks, cars, mopeds, even 1 horse-drawn wagon stream pass.

What there isn’t are crosswalks. I have seen none. Pedestrians just walk slowly across, one lane at a time, while traffic goes by. I am determined to try it. 

My plan is to be next to a local and follow their lead. This morning we saw men standing in the road waiting for a seat on a microbus. Eventually they all found one. Traffic just went around them while they waited. We’ve also seen cars just stop to let out passengers. All good.

Our trip here was 19 hours of flight and transfers. Orlando to Montreal to Vienna to Cairo. I thought I had arranged for wheelchairs at each airport to make the walks between gates faster. None appeared, plus there were stairs, including climbing up to the last airplane, lugging our carryons and personal items. My seat mate started weeping when we spotted the pyramids from the window. He’d given up cigarettes and alcohol for 20 years, and this was his reward to himself.

Our first tour day was to Ben Ezra Synagogue, (7 Jews remain in Cairo, I’d guessed 5 when asked), the Coptic Museum, and the Hanging Church, so named because it is suspended 30’ above ground level, built on the remains of a previous fortification. Our tour guide, Ehab, knows everything we’ve asked. I’m reminded how quickly guided tours go. We lallygag, but get herded on, with a suited, sunglassed, gun-toting security person Mohammed walking sweep. Another couple, with canes, are even slower than us, however, Ehab has a timetable.

Today we continued our religious explorations with Islam, visiting the Mosque-Madrasa of Sultan Hassan where we took off our shoes to walk around, then the Museum of Islamic Art, finally lunch at a koshari restaurant (naturally upstairs), to try the Egyptian national dish of fried rice, vermicelli, and brown lentils topped with tomato sauce, fried onions, and chick peas, as spicy as personal comfort dictated.  Comfort food at its best.

Back on the bus, wending our way through downtown Cairo to the El Abd patisserie for baklava and what I’d call peanut brittle. I bought some to take home, if we don’t eat it first.

Dogs lie around everywhere, all of a sort of classical Egyptian hound type. I’ve seen 2 sleeping on top of cars. I also noticed one of the cars with a dust cover on also had a nail-studded piece of cardboard on its hood. Perhaps to discourage dog napping there.

Smoking is almost as ubiquitous. Even the no smoking areas smell of smoke. When we tried to visit the mall attached to the hotel, my eyes demanded I leave. The restaurants have ashtrays and boxes of tissue along side the salt and pepper. Old times.

The food at the hotel, especially the breakfast buffet, has lured me to indulge myself. The waiter showed me how to drip molasses and tahini on the feteer.

We dined alfresco at the Ginko the first night, overlooking the Nile and listening to traffic. 

For lunch the next day, I got a huge salad and Grant chose calamari pasta at the Butter Box. Dinner at the Onyx Lounge with Egyptian wine, sliders, and a piece of Black Forest cake gratis for me since they missed my risotto order.

Today, breakfast muesli again with a scoop of rice pudding, stewed apricots and some granola. Also scrambled eggs since old people need more protein. The pistachio croissant was just for fun.

Dinner tonight: back at the Onyx for afternoon tea, with twice what we needed, with a small chocolate fudge brownie gratis as an apology for missing my order yesterday. With our boxed leftovers and the rest of Grant’s calamari pasta, we have dinner all set for tomorrow.