Farewell to Cairo!

Hi all-

Here we are on our last night in Cairo.  It has gone so very fast.  This is a city that could take years to see, and we saw the high points in just two days!  Today we started at the Egyptian Museum of Antiquities.  The museum was built by a Brit from 1897-1901, and hasn't been upgraded since.  Imagine priceless pieces of man's ancient history, like the mummies of the Pharaohs and Tutankhamen's tomb contents, in gray airless rooms with peeling paint and beat up old cases, and you get the picture.  I understand the Egyptians are building a new museum, to be finished in four years, that will be the largest museum in the world.  It still won't house their collections, which are kept in wharehouses around the country, but it will be a big improvement.  Dr.Zahi  Hawass (dubbed Wowie Kazowie by Gene), Director of Egyptian Antiquities, estimates that only ten % of what is here has been found!

We went next to a perfume store.  The Egyptians make 100 % pure essential oils.  You go into the shop and sit on counches that line the perimeter.  A  perfume expert then comes to see if you want some Turkish coffee or Hisbiscus juice while he explains how the oils are extracted.  He then begins to put different oils on your hand for you to smell to see which you like.  The list includes pure flower essences, such as papyrus and hibiscus; there are blends, such as Queen of the Desert and Ramses, and then there are medicinals such as bergamot, sandalwood and mint.  We bought several oils and beautfiful bottles to bring home.

We went for a fine traditional oriental lunch to a famous Cairo restaurant called Neguib Mahfouz located in the largest baazar in the Middle East, the Khan El-Khalili Bazaar. The bazaar was founded as a watering stop for caravans in the 14th century.

A funny story- between the perfume store and the bazaar, we were stuck in the inevitable Cairo traffic.  It is hands down the worst traffic I have ever experienced, worse than LA and Moscow.  Lanes are a mere suggestion, and all kinds of traffic,donkeys pulling carts, bicycles, little Vespa taxis, giant tour busses and goats and sheep are vying for room.  Time passing and a big lunch and I had a bad bladder incident.  Our inventive guide had a brilliant idea, jumping out of our van and flagging down a tour bus for me to board and pee in.  It was a "Two Weeks Notice" moment for sure!

We then passed by the Mohamed Ali Mosque (not the fighter) and the Citidel.  Originally built by Salah El-Din in 1176 to fortify against the crusades, it has been rebuilt and re-used over the years and now houses three mosques and four museums.  We stopped to visit the side-by-side Sultan Hassan and Refaie mosques, both huge and built in the 1300s and both incredible examples of Islamic architecture. 

We leave tomorrow for Aswan to board our boat for the Nile Cruise.  We will be on board for three nights, and then back to Cairo on Monday, leaving on Tuesday.  We became friends with our guide and he has invited us to his home for dinner with his family on Monday night- really looking forward to that.  We cruise from Aswan to Luxor, stopping to along the way to see various temples and tombs of old Egypt. 

I am off to sleep as we have an early start tomorrow.  Our best and blessings to all.