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Alexandria
Fishing for tiny fish with big rodsI know the entries further along this trip won't have as many photos and stories, until then I may be able to compile my own entertaining travel novel!!
Upon my return from Jordan, I had just over one week in Cairo before heading out to the rest of Egypt. Looking forward to seeing a bit more, I bought a train ticket to Alexandria. The 3 hour journey north to the Mediterranean Sea was through many farmers fields and past a 101 donkeys. It got to a point where zzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzz crept in. Began dreaming of some swimming, some shopping, some exploring, and then I arrived.
Not wanting to allow the hotel guys and taxi drivers to get the better of me, I marched on past with intentions of following the map I had briefly studied on the train. "La 'shukran la 'shukran" I repeated, politely declining the many offers of postcards and burkhas (headscarfs). The route I had walked towards with such confidence was soon establishing itself as the wrong way. No worries, it was residential and friendly so I continued in my adventure of getting lost. The market that I then stumbled into was unlike anything I
Alexandria
Fishermen sorting out their net before dropping it had seen before. The first of many similar markets I know, but to an unexperienced traveller there are no comparisons to the first! London's Portabello Road or Vancouver's Granville Island are such pretty and innocent stage shows compared to the passionate theatrics I witnessed. The images that I saw I will keep with me on this journey, although my camera will not. It didn't quite feel right capturing a turkeys' last breath, or the caged rabbits and ducks looking so innocent sitting under their current owners' wallet. Through all of the madness of the live stock, there were such meticulously stacked displays of fruit and veg. Watermelons like pyramids and bananas sold by the stalk. Then there were the stacks and stacks of household items that the salesmen insited I take with me round the world. I know I might be leaving a few scary sights behind in some toilets, but I refuse to carry a toilet brush with me! The streets and traders then seemed to think that it truely was a carnival. I passed one guy selling a single balloon. The next had cotton candy. And then there was the chap with 3 fly swatters, 5 insense holders
Alexandria
Across from my hotel room, everything has a design of some sort. and a plastic harmonica. I thought of buying the harmonica for my lonely nights-then thought it's be better to just not be lonely!! The market soon dwindled, and I admited a taxi might be the best option towards the direction of the cheap cheap hotels. Who knows why I was so determined not to take a taxi straight from the train station, as it only cost me 4 Egyptian pounds (40p or 85cents). But then again, getting lost is sometimes the best part about travelling. Providing there's a taxi nearby.
So after finding my cheap hotel (that amazingly enough did have a sea view and could still be considered clean by some) I went for a walk. Heading towards the corniche, the main street along the water in most Egyptian cities, I was looking forward to smelling a fresh sea breeze. I began to watch some nice young men along the shore line with fishing poles of 10-15 feet in length. Thinking that their catch might be a sight to see, I sat down with diary in hand. Not racing to see the tourist attractions has again become such a joy. There weren't any major catches, and I
Alexandria
Aaaaaaagggghhhhhh, can't beat a sunset anywhere in the world! started to realize the the fresh sea breeze actually wasn't so fresh at all. In fact, it stunk. Looking down the beach I understood a bit more. The turtle with a shell nearly 2 foot across had died surrounded by rubbish. Time to move on.
Just across the corniche I found a great ahwa (if I'm 'gonna drink coffee locally best to learn it's proper name) where I watched the sunset and read my book. I have never been an avid user of kleenix/tissue, but perhaps I should in Egypt? The number of children selling mini packs was surprising, I'm obviously missing the joy of tissue. I've heard there are even more kleenix sales in Asia, so I bought a pack to practice multiple uses. The next child salesmen pushed his case hard, but I argued my point over and over. Unless he was going to give me a full foot massage as well, I wouldn't accept the shoe shine wearing just my teva's.
Before long, I was chatting with another coffee shop junkee, or perhaps he was the sheesha pipe junkee? Andy invited me to join a few other sailors at a local bar. I
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Drinks with Andy (Nike) and the boys at The Spitfire Pub found it strange to join a lad from Manchester when I was in Egypt, but it was just a drink and entertaining conversation! The bar we went to had a pretty accurate write up in the Lonely Planet as a sailors favourite decorated with labels of shipping lines. A couple of drinks and I soon ventured back to my hotel to prepare myself for a day of exploration like a true tourist. Although, the I didn't manage much other than catching a taxi to a nice section of beach (5km. away!) to catch a few rays and have a little paddle before catching the train back to Cairo.
Back in Cairo I ventured onto the metro and mistakingly went straight into another market. I bolted by the constant haggling but took in the sights of the many games of dominoes in front of the ahwas. Seeing laundry hung was a dash of colour within the dusty walled pathways to the local housing. Despite not speaking arabic, I seemed to be able to play a couple of 'I see you' games with the little boy crawling behind his moms' legs. And then I was on the right path to
Cairo
The classic taxis and a typical crosswalk/roundabout/market area Coptic Cairo. I never would have thought that there was such a Christian following in Cairo. As I sat in their churches, I was intrigued by the ritual of touching the face of Jesus on each wall of the church. Even the one surrounded by flashing green lights of vines.
The next market I went to was simply called Friday market on the edges of the City of the Dead. This wouldn't have been a place I'd have gone to on my own as it's known for as a hotspot for a female feelup, (even at the time of 7am!) but I had a chance to join Timber, Jason, Bart and another chap on a tour of everything that could possible be sold. There seemed to be many tables of grime covered remote controls and computer guts. Jason even found a belt buckle from the Calgary Stampede! It's situated on the train tracks and under the highway, apparently the train even came through one Friday. We made a mad dash across the highway to find a different variety of everything on the other side. Snakes and dogs, sleeping bags and corn on the cob. We stopped by a
Cairo
A common sight from within a taxi; no movement outside and an unused meter from the previous decade inside table that Bart knew of specializing in coins and within a few moments the table seemed to be heaving with teenage boys havin a look at the goods. But it was MY GOODS causing the stir! An aged lady behind the stock table kindly offered me her seat so I could smirk back at all the boys. I then followed my 'bodyguards' rather closely. Not close enough for one lady further on who reached across her product table to slap be on the arm! Though its likely she was telling me off for showng my arms in my t-shirt, her smiles and shouting at the same time seemed to say don't fall too far behind your escorts!!
Other adventures in Cairo before joining the tour have been to the regular ex-pat cafe near Timbers'. Cought a few formula one style taxis around town. Apparently there have been a few additions on the Cairo streets of red lights, but I don't think the drivers have quite cought on to the intended instructions of 'stop'.
Eventually my time staying with Timber has come to an end, and my real adventure begins. Thank you so much Timber, your flat
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Friday market over the train tracks and company has been such a joy! Now I say real adventure, but my fingers are still crossed behind my back as I'm actually joining a tour for 3 weeks. Not quite roughing it yet I know, but I bought it in the UK to break the ice as a solo female in a few new cultures. So, there you go.
The tour started with a few days in Cairo at a hotel with such an appreciated swimming pool. I then met up with just 4 others in the group and we jumped on the bus to the ancient city of Memphis and the pyramids around Giza. I was so glad the group I was in was small. The large tour groups were ssssoooo annoying! Pyramids and ancient statues of all sorts blew my mind. The Steps Pyramid dates back to 2500 BC. Hard to grap that far back! More so the amount of information that the guide recited to us about the Gods and history of Egypt. Walking down the many many steps underneath the pyramid was daunting. It is a tomb after all, though it just seemed like a sweatpit for tourists. The market stalls behind
Cairo
Friday market under the highway the Giza pyramids were a bit of a dissapointment. I only had one marriage proposal of 100 camels! They clearly don't reckognize that I'm a more expensive catch than that!!
Our guide threw in a visit to a perfume shop, a papyrus shop and a carpet school. Well, they're local busineses that show you how they produce their speciality and hope that you buy buy buy! It starts off with the welcome drink of hibiscus tea or a soda and then the 'shpeel'. The perfumery confused my senses but it was nice to sample the amount of essential oils they had in stock. This was how Cleopatra attracted her suiters of course! And then there was the carpet school. Children are put to work in the basement for 2 hour shifts 3 days per week. I hope. School hours are broken into shifts to accomodate working on the farms or in the schools. They do have quite a knack for carpet making, they're so quick! There are up to 85 knots in a standard carpet, or 1000 knots in a silk carpet. If only I had lots of extra money to buy all of these crafty jewels. And
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Friday Market following a couple of the boys the papyrus was interesting too. My memories of school projects in the 7th grade came flooding back.
The next day was a visit to the post office which brought a bizarre adventure of trying to find packaging/an envelope/paper, of which the post office did not supply. My taxi driver took me to 'his friend' at the papyrus museum. I accepted some tissue/plastic wrap from them and then argued and refused to pay 20 pounds for it. The post office then ripped it up and gave me an envelope which I had asked for in the first place. An annoying adventure, but as a wise traveller once told me, 'not to sweat the small stuff'.
Last on the agenda for the group in Cairo was a trip to the Museum. A rushed visit of all 275000 items on show, and a promise to myself to get back there one day.
So what next? Heading down to Aswan, cruising the Nile up to Luxor and flying over to Sharm El Sheikh. And then Kenya 😊 😊 😊 !
Hope all's well with everybody and I haven't put you to sleep. I'm going to sleep
Cairo
The step pyramid and an 'Egyptian Cadalac' now though.
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anonymous
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Hey Fiona, Looks like you are having a great time. I love all of the pictures, what an amazing place. I am happy to hear and see that you are doing well. I think of you often. Love Kathy - Kathy