Cairo

---

Arrived late afternoon and met by hotel driver. This worked well as he gave us an insight into some of the areas which I had been researching.

Drove past Kahn el Khalili and through the downtown area.

Everyone emphasises welcome and safety

At night we headed out to downtown area to get something to eat. Ended up at Abu Tarek, a restaurant that serves Khoshary. It was great fun and there was a certain theatre about the serving!

Abou Tarek restaurant: 2 bowls with amusing waiter who put it all together with some theatrics, 2 sprite and rice pudding=$10

Koshary: chickpeas, fried onions, spaghetti, tiny pasta and garlicky tomato sauce. Add squeeze of lemon, vinegar salt pepper and cumin.

After dinner we walked home. Streets are busy and people are friendly. One of the streets was filled with what seemed to be pop up cafes on one side: Plastic chairs and people having shusha and coffees, and on the other motor bike mechanical repairs.

Everyone is kind, welcoming and seems to have a laugh with us.



Today was a busy day filled with great variety. We started the day by walking to the famous Nile, not far. Then we caught a Metro to the Coptic Cairo area to visit the Hanging Church and the fortress. Interesting enough. We decide to attempt to walk nearly 3 km to the Museum of Egyptian Civilisation. It was quite different walking in the backstreets where we passed a whole area of pottery businesses. Lots of large pots which we would have loved! The walk became a bit much so we jumped into a tuk tuk.A bit wild but at $1 it was a great trip! The museum has a section on the features of Egyptian civilisation: most interesting. Everything from a 35,000 year old skeleton to early phonics and papyrus boats. And Yes there were canopic jars and amulets! Downstairs was a large collection of Mummies and many of them were from tombs we shall visit in the Valley of the Kings. Ramses' sarcophagus was missing because I think it has gone to Australia!

The afternoon was filled with a walk through Old Islamic Cairo. Some parts like stepping back in time. Then we followed up with a walking tour of Khan El Khalili, one of the largest markets in the world. Dinner in the market area followed by a Cairo traffic experience in the Uber car. Probably could have walked faster although I could hardly walk another step!

---