Gunga- " Knower of All Things"

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Internet access is spotty and expensive so I'll be condensing a few days into one blog...am abbreviated version of all things Cairo.
In the middle of the huge city of Cairo- we have heard population figures varying from 15- 26 million, there is a island of lush green gardens called Gezira. It is mainly posh hotels, tennis courts, a botanical garden, several museums, the Cairo Opera house, and Cairo Tower. It was built in 1972 in the era of revolving restaurants. After another nail biting taxi ride we found it, took the elevator up and tried to see magnificent views. We had to use our imagination as Cairo is pretty smog filled from millions of cars. We didn't want to waste our admission fee so went to one of the cafes and had luscious mango ice cream and some other treats. We were charmed by a young man in the gift shop who was trying to use his English to sell us stuff but not be as pushy as the street vendors.

Side note - Getting a taxi in Cairo requires two things:1. Having a map that shows the driver where to take you ( i.e. your hotel) and hoping that when he nods 'yes' that he really knows. 2. having a meter in the taxi and telling the driver to push it on. None of this guarantees that you will end up where you want to go but it is a start.

Our last night at the famous Windsor Hotel was spent in the bar/ lounge amongst an assortment of characters worthy of an Agatha Christie novel. There was a very fat ( possible) Egyptian man who ordered beer after beer and smoked cigarette after cigarette all the while yelling in a loud deep voice a the two senior citizen age waiters to bring him something ( we think). Off to one side was a blond woman from California who talked ( non- stop) in a loud flat voice. Her companion was a handsome dark man wearing a leather cowboy type hat. He mostly listened. Off to one corner was a group of ( we think) German tourists who listened earnestly to their guide explain their future program. All this was in a moderately darkened room under chandeliers made of gazelle antlers. The most incongruous decoration was a banner from Boston College hung in a place of honor near the door.

The next morning we paid our bill and asked directions to a bank. The elevator operator motioned to us to follow him. We wove through cars and across busy streets all with growing feelings of apprehension. This did not seem to be taking us to the bank we had used before. 'No problem" his wave of the hand seemed to say in a manner that indicated that he was the 'knower of all things'. He led us to The Arab Exchange House where about 6 young men were all in a little caged room. We gave then our money and they gave us Egyptian pounds. Done deal. Then our guide took us back to the hotel, holding our hands as we crossed the wild traffic on streets meant for two lanes of traffic but instead held 4-5 plus cars double parked along the sidewalks literally bumper to bumper.

Later another hotel worker and Mr. Knower of all things led Val and I on a parade through several streets to find our waiting taxi. One pulled Val's bright red suitcase and Mr. Knower pulled my bright blue suitcase cross streets, alleys, traffic until we spotted a van. It was a spectacle enjoyed by all the men sitting in chairs outside cafes smoking their hookahs. Well, it wouldn't be the first time we gave people something to talk about over dinner at night!

We so enjoyed our days at the Windsor and the authenticity it brought to our Cairo experience. The continually tooting of horns in every key of the musical scale, the droning call to prayers 5 times a day, people talking (usually yelling), and the exciting vibe of a huge city. It all disappeared when we went to meet our OAT group at a rather plush hotel near the airport. The thing we noticed the most was how silent it was. Our fellow travelers were all excited about being in Cairo but we were a little sad to be in the homogenized atmosphere of a tourist hotel. We didn't have the heart to tell them that they were not in the real Cairo.

Internet access is getting harder to find so blogs will either be a few at a time or none at all. Please bear with me. Right now we are in Luxor in a very crowded and smoky Internet caf. It is not fun. I am hurrying as people are backed up and waiting so please excuse typos, spelling, etc. etc.

Carolyn

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