Category: Out and about

So, we have made a list of places we want to see/visit.

One of these is the Nilometer. It is on the sub-list of “stuff to do when you don’t want to spend all day touristing”.

Short taxi ride, a hour tops at the site. Should be done by lunch time.

Heh.

We never made it. We had some communication problems with the taxi driver. The Nilometer is on an island transliterated to “Roda”. We were trying to pronounce it like the name “Rhoda”, with a long “o”. We learned later that it is pronounced more like “Rawda”.

So we passed the last bridge to the island of Roda, and continued south. “Uhh, turn around.” We got him to turn around but were unable to convey to him our desired destination. As we were wandering around I saw a landmark that I had seen on the map.

“henna kwayyiz!”: (Here is ok). He let us out and we pulled out the map. Figured out where we were and make a new tactical plan: The Nilometer is out, Coptic Cairo is in!

First stop was the gate to the Nunnery of St George. We did not go in, because the Synagogue was about to close and we wanted to see it. Seems that the Egyptian government has decreed that the Synagogue will close at 3pm during Ramadan.

So we went into to visit the Ben Ezra Synagogue. On the way to it, I was stopped by someone I thought was hawking stuff. (This is a constant state of affairs. I usually just ignore them and keep walking). But he was an older gentlemen, maybe 60-65 and he was different.

Turns out he is an Egyptian Jew who was there to tell people about the Synagogue. There are, apparently, only 300 Jews left in Cairo, according to him. Egypt used to have a rather large jewish community, even in “modern” times.

The Synagogue is in pretty good shape. They do not allow photos there. In fact I put my camera to my eye to use the telephoto lens to examine something that was roped off, and the guide put his griy hand all over my lens. Words were exchanged.

I am probably going to go back. All my jewish friends are getting yarmulke’s embroided with “Ben Ezra Synagogue, Cairo” on them for Hanukkah 🙂

Off we went to visit the Hanging Church. A major church (where the Coptic Pope gets consecrated) that might be from the 4th, 7th or 9th century, depending on which sources you believe.

It is still in active use today, and is undergoing restoration again. I took a few photos inside. They allowed flash which surprised me.

You can buy videos and dvds of the Pope preaching and praying. They have a room dedicated to this along with holographic images of the Pope and the Virgin Mary holding baby Jesus.

Now, I was raised Catholic (nominally) and I was always slightly disturbed by the “icon” worship of it. Lots of photographs and paintings of saints and popes. (and JFK).

But this place was something else entirely. Kind of a combo of Catholic gift shops and the gas station with the velvet Elvis paintings for sale, if you know what I mean.

So, from there we got overly ambitious and decided to head to Roda Island and try to visit the Nil-ometer anyway.

The problem is: we are on the wrong side of the wall and the metro tracks. We have to get west from where we are.

We walk. And we walk. And we walk some more.

We finally find a street/ally that looks likely enough to get us in the general direction we want to go. This alley goes through an older part of the city, that is apparently panel beater ally and muffler shop ally. Lots of holks up on blocks being stripped or rebuilt. A lot of hand tools and manual labor used here.

We finally get to the island of Roda and realize we are in the middle of Roda. It is 4PM , we are still a considerable walk from the Nilometer. It is hot, we have not eaten since a late breakfast, everything is now closed so people can get home for Iftar.

A new tactical plan is made. We head for the north end of Roda (the south end is where the Nilometer is) and the Grand Hyatt complex. Stuff will be open there, we can get food and a beer.

So after a very long, hot and dry walk through mostly a residential area that had no place open to even buy a bottle of water., we arrive at the Hyatt.

After much vaccillation caused by exhaustion and low blood sugar, we finally decide to sit outside and join one of the restaurants Iftar buffet along the Nile.

The food was exquisite, the sunset was beautiful and the company was extremely pleasureable, as always.

My photos are here.

We toured the Mosque of Ahmad ibn Tulun and the Gayer Anderson Museum.

It was nice trip. I learned quite a bit about mosques in general and this one in particular.

My photos are here.

We went to the pyramids today.

It is an interesting experience.

The pyramids (at giza) are on the outskirts of Cairo. About a half hour drive from downtown, depending on traffic.

Cairo is in a canyon of sorts. Centuries of the Nile flooding and changing course has dug a canyon through the limestone. Cairo sits by the river bank at the bottom of that canyon.

The pyramids are on the ledge at the top of that canyon. All you really have to do is climb out of the canyon to reach them.

They are actually visible from town on a clear day. For the record: a clear day comes about once a year after a rainstorm washes all the pollution and dust from the air.

I only mention the canyon/ledge thing because it was something I never quite realized until someone pointed out that, I quote, “Cairo sits at the bottom of the grand canyon of egypt.”

I took some shots. Some of them are here .

Visiting the pyramids is surreal in some ways. I mean, these are some 4500 years old. It is hard to wrap your head around. Our guide described it as “every childs dream is to visit the pyramids”.

I am learning that the AUC bus tours should be treated as scouting missions. They give you just enough time to get the lay of the land, a sense of location and a clear plan on what to do when you come back on your own.

We did not go into either of the 2 major pyramids. The pyramid of Khufu(aka Cheops) only allows about 100 tourists/day. The ticket booth opens at 8am. If you are not already in line, chances are you are not going to get a ticket to go in.
The other pyramid that allows entrace is the pyramid of Khafre. (This Pharoah is the one “depicted” on the face of the Sphinx). This one has a seperate ticket booth and allows unlimited tourists to visit. However, by the time we were done with the Solar Boat museum, we didn’t feel we had enough time to do it justice, though some of our tourmates did it.

We will return for these 2.

The Solar Boat museum. Apparently the pharoah was taken up the Nile to his tomb by this boat. After he was entombed, the boat was buried along side the pyramid. After the judgement, the pharoah would sail the boat to eternity.

It was discovered by accident (like most tombs, pyramids and other artifacts. I have heard that if there was truth in advertising most tourist sites in Egypt would have plaques that say “Found by burro, ca xxxx”). They were cleaning up the site for a presidential visit and found it.

It was in 160-something pieces at the bottom of a trench, covered with huge limestock blocks. There were no nails or screws holding it together, all of the pieces were held together with rope.

They pieced it all together and it is hanging in the solar boat museum. (see the pics mentioned above). Nothing in the museum is a replica. It is all the actual articles. Pretty impressive stuff.

Today we visited the Khan al-Khalili, also know as the Turkish bazaar.

It is a combination tourist trap and marketplace.

The main “streets” through the Khan are full of tourist crap and ENTHUSIASTIC hawking. Calling out to obivous tourists in several languages until you respond. Stepping in front of you in an attempt to direct you into the store.

One humours exchange I had was:
Hello sir, good prices come see.

La, shukran. (no, thank you)
What are you looking for?

Nothing

Sir! I have nothing! come see…

Answering to any of these questions or comments will result in lots more questions:

Where you from?

What are you looking for?

Come see. Totally free!

To answer any of these will result in further high pressure tactics.

However, if one ducks down an side street, it is more for the locals. One gets away from the constant hucksterism. It is stil there, but they won’t actually follow you down the street trying to get you to turn around and come in. It is more of a

“hey, look sir! come in”

Ignoring then works.

I seem to gather a LOT of attention, looks, smiles and even laughter and pointing. It is a combo of the hat and the pony tail that seems to draw the attention.

Today I was addressed as:

Cowboy! where is your horse? no horse?
John Wayne

Hulk Hogan (?)

Ali Baba and Alexander (while making beard motions with their hands)

Women seem intrigued by the hair, mostly giggling about it.

The bazaar is divided into sections. We stumbed from one to another.
We went through

• fabrics
• clothing
• shoes
• industrial metal working: spools of wire, blacksmiths, men completely covered in coal dust working the furnaces
• art/decorative metal working: cupolas with the crescent etc, wall hanging
• rugs
• crystal
• furniture
• pots and pans
• jewelry
• food, prepared and groceries

The crush of humanity in some of these areas was intense. There were men and boys pushing carts through the tight alley ways, rolling over the feet of people that were not quick enough to get out of their way.

Today was a reconnaisance mission. We did not buy anything.

We will go back.

There are a handful of photos taken today here.

Since the weekend in this part of the world is Friday and Saturday, Thursday night is the “yea! it’s the end of the week” night. (Well at least for western-style employees. Most egyptians work 6 days a week, with their day off either Friday, is they are Muslim, or Sunday if they are Christian)

Anyway, one of the faculty members organizes a moving TGIT(Thank God It’s Thursday!) happy hour.

Last night was the first of the semester. It was at the roof top bar at the Nile Hilton.

It was a gorgeous sunset.

From the rooftop you can see the pyramids. I did not bother taking a photo, because they would be practically undetectable because of the haze. They might be visible if I had the big camera with the UV and polarizing filter, but I doubt it.

It was a lovely couple of hours sitting high above the Nile, looking out at the Cairo Tower (shown in the photo above) and The Citadel, and down on all the felucca’s and floating restaurants and pleasure craft on the nile. There is a nice breeze up there that nicely moderates the heat.

The beer is overpriced and really not that good, but it is worth the trip for a sunset every now and then.

When we leave the Hostel in the morning, this is the view I have.

It is the Maraashly Church. It is a fairly important (read: affluent) Coptic Church. Friday night is wedding night. Things usually get started around 9PM and go till the wee hours. Luckily our building is built so that all the windows face inward to a courtyard.

The original is here. I think the original looks very nice on my monitor as my background.

Today was Friday. It is the start of the weekend and our first “day off” in that we didn’t have anything scheduled.

We went for a walk.
We went to the Flamenco Hotel for an overpriced (by Egyptian standards) buffet breakfast. Properly sated on beef bacon (1/2 thumb up) we went for a stroll along the Nile.

It was cooler with a bit of breeze along the river.

We discovered an open air theater that I had heard/read about but had not seen yet, The Culture Wheel.

It is a short walk from our apartment. We will have to keep an eye on the schedule.

We then strolled “up river” which is south.

We stumbled upon “The Fish Garden“. This is a little green space with this odd man made collection of caves that hold aquaria.
Some fish from the Nile, some from the Mediterranean, some from Africa. A bunch of preserved specimens of crocodiles, and some live turtles.

Oh, and bats. Fruit bats living in the roof of the caves.

More about the caves:

They are above ground and consist of lots of arches and hidey holes and twisty little passages.

All those little hidey holes and passages are great places for teenagers to get “frisky”. In this part of the world getting “frisky” involves holding hands and maybe touching someone’s arm or back.

Every time we rounded a corner, our guide was shoo-ing off some couple, he in jeans and a long sleeve shirt, her in jeans, long sleeve shirt and a hajib, with some sharp sounding Arabic.

I found it amusing and somehow comforting that, at least on some level, teenagers everywhere will try to get away with something.

Anyway, some photos from our walk.

As soon as I can find the right person to talk to, we can get the roof top terrace unlocked and I hope to break out the “big” camera take some sunset photos of our part of the city.