moldentut
Cairo, Egypt; Feb 26 2010
The coincidences in Cairo are amazing-- every time you ask for directions, the local that you're speaking to happens to be headed in the same direction. Not only that-- but their family's shop-- which has a special sale on-- happens to be on the way! Happy happy coincidence! I can usually get an even more special deal even beyond the original special, and it's usually because I look like a white Egyptian. The resemblance is startling, I know.
Cairo, or Um ad Dunya to the locals (Mother of the World) is HUGE and colorful (usually due to the rainbow of garbage that is heaped-- in mounds-- down side streets and back alleys) and filled with energy. As Egyptians caffinate with their one-thousandth coffee of the day, the honks and beeps of the cars (ancient Peugeots & Fiats) become louder and more frequent until the air is filled with millions of patterns of morris code to the tune of car horn. It's unlike anything I have ever heard-- even compared to places like Bangkok or Taipei.
The chaos and grime and husslers were worth the experience at Kahn al Khaliki-- a Byzantine maze of medieval streets in the old Islamic quarter. It's a Bazaare (sp?) complete with donkeys laden down with wares, chickens & rabbits by the cage for dinner, mountains of oranges, strawberries, seeds, spices-- all within these Mumluck-era medeival buildings. There are nine Mosques that I counted, all blaring prayers at the appointed times from their towering minarets. . . it was amazing.
It was pouring rain-- my feet were covered with I don't want to begin to imagine what-- and the thunder and lightening were really begain to kick in-- so I found shelter in a little coffee shop with ten old guys playing backgammon and cards, drinking thick Egyptian coffee, smoking their flavored sheesha in the hookah pipes. It was perfect. Everyone asked if I am Muslim when they heard my name is Adam, cuz they too have that ancient beginning-of-the-world story. . .
Pyramids pretty cool too. Massive and almost 5,000 years old. . .
Went to the Cairo Museum and couldn't help but wish that England was a bit more involved with the whole "planning a Museum with a capital M" thing. To be honest [wince] the treasures-- and their display-- are better in London. Did see Tut's gear though, which is pretty insane. He was a minor king (8 or 9 relatively uninfluential years in power) who was buried with more bling that you can imagine. Picture a 12x12 room sized box, gilded in gold, and four subsequently smaller boxers until you get to the solid gold sarcophigi at the centre. His mummy mask alone weighed 11kgs of solid gold. . .
Cairo, or Um ad Dunya to the locals (Mother of the World) is HUGE and colorful (usually due to the rainbow of garbage that is heaped-- in mounds-- down side streets and back alleys) and filled with energy. As Egyptians caffinate with their one-thousandth coffee of the day, the honks and beeps of the cars (ancient Peugeots & Fiats) become louder and more frequent until the air is filled with millions of patterns of morris code to the tune of car horn. It's unlike anything I have ever heard-- even compared to places like Bangkok or Taipei.
The chaos and grime and husslers were worth the experience at Kahn al Khaliki-- a Byzantine maze of medieval streets in the old Islamic quarter. It's a Bazaare (sp?) complete with donkeys laden down with wares, chickens & rabbits by the cage for dinner, mountains of oranges, strawberries, seeds, spices-- all within these Mumluck-era medeival buildings. There are nine Mosques that I counted, all blaring prayers at the appointed times from their towering minarets. . . it was amazing.
It was pouring rain-- my feet were covered with I don't want to begin to imagine what-- and the thunder and lightening were really begain to kick in-- so I found shelter in a little coffee shop with ten old guys playing backgammon and cards, drinking thick Egyptian coffee, smoking their flavored sheesha in the hookah pipes. It was perfect. Everyone asked if I am Muslim when they heard my name is Adam, cuz they too have that ancient beginning-of-the-world story. . .
Pyramids pretty cool too. Massive and almost 5,000 years old. . .
Went to the Cairo Museum and couldn't help but wish that England was a bit more involved with the whole "planning a Museum with a capital M" thing. To be honest [wince] the treasures-- and their display-- are better in London. Did see Tut's gear though, which is pretty insane. He was a minor king (8 or 9 relatively uninfluential years in power) who was buried with more bling that you can imagine. Picture a 12x12 room sized box, gilded in gold, and four subsequently smaller boxers until you get to the solid gold sarcophigi at the centre. His mummy mask alone weighed 11kgs of solid gold. . .