After supper Allison asks Sameh to get Sayeed, our police companion for the last few days. They want to say goodbye to him. Allison says she finds him cute. They say goodbye and how they enjoyed his company.
We go upstairs after dinner. Elizabeth is tired and falls asleep right away. Unfortunately because at 9:45pm an earthquake strikes the area. The whole building shakes. I walk to the window and look out watching the whole building shaking back and forth. We are on the 9th floor so I can see the fire-excape rattling back and forth a few times. The earthquake lasts for about 1 minute. I pop outside the room to comment to other of the group, and while doing so I can feel a minor aftershock. The earthquake wasn't that bad. I could though here people on the street below yelling and talking. Sameh phoned his parents at home and they experienced the same level of shaking. It turns out to be a 6.4 with an epicenter in Cyprus.
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Friday, May 29
Marsa Matrouh to Alexandria
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We wake up at 5:15am to get ready to drive to Alexandria. We have tea/coffee in the restaurant and get a box breakfast. We leave at 6am and arrive at Alexandria at 10am. Before going anywhere we pickup a police escort at a checkpoint. This escort follows us for the 3 sites until we get to our hotel.
We first stop at the Greco-Roman museum. We arrive a bit earlier then our Egyptologist guide who is to meet with us. We rest in the museum garden first. The guide shows us through the museum. The most notable sights are the merging of the Greek and Egyptian gods, for instance they merged Apis with Zeus and created a god Serapis, the bull god. They merged Horus with Cupid and Aphrodite with Isis. The guide showed us mummified alligator, different mummification fashions and the problems when the Romans came. The Greeks tried to live with and fit with the Egyptians. The Romans were very cruel and not understanding. The guide showed us statues including Cleopatra, Antony and Julius Caesar. She also showed a picture of Ramses II daughter, possibly the one who took in Moses.
We then visited the catacombs. These are tombs dug from sandstone under ground . They were intended for 3 noblemen, but after they died it was converted into a general tomb and 600 tombs were cut out. It was then forgotten until a donkey fell down a hole in 1899. It was quite a sight going down to the catacombs. There were 3 levels but the third one was partially flooded with water.
We then went to see Pompey's pillar. It is really built by Egyptians for the Roman ruler Diocletians. The pillar was tall and stands by itself. There were some ruins by the pillar.
We arrived at the hotel on the beach of Alexandria. The police escort then left us at that point. We are to notify them if we are to go anywhere in town. When we got into the hotel, they were still cleaning the rooms. Elizabeth and my room didn't have a key so we had to get it later. At 3pm we went to Sameh's room. He ordered a lunch of Egyptian pizza. It was ok. Sameh was drinking his bottle of Scotch whiskey and it had 1 to 2 ounces left. Sameh asked me to have a sip. I took one a small sip. He said take a sip, saying I didn't. I remembered how Sameh drank all of one of girl's beer, when she said he could take a sip. I then took the bottle and drank it empty in a long swallow. Sameh was a bit surprised, I think he didn't expect it. He asked me if I still have the Ouzo. I still had a half bottle left. Sameh seemed relieved. I went to our room and brought back the Ouzo. I didn't see the bottle after that.
After this Elizabeth and I went for a walk down the shoreline to the center of Alexander. We as far as the Tomb of the Unknown Soldier. There was not much to see. We then headed back along the markets a block or two from the shoreline. I saw a telephone station. I went in to see if they had some international phones that use the phone card. They did and I phoned direct home using the phone card. It only lasted one or two minutes, but enough to let each one know of any news.
We continue along the markets until we get back to the hotel. We arrive at 5pm just in time to meet the others for an extra tour of the Montaza gardens by our bus. Sameh said he did not inform the police that we are going out, to them we are still at the hotel. In the Gardens we see what was King Farouk's summer house, King Farouk was the last king of Egypt. We visit a lighthouse, walk along the shore, and visit a flower garden. In the flower garden we meet three ladies with their in total 7 children. They are all wives of one man, and all these children are his. The three wives and the children get along quite well it seems.
We left the park and hit a rush hour on the Corneche. The drive was about 20 km and it took us about 1 hour to drive that distance. Interestingly because Alexandria does not permit use of horns the traffic was orderly, but slow.
As a result we arrive late back at the hotel. We were suppose to have supper at 7:30pm, we arrived at 8:15pm. Ordinarily it wouldn't matter, but today the hotel is having a wedding reception and they have difficultly in fitting us. They move us up on a balcony overlooking the dining room where the reception is starting. After the usual dinner some of the girls including Elizabeth get together to take a taxi to the market. Others go back to their room. I stay to watch the start of the reception.
Finally after a long time the couple arrive. The hotel employees set up two swords, which are lit with fire like torches. The couple walk through the men holding up the swords in some kind of ceremony. Then they meet a man, I suspect a Muslim equivalent to a minister. The three put hands together and walk around a pot burning coal or something three times counterclockwise. This looks like the actual wedding ceremony. The couple then ascend a throne decorated with flowers. The groom was dressed in a suit, the bride with a western white bridal gown. He was Egyptian. She was blonde and looking European She also looked a bit confused, maybe she was not familiar with the ceremonies. After the ceremonies more people for the wedding party arrived onto the table our group was using, so I excused myself and went to our room for the night at 10pm. Elizabeth returned later from the shopping excursion.
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Saturday, May 30
Alexandria to Cairo
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We woke up at 6am, then realizing that we were not going to leave until 12 noon, we fell back to sleep until 9am. We went downstairs and had breakfast. I mentioned the wedding, many of the girls were interested. The shopping trip from the previous night was marred by some man trying to keep them company even though they didn't want his company. He though didn't cause any real problem.
Elizabeth and I decided to go back to the market. We went out to see if we could walk there in the time that we had left. We started walking two blocks from the Corneche (shore drive). We encountered the commuter train. We got on the train heading to the downtown area. It cost only 20 piasters to take the train and it wasn't very crowded. The train stopped a distance from the main downtown station for some reason. A number of the passengers were getting off. We got off and headed the direction the train was to go.
We found out why the train stopped. Two blocks further the tracks for the train were broken and the cars were backing onto the other track to start the return trip. I was amazed. In North America, if some of the tracks were broken the workers would be working 24 hours a day to restore the whole functioning system, or they would build alternative tracks. Here there was no one doing anything about it.
We wandered around in the markets for a little while until it was about time to return using the train. We walked to the broken track to catch the train back. We got on the first car, and the attendant told us to get off, Elizabeth then realized that this was the car that was for only women and I was the one that was not allowed on. She though followed me to the second car. When the attendant came he asked us if we know when to get off. We said that we will be getting off at the 5th stop, as that was how many stops the train made when we got on the other train.
Back at the hotel Kari and Ester were late from going to the market so we waited for them to arrive. I was anxious to go as we would be leaving for home early the next morning and Elizabeth wanted to see the zoo, and I wanted to go to the market tonight. I was just about the only one who wanted to leave for Cairo early today. The others were all staying at least another day in Cairo. Finally Kari and Ester arrived and we got on the bus for Cairo. The police escorted us for a little ways until a checkpoint. We stopped at a rest stop for lunch and we arrived at Giza at about 3:30pm. We could see the pyramids from 20 km away.
Just a couple km before the hotel the bus almost got into an accident. A car just in front of the bus crashed into the truck ahead of it. This is the only accident that I saw in Egypt, although from the shape of the vehicles in Cairo they must happen very frequently. Cairo has the most reckless drivers in the country.
After checking into the hotel Elizabeth and I went to the zoo. We headed past an exit on the way to the entrance which was the other side of the zoo. The guards allowed us through, charging us 1 LE each to enter. I think that the ordinary fee was 50 piasters each. We wandered around the zoo looking at the animals. The people were feeding the animals all kinds of junk food. We saw little children give baboons bread through a break in the grating in the cage. Another threw some candy floss at some monkeys in a pit. They ate it but not the bread or popcorn. A guard fed an orangutan in front of us. We went in a garden that was made of coral. It was suppose to be closed at 4pm but the guard allowed us to buy a ticket and go in. Each group that entered was assigned a guard to give a tour. Our guard gave a nice tour but was disappointed in the 1 LE baksheesh. I think that they expected the foreigners to pay a lot more. He did ask me if we wanted to take a picture of a 3 month old lion cub. We were not certain.
We continued looking around the zoo and at the other animals. We saw elephants, giraffes, Emus, lots of birds and a lot of monkeys. Close to the entrance of the zoo we encountered the lion cage. There was a lot of space for the 4 lions to run in. As we passed by the cage, the guards noticed us and asked us if we wanted to take a picture of the lion cub. I asked how much and the guard said 10 LE. We agreed and the guard took us to inside the cage door to a cement area. Inside were some cubs. One guard took one out and we held it up as the other guard took several pictures. After putting the cub back the two asked for 10 LE each. I said we agreed it would be 10 LE. Fortunately I had in my wallet two 5 LE notes. I handed each of them one which they accepted.
Once outside the zoo we caught a taxi to the Khalili bazaar. We paid the going rate of 10 LE for the ride. We then wandered around. I wanted to go to the antique place to ask how much the Chinese vase was. I was surprised, I was expecting 200-300 LE, they were asking 2500 LE for it. A smaller one was 1200 LE. These were essentially fixed prices too. Instead we wandered into the metal working area of the market. I saw an antique tea pot that the owner said was 200 years old which he was charging 100 LE for. It was not very good quality so I declined but bought at another store a brass pot for 25 LE that the owner said was about 125 years old. It looked about that age. I also bought another pot for 45 LE which was nice looking.
We then took a taxi back to the hotel. I was asking for 8 LE, and the driver asked 10 LE, we agreed at 9 LE, however when we got back to the hotel he claimed he had no change so we ended up giving him the 10 LE. Oh well!
We were thinking that we would be late, but we turned out to be back just before the 7:30pm dinner. Everyone of the group arrived and we had a vegetable sauce over rice, beef stew, and melons. I had my last Stella's, I wouldn't miss that.
After dinner Sameh asked if we wanted to go to karoke, he asked us the previous group but they were not interested. I was not very interested, but just about everyone was going so we all went. We left on two taxis, the nine of us. At the hotel the karoke was in, they had a pool table and music CD's until the karoke started at 11pm. The music was loud and the drinks were expensive. Both Elizabeth and I had some tonic water. Sameh asked me if I could do 'My Way' with him. I declined as I usually sing off key. Later in the night though we took turns singing portions of some of the songs. Ester sang 'The Rose' and 'Amazing Grace' beautifully. She is a trained singer.
Close to closing time some Finns met us and started drinking with Kari. Sameh had to drag Kari from them as he was still responsible for us until the next morning. We found only one taxi outside the hotel, and we managed to stuff all 9 of us into the taxi, 3 in the back, 4 in the middle and 2 in the front seat. Back at the hotel, all the girls gave Elizabeth and me goodbye hugs and we all went to bed. Sameh arranged a wakeup call and a taxi for the airport.
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Sunday, May 31
Cairo to home
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We got a wakeup call at 4:30am, after very little sleep. After a shower and repacking our bags we carried them down to the lobby. My bag with the silver in it was very heavy, and the porter struggled with it. I saw the front desk give him a 10 LE note for the bags. This is included with the tipping kitty. Once in the taxi the porter started asking me something about money. I thought that he wanted me to pay for the taxi. I got out a 20 LE note, which he then put in his pocket. Elizabeth then gave him a 5 LE thinking that he didn't have change and we could get 10 LE back (45 - 35 = 10). I complained, went the hotel reception attendant came out and asked what was wrong. Evidently the porter was asking for a tip from me, even though he already got one from the reception. Finally we straightened out and I paid the taxi the 35 LE for the drive to the airport.
At the airport we also paid the taxi driver a 1 LE toll, I didn't complain at this. Once inside the airport we first went through a baggage check. A man was going to take our bags, but I signaled him that we can manage it well enough. We then took the bags to the check in and checked in three bags. We carried on Elizabeth's bag containing my Johnnie Walker Blue Label, Catherines souvenirs which were a bit fragile and my papyrus which was still protected by water bottles taped together.
We went through the duty free stores. I bought a bottle of Swiss Chocolate liquor to bring up our alcohol to the limit, Elizabeth exchanged the remainder Egyptian pounds for American dollars, keeping a few coins and small bills. We then went through another baggage check and onto the airport gate. The flight to Frankfurt was uneventful. Lufthansa is very well run and service is very efficient. For breakfast we had a fried omelette and ham, the first pork I have had in over one month. The breakfast was a welcome change from the routine Egyptian breakfasts. Sameh had asked if I wanted to have a takeout breakfast from the hotel, as it was part of the tour costs. No thanks, I didn't miss it. I like a variety for my meals. We watched 'Tomorrow Never Dies' a James Bond flick on the airplane.
We had a 3 hour layover in Frankfurt. We wandered around the airport stores. I visited the duty free shop, finding that the Johnnie Walker Blue Label as $128US, much more than in Luxor, At the Cairo airport it was $120US. Elizabeth was missing the paper so bought a British newspaper for $10US. I didn't go and buy any perfume like I was thinking where we were here on the start of the trip. That is because we bought some in Egypt.
We then read the paper until it was time to go to the airplane home to Vancouver. The flight was full back to Vancouver but we arrived slightly ahead of schedule. Customs was quick so we had to wait a few minutes before the family arrived to pick us up. I used the quarter that I took at the beginning to phone home when they were late arriving.
A few days later a friend of Catherine picked up her things, I got my pictures developed, and gave away the gifts. Though it took me time to recover from coming back, we both enjoyed the trip immensely. I plan to go back to Jerusalem and the Sinai, those places I really took a liking to. It was great!
Tom Balabanov
tbalabanov@cucbc.com
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Rec.Travel Library
The World
Israel
Egypt
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