Last Monday, we flew from Zanzibar to Addis Ababa, Ethiopia, where we had a 12 hour layover before our flight to Cairo. Initially we were excited about this free stop; we thought we might leave the airport and go get some Ethiopian food. But a visa for an American, even for just a few days, costs upwards of $50. That would have been an expensive dinner. So we landed in Addis Ababa Monday night resigned to find some comfortable-looking airport seats and huddle up there for the night. Much to our surprise, Ethiopian Airlines provided us with a free hotel voucher, including dinner, breakfast, transport to and from the airport, and a transit visa. The hotel was comfortable, and we even got the Ethiopian food we had been hoping for. I think we have a new favorite airline.Tuesday morning we continued on to Cairo, arriving at our hostel around mid-afternoon. We set out into the city as soon as possible. After Tanzania, walking around Cairo was like a breath of fresh air. It’s such a big city, it’s very easy to just blend in. We did not feel conspicuous and constantly on-guard as we had in Tanzania. We were able to just walk the streets and enjoy ourselves. We were never overcharged for street food or taxis, and only rarely approached by touts. Meanwhile, the city was vibrant and fascinating. Like Zanzibar, most of its citizens are Muslim. However, instead of the very traditional garb of the women in Zanzibar, many women in Cairo walk around in typical clothing with their heads covered fashionably to match. Storefront windows display mostly mannequins in long skirts with something on their heads. Men also dress in more modern garb, although is not unusual to see them in long tunics called galabeyas.
The city is busy and bustling. Our hostel is in the center of downtown, and the streets surrounding it are filled with shops. Much as it was in Buenos Aires, window shopping is a big activity at night. Stores display nearly everything they are selling in the windows with prices, so one does not have to enter in order to browse. It does create some sidewalk congestion, though! Taking the subway was an experience. When the doors opened, a crowd would spill out while everyone on the platform began pushing madly to get in. People shoved others aside without discrimination, trying at all costs to force their way onto the train. As Tommy and I were getting on, the doors began to close with loads of people still climbing through. They held them open as long as possible, squeezing into the car before it took off. I have seen busy subways before, but nothing like this. Similarly, there are a few pastry shops near our hostel that were positively insane in the evenings. The entire store would be packed with people trying to buy chocolates and cakes. There was a crowd at the pay counter of people just holding out money and tickets. Orderly lines are scarce here, and we have frequently been blatantly cut in front of when we were about to reach a ticket window or checkout. And people cross the street as if they are suicidal, walking right out into oncoming traffic without a glance in either direction. Somehow the cars just seem to whip around them harmlessly. It’s as if everyone is in a hurry all the time. It’s very, very different from Tanzania, where we would marvel at the numbers of people just loitering around at all hours of the day, not really doing anything.
Wednesday we spent walking around the city some more, and also at the Egyptian Museum. Contrary to what our guidebook implied, it was very well kept-up and labeled. There was so much there, it was impossible to give everything the attention it deserved. Like everyone else, we particularly enjoyed the treasures from King Tut’s tomb, and the mummy room. We made lunch and dinner from the wonderfully cheap and delicious street food available. The most popular items are schwarmas with chicken, beef, or liver, ta’amiyya (falafel sandwiches), fuul (bean sandwiches), and kushari (a unique bowl of many types of pasta, rice, lentils, chickpeas, fried onions, and tomato sauce). Juice stands are very common, and for a few pounds you can purchase a delicious glass of juice to drink there. The locals can positively guzzle them. Everything we’ve ordered has been delicious, except one experience where inability to speak Arabic earned us two glasses of carrot-grapefruit juice. Yum.
The transformer we bought in Durban broke, but as it turns out, Egypt has RadioShack! We bought a new one Thursday morning and then went to the Khan al-Khalili market in Islamic Cairo. There is a local market and also a more touristy section. We ate fatir for dinner (stuffed flatbread, very good) and went to a free sufi dancing show nearby. The whirling dervishes were unbelievable–one of them spun for a full half hour without stopping.
The next day was reserved for the Pyramids of Giza, which are actually only a short bus ride from Cairo. We had no trouble knowing when to get off, either–the pyramids loom huge over Giza. You never see photos of them from that angle; on one side they are bordered by desert, but on the other the city comes right up to the base of the plateau. From the bus stop we walked right up to them, pausing only to pay admission. We were bombarded by salesmen and touts, people trying to sell us horse and camel rides or cheap souveniers. We firmly ignored them all. The pyramids were magnificent. Just being there was incredible. We took our time and wandered around the area, finally settling on a distant spot to take some photos from. It’s difficult because they’re so big. They’re also more worn-down than I imagined. People give the impression of them as structures untouched by time, but the many huge stones crumbling off of them, and the remnants of limestone covering at their tips and bases gave me the impression of something very much affected by the passage of years and the toll of many visitors. One thing that struck Tommy and I was that not only are the pyramids old (roughly 4500 years, which is actually pretty hard to grasp), but they have also never been lost. They’re so big and breathtaking, they’ve probably been a tourist attraction throughout the ages.
We walked down the plateau to visit the Sphinx, which was also really spectacular. Nearby there are hundreds of chairs set up for a nightly laser lights show, which we hear is actually rather tacky. From there we walked out into the desert to a nearby dune for a more panoramic view of all three pyramids. There’s a good view of Giza and Cairo from the plateau. Twice, once at noon and again at three, the clamoring sounds of prayer and song drifted up from every mosque in the city until they filled the air where we stood. It was a nice day; we took our time and really enjoyed being there.
The next day, we took a taxi out of the city to the Birqash Camel Market. After reading about it in our guidebook (“If you went to Egypt to see camels but feel like an ass because all you’ve seen is donkeys, the Camel Market is for you!”) we knew we couldn’t miss it. It really was an experience. For one thing, it’s not a tourist attraction. It’s a real local market, far enough out that only really determined visitors make it. There was a walled in area with some low buildings and pens, and there were camels everywhere. They’re really quite big, much bigger than we thought. They tie one of their front legs up so they can’t run, but it doesn’t stop one from trying to hobble away every now and then, only to be brought back into place by angry keepers who whack them with bamboo sticks. Every now and then a truck would drive through with five or six camel heads peering out from the bed. It was such a unique sight.
We managed to find a minibus to take back to the city, and we visited the Citadel of Salah al-Din where we saw the spectacular Mosque of Muhammed ‘Ali. Its entire exterior is covered in alabaster–a gorgeous building. From the high Citadel it was also possible to get a spectacular view of Cairo, and in the distance the Pyramids were visible as well. That night, we took a train from Cairo to Luxor. Being in Luxor has been quite an experience, one we’ll write about soon.
Katie, what a great idea from that camel market! We’ll tie one of Pugsy’s and Benji’s legs up, and we won’t need a fence anymore!
Love,
Mom
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