The traffic here is just bewildering. There are virtually no traffic lights and traffic police (since the revolution) are either nonexistent or completely ignored. Residents aren't concerned about getting tickets or fines, and do pretty much what they like...speeding, going down one-way streets the wrong way--whatever. There is no way we could ever drive here, in spite of our experience in places like Montenegro and Bosnia. In fact, our guide today, a wonderful man named Mohamed, doesn't drive himself--he has had his own driver for 12 years!
On the route to Alex yesterday (a 3 1/2 hour drive each way) we saw these strange-looking towers. Mohamed said they are coops for raising pigeons--a delicacy in Egypt, best stuffed with rice and fried. We haven't tried it!
We hit a torrential rainstorm in Alexandria, which is the port most cruise ships come into when Egypt is on their Mediterranean itinerary. The city was orginally laid out by Alexander the Great along two perfect natural harbors, and hit it's heyday around the turn of the century when the British and French influence resulted in a long, lovely corniche (waterfront boardwalk) backed by Belle Epoque mansions. You can see the remnants now--though a fresh coat of paint here and there would do wonders.
We ate lunch at a fabulous restaurant called the Fish Market--fresh pita bread with mezze or appetizers like hummus, babaganoush, yogurt with garlic, then fresh fish, shrimp and calamari. Yum.
They did not serve alcohol out of respect for Muslim traditions--but this is something new. Mohamed said he was there a few months ago and had wine/beer. This conservative approach is something very new, and a result of the revolution. More and more restuarants and resorts are going "nonalcoholic" and there is even talk of closing down all the casinos (there are twenty in Cairo alone).
The liberal intellengencia, the more educated people, especially those who work in what used to the $12billion tourism industry, are very anxious about the revolution and it's resulting swing to a very fundamentalist and religious society. Almost everyone agreed that Mubarak was corrupt and had to go, but to be replaced with what? Right now many basic services (like trash collection) are simply not happening. Police are not enforcing laws --though we did pass through one checkpoint where the police and army were looking for guns/weapons. There is a general sense of unease over what will come next and how conservative the swing will be. Mohamed said all the elections should be over and the new constitution drafted by mid-summer. It's been quite an education and we will now read all news of Egypt in a different light.
These two students were taking a break from the incredible library at Alenxandria. The girl on the left is wearing the Saudi-influenced black head-to-toe covering, while the girl on the right is in a more typically Egytpian headscarf. It must be brutal in summer! It used to be that any woman in black like this was assumed to be a Saudi, but no more. About 25% of Egyptian Muslim women now wear these. I keep looking for happy, smiling faces!
We have felt very safe everywhere, though. Truly. Last night we took a cab up to the casino at the Marriott, which is in an old palace. Security was tight, with the cab having to stop, shut it's engine off for the dog-sniffing patrol. Once cleared, we got out and went through a metal-detector--these are standard in hotels and major buildings. We lost a bit of money the $5 at Caribbean Stud table, but finished the evening up at the $5 Black Jack here at the Sofitel.
We are actually fairly near Tahrir Square and have passed through several times. It looks like this...a fairly normal city square with traffic, vendors and such. Protests happen generally on Fridays, though. But we'll be gone by early tomorrow morning, so won't see anything.
This morning we went to the Great Pyramids at Giza...we saw them at night for the light show and wanted the daytime view. They are amazing...huge and ancient and technically perfect in terms of mathematical precision, polar orientation, engineering and architectural techniques--and all 5000 years old. Eman was with us again and expressed again how sad it was that all the tourists are staying away. There are whole villages and cities that rely on the trade for their livelihood and we could see lines of camels waiting for riders, knick-knack sellers hoping to sell their stuff for any amount.
It made it easy for us get around, though.
I did, however, get to ride a camel--something I have wanted to do for a long time. Eman helped me negotiate a deal with the young owner of this fellow, a 12 year old camel named Michael Douglas (go figure!)
The ride was very smooth--though it takes a bit of hanging on while the camel is getting up and down. The camel's owner was quite fond of him.
It was a lot of fun, though Bud stayed on the ground!
We are resting a bit this afternoon...I have had an awful cough. I don't feel at all sick, just am hacking all the time. The hotel was great to call a pharmacist and get a prescription delivered...all for about $6 USD. We have really enjoyed this hotel, with a view of the pyramids and access to the Club floor, which has saved us a bundle in food/beverage costs.
Tomorrow we getup at 5:00 am to fly to Aswan and pick up a short flight to Abu Simbel, the temple that was taken apart and reassembled to make way for the the Aswan Dam. We'll see that for an hour or two, then fly back to Aswan to board the Nile Sanctuary Adventurer for our four-day river cruise up to Luxor. Not sure whether or not there will be WiFi...so I may or may not blog again until Monday.
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