M-whY

"First, we go to the Citadel." Dropped off at the entrance, we agreed on a meeting place and time, then entered the walled fortress to inspect some of the mosques inside. The Mosque of Mohammed Ali was the largest of them all, and looked similar to mosques I had visited in Istanbul. This shouldn't come as too much of a surprise since it was constructed during a period when the Ottoman Empire was the authority in Egypt. Removing our shoes, we checked out the interior, which was also designed along Turkish lines and holds the tomb of the mosque's patron. Unlike those in Istanbul though, it has been completely given over to tourism, and apart from the architecture, didn't really feel Muslim.

"So what else is starred in the book?" Aaron and Chanda had one of those Eyewitness Guides, and in addition to having colorful photos and well drawn maps, also highlighted the must-see's of every district. The much smaller Mosque of Suleiman Pasha was tucked away in the less visited northern enclosure, away from the throngs of students on field trips. Its keeper unlocked the tomb room and gave us a mini tour of the building.

"We should probably tip him," said Chandra. Baksheesh is a way of life in Egypt, and just about everyone who performs a service expects some sort of monetary compensation. Not being a local, knowing how much to tip is never easy. I folded up a five pound note (US$1 = E£5.7) for the three of us and handed it to him, which he pocketed without saying anything.

We had enough time for a peek into the Mosque of An-Nasir Mohammed (pictured above), then rushed back to the entrance to meet Sayed. Navigating roads crowded with Peugeots, we arrived at the Mosque of Sultan Hassan and the Mosque of Al-Rifa'i. "I'm not going to bother tying my shoes anymore," I declared, as we removed them for the third and fourth times to explore the cavernous interiors.

Islam may be the dominant religion in Egypt today, but it's undeniable that Christianity has had a longstanding tradition here as well. Most of the churches are located in what used to be Babylon, nowadays referred to as Coptic Cairo. The Church of St Barbara was a starred item in the guidebook.

"How is this one of the largest churches in Egypt?" Even after taking into account the rooms towards the back where we again had to remove our shoes to enter ('for the place whereon thou standest is holy ground'), it didn't seem very big. The Hanging Church, with its twin towers, was a little larger, but still nowhere as vast as the Islamic mosques.

"I think I liked the mosques better."

A random guy latched onto us, acting as a guide and leading us to places we could've easily found on our own. "He probably wants a tip," we muttered, and tried to shake him as soon as possible. We ended up giving him a couple pounds to go away, though he shamelessly asked for more. "We didn't ask you," Chanda countered. As they say, nothing is ever free, and that couldn't have been more true in Egypt.

Costing only E£1 apiece, falafel pitas are probably the closest you'll get to a free lunch. Sayed then dropped us off at the Egyptian Museum. We were subject to a rigorous security check upon entering. I was turned away and sent to left luggage twice (once for my camera, and again for a lock they found in my backpack) before finally clearing the metal detectors. A huge collection of artifacts were strewn about the hangar-like building. I've touched on how incredibly old these things are. Just as mind boggling is how long Pharaonic Egypt lasted. Over 30 dynasties spanned nearly 3000 years, and the sophistication of their work is indisputable.

Exhibits, sadly, were not well labeled. A couple sentences composed of mispelled words and seemingly hacked out on a typewriter were as good as it got. Unsurprisingly, Tutankhamun's gallery was most popular; Nearly everyone took their turn peering up the famous death mask to see if there was anything special inside. (There wasn't.) With our student cards, we got discounted admission to see the Royal Mummy Room. Eleven embalmed pharaohs were encased in glass showcases, including the ubiquitous Ramses II.

"Cute, aren't they?" I had to say, though they were anything but cuddly.

We had some free time between when the museum closed and our next activity. Aaron and Chanda went off to get some food, while I returned to the pension and dutifully blogged a bit. At 6:30pm, Sayed showed up again to drive us to Khan al-Khalili. I'll dismiss it as your average tourist bazaar, though stores towards the rear also peddle items for everyday use. Chanda was in the market a water pipe and perfume. The thought of haggling with smooth talking salesmen didn't appeal to me, especially when I have no idea what things should cost, and so for the time being, I remain souvenir-less.

Back at the car, Chanda told Sayed how much perfume cost and asked whether she had overpaid.

"Good price," he answered. Whether he meant it, or was just saying that to make her feel better, we'll never know.

Shopping will never be my favorite way to cap off a day, especially after being on my feet all day. Sayed took us to the train station, where I ate a bland cheese sandwich before boarding our first class carriage. The reclining seats were nice and soft, with ample leg room. Kicking off my boots one last time, I made myself comfortable, and dozed off not too long after we got moving.

Thanks to everyone for their support and comments! Knowing people are reading keeps me motivated to continue the updates!