Its Friday, muslim sabbath, so the city is not so busy but still 10 times busier than Toronto. Deciding to walk along the Corniche - the road along the east bank of the Nile to Old Cairo - takes much longer than expected (we're unused to the scale of a city of 26 million) and we don't arrive until after dark, churches are closed, and the only sinagogue in Egypt is also closed (apparently there are thirteen jews living in Egypt - yup, thirteen).
Not to worry the trip was worth it. The historic district may be used to tourists but they generally use taxis so for two hours walking to get there we are litereally the only foreigners. It was a pleasant respite from the constant harassment to "just look", "just have a drink", "come see", "where you from? - Canada. - Canada Dry!"..... I could go on. Here we're just sort of stared at. If I'm further than say, 8 feet from Jim or Dave, they blow kisses, cat-call and what not (I'm in long pants, long sleeves and have a pashmina on). My westerness considers this ridiculous. The children however, smile, say hello but are still a bit shy and polite, the women will smile at me but not Jim or Dave. Stopping for a drink and directions (consisting of pointing since we have no common language at all and my map is of course in english) the young man seemed a bit non-plussed that I was the one with the map.
It is so different here. There are sidewalks but they have been comandered but the shop owners. The cars are single and double parked so everyone walks on the road. Cross the road anywhere you like dodging cars which honk but won't actually hit you. Oh yes, even in the dark they drive with the lights off and only flash you to, I think, let you know they see you. When I look in the cars they stear with the left hand and keep their right hand on the horn (really). Thing is, if they are flashing their high beams and stearing with one hand , honking with the other, what are they shifting gears with? There are no lanes. People drive wherever there is space, coming within inches of other cars, vespas, pedestrians, and horse carts - and there is vertually no car without damage of some kind. We find a tiny market with fruit and food at one end, livestock in the middle, and car repair at the end. Business at full tilt despite it being 7:00 p.m. on sabbath night.
Finally arriving in old Cairo we find everything closed but there is a metro stop here so we get some tickets ( 1/2 english pounds for the three of us) to make the trip back to a stop close to the hotel..... first two carriages reserved for women but women can ride in the other carriages (less then 10 percent is female and then only families.) Getting off at the Sadat station (their Yonge and Bloor) we exit and head down Sharia el Tahrir to find a place recommended for dinner. Someone is kind enough to give us directions because we only find one street sign and we don't read arabic.
Using the guide book to select a restaurant (which has been reliable in the past) we go for Egyptian pizza which is made from phyllo dough ( video below) and is delicious. Two large and one medium, large bottle of water 59 egyptian (12 dollars including tip).
And so to bed.
