Our NYC-Cairo flight went off without a hitch...We arrived an hour early. :-) The airport is devoid of the noisy, teeming throngs I had imagined. Tourism is sadly down, especially now, just before the anniversary of the advent of 'Arab Spring' (tomorrow, January 20th). It sort of reminds me of the anticipation of January 1, 2000, Y2-K. No one knew what to expect. From what I'm hearing here, Cairenes expect the same. Nothing noteworthy. They just not sure but want to get on with their lives.
We're met at the airport by Edward, an English-speaking Egyptian tour guide who immediately and confidently takes control of Aurel and I, helps with our luggage and guides us to a waiting van. It's taken Aurel and I a while to get our acts together after disembarking, we're a bit sleepy, and by the time Edward gets us to the the van the driver is snoozing in the front seat. :-) Edward wakes him and we're on our merry way.
"Merry," def: the most hair-raising ride of my life. I've heard about life on the Egyptian road, but really, until you've experienced it.... There are white lines separating the lanes, though I have no idea why. Our driver liked the white line, and therefore rode it. He created 5 lanes where there used to be four, while expertly weaving in and out of other vehicles. But really, not him, EVERYONE. There are no lanes! At times we were 5, 6, 7 wide. Older Rhode Islanders may remember the Dodg'ems at Rocky Point, bumper cars that rode in a circle, no rhyme or reason? This is driving in Cairo. But no bumpers and FAST. Cars manage to stay within inches of one another, I'm not kidding, front to back, side to side. We're on a highway called the 'ring' - it rings around the city - and suddenly , I spot a pedestrian crossing the road ahead. I'm beside myself and think it may be a suicide mission. No, Edward tells me. This is normal. Egyptian men think they are ... Superheroes? I ask, just as he replies Supermen. Yikes. Within minutes we pass may pedestrians who plan to do the same.
At the hotel we meet Sara Faraq, coordinator for the event and superhero in her own right. A frank, feisty woman who will help Aurel and I while we are in Cairo. Despite the long plane ride and little sleep we'd like to go shopping at the world's most famous bazaar, Kahn al -Khalili. Aurel need to make contacts for her store, Alimah's Closet, and me, well who can pass up a shopping experience. Sara arranges a driver to take us to Mohammed's, who has THREE, yes count 'em, three floors of belly dance merchandise, then to Yassir's, a belly dance costumer.
I barely have time to go to my room, unpack and grab a quick half-hour nap.
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