I simply could not let our trip to Cairo end without another blog entry about this amazing city. It has captured our hearts in a most unexpected way. This is a city that one does not simply visit, it is one that one lives. We have had experiences that will remain alive in our minds for a long long time. As one example, on our first night in the city, we were out strolling in the warm air and were suddenly engaged in a conversation with a youngish man who was in the process of picking up sweet tea (it is drunk with plenty of sugar) for a group of African diplomats visiting him in his shop. Next thing we knew, we were in the midst of a group of people representing several nations of the continent who were in town attending a conference. We sat for almost two hours, talking and laughing with our new friends in this shop. Bonnie's French came in handy, as this was the dominant language of conversation. And the shopkeepers here can draw circles around those found in Canada. By the time we all walked out of this shop, he and his partner had managed to sell us all several of the pure body oils they carried. It was great fun, however, we all took pictures, and eventually departed with a wonderful feeling for the expereince we had just shared. 

We have found Cairenes to be like this, full of a very warm and friendly people. Pople onthe streets were particularly interested when they learned that we lived in Canada. We got the thumbs up sign many a time, soliders and police being particularly animated. Even when the conversations were in broken English, we found that we could understand what we heard and could be understood as well. This also made our time easier, as we could communicate. I also made an effort to pick up some Arabic phrases to greet others, communicate our needs (eg water, bathroom, etc), and extend pleasantries, an art form here.   

In fact, we have been submersed in the Arabic that surrounds us, and have had all sorts of preconceived notions shattered in the process. The calls to prayers from the mullahs reverberate through the city, and while you might imagine that these, which begin at 4:30 a.m. would be disruptive, they actually have the opposite effect. There is a magical nature to them which is concurrently mystical and hypnotic. The largely Christian and Moslem populations appear to have long ago come to grips with their differences, and mutually coexist. One day, here in Cairo. we went to an area, known as Old Cairo, given that parts date back tothe 3rd century. Here, we visited a mosque, a church, and a synagogue within the space of an hour which all have major historical significance.In contrast, we also went to a souk (market) which is an assault on all five senses. The energy of the market was feverish, as shoppers (many of them tourists) are hounded by people selling all sorts of merchandise, with an Egyptian theme and a likely Chinese origin. Here, it is almost impossible to detect the differnces between an authentic Egyptian papyrus pciture and its reproductions. Bonnie shopped with her usual diligence and expert negotiators hat. She stood her ground and refused to be cowed by the comments of the shopkeepers as they protested the low offers she made. Usually she got her way, too. As the old saying goes, a successful negotiation is one where both parties walk away dissatisfied.

We took a daytrip via 3-hour drive to Alexandria on the Mediteranean, to visit Roman catacombs, and other interesting sites. The atmosphere is vastly different, as one might expect for a city located on the sea. The pace is slower and less frenetic, and the city is like the poor cousin of a Riviera resort. The city boasts a fascinating history which blends its ancient Egyptian roots with Greek dominance under Alexander the Great and still later Roman rule. He wisely ruled the country by adopting the ways of the traditional Pharoahs and allowing the people to continue to practice their religion. In return, he ruled them with relatively little resistence from the conquered population. Later, Roman rule had a completely different impact. We visited an impregnable fortress and mosque, which dominates the coast, as a former means of defense from sea attacks. While this sounds kind of boring, the sheer size and construction of the place leaves one in awe of the workmanship required to construct such a building purely via blood sweat and tears. This has been a running theme in the sites we've visited. We are being continually exposed to buildings of such a grand magnitude and style, they are truly a testament to man's abilities to conceive and design, largely due to faith, ego, or purpose. We are left sjaking our heads in disbelief at what we are seeing. And while this is not uncommon throughout the world, there does seem to have been a preponderance of this on this trip.

Tomorrow, we fly to Aswan, site of the dam and other interesting tourist sites (hello tour busses!). We'll be sailing on a felucca, a uniquely designed Nile vessel, and touring a Nubian village, where this proud people still live and continue to eke out a living as their forefathers have done for centuries. It will be a long day, and the precursor to our 4 day Nile cruise taking us to various significant temples along the way, ending with a few days in Luxor, which has the highest concentration of historical sites anywhere in the world.

Don't know when I'll next have access to the net. Thanks for your comments and emails. Keep em coming. David and Bonnie