To begin with, a quote from the Imaginative Traveller trip dossier....
"When you arrive in Cairo you are thrown headlong into the hustle and bustle of this wonderful city. As you wander the streets your senses will be assaulted on all levels - an endless cacophony of noise with cars tooting, donkeys braying and the muezzin calling the faithful to prayer; ... cars vying for space on the crowded roads. " and so it goes on.
Our reality was similar in some respects, but also different. When we arrived we were whisked through immigration and customs by a hotel rep, met by Catherine and her driver, Abdou, and driven to Catherine's apartment, a shower, a nap, and a walk to a pleasant neighbourhood restaurant. The next night entertained by Catherine's GM at a lovely Lebanese restaurant, followed by drinks on the stunning roof of a neighbouring hotel's outdoor lounge with spectacular views over Cairo.... thousands of years of history below you as you sip your Sakara beer and gaze at the stars and the passing hubub beneath you.
The next night dinner at the hotel in Heliopolis in a lovely setting in a huge glass atrium. A
city of 22 million people and many of these delighted to see Miss Catherine.
Abdou is a wonderful driver, but still it is a bit terrifying at times. There are vast amounts of traffic driving very fast, traffic signals are limited and lines on the road are suggestions at best. Our local muezzin, at the next door mosque, begins his loudspeaker enhanced call to prayer at 4:45 a.m. followed by a wrap up at 5:15 a.m. Actually, two mosques, one further away, not syncchronized. Five calls to prayer a day, in case you were wondering.
Looking forward to our two week adventure around Egypt and will give you an update when we return.
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