So, we have now been in Cairo for 3 days... and we are loving it!
As some of you may know Ants friend Greg is currently studying in Cairo, so we've been lucky enough to be able to stay with him - and to have him as our tour guide!
This city is amazing, it seems to be awake 24 hours a day. At the moment it is the holiest month for Muslims - Ramadam (where Muslims fast from sunrise to sunset). It is said that this is a time for inner reflection, devotion to God, and self-control. Muslims think of it as a kind of tune-up for their spiritual lives.
As westerners your aren't expected to fast, and we are lucky enough to have restaurants, shops selling food. Ant and I have been trying not to eat out during the fasting, so by accident have at times been going without food for almost the whole day - doh!
We've smoked shishas, eaten local delicacies (vegetarian) and sipped Turkish tea along the Nile in a wicked restaurant called Sequoia. The only way I can describe this fantastic place is to imagine sitting in a huge Saharan tent, filled with sweet smells of the shishas, Arabic music and hundreds of people... simply magical! Greg has told us that this is where mostly middle-upper class Egyptians eat, but the whole night cost us about UK10.00.
Last night we went to Khan al-Khalili, the largest bazarre in the Middle East - what an experience. There are hundreds of stalls selling things like papyrus, scarves, statues, shirts, bottles of locally made perfumes - the list only goes on. And, even better everything is so cheap. I was somewhat composed with my shopping and only bought a scarf and a bottle of Sandlewood perfume - I spent a whopping UK2.00 - hey big spender!
By 12.00am the markets were in full swing (normally they will close at 10.00pm but because of Ramadam they are open until the early hours), I have NEVER seen so many people in one area - it was like a swarm of bees, but only it was people! At one point we were stuck in the mish mash of the crowd. A woman trying to sell tissue paper, threw her baby (not literally of course) toward Ant (weird yes), the baby then proceeded to pull Ants hair, and lightly bit his ear - what a scene!
After the hustle and bustle of the markets, we finished our night smoking shisha in a local cafe right by all the chaos and watched the night go by.
It's been a wicked adventure so far! I am surprised that I have not been harassed nearly as much as I was expecting - actually only 2 people have been a bit off. I have gone to wearing a scarf around my neck full time and am trying not to look the Egyptian men in the eye (this is said to only encourage them!)... I suppose though my time will come to be harassed, though at the moment I am lapping up the peacefulness!
Right, we are off to the markets again - woohoo! This time I am going to buy, buy, buy!
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