Our last two days in Cairo were spent exploring the Islamic section. There is not really much to report on this experience. We got ripped off and harrassed by taxi drivers, shop keepers, tour guides on the look out for people who are willing to part with their money (not us - apparently according to one Americans are better than Australians) and Muslim priests - same old, same old.
We wandered the streets and eventually found Beit Suhaymi, a beautiful traditional family mansion that dates back to the 1700s (I think). Whilst exploring the building, we ended up in the lounge room area (normally locked but we were lucky) which was still furnished as it would have been a few hundred years ago. The tiles and decorations were amazing. We also had a look at the Mosque of al-Hakim. Not so exciting, but according to the Lonely Planet this ruler was a bit of a sadist and used to ride about town on his donkey 'Moon' punishing dishonest merchants by having them sodomised by a black servant who accompanied him. And that was just one of his many peculiarities. I had to see it after reading that. Naturally, the signage in the mosque didn't mention this. Rather, it said he had an interesting personality and innovative ideas regarding social control. I'll say!
We also vistied the Al-Azhar Mosque which is one of Cairo's earliest mosques and the world's oldest survivng university. I am not much of a fan of mosques. The most interesting thing about that place was the priest who led us around on a tour and cracked it when we wouldn't give him more than 20 Egyption Pounds. I thought we were being generous since we didn't want to be led around, we couldn't understand anything he said, it was free to enter, and for a moment there I thought he had locked us in a tower to try and extract more baksheesh (tip) from us.
The following day, our last in this country, we visited the Citadel, the home to Egypt's rulers for some 700 years. It is also home to Mohammed Ali's (not the boxer just in case you were wondering) Mosque. This was a waste of time and money as everything was dilapidated and made us yawn. The best part about the day was the overpriced but very good cappuccino we had at the Nile Hilton as a reward for enduring such a boring experience. We even got too much change back - karma (not that I believe in that).
We have had an interesting time in this country and have seen heaps in the two and a bit weeks we were here. It has not been relaxing though, and I wouldn't necessarily call the experience fun. We are really looking forward to rejoining western civilisation for two weeks before heading off to South America. One of my many observations from this trip is that I really can't blame the Isralites for complaining about being stuck in the desert here for 40 years. I was moaning after 17 days. Their mumbling about manna makes perfect sense too - if I have to see another piece of pita bread again in my life I will vomit!
We wandered the streets and eventually found Beit Suhaymi, a beautiful traditional family mansion that dates back to the 1700s (I think). Whilst exploring the building, we ended up in the lounge room area (normally locked but we were lucky) which was still furnished as it would have been a few hundred years ago. The tiles and decorations were amazing. We also had a look at the Mosque of al-Hakim. Not so exciting, but according to the Lonely Planet this ruler was a bit of a sadist and used to ride about town on his donkey 'Moon' punishing dishonest merchants by having them sodomised by a black servant who accompanied him. And that was just one of his many peculiarities. I had to see it after reading that. Naturally, the signage in the mosque didn't mention this. Rather, it said he had an interesting personality and innovative ideas regarding social control. I'll say!
We also vistied the Al-Azhar Mosque which is one of Cairo's earliest mosques and the world's oldest survivng university. I am not much of a fan of mosques. The most interesting thing about that place was the priest who led us around on a tour and cracked it when we wouldn't give him more than 20 Egyption Pounds. I thought we were being generous since we didn't want to be led around, we couldn't understand anything he said, it was free to enter, and for a moment there I thought he had locked us in a tower to try and extract more baksheesh (tip) from us.
The following day, our last in this country, we visited the Citadel, the home to Egypt's rulers for some 700 years. It is also home to Mohammed Ali's (not the boxer just in case you were wondering) Mosque. This was a waste of time and money as everything was dilapidated and made us yawn. The best part about the day was the overpriced but very good cappuccino we had at the Nile Hilton as a reward for enduring such a boring experience. We even got too much change back - karma (not that I believe in that).
We have had an interesting time in this country and have seen heaps in the two and a bit weeks we were here. It has not been relaxing though, and I wouldn't necessarily call the experience fun. We are really looking forward to rejoining western civilisation for two weeks before heading off to South America. One of my many observations from this trip is that I really can't blame the Isralites for complaining about being stuck in the desert here for 40 years. I was moaning after 17 days. Their mumbling about manna makes perfect sense too - if I have to see another piece of pita bread again in my life I will vomit!
2 comments:
Hi Jon and Karyn,
I hope this emails finds you both well. Your adventures have been read with lots of laughs and amazement and the photos are great - I am quite jealous, but have changed my mind about seeing Egypt after your comments Karyn! Who knows may be one day. Where are you both off to now?
My love to you both, Marja xx
sheeshas, pita bred, sand, ants sodomised servants, dirt and insufficient tips... are we having fun yet?
James leaves for Zambia on 4th July and Hugo and I leave for Cambodia on 3rd July. Its all go trying to get away from work but... we will soo be on our way. Edith and Brett bought a second hand old caravan to alter to accommodate all 6'7" of Brett because he finds camping in Australia uncomfortable!! It sounds like a piece of cake compared to slumming in hostels in Egypt!!
Stay well you /moaning Israelites!
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