Another insanely early start day! That’s 2 in a row – tough on these old bones – but it is what I signed up for – so I’ll pull up my big girl pants and bravely head out into the dark.

Our destination is Cairo – and everything goes smoothly. Thank goodness for the Odyessy Folks – they really have this streamlined. We re-group at a completely unreasonable hour in the lobby, grab coffee or tea or hot water from the hotel staff who also had to get up early, grab our ‘to go’ breakfast bags – and board a bus for the 45 minute trip to the Luxor Airport.

The streets are empty – but the airport is packed. There are layers upon layers of security. First stop – we seperate into women’s and men’s lines – We are told to carry only our passports – Everything else goes thru the scanners. And then we walk thru a human scanner – and everyone gets a pat down. They even make us put our legs up on a block and they pat them down. There is a woman doing the patting on the ladies side, and a man for the man’s side.

Then we get to the check-in counter – wait in line to check-in, then we go to the security system (Men vs Women division and another full body pat down this one with shoes off), and finally we are at the gate level. All these checks – and we are only flying Domestic – Egypt Air from Luxor to Cairo.

The plane is packed, not an empty seat to be had. But at least we are all able to get on the plane. Hussein warned us that sometimes groups are bumped to later flights if they arrive late at the check-in counter. But we dodged that bullet.

Even so the flight is delayed, and we get a late start. No matter – Hussein has plans that he can flex to make sure we get to see everything we were told we’d see in Cairo.

The other option is the train from Luxor to Cairo – a distance of about 500 miles. But the train takes 13 hours! The train from Montreal to Toronto, a distance of 600 miles, takes a bit over 4 hours – and we’re screaming that this is extremely slow. Well – it’s not slow in comparison, that’s for sure.

Anyway – we have a quick flight and uneventful flight – and we land in Cairo. Our first experience with the Cairo Airport wasn’t great – but this time we are firmly in Hussein’s hands. His cheerful ‘Follow Me’ gets us out of security to baggage claim. There’s a heart stopping few moments when everyone elses luggage has arrived – and ours is MIA. But then the baggage conveyer begins to spin again – and out pop our Bags.

Whew.

We walk out of baggage claim to our bus without anyone asking if they can help us, and we are on our way to our first stop in Record Time. I’m impressed. There are clearly advantages to being with a well organized tour group like Odyessey!

The Citidel in Old Cairo was built in response to the Crusades – The rulers of Egypt wanted to defend themselves, but in fact the feared invasions never happened, and the Citidel was never used. It does remain today as the Egyptian reminder of the Crusades. In the courtyard of the Citidel is a Mosque built like Turkish Aga Sophia except they used Alebastor for the walls. Inside it is stunningly beautiful.

Right now it’s being refurbished, so while all visitors either cover their shoes or remove them, we were allowed in to get a better feel for the place. Among the planned refurmishments are new carpets, so the old carpets have been removed, giving the giagantic inside a clean and very relaxed feel. I’m also impressed by the view of Old Cairo from the Balcony that runs the entire width of the Mosque.

We take a short bus ride down to the ‘old Bazzar’ area of Cairo. It feels a lot like the Bazzar in Fez – except all the vendors are hawking tourist items. But the narrow alley ways and the tiny size of the shops definitely brings home that Bazzar feeling.

Some of us opt to shop, but Victor, Andrea, Ed, Todd and I opt for a different tour. Hussein takes us to see some of the more interesting aspects of “Old Cairo’. We walk past an entry way where the Threshold stone is has clearly been lifted from a Temple – it is covered in Hieroglypics. There a door way to a former Synogous – recognizable by the Jewish Star. There are butcher shops with butchers working on cutting Beef Quarters into smaller cuts of meat. I chat with a lovely Egyptian Family – Mother, Grandmother and two Daughters. Curled around the legs of the Grandmother – but finally willing to do high fives with me is the pride of the family – a young son!

Other highlights – a shop making and selling Brass Cannons – in a variety of sizes – from large to really really large! I tell Victor – NO CANNONS!

There are also Tin shops making Hookahs in various sizes – including

Just as we are getting ready to leave – Andrea and I beg for a bathroom stop. Our security guard chats up one of the shop owners – and we are alowed to accend a very narrow spiral stone staircase 3 flights to a tiny bathroom. I don’t care – it’s clean and the guy who found us the toliet hands us some toliet paper!

Life is good!

Now we are driven to the Coptic area of Old Cairo. This area is actually buried underneath ‘New’ Cairo, and was built on top of Roman Ruins. So layer upon layer upon layer! So interesting. To get to the Coptic area, you actually walk down a rather steep staircase and under a bridge that carries pedestrians. There – much like Diagon Alley – is an under ground shopping street with small restaurants – a very large antique book store, and a Christian Nunnery (I spot a Nun!). There are two reasons we came down – a quick visit to the ‘Cavern’ where Jesus was hidden for from 3 months to 2 years – depending on who is telling you, and a magnificant old Synagogue that has been donated to the Egyptian Government during Nasser’s Nationalization of all things Jewish.

After taking over the Synagogue, the Egyptians discovered a hidden room filled with old records. In the records – it is recorded that Mamonidies once came here. It is unclear from the presentation we have what he might have been doing – research perhaps – but he was here! Amazing.

To say I’m impressed is an understatement. I know from being in England many times that history can be found buried in the ground, but this is a complete community that is still functional.

We then visit the Hanging Church – built over Roman Ruins that can actually be seen thru the floor boards, and get back on the Bus. For the first time today, I am feeling ‘crowded’. A high school group joins us in the church – and there isn’t even room to breathe. I’m out of here! (hey – first I admire the mosaics – then I run!)

Next stop – lunch and then back to the hotel for a well earned Nap.

We are ‘free’ for dinner, and Hussein suggests a Lebonese Restaurant called Taboula. It was on Victor’s – must try – list, so we are for sure going. Pam and Suzanne join us – and we get a shared meal for 4. There’s enough food for 6 – and it is easily the best meal we’ve enjoyed in Egypt. Superb cooking, great presentation – and one of the main courses – a Beef dish with a Pomegranate/Citris sauce blows us away. Victor asks how it was made or even just the name – but the maitre d’s lack of English and our lack of Arabic proves a stumbling block. He’s definitely looking it up when we get back to the hotel.

Dessert is also excellent – we decide that it’s a bread pudding made with pita – so a Pita Pudding!

The short walk back to the Kempenski takes us past the American and British Embassies. There is – not unexpectedly – a huge police presence. They are set up with Metal riot shields, Personnel Carriers, machine guns, and helmets with face shields every 25 yards – and clearly awake and on guard. I had wondered early about the relatively high number of police in the area of the hotel – now I know why. It’s definitely not about us!

The Kempenski is a warm and welcoming beacon and we gleefully say hi to the staff and make our way to our room.

Definitely bed time.

Signing off – the Soup Lady