Day 6

6/17/10

Hot! Hot! Hot!

Today was the spiritual Cairo optional tour. We were instructed to dress more conservatively than usual, but I didn't need to change, I've already been dressing conservatively for an american. Not too many had to change much, most just added a jacket of some sort. Well Iwas already doing that anyway.

Our first stop was Muhammed Ali mosque. Yes we had to take our shoes off. Grandma and I brought socks. After walking through, Sam allowed us to sit down and she answered questions about the Islam religion and other local practices.

After our talk we walked out to a beautiful view of Cairo city including the City of the Dead, their part cemetery part city. It is a cemetery, but people have begun to live there and build schools there.

We walked around and started back to the bus. It is so hot inside the complex surrounding the mosque. There is no relief, no breeze, no shade. the bus helps, but we all close the curtains on the bus for the first time.

Next we drove to the Hanging Church. It is the oldest christian church in Egypt, supposedly. Unfortunately, no one knew it was under construction, and we got a look at tarps and plaster. It wasn't too bad, except Mark was feeling really sick, and the heat was not helping at all.

Next we trekked by foot to an old synagogue where the Nile flowed near once. Here, supposedly, the Holy Family hid.

Mark was feeling worse and worse as the day went on. We passed through a small bazaar while going to the synagogue, and Karin found books she liked.

While we were waiting for the buses to find us to take us to Khan il Khalili bazaar, Karin and Mark bought huge cokes for a dollar and grandma bought cute souvenirs for Juliet and Suzanna.

Bus comes and we are all dying, but we still aren't going back. One of the largest bazaars is up next. Grandma saw a plate yesterday at the Citadel that she liked, but didn't have time to bargain for. She is hoping to find it today. Mark is still on the great tie search.

I know you are all shocked, but Grandma does find her plate. She doesn't want to bargain for it though and the guy lowered the price a little bit and she was ok with it. I bought a mug from the same place.

Mark and Karin find one of our security guards and ask him what a necktie is in arabic. He goes with us to try to find one. He takes us really deep into the bazaar and I start to get really uncomfortable. Eventually I convince them to turn back because I don't feel good and we are getting nowhere. No one has a tie. After we return near the front of the bazaar grandma and I pick out shoes for Mom. She had asked for them if we found neat ones.

I almost get traded for 5000 camels. I have another dowry offer. Grandma was seriously considering this one. Thankfully Sam suggested we hold out for more and that it is not a good enough price. I was like, " Thank you Sam!!!" I grandma had really wanted to get rid of me, Sam had offered to take me. But she could not have sent me to the American University in Cairo, it is too expensive. She would send me to the German school, so I better spend this summer learning German. LOL.

By now we have used up all of our time and need to head back to the bus. I had wanted to search out the perfect Thoth statue but there was no time after the great tie adventure. We went back to the bus, but due to bazaar rules, the bus could not be turned on until we are ready to go. NOOOOOOO! That means no air conditioning!

As we get on, our driver, Osman, sneakily tries to steal mom's present as a joke. This has been a joke between us since the first time I brought a bag back to the bus. I really like him, everyone does.

We finally get to head back to the hotel once everyone makes it back to the bus. For all it has seemed like an entire day has gone by, we return by two ish. We decide to have an hour to ourselves and then off to the pool to really cool off. Unfortunately, grandma's and my reading hour turns into grandma's napping hour. I had to break out the ear plugs.

The pool was great. it is very long and just deep enough. The sun drys everything so fast that I felt that I could actually get my hair wet. Part of the pool is under a balcony and is a nice relief from the constant sun at times. After much horseing around and practicing all of my tricks that I haven't done in years, I stretched out on an isolated chair to dry off. KJ found a discrepancy with her bill. The Marriot believes they drank juice. They rushed off to fix it and Grandma went to check ours.

When I went back, Grandma wasn't there and I had not taken my key. so I knocked on KJ's door. We hung out while we were waiting for them to return. We all decided to go eat at the Bakery. We went for sandwiches and found a whole other level of shops!! We browsed a little bit and determined tha we would come back when we returned to Cairo for our final day. We leave for Luxor tomorrow.

We returned and backed everything for another flight. All of the water bottles I have been hoarding are coming with me and making my luggage very heavy. But no matter, we are going to an even hotter part of Egypt, Upper Egypt in the south. Yes I know what I just wrote. But, Upper Egypt has more hills and is higher above sea level. Lower Egypt in the north is a low lying delta.