health stats-mother 0, diarrhea 3. still out of commission, my cousin graciously accompanied me to the Egyptian Museum. it really just looks like a mansion instead of what we think of as a sprawling museum, but painted in an earthy, yet bright, clay color. you have to pass through two separate metal detectors with guards before you reach the ticket stand. i'm not sure the purpose of all the security actually, as my belt was the cause of them going off, but it didn't seem to bother them in the least. never even checked. whatever is more lax than lax would be my word to describe security here. once inside, i was shocked to see all these ancient artifacts out in the wide open, unprotected. the museum is old and in bad shape with little or no concern for all these wonders inside. there were also columns and statues in the front lawn just open to the elements! crazy! no regard for these treasures. i wonder how many items have been stolen out of the dinky display cases as it's not hard to untie the string securing them in place.
i was really only interested in 3 rooms, king tut's, the jewelry room, and the mummy room. quick tip, if you still have your college id, use it. i saved over 60 pounds this way and only got questioned once! the mummy room is incredible! about 10-12 mummies still in their tattered linen wrappings housed in temperature-controlled glass cases. it's remarkable to see so many features intact, teeth, toenails with polish, hair, etc. if you only have time to go to one room, this one is it. i'm glad i only stuck with the aforementioned rooms, as the rest of the museum tends to become a blur of rocks. worth a visit though. before leaving, make sure to check out the pond directly in front of the main entrance. you'll find rare blue lotus lilies that were once used by ancient egyptians as a psychoactive drug.
after the museum, we headed to the marriott for lunch. doesn't sound very egyptian, right? the marriott downtown is actually a former palace built for french royalty coming in town for the opening of the suez canal. it's stunning- wood carvings galore, detailed cutouts, gold gilded stairways leading to massive receptions rooms, floors covered in white marble, and a picturesque outdoor courtyard with perfectly groomed grounds and fountains. this is where we enjoyed an nontraditional, traditional egyptian lentil soup and a chicken quesadilla. not to shabby.
ok on to day 3. mom still sick so my cousin and i hop in the car with mohammed (her driver in case you missed earlier posts) and headed to garbage city. this place is a dump! literally. garbage city is a slum of cairo and you'll never be the same after seeing this place. our welcoming committee besides the stench of decaying rubbish was a boney dog, rummaging among the trash for food. as a dog lover, it was really difficult to see this little guy literally starving to death. we spent the next 20 minutes or so driving down the windy streets ( you can't get out and walk around here). i tried to take pictures from Mohammed's classic Peugeot 504 so you could get somewhat of an idea of what this place is like, but no image would ever do this place justice. trash is everywhere, mounds and heaps piled higher than the eye can see. kids play in it and help sort the papers and plastics. it's absolutely filthy here. totally disgusting. donkeys look like they are on their last leg, have open soars, and are attached to carts that pull cabbage or produce or trash, all of them teeming with flies. i imagine a lot of world health organizations would have a field day with this place. just imagine people actually live here, among the garbage, they breath in this stuff everyday.
oddly enough, if you make your way up the hill, you will find complete contrast. the streets for the most part are clean for garbage city standards. in fact, i saw a young boy actually sweeping them. there is a beautiful coptic church carved out of the side of this hill nestled among many carved religious images. i'm amazed and in awe when i think about this structure. it's stunning, even for the non believer.
on our way down the windy, rubbish lined streets we made a quick stop to the recycling plant that employs young women who craft upcycled goods like rugs, pillow covers, purses, and stationary to name a few. they have 2 retail stores within the somewhat professional space with many innovative and clever items and the money goes to sustain their community and their families. 2 mini thumbs up!
everyone needs to see a slum like this, it really will make you appreciate the wonderful life, moreover all the opportunities we have in the united states. we are so lucky.
ok very last stop...i know i'm exhausted too. al-azhar park in islamic cairo is a a tourist's dream, mainly because most of it's 74 acres are teeming with locals, not camera toting tourists. it's a colorful park with rolling flower-lined hills, gorgeous views of the citadel, and water pools galore. azza famy is a famous egyptian jewelry designer and apparently her sister designed all of the beautiful brass? cutout lanterns housed within the lakeside cafe. a must see in my book. don't be put off by the 1960's like admission area with 2 lines, one for men, the other for women. or by the fact that there is a special price for foreigners.
