We had breakfast in the hotel this morning after rising from a time confusing time. The food was delicious…not like an American breakfast…but interesting. We were served a lot of bread, Atkins lovers would not do well here. Lots of fruits, butter, breads…and some (very little) meat. They scramble their eggs with water instead of milk, so it’s not like home. We toured around Cairo and walked to the Nile passing by the Egyptian Museum and the American University of Cairo with Hilary as our guide. We were all ecstatic to finally visit the North flowing channel of water our textbooks have talked about. As usually, we could not help but be the center of attention to native Egyptians as we took photographs and walked around. It was during this part of the day we all realized just how uncoordinated drivers are in Egypt. It took us forever to understand a rhythm of crossing what looked like a three lane street, that easily could be turned into a five lane street by persistent drivers. I must say that I have to feel lucky. One of the boys on the trip got sick from the food, and I haven’t come down with anything yet. We tease him that his sickness comes from the water.
It was during this walk that I was recognized as Egyptian. I love how people came to me to ask for directions around Cairo in Arabic. Of course I had no idea. I wasn’t even the one with the map.
Talking about getting lost, we all went to the internet café afterwards to check our e-mail. Of course since I am an internet junkie, I was the last to leave…all by myself. What was supposed to be an easy 2nd street hop in the square and walk to the hotel, became a maze of streets and a scared lost Kara. I didn’t even know what my hotel’s name was. I kept walking around in circles until I realized the first street I went to was the right street, I just need to go down it further and take a right on the second street…to find the Cosmopolitan Hotel. I recognized the creepy mannequin display in the windows and found a way back.
After walking back, Hilary asked if I wanted to accompany her to get passport photos at a film store somewhere in Cairo, which I agreed…hoping to learn the city better. In our travels we once again found the Playboy store (which is apparently out of business)…and MacDonalds. Here we waited for her photos and ran back to the hotel to meet everyone.
After our own exploits we all met up with the professor to eat lunch with him and to be taken inside the University of Cairo. He took us through the back streets, and that is where I started to feel a bit uncomfortable…and sorry that wore sandals. There was a lot of trash in the streets…kinda the same feeling I felt as an 8th grader walking through the Chinatown of New York. Really not so bad of a health risk…but enough to make a girl in sandals cringe. Of course we all are the center of attention once again.
The pizza we had for lunch was unbelievable. Instead of using a thick dough, they had fried pastry dough with meat sandwiched in-between and vegetables on top. It was like a pizza pastry. We all ordered our own small pizza, which we ate quite greedily.
We continued on our way to the University of Cairo; which was like an oasis in the middle of the city. Here we came from honking cars, talking, driving, and exhaust into this quiet world of green shrubs and fields. Though the area was small, it most certainly acted an appreciated break from the noise of the city. We checked out the campus, which was gorgeous, and then went to the bookstore. We all picked up books (I got a Learn Arabic CD)…and then headed over to the Rare Book Library…which sadly was closed.
After much deliberation, I realized that Hilary and I would have to return to the photo shop for me to get new passport photos. The photos I printed would not fit on my Antiquities pass…which will get me into all the sites in Egypt for free (with the exception of the Pyramids and Tutankhamen’s tomb.) Once again we waited for photos…I had to buy them by the sheet…so I have about 58 pictures of me…random? I’ll send them to everyone…Just so you all remember me!
So afterwards we headed back to enjoy much needed rest. I think by now I know how to walk in Cairo without being so timid. At 8 we all met up again to go eat dinner at a little corner café, but it was closed. We instead were detoured to a little French like restaurant that held all sorts of goodies. It was there I realized that I may come back fat from Egypt…instead of skinnier.
After all this fun we went back to the hotel, to enjoy some rest. I tried calling my Dad, but of course his phone card number did not work, so I just went to bed.
