Cairo
The Capital

The Triumphant City, known officially as al-Qahirah is one of the world's largest urban areas and offers many sites to see. It is the administrative capital of Egypt and, close by, is almost every famous Egyptian pyramid, such as the Great Pyramids of Giza. But there are also ancient temples, tombs, Christian churches and of course, the Egyptian Antiquities Museum, all either within the city or nearby.

Cairo is an amazing city full of life and movement, and it is that way almost everyday. Noisy honking of horns, children playing on the streets and merchants selling their wares & services mark the typical day at the national capital. The culture curry called Cairo provides access to magnificent art galleries and music halls, such as the Cairo Opera House. It also provides some of the grandest accommodation and restaurants in the world, such as the Four Seasons and the Cairo Marriott. Cairo stands out strikingly for being a perfect blend between a modern and ancient city.

The city offers an incredible selection of shopping, leisure and nightlife activities. The juxtaposition of the old and the new is very evident with huge shopping malls and the famous Khan-el-Khalilli souk, (or bazaar) largely unchanged since the 14th century; four lane fly-overs and small streets and by-lanes. The market is another must-visit place even if you don't want to buy anything. It's a maze of streets and lanes with scores of shops offering all types of things. It is also the location where a number of movie scenes are shot ­ the hero running helter-skelter amid shops, people chasing him and shops, carts being overturned.... All the bounty of the East can be found here. Particularly good buys are spices, perfumes, gold, silver, carpets, brass and copperware, leatherwork, glass, ceramics and mashrabiya.

Try some of the famous street markets, like Wekala al-Balaq, for fabrics, including Egyptian cotton, the Tentmakers Bazaar for appliqué-work, Mohammed Ali Street for musical instruments and, although you probably won't want to buy, the Camel Market makes a fascinating trip. This is, and has been around for over a thousand years, truly a shopper's paradise.

We started our tour of Egypt with Cairo, staying at the Mena Oberoi in Giza. Situated opposite the great pyramids it was the perfect place to start our holiday. After two days we embarked on our tour of Egypt and at the end returned to Cairo and stayed in downtown Cairo Marriott, another grand hotel. There was a mix-up in our bookings and we had to wait for almost 45 minutes before getting our rooms... but it was worth the wait. After all, we were upgraded to suites. Swarup and I got the one on the top floor with a spectacular view of the city.

The government has some odd law (though I am sure they have some reason) that levies extra tax on buildings with concrete walls with the result except for hotels, government and old buildings are not plastered and the bricked walls give the entire city a drab look.

On the last day, after roaming the streets of Cairo, we went onboard an Oberoi boat for a floating dinner and entertainment show. The delicious dinner was accompanied by a belly dancer and a Whirling Dervish, popularly known as Sufi dance. The dance has been performed for over 700 years by the Sufi, a rather mystic order of the Islamic faith. The performer "turns" or whirls endlessly while manipulating skirts in a colourful display and the concentration and training is obvious.

With that we ended a memorable trip and headed straight for the airport. Our flight was late at night and we still had some time on hand. So our guide suggested that we spend an hour or so in a mall. We were surprised as it was almost 10 pm. We were even more surprised when he told us that the malls are open till late in the night and it was perfectly safe for even single ladies to go shopping at that hour. I am sure we must have been a sight, opening our suitcases at the airport stuffing the last minute shopping! And of course, we brought back in those suitcases, testimonies to a perfectly delightful holiday.

Cairo - In and around
Cairo - Floating dinner (Sufi & belly dance)
Cairo - Hotels where we stayed and visited -

additional links:
www.touregypt.net
Whirling Dervish - Sufi Dance  
Khan-el-Khalilli
Egypt Pyramids
Egyptian Antiquities Museum

Cairo Marriott
Four Seasons
Hilton Cairo Nile
Oberoi Mena House