Walk Like an Egyptian (Cairo)

Well hello, dear reader and welcome to a few days in Cairo. I neglected to mention in the last post the change in the air as we flew towards Egypt. It was akin to the dust in the atmosphere above Oman. The sun was setting so I assumed the change was, in part, due shifting light. Hmmm. Maybe.

The view from the hotel was viewed through a veneer of haze as we went to bed. In the morning, the haze was still there. Today is Saturday, the second day of an Egyptian weekend. The working week commences tomorrow when I expect the air quality will be worse because most of the pollution is from petrol burning engines.

The choice of title today was too obvious, that classic by The Bangles from 1986  Walk Like an Egyptian.

The alarm roused us at 7am and the sun was rising across the Nile so there was no attempt to photograph in that direction. We prepared for the day, and a civilised 10am departure, before braving breakfast. The confusion from last night remained. People rushed everywhere. There were many chiefs delivering instructions to the underlings and we weren't sure where to go.

The morning from the balcony.

We approached one attendant to see if we could have a table in the outdoor area. Yes, sit anywhere, came the reply. So we did. Another attendant then approached and was most dismissive and informed us the 'big buffet' was inside and we should go there. Up we got and inside we dutifully went.

There were some vacant tables close by so we secured one. Once again it was organised chaos. The food stations were spread throughout the vast area, while outside women were making flatbread in the open air ovens, alongside the omelette station. There were food options to cater for every nationality. However, the rushing of the staff and constant coming and going of the patrons did not render breakfast a relaxing experience.

We managed to find enough food to sustain ourselves. I said yes to the offer of coffee. Mistake. It was Americano. Think filter coffee from the 1980s. When they offered a second cup (shudder) Jayne asked did they make espresso. Of course the answer was yes. I declined. Mistake I said. And so it proved. Worse than the filter coffee apparently. Straight from a push button pod machine.

Still hazy.

In the foyer before departure time, we met Andrew our guide and a few other fellow travellers. There were 7 of us in all. An acceptable group size and a good way to meet people on the tour. The opportunity for closer interaction would be at dinner tonight and we weren't sure how that would go.

First stop was the Citadel of Cairo or the Saladin Citadel. The building was commenced in the 1100s by Salah ad-Din al-Ayubi and is a copy of the blue mosque in Istanbul. Except it has no blue. Structurally it is the same.

Not so blue, except for the sky.

It was busy with school groups from outside Cairo who were fascinated by the white westerners. Many snapped surreptitious photos or wanted to engage in conversation. They were sooo loud and the sound bounced off the rock walls.

I am used to the cats of Europe. Egypt has dogs. While I saw no signs declaring a sanctuary, each dog had been ear-tagged. The tag signifies the dog has been vaccinated, I assume for rabies. They did little more than sleep in the sun. Much like the description of them in Slessor's poem Country Towns.

Do not disturb.

The courtyard outside the mosque is quite expansive. In its centre is the area to wash before prayer. Central to the rear wall is an enormous clock tower that was gifted from the French government after Egypt had sent them the obelisk which anchors Plâce de la Concorde. The clock has never worked. I think France got the better deal. Mind you, the concept of time in Egypt, perhaps the French were making a point.

The clock. It's correct twice a day.

The Citadel is quite spectacular outside and even more so inside. Despite the crowds. It is a vast space lit by lights and chandeliers hanging for the ceiling. The effect is quite arty but it detracts from a clear picture of the beautifully decorated ceiling domes.

The wall of Muhammad Ali's tomb.

Lights replaced the candles.

The effect is impressive.

The main dome.

Onto the bus and off to the Museum of Egyptian Civilisation. This building once housed the treasures of Egypt, well, except those in the British Museum and the Louvre and the Met in New York and ... and, I'm sure there are others. It is now dwarfed by the new Grand Museum that we will see later in the tour. It does, however, have something significant that the big one does not - it has all the pharoahs' mummies that were relocated here in a major event that saw all the kings of ancient Egypt make a ceremonial procession to their new home in April, 2021.

A chair and models for the funerary.

Solid gold. How heavy would that have been?

Mosaic floor.

One of the Pharoahs.

They now have their own subterranean rooms and display cases, through which you are strictly directed by a series of IKEA style floor arrows, except in this case, you actually have to follow them from the entrance to the exit. As you enter, there is a massive interactive floor and wall display to set the scene for the mummies which can also be viewed from above where other artefacts chronicle the timeline of Egyptian civilisation through to the present day.

Cosmetics for the woman. See below.

The views expressed are those of the Museum.

A sun clock.

So beautiful and so fine.

Our guide took us through the various dynasties and historical periods, regularly punctuating the account with reminders that anything of any value has its foundation in Egyptian discovery and ingenuity. Apparently Egypt was the first civilisation in the world. They invented the wheel, language, penicillin ... the expansive list goes on and on and on. Don't bother to fact check, most of it is romantic exaggeration. Remember the Sumerians?

The museum space is quite large and the exhibits are interesting because of their diversity. The mummies rooms, well, not wishing to be disrespectful, but there was a sameness to the displays. Also, no photography because people can't be trusted not to use a flash.

The afternoon of culture over, we returned to the hotel precinct and busied ourselves in two important tasks. First, changing our £200 notes into multiple £20 notes. That done, we went in search of the restaurants listed on the hotel map and then a quiet place to have a drink. We crossed paths with some of the others from the tour, one couple joined us for afternoon drinks - another Egyptian wine, a white this time. Most acceptable.

A carpet to wrap Kaba prior to the Hajj.

It is important to drink Egyptian wine, dear reader, because of the tariff placed on imported alcohol. It can be upwards of 25% at point of sale. After the tariffs have been added.

The 'welcome dinner' proved to be the debacle I thought it would be. We arrived at 7:55pm for an 8pm commencement to find the room packed. Unable to immediately locate the people from the morning tour Jayne was asked to join one lone couple at a nearby table. They were elderly Scots. We were soon joined by other similarly aged Brits. It appears Travel Marvel is pushing to expand to the UK market.

We were generously allocated 2 alcoholic drinks per person, wine or beer. Fine in theory. Getting the glasses to hand proved to be a little more complex. The usual frenetic rushing about that seems customary at every meal continued. Again, there were plenty of chiefs issuing commands and directing traffic but not assisting with the distribution of food or drinks.

Hieroglyphics.

The bread baskets arrived and were placed on the table. Then followed an array of dips, seemingly placed at random and then the entree, two plates of samosas and falafels. There were no instructions issued regarding the food and there were not equal numbers of what was on the plates to share evenly. The wait staff continued to buzz around, some people scored drinks, others did not.

The main course arrived. A mixed plate of more traditional Egyptian food. Announcements continued sporadically through out the meal until the coup de grâce. Despite several attempts at explanation, it was not clear what was actually happening around us. The TM ground staff had a pile of envelopes and commenced calling out names. If your name was called you raised your hand, someone rushed over with an envelope, for which you signed and so the process went. For 115 people. Well probably around 55 given most are couples.

Do you think you could come up with a better way to distribute the envelopes to every couple there? I know I could. Anyway, inside the envelope was US $30 per person, some bag tags and an explanation as to why they were throwing money at us. While 'free' alcohol is limited on the cruise, tea, coffee and soft drink were supposed to free and unlimited. The owners of the cruise decided this was not a good idea and rescinded that part of what we had been promised, hence a refund.

At this point, I just wanted out and bed. It was then time to allocate the colours for the three buses that we would be inhabiting for the next three days. Whatever colour you scored would assign you a guide and a bus group for the duration of our stay in Cairo. We had decided we wanted to stay with Andrew so Jayne approached Shady to ensure this would happen. Orange tags landed on our table and also on the table of the others who had ventured out together in the morning.

Cairo by night.

And that was it. Time for a well earned rest.

إلى اللقاء في المرة القادمة

Arrivederci Roma (Rome - Cairo)

The sound proofing in the hotel was amazing, considering the number and frequency of flights out of Rome airport. They were barely audible at all, dear reader. We skipped breakfast and repacked and went downstairs to settle the account before catching the 10:20am shuttle back to Terminal 3. 

We had a few hours to spare after clearing customs and thought my Amex card might finally come in handy for lounge access. Rome airport is as manic as Roma Termini, and that was just walking through the duty free area. Eventually we located the lounge, Plaza Premium. If you did not have card or member access, a walk-in was charged €70.

Seriously, it wasn't that good and certainly not worth that sort of money. You could have purchased a decent meal and quality wine for €140. We had neither, but then again, we didn't pay for it. From memory, the Al Italia Lounge we visited on the last trip rates as one of the best we have enjoyed. The food offerings here were 'Italian' but I'm not sure nonna would be impressed. The house wine was gratis, the rest came at a price. However, it was somewhere to sit for a while out of the chaos.

A seagull, in Rome. Really.

Our flight was leaving from gate E37 but that wasn't announced until 12:30pm. The information on our ticket said boarding at 12:35pm. Over an hour before the scheduled departure of 1:45pm. The information at the check-in desk said boarding 1:05pm. That made more sense.

Jayne was not confident about timing, particularly given we didn't know exactly where the gate was. So, at 1:00pm we set off. An excellent decision as it turned out. Gate E37, as we eventually discovered after walking for 10 minutes, was in another building. You arrived there by bus. And then walked some more.

People around us were panicking and rushing. We continued briskly in the knowledge that they would rather wait a few minutes for us than off-load our luggage. I'm sure if you're a regular visitor to the airport you might understand the vagaries of the distance to the different gates. But a warning at check-in would have been most welcome.

Anyway, we were on board by 1:30pm. Having ignored numerous requests to upgrade, buy the middle seat or pre-select tickets, I was keen to see how crowded it would be. Not hugely was the answer. To choose seats before checking in was US$20 per person. To purchase the middle seat was US$80. I did neither and we ended up with the seats we wanted and a spare in our row, a saving of US$120 or a good meal out in Egypt.

And so ends our time in Italy. Is there a better way to farewell the country, Rome in particular than with the classic Arrivederci Roma, by Dean Martin? Obvious? Corny? Yes, of course, but oh so right.

The Rome skyline from the our first night.

Upon arrival we were supposed to be met by a Travel Marvel agent who would have our visas for us, escort us through customs and security and transport us to the hotel. My scepticism was unfounded. Shady was waiting for us before the immigration check, waltzed us through all areas and we were in our private transport, driving through through the chaotic Cairo traffic in no time.

En route to the hotel, we were given a run down of the next day or so and some fun facts about Cairo. The greater Cairo area has a population in excess of 25 million people. Australia's population is about 28 million. Area wise, Cairo occupies almost 2,800 sq km, Australia over 7,600,000 sq km. Draw your own conclusions from that information. By the time we had reached the hotel, Shady had booked us in, changed our room to a higher floor, added us to the WhatsApp group and I'm sure much more.

Our bags were whisked away and we went on a quick tour of the facilities. Well some of them. This place is massive. 1,500 rooms in two high rise buildings joined by the palace built to honour Queen Eugeni. We passed numerous restaurants, discovered where reception was located, and were shown where the tour dinner would be held tomorrow night. It was information and sensory overload.

The Nile at night.

Our room is on the 15th floor with a side view of the Nile River and the main vista, looking across to Cairo. The hotel is situated on an island in the Nile. After our bags arrived, we thought we might attempt some food and wine. Not so easy. While it was obvious where people were sitting and eating, it wasn't so obvious as to how a table could be acquired. Where all 15 restaurants were actually located was also a mystery.

Looking away from the river.

People were buzzing around everywhere. In the end, Jayne bailed someone up who secured us a table. Albeit near a not pleasant smelling part of the garden, but it had been a long day and it was after 9pm. Wine and food ordered, we sat and people watched. And there was a lot to watch.

We retired later than expected and had to deal with the arctic strength doona on the bed. I don't get it. To make that work, the air con had to be set to freezing. Egypt is not a cold country. Doonas of this size are not required.

Tomorrow we have joined an optional small tour to the Citadel and the National Museum of Egyptian Civilisation. The rest of the official group will be arriving over the next 24 hours, presumably in time for the commencement dinner tomorrow night.

إلى اللقاء في المرة القادمة

It's Goodbye Again (Sorrento - Naples - Rome)

And so we have reached the end, dear reader. Today is a transit day to our hotel at Rome airport before we fly off to walk like an Egyptian and check out all things polyhedron. But that is tomorrow and first, we must travel from Sorrento to Rome. It sounds so simple, doesn't it?

There are no pictures from a transit day, so I have dropped in some other shots from the museum and of Vesuvio of course.

The Circumvesuviana was an option and a very cost effective one at €2 each. The lack of bag storage and the inherent crowding, not to mention the uncomfortable seats, ruled it out. I considered a ferry for a while. A picturesque way to depart but getting the bags to the terminal and then needing to travel on the Metro to Centrale proved a mountain too big to conquer. A taxi or private car transfer was the most expensive option and given my life flashed before my eyes more than once on our drive into Sorrento (think 140kmh speed and overtaking on double lines in a tunnel) I wasn't ready for that style of return trip.

In the end, we settled for a shuttle. A mini-bus/van that seated 12 of us plus luggage for €30 each. As our apartment was on the way to Naples they picked us up at the door. I would have preferred the 10am shuttle but it was booked up so 9am would have to do. It means a lot of time wasted at Napoli Centrale.

Comparatively, the journey was uneventful and we were dropped off at Centrale around 10:30am. As you would expect, it was very crowded. Also as we have come to expect, there was minimal seating. We found the food court and a vacant table to enjoy our morning coffee and croissant. Perhaps enjoy is not the correct term. There are extensive renovations underway and the noise from the construction/destruction ensured we did not loiter at the café.

We wandered the area searching for a vacant seat. There were none; station real estate is more valuable than a Bondi Beach unit with sea view. As we reluctantly settled to lean against a wall, Jayne asked were there seats on the platform. The Trenitalia App had us leaving from Platform 17 and yes there were seats there. Why? Because they don't post the platform until 5-10 minutes before the train actually departs.

An Arab trader.

A minute or so later, we were seated on the platform. A move which started a trend as a number of other people followed suit. There was still over an hour before our train. The platform was incredibly long and deserted so I thought I'd walk to the other end. About half-way there was a set of stairs and two workers standing there chatting. I ignored them as I walked past. Shortly after I could hear them trying to get my attention, which I also ignored. This is Italy. They could just have been talking to each other and not yelling at me. Anyway, what's wrong with walking the length of the platform while you're waiting for a train?

Plenty it turns out. The little Mussolini with the gold star on his collar chased me down. I could hear him wheezing up behind me. Have I mentioned everyone here still smokes? Apparently the news it's bad for you hasn't reached here yet. Although the cigarette packets have those ugly smoking related disease photos on them. Still at €5 a pack ...

Anyway he caught me and huffed and puffed something in Italian. I shrugged my shoulders and asked English? What are you doing? came the terse response. Walking, I replied, it is an hour before my train. No he asserted and pointed back up the platform. I shrugged and returned to where Jayne was sitting.

Helmet.

We waited a long time for our train. Every other Trenitalia train arrived and departed on time. Naples was the starting station. How could it be late? Anyway the 12:30pm departure that became 12:20 without notice eventually left at 12:45. The 11am shuttle would have been fine.

The trip to Rome was uneventful. Although I was concerned when we first took our seats. There was a group from a country not known for their use of indoor voices, occupying the two four seat sections across the aisle. Upon sitting down they started a conversation over the back of the seats. Loudly. It did not last, thankfully.

We disembarked and ignored the signs that directed us to drag our bags down stairs into the tunnel to connect with the Leonardo Express to the airport. A good move it turned out because at the other end of the tunnel was another set of stairs. We walked to end of the platform and then around to Platform 24 and straight onto the train.

Earrings from Pompeii.

As has been the case, someone in close proximity, directly behind us, began coughing up a lung and sniffing. Just disgusting. Why some cultures will not avail themselves of a handkerchief or tissue is beyond my understanding.

Upon arrival at Rome airport, finding the hotel shuttle at Terminal 3 proved to be the next challenge. A disinterested attendant waved us towards the bus terminal. As we neared it we could see Stops 6 - 11 and more beyond. We were looking for Stop 1. Signage was of course minimal, but we managed to find it, across the road, and waited only a few minutes for the shuttle. There were three other Australians there that had been waiting an hour.

We were in our hotel room within 20 minutes. A quick unpack and then down stairs to enjoy our welcome drink. We teamed up with the other Aussies to discuss where they had been and where they were going next before we got organised for dinner.

From above Sorrento Port.

After eating Italian food for the last 7 weeks and not entirely trusting a hotel kitchen to do the cuisine justice, we opted for burgers and fries. Mistake. The wine, a local montepulciano was excellent.

Although we don't leave Italy until tomorrow, our remaining time will be hotel, transfer, airport, so It's Goodbye Again by John Denver seems an appropriate song for today.

Alla prossima

World Upon Your Shoulders (Sorrento - Naples)

Yes, dear reader, this is a two day post. Fear not it won't be that long.

Tuesday

As our Italian sojourn came to a natural conclusion, we decided to have a quiet day around Sorrento. Really it was just an opportunity to sleep a little later and wander the streets of the old town and look at the other lanes we hadn't explored. 

The backstreets of Sorrento.

Although our time here is not quite over, we have enjoyed it, Sorrento particularly. However, as for the Amalfi Coast, from our limited exposure, it is a cut and paste of towns on the coast or up in the hills. Not that there is anything wrong with that. The towns all have the same shops selling the same products. In fact there were multiple stores with the same goods in Sorrento. If you were after linen, lemons, limoncello or a restaurant you were in luck.

Limoncello? Orangecello? Just have a drink.

Today was meant to be our trip to Procida or Ischia, but both proved to be a little difficult to fit in to our schedule, as in, either would have resulted in a very long day. Capri also was considered, but in the end it proved all too hard so we listed that for our return to Naples next year.

The streets we frequented today offered more food options than the main corso and the other standout was a number of inlaid wood studios. That was unexpected given what Giovanni had said about it, describing it as a dying craft.

Art or graffiti? Who am I to judge?

We walked back to the "garden" overlooking the port. I'm not sure it deserved the title, a couple of trees struggling for life in a sea of cement and pavers. There was some graffiti, of course, another church and a courtyard. Oh, and cats, lots of cats, black ones.

It looked inviting, but then you have to walk up the hill.

One of many.

The afternoon and evening were spent on the balcony enjoying the distant Vesuvius. It is a view we will both miss. Although I'm not sure about a permanent occupancy so close to an active volcano.

Sigh.

Dinner you may be surprised to know was left overs from our Culinary Backstreets tour. It makes the tour even better value.

Wednesday

Today we attempted the Circumvesuviana again, although later at 7:30am because we had purchased online tickets for entry to the Naples National Archeological Museum. Reverse the title for the acronym MANN. Unfortunately our tickets did not arrive, despite emailing them as requested. So I had a screen shot of my purchase to argue my case should that be necessary.

The Circumvesuviana was only slightly more comfortable due to less crowding and we arrived in Naples Garibaldi close to the scheduled time. We were swept along with the morning commuter traffic to the Metro where we were confronted with an incredibly crowded platform and a 13 minute wait for the next train. It turned out to be less than that but the train was crowded all the way to the Museo station.

As you exit Museo station.

Museo is literally next door to the museum and within five minutes, I was having a discussion with the attendant about the non-arrival of our tickets. Back up was called for, hushed discussions ensued, the screen shot on my phone was examined, as was the emailed receipt. Finally they went old school and resorted to a print out of people who had purchased tickets online. Thankfully we were on the list. Magically we were through and made a bee-line for the café to have breakfast.

The museum covers three floors, well four if you include the underground Egyptian display and the toilets. Given we will be in Egypt on Friday, we decided to give it a miss. The ground floor is devoted to Greek history or should that be Greco-Roman history? Regardless, it was room after room of statues, some of them absolutely massive. Their size surprised. Having seen many Greek statues in many museums across the world, including Greece, I don't recall seeing any of this size.

Sometimes the busts are hollow.

Hadrian's boyfriend.

In colour.

Many of them had been restored in some way after damage. Some had heads that were not on the original body. Mostly you wouldn't know if you didn't read the plaque, but some well, just didn't look right.

The Pompeii exhibits were on the top floor so we skipped the middle level and went straight there after we had seen the entire ground floor. Unsurprisingly the exhibits consist of numerous frescoes, sections of tiled flooring, statues, jewellery and the implements of every day life. Well, every day life, if you were a part of the ruling class.

Miniature statue.

Artwork on a plate.

While the museum offers more protection than the Pompeii site itself, seeing the frescoes, sometimes complete walls, out of the context of the town just didn't sit right. I had a greater appreciation of the remnant frescoes we saw in situ at Pompeii.

Nice floor.

The baker and his wife.

Wall fresco.

We had completed the circuit of the top floor and yet something was missing. The famed and fabled plaster casts of the victims of Vesuvius and the objects of daily life. We checked the map. No mention. We checked Google, it said they were held in the MANN. And Google of course, since AI answers everything, is never wrong. Right?

A water or wine thingy.

Intricate detail in miniature.

A loaded die.

In desperation, we approached one of the museum staff to be told the only casts on display are at Pompeii. We had a brief look at them when we were there in the (mistaken) knowledge that we would see them here. Disappointing.

There was a scale model of Pompeii and a very rudimentary audio-visual display. To be honest, we both expected more than old school static displays - as fascinating as that may be to our generation. I doubt that it would have cut it for the two primary school tours we saw. Any of the many subscriber TV services have programs on Pompeii showing what it looks like now and then rebuilding the past. Given this is the national museum I thought Pompeii and Herculaneum would have been their A list attractions. Then again there was a lot of work going on so I'll give them the benefit of the doubt and see what's on offer next year.

Earrings. Bi earrings.

The ceiling of ... something.

How rich are you if your horse has tail pieces?

That all said, we still spent almost 3 and half hours there and that was without an audio guide. If we'd been offered the guide and accepted we may still be there.

A satyr, apparently drunk.

Satyr asleep ... more like ecstasy.

Painted eyes are scary.

We had allowed more time for the museum so we were early to Lombardi 1892, an authentic Neapolitan pizzeria, making pizzas for over 130 years. The restaurant was less than 15 minutes stroll from the museum and recommended by Francesca, our guide from a few days back. I had booked a table but they were unconcerned about either the reservation or us being 30 minutes early.

Escorted up stairs to level one, there was a level below us and at least one more above, we were shown to our table and provided with menus entirely in Italian. Not really a problem. We ordered the 'local wine' red of course, the equivalent to a house wine I assume and a capricciosa pizza. Then we discussed more food, depending on how we felt.

The wine was more than passable and went well with the pizza which was excellent. Neapolitan pizza is so superior to that of Rome. It is light and tasty with a chewy crust. The capricciosa went down a treat so I ordered a ripieno. To be specific a Ripieno al forno. It's a stuffed pizza similar to calzone. It proved to be a little too challenging and some accompanied us home on the Circumvesuviana.

Have you really had pizza if you haven't been to Napoli?

The trip home was on the same time train as our previous visit. It was, however, much more crowded when it arrived at Garibaldi. I stood all the way to Sorrento while Jayne managed to score a seat about half way home. I had already positioned myself between her and any potential seat nabber.

Securing a seat on Italian public transport is much like hand-to-hand combat. There is a lot of eye movement and staring down your opponent for any seat that might become available. One woman in her mid-twenties provided much entertainment. Anytime a seated person moved a muscle she materialised next to them in the hope they were leaving. She moved with the speed of Usain Bolt. 

I saw this strange dance three times and wasn't sure if on one occasion she hadn't used some dark art because I didn't see her move, just her arrival at the seat that didn't become vacant. She stood till she alighted.

Our last evening was spent as you would expect with us sitting on the balcony, sipping wine and admiring Vesuvius and the lights of Naples.

You've got to carry that weight.

Hmmm. Conflicting song choices, but I opted for Silverchair and World Upon Your Shoulders.

Alla prossima.

PS apologies for the museo photos. I thought a lot of things would be behind glass and so didn't take the camera. all shots courtesy of my phone.