Day 11: Cairo - Citadel and Bazaar

Day 11 - Overnight Train from Luxor to Cairo, Citadel & Bazaar


Daytime High: 40 C


The overnight train from Luxor to Cairo was as expected... unidentifable meat products for food, way too much shuddering of the cars and very awkward stops and starts at the station. Given our previous experience with the train from Cairo, we came better prepared. First, we brought our own unidentifiable meat prodcut courtesy of KFC, which by the way was excellent... funny how we only eat it abroad. Second, we had such a long day, it was much easier to fall asleep and sleep through the interuptions.


We arrived in Cairo, early morning and went to the Citadel, again. I guess we should have read the itinerary for what activities were included in the trip, but that is typically something Sherrill does as I like the excitement of the unknown. We learned much more the second time around... I guess that is why you go with a guide.


After the Citadel, it was off to see the Khal Kalini bazaar, again. But this time, we had a shopping list in mind and Sherrill was hell bent on finding all of her items. It started with the papyrus print of Queen Nefertari and Ramses II. We played "good cop, bad cop" with me playing the role of angry spouse not wanting his wife to buy yet another trinket. In the end, it worked out and we got the print at a reasonable price... now for the $100+ spent to frame the print. Sherrill also picked up a silver scarab... not sure about the facination about insects now since she is usually calling me to squish them. Perhaps it is the silver that is talking to her. Finally, I picked up a sheesha, a middle eastern water pipe. For those that know me, I never smoke, but the thought of a collapsable pipe for camping trips was just too much to pass up.


We were going to end the day with a trip to the Pharonic VIllage, a "Disneyland" of all things Egypt, complete with them park characters. In the end, we did not go because the price was much higher than we were told. We also found it kinda strange that the parking lot attendant was looking to give us a discount on the entry price... only in Egypt.


It was an early night since we had to get up early for our trip to the Sinai pennisula to climb the fabled Moses Mountain, the biblical mountain where Moses first wrote the Ten Commandments.