CAIRO

CAIRO AIRPORT ARRIVAL & DEPARTURE

Arrival - After you pick up your luggage you will be approached by taxi drivers on your way to the exit door.  It is best if you make a deal either inside or outside the exit door because outside it is just one really big car-park and you will not find a taxi out there!  Normal price to central Cairo is 80 LE - unlikely to find one who will give you a metered ride from the airport.
Departure - if you are staying far from the airport it is a good idea to give yourself one to two hours before your check-in time to get to the airport......traffic can be horrendous on the airport road especially at rush hour and up to about 9pm. Make sure you have a pen on you to fill out your exit card....you would be surprised how many people are looking for pens when they are given these card to complete!  White taxi to the airport from Downtown Cairo with the meter on is only 35 LE + 5LE for the entry ticket - you should give him a tip also - he is probably going to be empty going back to town.

By the way (not just in Egypt) I recently found out to my cost that when you book a flight online you need to keep an eye on the fine print as to how long it will be before your reservation is automatically cancelled by the airline if they have not issued your e-ticket (your reservation confirmation is no guarantee of a ticket)

TAXIS

Cairo now has new taxis using meters....a joy to use - these are the new white taxis.  However, you do need to check that the meter is both turned on and re-set!

RESTAURANTS Etc. MINIMUM CHARGE

Before sitting down in a restaurant, coffee shop, bar it is a good idea to enquire if there is a minimum charge or cover charge as many places do not make customers aware of these hidden extras.  It may not be seem like much if you are on your own but it can add up for a family. You can find yourself the un-suspecting victim of one or all of the following in the same place.

• a cover charge, prices vary but average around 5 LE per person

• a small bottle of water - maybe one for each person which is brought as soon as you sit down and you start your meal thinking "that was nice of him" only to find it costs you perhaps 8 Le per bottle when your bill arrives.

• minimum charge per person

After an stroll along the Nile one night looking at lines of these lovely colourful boats

click photo to enlarge

I decided the following day to visit this lovely boat with a friend.  It was a hot day and the boat with the chairs on deck looked so inviting......sigh!

click photo to enlarge

It was 2pm and my Egyptian friend had never been on these boats before but wanted to impress me......she ordered a small bottle of water for me and a smoothie for herself....total cost 30 LE.  The problem was she did not understand the waiter when he said "minimum charge 50 Le"  Much to the horror of both of us the bill came to 100 Le!!!  A minimum charge of 50 Le per person.  Still we considered ourselves lucky on being informed that the minimum charge after 3pm is 100 Le per person.....!!!

To add insult to injury though they said their internet was working and we picked up two signals on our phones - neither of us could connect to it.  She downed her smoothie quickly and we beat a hasty retreat with my 50 Le bottle of water before the clock struck 3pm!

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Al Azhar Park - A Haven Of Tranquility in Cairo

In 1984 the Aga Khan decided to build a park for the people of Cairo.  The only suitable central location was a rubbish/rubble dump near the 15th century "City of the Dead".  The site was transformed into what is today a most wonderfully designed relaxing space covering 74 acres. 

It has water features, a lake, unique restaurants, hilltops, winding walk ways, exotic flowers, mature trees, a children's play area, lots of seating in tranquil, intimate settings.  Al Azhar is a must-visit retreat for anyone with spare time in Cairo, especially if you want to get away from the noise and traffic.

Entry fee is only 5 LE.  Surrounded by the lush lawns, hills, trees and flowers I forgot I was in Cairo during the hours I was in Al Azhar and could have been back home in Ireland.

The day I visited, it was full (I don't mean over-crowded) of Egyptians enjoying it's peace and tranquility - mostly young people,  (many obviously in love which added to the atmosphere!), a group of girls with cake boxes obviously having a little party there, married couples with young children and a few older couples.

Salahadin's Citadel

It is only 15 minutes in a taxi from Tahrir Sq. (actually it would be a wonderful place to go after a visit to the museum and it is open until around 11pm I think - you can check the website above for more information.  I have been to Al Azhar Park once before - at night-time and it was even more wonderful then.  It is all light-up -you can have a romantic dinner on one of the hilltops and enjoy the view of Cairo below you - especially wonderful to sit and look at is Saladin's Citadel and the surrounding mosques by night.

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CAIRO ZOO - GIZA

Having seen this article on the net I decided to take a trip to the Cairo Zoo.....it is not a place I am recommending to tourists.  My overall impression was one of dirt and neglect - I would have liked to have one of those face masks because I am quite sure the air was infested with animal faeces, hair, dust etc. - kids playing football everywhere. 

Some of the cages/enclosures were empty, none were clean.  The lion house was the worst with the lions locked into spaces no bigger than 3m x 3m and packed with people taking photos (flash).

Opinion on Cairo Zoo will vary - the environments the animals are held in are a disgrace.  However, judging from the crowds of people there, it is a very popular place for people to take their children on a day out and many make it a picnic day - not sure this is a good idea......

I once heard a comment in Luxor "why are foreigners more interested in the animals in Egypt than in the people?"  I guess some people will say that in the order of priority the environment, treatment etc. of people should come before concern for the treatment of animals.  I think both are intertwined - the way we treat our animals is a reflection of the way we treat each other.  A person who recognises human rights and human feelings also recognises the feelings of every living thing - and vice versa.  I have no more to say on Cairo Zoo - it left me baffled and despondent.....but look at this magnificent tree!

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Must-See!  Sufi Dancing at Wekalet El-Ghouri Arts Centre

This may be the nearest you will come to real Sufi dancing and it is on every Sat and Wed in the Cultural Arts Centre in Wekalet El-Ghouri - near Khan el Khalili, starting at 8.30pm and admission is FREE.  Seating is limited so you should be there around 7.30 not to be disappointed - take a book if you are not a 'people-watcher'

As I understand it, the Sufi dance is the story of creation (starting with the veil or covering over the face, symbolising birth), life, death and re-birth.  My personal advice here is to take one or two photos then put away the camera and tune into the music and in particular the central dancer.  My photos here were taken by a friend while I tuned into the performance and I have to say it is a long time since I attended anything as compelling as this.  It is an uplifting, spiritual experience but if you're concentrating on taking photos you can't tune in and you will lose the moment, possibly even be bored if you don't understand it is the story of creation, life, emotions etc.

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