CAIRO - April 28
We had one last day in Cairo, and have been in Marrakech for two days since we last posted. This city is utterly magical and we have completely lost all track of time and place. Though just a few hours by plane across North Africa, we are worlds away from Cairo and Egypt (and everywhere else in the world, really).
We have a bit more to share about Egypt before we can delve into the wonders of Morocco. Back from the temples of Luxor, a felucca ride on the Nile, and an overnight train, we hit the streets of Cairo one last time. Having left the city for two days and then returning, we realized just how dirty the city actually was. The air was actually totally gross, and perhaps we enjoyed our sheesha dates so much because it felt even less harsh than the soot-filled air on the streets and in the markets.
Perhaps we should backtrack a little bit, explain the layout of the city more clearly. The hotels that we stayed at were all in the downtown area, a modern neighborhood filled with western style boutiques that all looked like spinoffs of H&M, fast food restaurants, and young couples strolling around on dates. We even noticed that the hijabs worn by the women in this neighborhood had the feel of a big fashionable European scarf and not what we would think of when we imagine the tightly fitted (traditional?) hijabs.
Just blocks away in one direction were impoverished slums, and in another direction was a medieval Islamic quarter filled with thousand year old mosques. We had sought out Islamic Cairo on two separate occasions, and both times sort of fell flat. Our first day in the city, we were so overwhelmed with the hustle and bustle that we didn't even make it to the foot of Khan al Khalili, the big market in town (that of course we thought we were smack in the middle of because it was so busy where had been). On our second venture, we actually made it to the market, but only with the help of MANY guides, and once there quickly retired into a coffee shop to escape the craziness.
Determined to not be entirely defeated, we tried on our last day to again find and visit Old Islamic Cairo. Apparently, we toughened up quite a bit during our week in Egypt, and we were able to press on and actually make it on our final attempt. Our efforts paid off, and the mosques we were able to visit were extraordinary. All dating back 800-1200 years, they littered the alleys and towered above the din, each more interesting than the last. One with austere white walls and huge courtyard had been used as a madhouse, and another boasted ceramic tile ornamentation unparalleled in anything we had ever seen. Old mauseleums and medersas (upper level madrassas?) were associated with some, while intricately carved minarets and woodword adorned others. It was quite an afternoon, and the walk and perseverence well worth it.
We have a bit more to share about Egypt before we can delve into the wonders of Morocco. Back from the temples of Luxor, a felucca ride on the Nile, and an overnight train, we hit the streets of Cairo one last time. Having left the city for two days and then returning, we realized just how dirty the city actually was. The air was actually totally gross, and perhaps we enjoyed our sheesha dates so much because it felt even less harsh than the soot-filled air on the streets and in the markets.
Perhaps we should backtrack a little bit, explain the layout of the city more clearly. The hotels that we stayed at were all in the downtown area, a modern neighborhood filled with western style boutiques that all looked like spinoffs of H&M, fast food restaurants, and young couples strolling around on dates. We even noticed that the hijabs worn by the women in this neighborhood had the feel of a big fashionable European scarf and not what we would think of when we imagine the tightly fitted (traditional?) hijabs.
Just blocks away in one direction were impoverished slums, and in another direction was a medieval Islamic quarter filled with thousand year old mosques. We had sought out Islamic Cairo on two separate occasions, and both times sort of fell flat. Our first day in the city, we were so overwhelmed with the hustle and bustle that we didn't even make it to the foot of Khan al Khalili, the big market in town (that of course we thought we were smack in the middle of because it was so busy where had been). On our second venture, we actually made it to the market, but only with the help of MANY guides, and once there quickly retired into a coffee shop to escape the craziness.
Determined to not be entirely defeated, we tried on our last day to again find and visit Old Islamic Cairo. Apparently, we toughened up quite a bit during our week in Egypt, and we were able to press on and actually make it on our final attempt. Our efforts paid off, and the mosques we were able to visit were extraordinary. All dating back 800-1200 years, they littered the alleys and towered above the din, each more interesting than the last. One with austere white walls and huge courtyard had been used as a madhouse, and another boasted ceramic tile ornamentation unparalleled in anything we had ever seen. Old mauseleums and medersas (upper level madrassas?) were associated with some, while intricately carved minarets and woodword adorned others. It was quite an afternoon, and the walk and perseverence well worth it.
The gentlemen at our usual sheesha spot welcomed us back warmly as we bid farewell to an awesome week in Egypt.
Lots of love,
Jillian + Ari
Lots of love,
Jillian + Ari
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