At last, the final day of Egypt travel had come.
I had reserved this day for spare. but I had been to all I wanted to see in this travel until this. as I didn't have any place to go, I decided to go the shopping mall downtown.
Guest House
At the morning, it was already calm outside.
Outside scenery through the window was also very crisp.
This was breakfast.
But I didn't see any other guests. so I ate alone.
And I talked with reception to call a taxi for return to airport.
I: My flight will depart at 17 o'clock so I want to have arrived at the airport 15 o'clock.
Reception: The way to the airport is heavy crowded. you had better to go at 13 o'clock here. The cost of taxi is 60 Egyptian Pound. it's alright?
I: Thanks. please.
Reception: I see. by the way where do you go today?
I: I went to all I wanted to see yesterday. Old Cairo, citadel, Han Khalili, and berry dance show. return way at night, I felt fear at Tahrir Square.
Reception: How much about berry dance show? did you use agent?
I: 200 Egyptian Pounds. I didn't reserve nor use any agent. I used canceled seat.
Reception: It's too expensive. if you told me, I could have offer 120 for you. I could also have called a taxi 20 for the way, and another 20 for the return way. so I could offer 160 for that.
I: Oh, that's a pity. but the reservation were full and the show was very nice.
Reception: That's right.
Then I went out.
I found the shopping mall of Stars Center downtown at the guide book. it seemed to take 40 minutes by car. but it was 9 o'clock. so I decided to go to there by taxi.
Stars Center
Stars Center was a very large Shopping mall.
There were many shop in it.
Almost shops dealt with brand clothes. so I was not enthusiastic.
But I found souvenir shops at the end of the floor.
I bought a papyrus sheet there.
My name had been written in hieroglyphs. and I also took a "Guarantee Certificate" sheet showing that it is a genuine papyrus.
and also I found . . .
Cartouche.
Truly speaking, I wanted the type of whole metal that the character of hieroglyphs stand out in metal. but it seemed to take two days to make it. so I asked the thing whose background was black for two hours.
and I went back to the hotel to take the baggage.
It was 12:30 when I returned to the hotel. then the driver already waited.
And I went for Stars Center again to take Cartouche.
But a policeman stopped us.on the way.
It seemed that the driver also didn't understood this situation. and he went out.
I waited long time. more than 30 minutes.
When he came back, he said "Crazy, they took 150 pounds".
The policeman seemed to have taken some driver's violation from him.
I had thought he was a polite driver. I didn't understand whole thing.
I received a cartouche at Stars Center having such mixed feelings.
This is my cartouche.
My name is written in hieroglyphs.
At the airport, I gave him all Egyptian Pounds for chip because it was useless for me any more.
It was 150 Egyptian pounds the same as the amount of the fine.
He was driver.
I arrived at the airport a little late. but I took the airplane on time, and went home.
○Cairo Sightseeing
・Archaeological museum
・Old Cairo
・Citadel
・Han Khalili
○Belly dance show
○Hotel
SARA INN HOSTEL
I arrived at Cairo at the early morning and did whole day tour of Cairo city.
Cairo is also old city. of course it is new compared to Pyramid - which was built in the Egypt Old Kingdom dating back to the 25th B.C. - or Luxor, Aswan, and Abu simbel - which was flourished at the Egyptian New Kingdom dating back to the 15th B.C. but there is still originated in the 2nd - 3rd Century.
At Cairo, Coptic Christianity was developed under the rule of the Roman Empire. and the city is divided into three parts - the first is Old Cairo which was made after the Islamic empire invaded Egypt, the second is Muslim Quarter which had developed spreading Islam, and the third is New Cairo which is developing modern times. and more than 600 buildings in Old Cairo and Islam area registered at World Heritage Site as Cairo Historic District.
Cairo Arrival
I ate breakfast in the car. and I arrived at Giza station at 8:00 am. it took 9 and a half hours to come here from Luxor.
I headed to Sadat statioin by metro. I reserved the hotel near the station. I wanted to leave the baggage first of all.
The ticket of metro.
It was only 1 Egypt pound and there was no printed name of the station.
Magnetic tape was attached to the back of the ticket. so we entered through the automatic ticket gate.
When I left Sadat station, there was famous Tahrir Square where we can often see in the news.
Guest House
I could have found this guest house easily though there was slightly convoluted place.
Reception: You reserved Single room with air conditioning, didn't you? but these rooms are full because it is early morning now. if you don't mind to use the room with no air conditioning, you can use it for the price of one night from now. what would you do?
I: Thank you for your offer. I use it. I would like to use shower before going out.
Reception: You can use common bathroom and toilet freely.
I: Thank you.
It is the room guided.
It was 80 Egyptian Pounds (about 1000 yen) per night and the lowest price in this travel.
I went out after taking a shower.
Streets of Cairo in the morning.
Archaeological museum
I went to the archaeological museum in the front of Tahrir square.
I went into it leaving my camera at the ticket office.
At the first floor, a lot of exhibit such as stone statue of Pharaoh, stone statue of the Sphinx, and fragments of relief and so on were put roughly dividing into a different era.
At the second floor, on the other hand the exhibit was arranged in the compartment of each type. of course I saw artifacts of the tomb of Tutankhamun.
In Japan, the Tutankhamun exhibition was held at Osaka at that time. and I heard that many ruins objects in the Archaeological Museum were taken out for the exhibition. so I didn't expect them.
But I saw Tutankhamun's golden funeral mask in the dark room inside this floor.
This one.
※Photo is a replica that was taken at the airport.
Is it replica? or is it temporary return? I thought a lot.
But "Funerary mask of Tutankhamun" was written on the plate. and no one except guard was in the room. I looked at it alone more than 5 minutes thinking that this mask was covered at the mummy of the Tutankhamun which I saw at Valley of the Kings
※When I returened to Japan, I checked the site of the Osaka Tutankhamun exhibition.
Q) Golden mask do you have on display?
A) No. Golden mask is not on display in this exhibition.
I also saw other exhibits excavated from the tomb of Tutankhamun, such as miniature shrine which is the many tier boxes of the mummy of Tutankhamun, accessory of pendants and bracelet, throne, bed and so on, though some of these treasures might be in Osaka at that time.
I also found cornflower which had been left on the chest of Tutankhamun when discovered.
I was very excited at the museum.
There were a lot of people outside. they all walked on for Tahrir Square.
There were also people who had speech.
This day was Friday so a holiday in Egypt. I walked so carefully not caught in happening such as riots and boarded the subway.
Old Cairo
I came to Mar Girgis station by metro.
This is Old Cairo where the city of Cairo originated.
The buildings which are most worthy to be seen were gathered in front of the station.
○El-Muallaqa Church
○Church of St. George
○Church of St Sergius
○Ben Ezra Synagogue
○Mosque of Amr Ibn Al-As
All buildings are registered at world heritage site. I prayed in Church of St. George, Ben Ezra Synagogue, and Mosque of Amr Ibn Al-As.
Next I went to Citadel by taxi.
Citadel
Citadel is in Islam district.
Is was built in 1176 in the Middle Ages for Saladin who founded the Ayuubid dynasty to fight against Crusaders together with European Christians.
It is on the hill and now composed of some buildings and museums.
○Mohammad Ali Mosque
It is the biggest building in the citadel.
Muhammad Ali who had founded Muhammad Ali Dynasty built this mosque in 1824.
This day was Friday when Islam people held pilgrimage. in the building inside the building was brightly lit up.
From the back of the building.
The view on the hill was very nice.
I could see the Pyramid.
There were also Police Museum, Prison Museum, Military Museum.
In Military Museum, weapons such as old swords and guns, or Bronze statue were exhibited. as the building was originally built for Harlem, the building was so amazing.
○Military Museum
After seeing them, I went to Khan El Khalili by taxi.
On the way, the driver said to me to take picture. all of them I could see were tombs.
○Town of the dead
And I arrived at Khan El Khalili.
Khan El Khalili
Khan El Khalili is the biggest and the most famous souk in Cairo. it seemed to have been from the 14th century. and there are many souvenir shops in it.
At first, I went to see some mosques which is the world heritage site.
○The Mosque of el-Azhar
○The Mosque of Abu Dhahab
○The Mosque of el-Hussein
In the Mosque of el-Hussein, we were allowed to take picture.
After watching them, I walked around in the souk.
The souvenir which I usually buy on the travel is only picture postcards. but I bought a keychain or a purse there.
The ball point pens were also available.
I could see all that I wanted to go in the Cairo except only one thing.
Night Cruise
I came here for night cruise.
It was Golden Pharaohs.
I went there without reservation. as I had talked with family tourists when I went to Abu Simbel, they told that there were only few people when they went to night cruise in Cairo.
But I made a mistake.
This day was Friday which was a holiday in Egypt. and it was packed with local people. so I had to wait outside until just before departure.
In the end, I could take a canceled seat.
When I rode on a cruise ship, everyone were already eating.
"I'll eat in hurry."
Soon the ship departed and belly dance show was started.
I was busy in eating and taking pictures.
Belly dance show was very good.
There were many movements such as the movement to move back and forth the shoulder, the movement to move both hands like snake, and the movement to dent the belly
This was the Tannoura Folk dance. round and round and round. . . .
And I saw the song show, or watched the night scenery outside. all in the ship was very excited when they sang a happy birthday for a child.
Dinner cruise was over in no time.
And I used a taxi in front of the exit of this restaurant.
But this taxi was very awful.
The meter was around at warp speed.
I: The meter is strange. Stop it. Just stop at now!
The meter displayed 9 Egyptian Pound running a little bit. I wondered how much the driver demanded when went to Tahrir Square through Nile river.
I paid only the amount of meter.
※ I thought that all taxi in front of the restaurant were cheaters. the correct idea was to ask a taxi round trip from the hotel.
Then I used another taxi for Tahrir Square
The driver: It's danger. I cannot go on.
I: I couldn't explain where the hotel is. so please take me the place where I can see Tahrir Square.
The driver: TAHRIR IS VERY DANGEROUS. SO BE CAREFUL. . . .
I got off the taxi near the Tahrir.
It seemed that the collision between demonstrators and public safety force occurred in the Tahrir Square this day, death accident happened, and night curfew also came out. I knew after returned to home.
It was very noisy until late at night.
Next: Egypt Travel - The 8th day (5/5) Cairo shopping and return to home See from beginning
