Day 2

Goodness did I have issues trying to do this today! Apparently my computer decided that since I was in Egypt it would display all internet sites in Arabic. WTF. Arabic is written right to left so I couldn't even type in my username/password. Yeesh. All better now though. Masa'a al kheir! Let me just being by saying this city is LOCO! I mean that in the best way possible of course. I slept in until about 10:30 when the construction workers began piecing together shabby wood planks to build the building next door. Awesome. Drank some coffee and ate some DELICIOUS eggs. By the way, when I say delicious I am not kidding. Egyptian chickens must be much happier than American ones because these eggs are off the hook. I watched some Egyptian cooking show then Al Jazeera news for awhile which was definitely eye opening. I saw video of the Gulf Oil spill that I have never seen in the U.S. Disgusting. Once morning prayers ended around one we took off for Khan el Khalili Market, a gigantic hodge podge of open front shops and kiosks weaving through blocks and blocks of streets and alleys.

They sell everything from spices to clothes to hookahs, TVs and visor/sunglasses combos. Those of you who have spent time abroad know what I'm talking about. And man, are those people pushy!!! They literally step in front of you to shove their wares in your face. (did I really just say wares?) "What do you need?! I have everything here!" More than once I was asked if I wanted an Egyptian husband (kind, but la shukran! no thank you!) "How can I take your money" at least made me laugh. One vendor told Dina he would kill his wife for her. WHAT!? ha ha ha. The trick to the Egyptian market is to haggle. So haggle I did. I found this amazing tiny lamp that the man wanted 25 pounds (about$3.50US) for and then a second that he wanted 80 pounds for. I talked the poor guy down to 80 for both. Lets just say I was bursting with pride. I wound up with a bunch of awesome stuff which I won't list here since most if it is going to all of you. We stopped at a little coffee place for this lemon mint drink which is possibly the most refreshing thing ever. My favorite spot was a linens store where I got a gorgeous scarf. The owner was half Egyptian half Italian and was pretty hilarious (and not bad on the eyes either.) If I can get it to post ever I have a great video of me trying on a belly dancing cape thing. Then it was definitely time for more food. So off to Tabouleh it was. Lebanese food heaven.

I swear if I wasn't walking and sweating so much I'd probably gain a hundred pounds. Lucky for me Egypt has nap time planned into the day after lunch and before the evening call to prayer, so after all the walking and eating I passed out for an hour. Once we pulled our shit back together we headed to Al Azhar Park for a concert at this outdoor theater called El Genaina (the garden) The park is beautiful and the amphitheater was amazing as well. Nothing too special about it other than the building behind it which is thousands of years old. The band was a Dutch group called Coparck and you should download them because they were pretty awesome. It was such an awesome mix of old and new. Sappy, I know... As we walked out Dina and I were stopped by Nile TV and interviewed about the show. I should have taken a picture or something but I was way too nervous. Dina assured me I did well though. Phew. And likely a lie. Then we headed to the small cafe they have in the park which looked like something out of a movie. We sat on the second floor and the view was incredible.

We could see the Citadel, mosques, old and new Cairo and the Cairo tower. I tried to take a picture, but that whole nighttime/flash thing got in the way. Cairo is definitely a night city since it is so much cooler, so even now at 2:30 am (whooah didn't realize it was that late) the streets are full of people. I really do dig it here. It is quite possibly the busiest city I have ever seen and due to that pesky Sahara desert they really have to pack everything in.

There's a good mix of people and everyone is super friendly.

Most speak at least some English so I don't feel too helpless. The streets are insane and I am realizing why they say the biggest medical concern in Cairo is car accidents. Holy balls. There are no set lanes and no rules and apparently cars get the right of way over pedestrians. yikes! The weather is still pretty amazing, upper 90s during the day and low 80s at night. Cross your fingers that it stays this way! Tisbahi! (good night)