Cairo Zoo

A tiger protects her meal at the Cairo Zoo.

A camel plans his escape as the guard sleeps.

The experience at the zoo yesterday was not unexpected considering what the rest Cairo’s appearances. The zoo, which cost only 1 LE, was a definite hang out for young children and their families. Many women in hijab and niqab balanced their children and the heat, setting up blankets on the walkways and grass wherever they could find a piece of shade.

It was hard to look at the animals, not only because their artificial habitats, but because it was so amazingly hot out. None were incredibly active and they seemed to also just be searching for the coolest shade they could find. The lions, were especially lethargic. It soon became apparent that, at least some of them, were, in some capacity, sedated.

When two members of the zoo staff beckoned us to a large gate with the possibility of holding the lion cubs, it was hard to say no. They invited us behind the grown lion cages and opened the cage in which two 5 month old cubs were sleeping. Considering all the horror stories that regularly air on Animal Planet, I was a alarmed by the prospect of entering their home. Stupidly, I trusted the supposed animal handlers with whom I shared no language. The two lions were sleeping and not at all aggressive, which I attributed to the extremely warm weather and their weak, fur coated bodies. For 10 LE we all took turns holding one of the cubs (even though our taxi driver on our ride over had told us not to touch any of the animals.)

The 2 month old cub they showed us next was in very different spirits, my main reason for believing the larger cats to be drugged. In his small cage, he was making chirping sounds and moving about his tiny wooden cage. I conceded to also taking a turn holding him, but he was soon taken away because he was getting rambunctious and threatened to scratch or bite. As we left, the zoo handlers followed up relentlessly, asking for more baksheesh.

A turtle munches on his hot lunch.

Alexandria Holiday

Boston Time: 5:20 AM 16 May
Cairo Time: 12:20 PM 16 May

Thursday afternoon we took a “vacation” to Alexandria and a small group of us returned Friday evening.

Alexandria was not as youthful as Cairo and much more conservative. There were only a handful of non-tourist women without hijab and with their hair exposed. Many more women were wearing the full abeyya complete with the niqab face veil, some even covering their eyes—not the beach attire I am accustomed to.

We got a few rooms at the formerly quaint “bottom of the rung” Hotel Acropole which is located on the 4th floor of a back alley building which also hosts offices and a door-less elevator. While some students decided the accommodations were not to their liking and chose to find an alternative, the rest of us stayed, plotting out the details of our murders in the would-be fantastical horror flick that the Acropole inspired and we all expected. I chose not to participate and only to listen to this discussion which admittedly started to irk me after a few minutes. For some reason, I was chosen as the sole survivor, however I would forever be tormented by mental illness due to the scaring events I had witnessed. We all survived the night—a disappointment to some who were hoping for more excitement at the supposedly 15 LE/night hotel. In the end, it was still only 50 LE each (less than $10) and there were no serious bug bite incidents, even by those few who ventured into their sheets.

The Fish Market, “the most upmarket fish restaurant in Alexandria, with prime views over the Eastern Harbor and flashy silver service,” was in stark contrast to our sleeping arrangements. The fish was fresh on ice and sold by the kilo. After picking out your meal, requesting fried or grilled, you can sit and soak in the clean environment overlooking the harbor. I enjoyed grilled grouper, two giant shrimp and lovely warm, freshly baked brick-oven pita.

The sleep at the Acropole was not dreadful, and we awoke Friday morning for a trip to the beach. To get there, we had to drive through King Farouq’s Palace and pay another entrance fee to use the beach (and another for an umbrella.) When we arrived there were only local young men at the beach, who quickly began showing off and blatantly staring at us. Their peacocking was entertaining as they flexed, posed for pictures, and wrestled in the sand; I tried not to be too obvious watching them, hiding behind my giant hat and sunglasses—if they could look why couldn’t I? Eventually some women came to the beach too, although they certainly were not wearing bathing suits. Most of us girls kept our shirts on at all times, even when swimming, as it offered protection from both the sun and the unwelcome gazes of nearby men.

Emily, Stephanie, Christina, Andrea and I explored down the beach to a lighthouse and interacted with some small boys who were jumping off the stone bridge. Stephanie and Emily had fun with them, taking their pictures as they jumped into the water.

We headed back to the Hotel Acropole to change clothes and find a nice place to have a cheap lunch. Next, we slowly made our way to the Library and had pastries. After stowing our belongings in the van, Emily, Clarice, Christina and I took a taxi to the Citadel/Fort Qaitbey down al-Corniche. Though the merchants there were packing up for the day, Emily and Clarice found some lovely scarves and souvenirs. We attempted to find our way into the Fort but somehow we bought tickets for a tiny diorama museum of underwater scenes and a large whale skeleton.

We strolled leisurely back towards the square where we were to meet the rest of the group to re-disburse into the city for dinner or head back to Cairo on the vans. On the way, we discovered the local Friday evening hangout for families and young couples. Everyone seemed to be eating ice cream, so we dedicated ourselves to finding the dessert’s source. If everyone was enjoying the ice cream, it had to be safe to eat. We did find the small hole-in-the wall stand, their menus completely in Arabic (a promising sign for a genuine Alexandrian treat.) We awkwardly tried to order and it was delicious: milk flavor (essentially vanilla), strawberry, chocolate and cantaloupe! So delicious in fact that we didn’t think twice when told it would be 60 LE for the four of us. Amazingly, after a few more awkward transactions, we realized it was only 6 LE! Our ice cream dinner cost us 27 cents each (thanks, Christina!) There will most definitely be a return trip for more in a few weeks.

Check out my peers’ blogs via the main page “NU in the Middle East” for more insight onto the Alexandrian weekend.

Squirrels

Boston Time: 6:03 PM 13 May
Cairo Time: 1:03 AM 14 May

Currently, Nick and I are sitting on the sidewalk of GOAL restaurant behind our hotel. Had a very busy day and burnt out from my first 24 hours of reporting: last night at the Flamenco Festival, talking with an Al-Ahram journalist this morning, this afternoon shadowing the Arabic Dialogue students who tutor English at St. Andrew’s to refugees and then taking a mystic womb dancing lesson. As I sit here attempting to condense my day into the blog, my computer charger sitting in a plant as it dangles through the restaurant window, I am more interested in getting some video of the cat underneath a neighboring table. Cats here litter the streets like squirrels back home. Acquiring some good street-cat footage has proven more difficult than it should considering the plethora of felines roaming the city streets.

Notes of a Would-Be Post

Boston Time: 3:52 PM 8 May
Luxor Time: 10:52 PM 8 May

Arrived in Luxor this morning….

Slept

Went to NASTY Sinbad, prayer time, attacked by buggy drivers, vegetable curry/hot and spicy

Temples, Karnak and Luxor

Metropolitan Restaurant, yellow cushions, pasta arabiata, cat under table, back, talked, laundry, slept

Saturday the Ninth

Up, breakfast, valley of the kings, tombs, 4, bus to hetsepsut, ramses Haru (Sp?) temple, Agamemnon, hotel lunch, market

On the Midnight Train…

Boston Time: 6:17 PM 7 May
Egypt Time: 1:17 AM 8 May

The Cairo-Luxor sleeper train is currently hurtling down the tracks as we make our way up the Nile to the Luxor this Thursday evening. As I lie here awake on the top bunk, thoughts bustle through my mind with every bump of the train.

The bed bugs and spiders of which we have been forewarned that live in the train’s bed sheets. I haven’t seen any yet myself but the bottom of my feet do feel a bit warm, though I believe it to be from the grippers on the metal ladder’s steps.

The cats that inhabit the filthy sidewalks and streets of Cairo which act in some strange way as a replacement for the squirrels of Boston.

All the people to whom I need to send a post card. The cards at the Flamenco gift shop were disappointing and over priced—hopefully I will find a better selection in Luxor this weekend.

What color will I paint Nick’s toes while he examines my computer?

Weighing the pros and cons of spending a free day on another camel excursion or trying to find a place to snorkel. For some reason I find the camel’s mushy feet strangely fascinating. During our ride to the Pyramids of Giza I was constantly having to remind myself to look at the pyramids and not the camels we were riding.

I should send a thank you post card to my middle school keyboarding teacher. Its hard typing in the dark on the train but its working pretty well so far.

Composing in my head what would be an interesting article on attending a women’s lingerie party, with all the women wearing hijabs. It would be a compelling mix of feminine modesty and sensuality. Perhaps even learning how to fashion and wear all the different styles of headscarves.

The bottom of my feet are getting warmer…