Even just the name Egypt conjures up a mysterious and exotic feeling. From text books, mummy movies, this ancient civilization do not want to be forgotten. My molecular cell lab partner was the first Egyptian I know, and I really annoyed him by performing my idea of the Egyptian dance every time in between experiments, you know, the one where you look sideways and put your hands up and down in a snake biting motion?
That was ignorant Dana 3 years ago. Now I can come up with 7 legit facts related to modern Egypt (who can guess why 7?). You know you are in Cairo when: 1) there are pyramids smack right in the middle of the city.
2) a short walk out and you see the Nile river itself. (no crocodile spotted).3) you can take the only metro in the entire continent of Africa.
4) you get scammed left and right, and even when you weren't, you still feel like you did.
A 10 minute walk can be exaggerated into a 10 mile hike which you can ONLY accomplish with a camel that comes ONLY from their tour company.
On our way to the Cairo museum, Yannick and I had the experience of being approached by a self claimed museum guide. He pulled us into his perfume shop instead and soon appeared with another 6''5 muscular dude showing us his picture with the boxer champion Muhammad Ali. With a serious face, he then asked, "Do you guys want to buy some perfumes"?
Luckily, my Chinese came to good use and got us out of there in one piece.
5) Downtown Cairo is filled with stores where shoes are scattered in the display window from floor to ceiling, which direct your eyes toward the hilarious English signs.
6) You again know you are in Cairo when the popular radio station is Nile FM, and the TV brand is "Caira".
7) Even the camels here pose for pictures.
I have to show you that my nose is bigger than the Sphinx's....(to be continued).
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