Cairo

Wednesday, 3rd March 1999

Firstly we took our well trodden route across the Nile towards the large Giza district and into the friendly embassy of the Hashemite Kingdom of Jordan. Quietly and efficiently the little man gave us back our passports and murmured the entry conditions.

We returned to Midan Tahrir for lunch at the kushari establishment and made our way back to Islamic Cairo for our second tour. Mr Said received another visit from us and after one hours worth of cups of tea and serious choosing we came up with a deal. Three pictures at E£50 each for 40% discount and they were immaculate. In the end we left with big smiles, Said with a full pocket and more customers coming through the door. We then followed more well trodden territory and in the Khan-al-Khalili bazaar to Midan Hussain. The guidebook then took us on dirt roads full to the brim with local life. The ochre tones of mud-brick lined the streets and hidden between these were some gems of Arabic architecture. Mosques, madrassas and mausoleums with intricately carved structures and huge entrance ways with excepts from the Koran. The most beautiful stood out on a fork in the road. It was called the Sabil-Kuttab of Abdul Kartkhuda and was build in the 18th century. Its porches hand over the street, the garden gives off an alluring sense of tranquillity, the dancing colours of Turkish tiles line the fountain, whilst Arabic arches and lattice work are plenty. All of this next to mud-bricks, straw, herds of sheep and the dens of shopkeepers selling plastic buckets and modern utensils. Then this vibrant street brought us to the Bab-al-Futuh gate the and adjoining Mosque of Al-Hakim. From the outside you could see the structures immense proportions and could marvel at its history. The mosque was built in the early 11th century but was rarely used as a place of worship. It has been used as a prison for crusaders, a stable, and even as a warehouse by Napoleon.

Next we found ourselves standing under the great Bab-al-Futuh gate, with its inspiring share of history, being one of the cities 60 original medieval gates where thousands of pilgrims have passed on their way home from Mecca. We then followed a less inhabited road, past military camps, children yelling hello's, and wide roads where cars would swerve donkeys.

The sun set as we travelled this route and in a twinkling twilight we came to the City of the Dead, or Northern Cemetary. Today, on top of this vast 12th century Mamluk necropolis lies a shanty town running as far as the eye could see. The living now live on top of the dead, I even saw a family preparing dinner on a colourful tomb. Within the city are the mausoleums of sultans and nobles and their marble monuments stand in contrast to the world around. We cast long shadows into the dirt as we walked under makeshift street lights in a deserted area. Some houses were built with planks of wood against the white-painted bricks of others. The dark eyes of children peeped around corners, the call to prayer boomed loudly, mothers and young women returned to their homes and even the odd car could be seen. All these scenes intermingled with the visions of fine mosques and of families so poor their children lived bare-footed. The families live here on top of relatives as they cannot afford to buy property. Even on Fridays and on holidays Egyptians come here to picnic and pay their respects to the dead. It's an interesting place and at night it has that uneasy dark and mysterious feel. Needless to say half an hour was enough and by seven we found ourselves strolling up the maddening highway drinking in diesel fumes until we came to a pedestrian bridge.

We stopped to fuel up with a glass of juice and made our way back to Midan Opera in a packed minibus. Again we bought more creamy cakes and ice-cream from our favourite shop, then a kebab and up to the room to devour the feast.