2006 Egypt

12 January 2007, Friday; Pension Roma, Cairo, LE82 (incl)

This morning we were up early for our taxi journey with Naser Aly to Burqash camel market northwest of Cairo. On a cool and overcast day. We were a little anxious about this experience – “not for animal lovers or the faint-hearted” said Lonely Planet. In reality we found it fascinating and though we did not like the fact that the camels were hobbled (one front leg doubled back and tied) and sometimes hit with a long stick, we did not feel that in general they were particularly badly treated. The Arabs are not sentimental about their animals, but they are business-savvy – and you can’t get much for damaged goods. We were the only tourists at that hour (some others arriving just as we were leaving) and therefore I was the only woman there. The bulk of the men clad in galabiyyas, drinking tea, haggling, spitting occasionally. And lots and lots of camels. They are a strange breed. With their strong teeth and bad tempers and calloused elbows. And their soft unusual gait and bushy eyebrows and rhythmic chewing. Our ticket read: Camels Market Tourist Tackets. Naser told us of a memorable occasion when the two women he had brought to the market witnessed and filmed the birth of a camel.

Then back to Giza where we took a guided ride on Aziz and Mickey Mouse to view the pyramids from a distant and different angle. Riding a camel is not particularly comfortable, so one hour on board sufficed – both our need to have at least taken the ride and to have seen those amazing structures (the three biggies as well as the six smaller queens’ pyramids) once more.

On our way back to the stables we came across a couple on a camel whose guide was lying flat on his back in the desert sands. They had just been joined by a headscarf salesman on a donkey. Our guide dismounted from his horse and went to see what he could do while the salesman held our reins…and tried to sell us a headscarf! The supine guide finally came back to life and insisted on continuing his walk despite the anxious pleas of his Japanese tourists to be let off their camel (one is not able to dismount without help)!

Our guide, who spoke with an American accent and had been involved in the tourist industry for nine years, said that since 911 US tourism had dropped from 45% of the total number of tourists visiting Egypt to virtually 0%. (Someone told us tourism had dropped from 1st to 5th place with regard to income for Egypt.)

Someone from the stable walked us to the minibus stop and ensured we got the right taxi to the Giza Metro – without requesting baksheesh. We stopped near the Metro to photograph a polluted building and were accosted by a child selling tissues. By the time we had bought a pack for LE1, the child had been joined by three siblings – all leaving their mother who was sitting on the pavement nearby. I ended taking some photos of the kids and showing these to them on the little camera screen. They were absolutely delighted. Pulling and pushing at my camera with grubby fingers and pointing out each other to each other.

It was quite obvious they never see photos of themselves and I suddenly decided that a worthwhile way to spend the remains of the day would be to have copies printed to give to them. Unfortunately, despite an extensive search, we could not find an internet café in the area. So back on the Metro to Downtown where we finally managed to print the three photos (while waiting we had coffee and cake in a sophisticated place up the road). Back then on the Metro – only to find the family had gone. In the hopes that they regularly plied their meagre trade just there, we popped into a nearby shop to speak to the shop assistant / owner / manager. He requested assistance from two customers, one of whom spoke good English, took one look at the photo, said the people were homeless and that it would be impossible to find them. We were disappointed, but as we were about to leave, the shop assistant asked to take a closer look at the photos and suddenly his eyes widened in recognition. Seems the family are regulars and he promised to hand them the photos when next he saw them. We really hope he did so and that we brought some pleasure to their day.

En route Pension Roma we found that green baize had been laid on several pavements in the area on which large groups of men were praying – bums in the air, foreheads on the ground, shoes discarded alongside.

We returned to the area we had eaten in last night – this time to an extremely popular Egyptian fast food / pancake / pizza joint. Where a man in the window rolled out dough and twirled it in the air to ridiculous proportions and wrapped yummy fillings in it and popped it in a pizza oven. Upstairs we saw three young men eating just such a concoction and ordered the same from our waiter. And delicious it was too. Called an Egyptian pancake, with a thin pastry and a filling of sausage and olives and cheese and more. The place was buzzing with locals and travellers – though very few of the latter. Families and couples and friends. All chatting and obviously enjoying themselves.

A quick baklava stop and “home” for tea and dessert.