Counterfeit Money

I have been frequenting the branch of Al Shabrawy on the 26th of July street in downtown for a couple of weeks now. Imagine my shock when one day, the cashier approached my friend and me and told us that the 20 pound note that we had our bill with the previous day was a counterfeit.!

My friend was pretty calm about it and just took the counterfeit note and gave him another 20 pound note. I later learnt that she had had such experiences earlier and the LE 20 pound note is particularly susceptible to being a counterfeit. This had me worried and in my quest to know how to recognize a counterfeit note, I tumbled upon this great site that details what one should look for to scertain that one has a “real” note. The site is http://www.moiegypt.gov.eg/english/Departments+Sites/PublicFunds/SecurityFeatures/LE20/

It details clearly the security features that one needs to look into a LE 5, LE 10, LE 20, LE 50, LE 100 and a LE 200 note.

The nest time you exchange money, you might want to look out for these features.

NO PARKING!

I had yet to see a “No Parking” sign in Cairo. Cars parked on both sides of a narrow street, cars parked on the pavements, cars double parked or at times even “triple parked” are a common sight here. I thought that the city of Cairo had never heard of “no-parking” areas. So, the incident that took place last week took me by surprise.

I was visiting the Al-Kotob bookstore on the El Lasilky road in New Maadi. Once I had alighted from the car in front of the bookstore, my driver kept waiting there on the curb, thinking that I would be back soon. Soon a traffic policeman approached him and asked for his license. He said that he was sorry and would go away but the police insisted on “seeing” his license. When my driver took it out to show him, the policeman just took it from his hand and walked away. My driver approached him with LE 10 in his hand to get back the license but the policeman just shook his head and said “No… don’t make me angry”, implying that he was not happy with the tenner that my driver was offering. The policeman quoted LE 30 for giving back the license. After much haggling and bargaining, the matter was settled at LE 25. The money would be split between the three traffic policemen on duty at that place! Nothing to go the government’s coffers!


This is a nice way to extract money from the unsuspecting souls-the no parking signs on the Lasilky road are put up so unobtrusively so as not to be visible at all, thereby luring cars to be parked there. Two sign are put up in front of a building housing a bank, giving the impression that the no parking regulation is specific to that building; and another is put up between trees, so as to be almost invisible!

According the new traffic law passed by the Egyptian government in August of this year, parking in no-parking zones is punishable with your license being revoked for a period of not less than 30 days. For more on the new traffic rukes, check out this link. The new stringent traffic rules may not have resulted in better traffic discipline and more money in the government’s coffers but has definitely increased the earnings of the traffic police. According to my driver, before the new traffic law came into force, the matter would have easily settled at LE 10 but the stiff fines and the prison sentences under the new law has also seen an upswing in the money extorted by the traffic police.

INDIAN RESTUARANTS IN SHARM-EL-SHEIKH

Sharm el sheikh, a Red sea resort town, on the list of the global party hoppers has some of the best Indian vegetarian food in Egypt. Unbelievable but true!

I ate at three Indian restaurants there and saw another two, which I could not try out. “Tandoori” on King of Bahrain Street and close to the PaschaSharm discotheque is an award winning restaurant. It is located in the courtyard of the Camel Hotel and the dining is al fresco with an open kitchen. Though I did not much care for the vegetarian food, my dining companions were very happy with the chicken curry that they had ordered. The quality of cottage cheese (known as “paneer” in India) is my yardstick for the quality of food at a restaurant and “Tandoori” was a huge disappointment in this respect. The paneer was like rubber and very hard to chew. Also the potato in the “aloo paratha” had gone stale.

“Rangoli”, the Indian restaurant at the Sofitel Hotel in Na’ama Bay is a posh restaurant with a lovely terrace seating. Here, the cottage cheese preparation is good. The mixed pakoras that we had ordered as starters is tasty too. The methi paratha (bread stuffed with fenugreek leaves) is absolutely divine. The vegetable biryani is mildly spiced and fragrant. They insist on advance reservations, especially if you want to enjoy your dinner on the terrace overlooking the Red Sea. However, the evening we dined at Rangoli, many tables were vacant. The maitre d’hotel was very helpful in guiding us as to the quantity that would be sufficient for our group. Considering that this Indian restaurant is part of the Sofitel Hotel, the prices are reasonable.

The restaurant that I liked the best is “India House” opposite the Buddha Bar. Managed by the same people who run the “Dragon House” in Maadi, Cairo, it has the best Indian vegetarian food that I have eaten in Egypt. The dal fry is so good that I could not have enough of it. The butter nan and the butter rotis are baked just right. My friends, who tried the fish curry loved it as they did the chicken masala. And I was really pleased with the butter paneer masala. Pieces of soft cottage cheese dunked in tomato-onion gravy. Yummm….delicious!

Saw a couple of other Indian restaurants like “Taj Mahal” and “Maharaja”. However, the drawback is that all these restaurants are closed for lunch and open only at around 6.30 p.m in the evening. Therefore, this limits the number of restaurants that one can try out during your stay.

ROAD FROM CAIRO TO SHARM

The distance between Cairo to Sharm is approximately 520 km. The road is fairly simple.

From Cairo, you first need to get onto to Suez road. You can approach the Suez road, either through Maadi /Katameya road or through Nasr City. Once you get onto the Suez road and reach the entrance to the Suez protectorate, take a U-turn to reach the Ahmed Hanafi Tunnel, which snakes under the Suez Canal, connecting the town of Suez to the Sinai peninsula-in a way connecting the African mainland to Asia.

On exiting the tunnel, keep to the right and get onto the Cairo Sharm highway. There is a signpost here to guide you. Then it is a fairly straight road till you reach Sharm

From Cairo, it is approximately a six-hour journey, depending on the number and the length of your stops for WC and benzene. Fill up on gas whenever you see a petrol station. Though there are petrol stations on the way, you might not find one when you need it.

The drive is through some beautiful landscape. It is fascinating to watch the play of sun over the sea and the mountains.

Sit-down business lunches

Last week, hubby attended two business conferences in some of the big names in the hospitality industry-the Semiramis Intercontinental and the Four Seasons. The peculiar thing was that both the breakfast and the lunch were served in the dining room as sit-down meals. Usually, at business conferences elsewhere, the meals are served in the buffet as it gives an opportunity to the participants to network, secondly it is faster and definitely convenient too. The sit-down affairs are more drawn out and make it very difficult to network. Of course, there is less wastage and the quantity of food that is served can be regulated since there is no possibility of “second helping”.

Am trying to find out if hubby’s experiences with sit-down lunches was an exception or is this the way things usually happen in Cairo?

ARABS GONE WILD

Attended the “performing to a packed house” Comedy Box Productions’ “Arabs Gone Wild” and it was a laugh riot. The best acts were in Arabic, though. People were laughing so hard at the jokes in Arabic that I have a feeling that I missed the best lines. Nevertheless, it was still a very enjoyable performance.

I particularly liked Ronnie Khalil for his take on the experiences of an American-Egyptian, visiting Cairo-from the traffic situation to engaging a cab to attending the never-ending “family dinners”. Dean Obeidallah, a US resident and raised by a Palestinian father and a Sicilian mother gave a hilarious account of the stereotypes associated with Mexicans, Italians, Egyptians etc. When he introduces himself as a Palestinian, he is confronted first with a silence that lasts for 5 seconds and then the response “tough situation”.

Maysoon Zayid, Sherif Hedayat and George Azmy brought the house down with laughter with their spoofs on Arab stereotypes. Aaron Kader, whom I had earlier seen as part of the “Axis of Evil” act was superb too.

The shows were performed at the Cairo International Conference Centre in Nasr City. The centre is equipped with parking facilities for 1200 cars and the organizers of the show had thoughtfully provided mini-vans to transport the audiences from the parking lot to the hall. The hall, with a seating capacity of 2500 was packed, with just a few spare seats.

Cafes in Mohandiseen

Mohandiseen is the mecca of cafes in Cairo. Due to the abundance of offices in this suburb, there is no dearth of places for people to take a break from a hectic schedule or have a quick working lunch. Café Pasqua, Café Spectra and Café Ciccio are the three more popular cafes that I frequent

CAFÉ PASQUA

Address: 60 Lebanon Street, Lebanon Square, Mohandeseen

If you have a lot of time on your hands, and coffee is on your mind, then head to Café’ Pasqua for the best café mocha in town. Pasqua has an indoor and an outdoor seating. The wooden chairs and granite table tops are very welcoming and the earthy tones used on the walls provide a very relaxed and cozy ambience, though the indoors can get a bit stuffy because of the smoke. A pack of cards, backgammon board game, and a host of magazines-some of them in their maiden issue-are available to occupy you. Or just sit back and listen to the music being played while puffing on a shisha. If you are looking for food, Pasqua does not disappoint-pizzas, crepes and pastas dominate the menu. Start with a French onion soup which is delicious. The vegetarian crepe is very tasty with the cheese nicely melted and the capsicums crisp. All the pizzas are good but my personal favourite at Pasqua is the good old margerita pizza. The soups are between LE12 to LE 14, the pizzas around LE 20. On week-ends it gets crowded and is a favourite haunt to watch the football matches on its three large screens.

CAFÉ SPECTRA

Address:3, Canal El Suez Street, between Syria street and Gameat El Dowal Street, Mohandessin.

Tucked away in a lane off the busy Gamat-al-Dwal al Arabia road, Café Spectra is a quieter and up-market -more a restaurant than a café, actually. It is almost hidden by foliage but once you walk through the long corridor and enter through the entrance on your left, you come into a decent-sized eating area. The place is dimly lit and is ideal for an intimate dinner. The items listed in the menu have illustrations against them-this is a boon to vegetarians like me! Though the illustrations help to ascertain what you are ordering, it does not prepare you for the huge portions! You will definitely need those take-away bags. The Spectra Vegi Combo satiates the curious diner-with nachos, fried mushrooms, onion rings, French fries, spring rolls served with 3 mouth-watering dips. With two of us sharing the platter, we still could not finish the entire thing. The tomato soup and the mushroom soup are delicious too. The ingredients used are fresh and the soups are not loaded with cornflour. The huge portions made sure that we did not get beyond the soup and starter round. However, we did try their brownie which is served with three scoops of ice-cream. Scrumptious! But again I would recommend sharing.

CAFÉ CICCIO

Café Ciccio is smaller as compared to the Café Spectra and Café Pasqua. However, it have now taken over the pavement outside. What had started out as a makeshift venue with some chairs and a TV screen put up to accommodate the huge crowds at the café during the football finals of the Africa Cup of Nations has now become a semi-permanent structure. With the onset of winter, the outdoor seating will have few takers and so they have taken over a place next door and are expanding. The menu is limited with a few kinds of pizzas and pastas. They have an extensive ice-cream menu and the desserts are delicious too.

After Eight

“After Eight” is a nice little pub in downtown. The exterior is not inspiring at all. The pub is at the end of an alley and at the entrance to the alley, there is a hoarding with the name “After Eight” in cursive handwriting. Below the hoarding, there is a “paan-beedi” kind of shop. Since it had rained the evening previous to our outing, there were puddles of water too. Not very encouraging and welcoming! I looked at my friend; she had frequented the place before and looked back confidently at me... and we plunged ahead…..and am glad I did!

The place is quite popular; for a long time, our group members were the only guests and I was wondering whether it would remain that way. Soon, people started pouring in and by the time we left, all the tables were taken and there was “standing room” only.

The place is very dimly lit. There is a bar in the corner and a DJ station behind the small, raised dance floor. The DJ started out with some slasa numbers and immediately the dance enthusiasts took to the floor. The Karaoke session had many takers too. The enthusiasm of the patrons to take a shot at singing was contagious and I impulsively let my friend propose my name for the song “Hotel California”-because that is the first song that came to my mind since I had been listening to it in the car. Of course, I immediately had second thoughts and begged and pleaded with my friend to get back the request paper but to no avail. Everyone was singing like a professional and my tension was mounting…every time a song would end, I would hold my breath and wait for the axe to fall-i.e. for my name to be called out. But I lucked out!-my friend had forgotten to mention the code number for the song and so the request was invalid.

Did not catch any grub there but saw platters of food being brought to the other tables. People were doing some “serious” eating ….so the food should be good. Their cocktail menu seems innovate though I did not much like the “After Eight” cocktail that I had ordered. It seemed like I was having “Pudin Hara”-for the uninitiated-Pudin Hara is a mint digestive used extensively in India.

Regretfully, we had to leave at the “witching hour” but it seemed as if the party had just begun….the place was getting smokier, louder, noisier ….will definitely go back!

And if you are wondering how you will you manage to get parking near the pub, there is some good news. Paid parking is available a little ahead of the pub on the opposite side. The charges are around LE 1/minute -at least the car will be safe!

Cover charge: LE 40
Address: 6, Kasr El Nile Street, Downtown

Cairo to Siwa-By Road

The distance from Cairo to Siwa is a total of around 750 kilometres. If you are driving to Siwa, the best route to take is Siwa to El Alamein to Marsa Matrouh to Siwa. The journey can be completed in 8-9 hours with a couple of short stops in between.

From Cairo, get onto the Alexandria Desert Road. Once you cross “Masters”, a popular stop for tourist buses, look out for a signboard showing the way to El Alamein. You will have to take a U-turn and then a right to get onto the road leading to El Alamein. It is also the road leading to Porto Marina. It is quite a straight road right upto the city of El Alamein. Here you will find signs directing you to Marsa Matrouh. Once you are onto the straight road to Marsa Matrouh, the drive is again easy till you hit a sign which shows the way to the Marsa Matrouh city, a little to the right. Do not be tempted to take this road, but go on straight. Before you reach the gates of the Marsa Matrouh city, there will be a sign directing you to Siwa-you will have to take a U-turn and then turn right.

Right till you hit Siwa town, the road is fairly straight and will pose no problems.

A couple of points to be remembered that will make the trip easier.

§ Fill up on petrol before leaving Marsa Matrouh. There is no gas station on the road from Marsa to Siwa.

§ A few kilometers onto the Marsa-Siwa road, some construction work is going on and there is a stretch of ungravelled road for about 10 km. So, it is slow going.

§ Once you are onto the road to Marsa Matrouh, there is a place that you could use to break for a quick bite. You cant miss it –on the right side of the road you will see the KFC hoarding . Pizza Hut, KFC, Costa Coffee are all here, plus a couple of restaurants that are about to open. The toilet at the Pizza Hut is clean enough.

“Ana tahban!”-"I am tired!"

“Am not coming to work today. I am tired.” How many of us have the luxury to say this and how many times? But I heard this at least three times today.

The carpenter, the plumber and an electrician were all scheduled to come to my house today for various repair jobs, jobs that had been pending since Ramadan. When they did not turn up at the designated time, I called each of them and surprisingly was told by all three that they could not make it today as they were tired!! Tired?? And maybe, I am tired of trying to get competent people to come and do the maintenance work at my house!


And I had thought that my woes would last only till Eid-after which all the jobs pending in my house could get completed. Now I understand that my wait may be a bit longer – I will probably have to wait for the effects of the Eid celebrations to wear offJ


You know a friend told me recently that she had read somewhere that Egyptians are the fourth happiest people in the world. Now I believe it! They really take no stress!

Ramadan and Iftars

This is my first Ramadan in Egypt and such a different experience from the Ramadan in Saudi Arabia. Majority of the Egyptians fast during this holy month- no food or water from sunrise to sunset. However, most of the cafes and restaurants are open during the day for the expatriates and the non Muslims. This is in sharp contrast to Saudi Arabia where eating or drinking in public places during the holy month of Ramadan is a punishable offence. Some of the other gulf countries like Dubai and Bahrain too are fairly strict in their observance of “no eating and drinking in public places” rule. Egypt, with its bustling tourism industry is much more “open” in this regard.

The offices work on curtailed hours like that in the any other Muslim country; and the expat non-muslim management in some companies also observes the fast during the office hours to show solidarity with their Egyptian workforce.

Cairo’s roads are the most unsafe at the best of times and an hour before the Iftar is probably even more dangerous and nerve racking with traffic at its peak coupled with reckless driving as the people are trying to reach their destinations to break their fast. During Iftar and for an hour after that, Cairo roads are blessedly empty and it is the best time to go out and get your grocery shopping done as I discovered a couple of days back when I went to Metro; no crowds at the shop and no long queues at the checkout counters. However, this is not possible in Saudi Arabia as all establishments close before Iftar and open only after the Iftar and the Maghrib prayers

Of course, the one thing that is universally common during Ramadan, whether it be Saudi Arabia, the gulf countries or Egypt is the difficulty to get any work done- whether at office or at home. For example, my landlady had been trying to get hold of a plumber to take care of a leaking toilet in our house and she told us how difficult it is to get anyone to come out and work during Ramadan. And when she finally managed to send over a plumber, he has done a stop-gap kind of repair that will tide us through the remaining days of Ramadan with a promise to come and complete the remaining work- but only after the end of Ramadan and EID.

There is a lot more that needs to be taken care of in our house but even we have now adopted the refrain-“After EID”!

The magic that is Amitabh Bachchan

Amitabh Bachchan saved yet another day for us in Egypt. Over the week-end, we had gone to Dahab, a laidback beach resort on the Red Sea. And the most oft repeated word that we heard on our drive to and fro to Dahab was “Amitabh Bachchan”. At every check post (and boy! were there many!), when the officials learnt that we were from India, the first thing that they would ask us is whether we knew Amitabh Bachchan. And with a request to pass on their regards to the Big B, we would be waved through. It was as if the words “Amitabh Bachchan” were the magic words that put us above any kind of suspicion. To hear the Big B’s name spoken of with such fondness and adulation in the Sinai desert was a revelation of the reach of cinema and the magic that is Amitabh Bachchan. Moreover, the cafes at the petrol pumps also had their television sets tuned to Hindi movies starring Amitabh Bachchan and sub-titled in Arabic.

To hear the Big B’s famous dialogues from the movie “Hum” while I waited for my turn to go to the washroom at a Mobinil petrol station in the town of Nakhl (middle of the Sinai) felt unreal but at the same time also made my chest puff up with pride. You are a real hero, Big B!

IDEAS FOR GIFTS FROM EGYPT

Summer is upon us and most of us are planning a vacation back home. "What to take back as gifts for family and friends" is a question that I have seen friends grapple with. I have also wrested with this question when friends ask for suggestions and accompanied them on “gift-hunting” trips. The usual suspects like papyrus, tutankhamun masks, statue of Nefertiti, pyramids etc from the “Khan” have been “done to death”, but they still are popular. Here are a few pointers for those interested to gift the “unusual” from Egypt

For something unique and funky, why not gift a CD of Wust El Balad’s first music album? A book on Egyptology would make the perfect gift for a friend who has always dreamt of visiting the land of Pharoahs. The AUC bookstore has a wide selection of books on Egypt. Introduce the voracious reader in your family to Naguib Mahfouz, a highly acclaimed Egyptian writer and a Nobel laureate for literature. For the homemaker in your family or friend circle, write down some Egyptian recipes like karkade, hummus, fuul, koshari, taa’miya (falafel), baba ghanoug etc-this wins hands down as a gift with a personal touch.

A crystal piece from the Asfour Crystal Factory, a place in the suburb of Shubra is meant for the "discerning" and should be bought only when “size” of the gift is not a consideration. Whatever be your budget, you are sure to find something here-the smaller pieces being budget-friendly as well as easy to carry.

Egyptian cotton is very famous. You could consider gifting bed sheets made from the finest cotton, found at the Salon Au Vert in downtown.. Mobaco has a fine range of men’s shirts and t-shirts and ladies’ tops and some of the designs are really good.

At Oriental Weavers, you can buy tapestries (wall hangings) from LE 80 onwards. Mickey Mouse for the children, Tutankhamun for the history buff –you can find something for everyone here. For an exclusive gift head to Wissa Wassef (see blog entry dated March 12, 2008) – the tapestries would enhance any wall and the pottery is functional and unique too.

The various "ittar" fragrances filled in attractive and colourful bottles make a thoughtful gift. Choose a lovely silver pendant, some colourful beads to go with it and have them strung to form a unique neckpiece for the fashionable among your friends and family.

With a little bit of effort and imagination, you can take back the “perfect gift” from Egypt.

FRUITS IN CAIRO

Me: "Ayza nuss kilo" ( I want half kilo)
Fruit Vendor: “ok” –he starts picking up some peaches and putting in a bag
Me: "Anaii" (I choose)
Fruit Vendor:"La" (no) -a bit rudely.

With a shake of my head and hand (here my limited arabic deserts me) , I say in English –“then I don’t want” and turn to leave…..and the vendor is not calling me back!

This story was repeated with all the three vendors that I tried to buy peaches from. I was quite surprised with this attitude-“were they not interested in selling the fruits-and if I am paying for the fruit, don’t I have a right to choose the ones that I want?" I was fuming at the cavalier attitude of the vendors and at the same time at a loss to understand their way of doing business. My Egyptian friend calmed me down and explained to me that this was the “normal” thing when buying fruits from the carts on the streets – there are some good fruits and some bad fruits and the vendor would pick up some of each for me and I must take the good and the bad. “But why should I pay for the bad?”, I argued. My friend just shrugged and said that this was the way things were done here, but also had a suggestion-I could “buy” the right to choose the fruit that I wanted by offering to pay a couple of pounds more.

So with this new-found wisdom, I am now ready to tackle the fruit vendors of Cairo!

SOUQ-AL-GOMA'A

I visited the Souq-al-Goma’a (Friday market) this Friday -the equivalent of “Chor Bazaar” in Bombay,India. “Chor”, which literally means a “robber” best characterizes the “Chor Bazaar” since it is a place where the stolen items find a ready market. The Souq-al-Goma’a has a similar reputation. In fact, when my driver informed our bawaab that he would be taking us to the souq-al-goma’a the following day, he wanted to accompany us to find his bicycle which had been stolen some days back! But of course, even if he was lucky enough to actually find his bicycle there, he would have to buy it back!

The Souq-al-Goma’a sprawls for miles under the Al-Tonssy flyover-anything and everything can be found here. It is quite intimidating to walk through this market; definitely a predominantly male domain. Our driver had accompanied hubby and me into the market and he kept warning us to keep a tight hold on our wallets and mobiles. In fact, when I wanted to take some snaps, our driver advised us to click pictures from the safety of the bridge. Though we did not linger long, it was nevertheless a fascinating experience-to see everything form a small pin to mobiles, plastic ware, clothes etc sold here. Sometimes, we even came across some broken and old items and I wondered if anyone actually buys them! Apparently, the right time to visit the market is early in the morning-the vendors actually start laying out their wares the evening before and the buyers start pouring in from early morning.

Check out some of the pics!

Changing Locks in Cairo

A couple of days ago, I had a nerve-racking experience. When I returned home in the evening, I inserted the key in the lock-after a single turn, the key refused to move! I tried a number of times; pushed and pulled at the door, tried to coax it open, even kicked and….finally gave up. I had to accept that I had been “locked-out” of my house!

Called the bawaab, he in turn called a “carpenter”. The quotation marks have been used to show that the so-called carpenter was totally useless… completely useless, just managed to damage my door. By now three men had gathered outside my door-the bawaab, the “carpenter” and my driver. They were talking more than being useful. Finally, I told my driver (who understands English) to get a locksmith. Within half an hour, he was back with a locksmith who opened the door in 5 minutes.

Till now, I had been quite cool. Now came the question of installing a new lock and the locksmith offered us three choices-a “made in Italy” lock for LE 250, another lock for LE 185 and yet another “locally made” for LE 85. When I tried telling the man that the locks were very expensive, he insisted that these were the correct prices and also demanded LE 30 for having opened the door. That was an outrageous amount-my driver and he got into a heated argument regarding the sum-my driver told him not to “over-charge” just because we were foreigners. Finally, after much shouting and almost coming to blows, the locksmith took the LE 10 and left. But we had not heard the last of him-when we went down to the car, we noticed that it had been badly scratched on one end-the gate-keeper seemed to think that the angry locksmith had done it-it really upset me to see such an act of vindictiveness.

Finally got hold of another locksmith who installed a lock for LE 90 and took another LE 30 for his services. Often, in times of emergency such as this, we land up paying outrageous amounts for some work-partly because of lack of knowledge as to the correct rates and also to avoid any hassle. But it helps to have a well-meaning “local” with you (in this case my driver) to help you through the situation.

Shoppping at Boulaq, Attaba and Roxy

For expats living in Cairo, most of the shopping is usually done “back home”- a major portion of the time holidaying in the home country is spent shopping, leaving little time for anything else. High prices and limited range are the reasons cited for not venturing out for shopping in Cairo. The favourite shopping haunts of the expats-the mega malls like Dandy Mall, Hyper One, Maadi City Centre and of course, the City Stars-are synonymous with “big” brands; nothing "local" abouth the stuff here.

When my parents visited us last month, my mom was adamant that she wanted to take back some “local” stuff. This pushed me to scour the local markets and I was pleasantly surprised for what one can find here and at great prices too…So here goes….

BOULAQ MARKET

Welcome to the world of fabrics!-this line best describes the Boulaq market. The sun is getting stronger and I needed heavy curtains for my windows. When I mentioned this to an Egyptian friend of mine, she volunteered to “escort” me to the “Wikalet-al-Balah” which translated means “market of dates”. But it is not dates that I want to buy-my friend then explained to me that the market was originally used as a souk for trading in dates and though over the years, the market has gained a reputation for selling materials and clothes at affordable prices, the original name still holds.

The array of fabric available here is quite impressive-you can buy material for your curtains, upholstery for your sofas, tablecloths, towels as well as lovely cotton fabrics for skirts and dresses. One of the shops there is like a one-stop kind of store where you can find everything from scarves to materials for your wedding dress. Bargaining is essential-to give you an idea, I bought scarves for LE 23, which had been quoted at LE 35. For curtains, we were able to bring down the price from LE 25 to LE 17. I also bought an expensive curtain material for LE 30, down from LE 35.

The boulaq market as it is more popularly known among the expatriate crowd is just a few minutes’ walk from the World Trade Centre and the Ministry of Foreign Affairs. Shops line both sides of the street whereas the space in the middle is taken up by vendors displaying their merchandise on carts and tables. Ladies’ undergarments in all colours and sizes, fluttering in the air on these carts, is an enduring memory that I have carried with me from my visit to the Boulaq!

ATTABA MARKET

For cotton bed sheets, head to Attaba market- Double bed-sheets in cotton can be found for LE 50. They come with four big pillow covers- you will have to get them re-sized according to your requirements. If you want to “dress” up the armrests and back rests of your sofas, you can find just the right covers here too-and at great prices!

ROXY

For ready-made clothes, the line of shops in front of the Roxy Cinema, Masr Gidid (Heliopolis) offer a “shoppers’ delight”. For those who are inveterate shoppers at the Linking Road in Mumbai, this is the place for you. Long skirts, tops, scarves, short skirts-in denim, cotton, linen for casual wear, day wear, party wear-you can find all here and at great bargains. If you are brand conscious, there are some “big” shops here too. Shoes and bags are available aplenty and in some great designs. Of course, some stuff is “made in China”, but there is also lot sold here that is locally made.

Downtown is another area where the shopping is never-ending…..will be soon giving you an update on shopping around the Talaat Harb Square. Till then, remember-“When in Rome, do as the Romans do, when in Egypt shop where the Egyptians shop”.

STAY IN LUXOR, EATS AND TREATS TOO!

Staying At Luxor

Luxor is the place which can truly transport one to the Pharonic era; if you are visiting Luxor, you should be spending very little time in your hotel room. While choosing a hotel, the emphasis and concern should be getting clean beds and bathrooms. Most of the hotels are on the East Bank. This is much quieter than the West Bank and you will be close to the Luxor and the Karnak temples!

For checking out the hotel options in Luxor, log onto http://www.allhotels.com/. But be warned – the room rates mentioned on the site are not necessarily the correct ones-as I learnt the hard way! I chose Pyramisa Hotel from this website-a double room with a Nile view When I tried booking the room through the website, the operation failed every time. Then I called them and told them about the dates and the room that I wanted-and got the shock of my life-when the rates that were quoted were almost double and I was told that the website did not carry the correct rates! I suggest you use the website to get an idea of the hotels and the kind of facilities available therein and then do the bookings on the telephone. You will have to remit the money by wire transfer to confirm your bookings.

We finally stayed at Tutotel; a three star. Our rooms were clean and had good bathrooms. For the price of USD 44/- per night (double occupancy), it served our purpose. It has a small terrace pool and a terrace restaurant. The location is also very convenient.

Moving Around Luxor

We hired a car for the two days that we stayed in Luxor to take us around-for LE 300/day. We used the services of “Egypt on Line Tours” who provided us with an air-conditioned mini-van with a chauffeur who knew “basic” English and was conversant with all the sites. Though we did not hire any guide, it is possible to hire english-speaking guides for LE 150/- per day.

Eating Out

I would recommend the Africa restaurant on the West Bank- it has a friendly staff and serves freshly made Egyptian fare. A great place for vegetarians too! We had hummus and baba ghanough, greens salads together with rice, mixed vegetables, potato gravy and French fries for the main course. And of course, to help with the digestion; freshly squeezed lemon juice. We paid LE 48 per person, all inclusive. This place is extremely popular with tourist groups and if you get a table, you may be subject to subtle prodding by the staff to finish your meal and be off!

Treats

Treat yourself to a cold karkade and sheeshah at the Metropolitan Café on the Corniche while watching the sun set over the river Nile. The perfect place to rest your tired limbs and reflect on the historical sites that you have just visited is definitely by the river Nile – which too is as old as history!

A ferry ride between the West and the East Bank in Luxor is highly recommended-not only as the fastest and the easiest mode of travel between the two banks, but also for the sheer joy of cruising the Nile and feeling the spray of water on your face! Expect to pay around LE 1-2 per person for the crossing.

Take Me Home!

There are lovely clay pots (tagens) that can be bought beside the police station in Luxor. With some bargaining, you can buy the small pots for LE 5 and slightly bigger ones for LE 7-10. They can be used for cooking over the stove and can be used for serving too-to add a “different” touch to your dinner party!

TRAVEL TO LUXOR

Whenever one thinks of visiting Luxor and Aswan, the obvious choice is going on a Nile cruise. You have the option of 4 days/ 3 nights or 5 days/ 4 nights cruise. But I had only a couple of days in hand; my parents were to leave for India soon and I wanted them to experience the Pharonic ambience-and what better place than Luxor!

Decided to ditch Aswan and use the two days to visit Luxor. I thought the hard decision was out of the way-but the problems were to just begin. How to travel to Luxor?-By air, take the train or the luxury bus?

FLY TO LUXOR
On any given day, there are 10 flights that operate between Cairo and Luxor. Check out the timetable on http://www.egyptair.com/. Click on timetable and you can see all the flights for a particular day. The first flight out on any day is early morning-between 5.00 a.m. to 6.00 a.m. and the last flight out between 10.30 p.m. to 11.30 p.m. Early bookings are highly recommended; especially during the peak tourist season (which runs from October to April), -not only does it get you a better price but also confirmed bookings on the desired flights. We tried to get flight bookings on a Sunday for the coming Thursday and there we no confirmed bookings available for the return flight from Luxor. Our tickets were working out to LE 900 for a round trip per person-I have had friends who have paid LE 500 and one who has even paid as low as LE 350 for a round trip. And apparently there is no logical explanation to this difference in the price-I guess the earlier you book, the better the chances of you getting a good price. Have also been told that the rates are different if you book at the Egypt Air office –the rates differ from what is advertised on their site and there is no convincing explanation for this too!

TAKE THE TRAIN
If you are unable to get confirmed bookings for the flight you want, or the flight is working out too expensive for you or you can’t be bothered to spoil your sleep for taking a flight at odd hours, your best bet is the sleeper train.

These trains are meant exclusively for expats and are quite comfortable. You have to pay for it in US dollars or euros. As for credit card, they accept only the visa card. Up to eight tickets can be bought at the Giza station. For tickets above 8, the tickets have to be bought at the Ramses station. Buy the tickets at least a day in advance-earlier during the peak season and if traveling on a week-end.

There are three trains that leave daily-one at 20.00 hrs and the other at 20.30 hrs from the Giza station. A third train leaves at 21.00 hrs from the Ramses station. The journey to Luxor takes 9 hours. The sleeper train has 13 sleeping cars each, which contains 10 double cabins and 02 bathrooms. Every Cabin has a connecting door with the next cabin, to be used when needed. Cabins are equipped with basins, razor plugs, tap water, soap & towels. The day seats are converted into sleeping beds which are quite comfortable. A luggage compartment is available on the top of the door. However, the train can be a little noisy on the tracks. The ticket price is USD 120 for a round ticket and includes dinner and breakfast. The food can be disappointing though. Liquor is also served and is charged separately. For a single berth compartment, you have to pay USD 120. Check out their website for more information. http://www.sleepingtrains.com/

Another cheaper option to travel to Luxor is the air-conditioned express trains-both daytime and overnight trains. They take longer but cost less-around USD 30 for a round trip. The first class compartments are comfortable enough with reclining seats. But, there maybe certain restrictions on the foreigners traveling on these trains. For information on schedules and facilities, check out http://www.seat61.com/Egypt

BUS TO LUXOR
The one bus that I know that takes you to Luxor is operated by “Nile Transportation”. I have no idea about the facilities on board. You can get more information by visiting Monyeeb ,El baher El Azam street or call 35725362. The bus leaves at 5.30 p.m. and the reservations have to be made at 4.00 p.m.

Cairo Petroleum Wives

Last week attended a gathering of the Cairo Petroleum Wives (CPW)-an organization that is dedicated to “promoting social, cultural, educational activities and furthering friendship among women.”

The name “Cairo Petroleum Wives” is attributed to the ladies who started the organization, some 30 years back, but they welcome all English – speaking women in their midst and no affiliation to the petroleum industry is required. I had the opportunity to attend their event-“Show and Tell”-an innovative format. The members had brought along with them food items that they had “discovered” in Cairo which could be used as substitutes for ingredients available “back home”. Or they simply “showed” stuff indigenous to Egypt and “told” us about how it could be adapted and used in our meals.

The President of CPW Dianne Crewse, a dynamic and friendly lady demonstrated how to make the milky, frothy lemon juice which is so popular in Egypt. It is extremely simple-quarter a “baladi” (country) lemon, put it in a liquidizer with 2 teaspoons of sugar, a glass of water and some ice cubes and run the liquidizer and voila! Your thirst quencher is ready. Dianne had also managed to persuade the head chef at the “Maadi House” to take us through some Egyptian spices and their uses. We ended the morning with a raffle draw, with some members winning “hard-to-get” favorite foods. Never mind about me-am never lucky at these kind of draws!

Apart from the regular informative gatherings, CPW also has a very active book club and hold your breath!-a bowling club too! The book club gets together regularly to discuss a book or watch a movie and even does some related field trips together. The bowling club has a “bowl” of a time and meets twice a month. There is much more happening –you too can be a part of all the fun-send your name and number to cpwives@yahoo.com and you can receive emails on their upcoming events.