August 26

I slept past breakfast which we had planned to have with the seminary students to experience a real Egyptian breakfast- eggs and fu'ul (fava beans), so when I woke up we went downstairs and Syd got the cafeteria workers to cut up a mango (they are everywhere here) she bought yesterday and I had yogurt and honey in our room. We eventually got ready to go (both of us with head scarves) and we took a taxi downtown to use the internet a while (the computer lab is closed for the weekend where we are staying). As we were leaving the hole-in-the-wall internet place I got a call from a facebook friend- Ahmed. He went to AU and found out we would be in Cairo and he lives here now. He came and picked us up. We drove around Cairo, past their presidents huge mansion. Then we went to a juice stand for a wonderful glass of fresh juice (mixed- strawberry, whole banana, mango, and sugarcane)- only L.E.1 (20 cents). Then we went to pick up his friend "B" (short for a name we couldn't pronounce). Then the four of us went to "lunch" (it was about 3:30pm at this point- Egyptians do everything later, coming out at night to avoid the heat). I had shwarma again, but this time at a real restaurant, not just a stand. We were able to ask the guys a million questions about Cairo, Egypt, and the Middle East. I'm so interested in Arab countries now- there is so little I know about them.
From lunch, we drove to Coptic Cairo, the old Christian part. We saw the supposed site of where Mary and baby (toddler) Jesus walked when they were in Egypt. We also saw this "hanging" church (when you are inside you can look beneath the floor and it seems like it is suspended). We then drove all over Cairo which made seeing everything much easier, faster, and cooler. At dusk, we took an hour long cruise on a felucca boat on the Nile. The skyline from there is really incredible. Being on the water after the sun has gone down and there is a nice breeze was wonderful. Leaving the Nile, we had to cross the street in crazy Cairo traffic and at night- I thought I might die, but I stuck close to the locals and made it alright.
We then drove to the famous Khan al-Khalili bazaar- a sprawling maze of vendors selling their goods in Islamic Cario. It is also beside several mosques- one the oldest in Egypt. We were able to go in and see the tomb of Hussien, Mohammad's grandson (Mohammad as in founder of Islam). Anyone can appreciate the historical significance of such a figure.
Then we walked through the chaos that is "the Khan." The merchants are some of the greatest smooth talkers ever- they have to be- almost anything can be bought in the Khan and if one merchant doesn't have what you are looking for, he'll happily find someone who does (for a little baksheesh-tip- of course). We ended the night at Fishawi's Coffeehouse. It was packed and it claims to have been open continuously (day and night) for 200 years. Our entertainment came from roaming salesmen/women/children hawking wallets, sheesha-style cigarette holders, and packet after packet after packet of tissues. Syd and I tried an Egyptian drink called "Sahlab." We never could get a translation on all its ingredients. It was hot, milky, sweet, with nuts, raisin, coconut, cinnamon, and sahlab (whatever that is- don't worry, it's not alcohol, Muslims "don't drink alcohol") After that, Ahmed and B took us home.

Quotes of the day:
"Only Cairo would put their shoes behind glass and their bread out on the street." -Ahmed in reference to the stores showcasing shoes in the windows and bread out for flies to get to.

"I don't know what you're looking for, but I have what you need." -Khan merchant