Cairo Capers

In a city bustling with ancient history, Achal Dhruva is captivated by the myriad sights, sounds and smells of the capital of Egypt on his whistle-stop tour

“Hi, Indian?….. Amitabh Bachchan!" was the universal greeting of shopkeepers in Egypt. Indians and the Bollywood icon seem to be synonymous for Egyptians who are big fans of the Big B, especially in Cairo. Asemah Idris, the young and pretty guide, after introducing herself, gushed, "I just love Amitabh. I am searching for a husband like him," killing any hopes I harboured of impressing her. And it was not just Asemah - beautiful women were everywhere, though almost all were covered from head to foot, but not in a burkha. They sported designer jeans or full-length skirts with a scarf over their heads, a mix of tradition and modernity, very much like the ethos of the city.

Cairo astonishes in a manner in which the past and present co-exist harmoniously. On one hand you see brick houses in the old quarter and on the road to Giza, while on the other there are massive shopping malls, sky scrapers, and five-star hotels dotting the downtown area around the River Nile. In addition, the Pyramids, remnants of thousands of years old civilization, are visible from buildings across the length and breadth of the city. It is perhaps the only city where one can time travel in a matter of seconds.

All pics :Achal Dhruva

The city is bustling and seductive, and even before I had a glimpse of the shimmering Nile, the 45-minute drive from the airport to the hotel in the evening peak hour traffic (bumper to bumper) had me falling in love with the city. It was reminiscent of our 'amchi' Mumbai - the traffic, the lane cutting and the areas that were a splitting image of Mohammed Ali road back home. But the infrastructure, where Cairo could well be termed as the 'city of flyovers' besides its sobriquet of 'city of minarets', is on par with western countries and the city, despite its congested and teeming 20 million population (approximately), is quite clean. While all may not appreciate the chaos and noise, there is a magical charm which overrides it and it's not surprising that tourism has become a major driving force for the city.

The numerous monuments and attractions are perpetually teeming with people from all over the world and during peak season it is no exaggeration to state that it is sometimes hard to find a place to stand. This was quite annoying, as I often had to wait for ages to get a clear frame of a monument. Despite the crowds, the pyramids at Giza are an awe inspiring and jaw-dropping sight. Standing tall against the backdrop of a clear deep blue sky and cotton puff clouds, my mind boggled at the ingenuity of those who lived thousands of years ago and created such architectural marvels. Giza, earlier a village on the West Bank of the Nile stretching 18 kms westwards, showcases the Great Pyramid of Khufu (Cheops), the Pyramid of Khafre (Chephren), the Pyramid of Menkaure (Mycerinus) and several other tombs.

A memorable experience was of crawling inside one of the smaller pyramids to the burial chamber. The trip down to the heart of the pyramid is not for those who are claustrophobic or asthamatic. The Sphinx, a stone's throw away, is another must-see attraction. Known in Arabic as Abu-al-Hol or Father of Terror, the Sphinx, with a woman's head and lion's body, set riddles and killed anyone unable to answer them. The Sphinx has to be seen to appreciate its beauty and grandeur. This fascinating edifice is being slowly eaten away by pollution and rising ground water. However, restoration is being attempted. Though we missed out on it, visitors can also witness a nice sound and light show here.

The Great Pyramid of Giza	The corridor of Mohmmad Ali mosque in the Citadel
The majestic Sphinx	The imposing facade of the Citadel
View of the Citadel	The imposing facade of the Citadel
Khan-el-Khalili market	Cairo Skyline
All pics :Achal Dhruva

The Egyptian Museum in Central Cairo is where we had our meeting with the Mummies, some of whom were shifted from the pyramids and tombs from Kings’ Valley in Luxor. The Mummy Room is the star attraction and one has to pay an additional ticket of LE 70 for entry, apart from the general entrance fee of LE 40. Words can't really capture the experience of staring at the body of King Ramses III, dating back to 1200 BC, with its nails, teeth and hair intact. The Egyptian Museum houses 1,20,000 relics from almost every period of ancient Egyptian history and it takes an entire day to cover all the major sections like Tutankhamen galleries, old-kingdom rooms, ancient Egyptian jewellery, animal mummies, etc.

Central Cairo has several other sights such as the Arab League Building, American University and Abdeen Palace but we gave them a miss as we had just two days in the city. The other major tourist sites, which we did cover, were parts of Old Cairo popularly called as Coptic Cairo and Citadel of Saladin, which is part of Islamic Cairo. The timeless narrow by-lanes of Old Cairo house the Ben Ezra Synagogue, the Hanging Church and several small churches. Both, the synagogue and the Hanging Church had some amazing stained glass paintings with an intricately carved wooden pulpit.

Citadel of Saladin, a fortification and a major landmark standing tall amidst the sprawling city, is yet another marvellous work of architecture and art. Within the Citadel lies the Mosque of Mohammed Ali, which took nearly 18 years to build and the impressive façade is testimony to the time spent. It is a grand structure with beautifully carved marbled pillars and huge central hall with ornate chandeliers and paintings adorning the walls. The mosque is also called the blue mosque due to the extensive use of indigo and turquoise tiles. One also gets a spectacular bird's eye view of the city from the Citadel.

While the numerous monuments in Cairo provide a window to its glorious past, it's the various markets and streets of the city and the downtown area filled with sky scrapers, which enable one to experience and feel the pulse of present day Cairo. While there are numerous five-star hotels in downtown area the ones that stand out are the Four Seasons and the Grand Hyatt along with El Gazhira, where we stayed for the amazing view of the Nile. Also near the Liberty Square, a major landmark in the city is the Cairo Tower, an unmistakable stamp of modern Cairo. Mena House, a heritage hotel run by The Oberoi Group, is perhaps the best address for ostentatious luxury and a perfect view of the Pyramids. It is a grand hotel and all its suites have a view of the pyramids, located just a stone's throw away. Khan-el-Khalili market is a labyrinth of small lanes cluttered with shops selling everything under the sun and a shopper's paradise. Here tourists and denizens of Cairo alike trod the crowded lanes bargaining, and bargaining hard. And if you are not the sort then it is advisable not to even think about shopping.

Apart from shopping till you drop or till your wallet dries up it is nice to sit at a small café sipping black tea and pulling on a hookah watching the world go by. The dinner cruise on the Nile also provides an opportunity to watch the city with its teeming lights float by and the image is quite a romantic one. Nile is bigger and probably busier with cruise boats chugging up and down than the Siene in Paris.

Against the backdrop of a dazzling city, we also witnessed a seductive performance of a belly dancer and a dizzying one of 'tanura', a folk dance where the dancer keeps twirling round and round. Phew! It made me giddy just watching him.

Actually, 'tanura' could very well be used as a synopsis for my short whirlwind visit to this fascinating city, which left me with a heady feeling and one of longing to return for a more leisurely holiday as soon as possible to explore all its layers completely.

Souvenir shop in Khan-El-Khalili market	Window with a view in the Citadel
Overview of a market in Cairo	View from the Citadel
International Convention Centre	Shop for spices
The Egyptian Museum	The marketplace
The Hanging Church
All pics :Achal Dhruva