On Sunday, October 28 we started traveling to a new adventure - EGYPT! The pyramids in Egypt have always been on my "bucket list" of places that I've wanted to see. But, really! I never expected that I would have the chance to see them. But here we are thanks to Don and basketball. Don was asked by the Egyptian Basketball Federation to conduct a clinic for coaches. Don made these coaching connections last summer while we were with the USA U17 team at the world championships. Don will be teaching coaches in Cairo for four hours a day for five days and then we have 3 full days to sight see.

Sunday's journey: 4:00 flight Cedar Rapids to Chicago, long lay-over but thanks to the United Club it wasn't too bad, 10:30 pm Chicago to Munich (7 1/2 hour flight. The flight was not full so Don and I could spread out and each had 2 seats), then a 3 1/2 hour flight from Munich (where there was snow on the ground) to Cairo. We arrived in Cairo at 19:00 (7 pm) on Monday, October 29. LONG trip.

We are staying in a beautiful 5 star hotel (thanks, Egyptian BB Federation) and I'll just hang out here while Don's at the clinic.

Fairmont Towers, Heliopolis

Lobby area of our hotel

Front view of our hotel
From Cairo International Airport: 5 minutes by car
From downtown Cairo: 30 minutes by car
From the Pyramids (Giza): 60 minutes by car

Tuesday was Don's first day of the coaching clinic. The clinic is held about a 10 minute drive from the hotel so he was picked up at 10:00 and returned at 5:00. Samy (FIBA Africa administrator), his wife, son, and a friend took us out for the evening to the Oasis Food Court not far from the hotel for an 8:30 supper. We ate at The Spectra Restaurant and had steak (surprise!), pasta, fries, salad, soup, and yummy ice cream desserts.

Wednesday was day two of the clinic. Mohamed (VP of Egyptian BB Federation and he played basketball for Egypt in several Olympics) picked us up at 5:00 for an evening out. He drove us to Midan Tahrir, a huge square in downtown Cairo, the site of the 2011 Revolution. Extensive anti-government riots and demonstrations forced the President to step down. It was reported that one million people were in the square during the riots. The military then dissolved parliament and took over the running of Egypt. The military was in place until the elections in June, 2012.

In the square (a huge round-about) where the demonstrations
called for the President to step down.

Omar Makram Mosque near the square

Mohamed took us to Abou El Sid which serves traditional Egyptian food. We let him order since the menu was in Arabic. The food was placed in the middle of the table on a big center turning tray. During the meal you turn the tray to get the food that you want.

Ready to order your meal?

Fun atmosphere in a traditional setting.

Appetizers: sausages, bean patties, chicken livers,
and rice wrapped in grape leaves.

Okra & veggies and eggplant & veggies served with rice,
and rice with Egyptian bread & meat.

Thursday was the third day of the coaching clinic. In the evening Ahmed (managing director of Elite Sports Management) picked us up and we went back to The Oasis Food Court where we were Tuesday night. We chose to sit outside for salmon and chicken. He later took us to his "club" where he played basketball as a child and now his family goes to. I was thinking it was a gym where he played basketball, but it's an entire community area with lots of sports venues with outside dining and socializing areas. The area was very busy with families tonight. Tomorrow (Friday) is church day for the Muslims and the weekend is considered to be Friday and Saturday. Schools and work run Sunday - Thursday. 90% of the Egyptian population is Muslim and the government is Muslim.

Ahmed and Don at the restaurant

Outdoor basketball courts at the club

Ahmed and his family. His wife teaches at an American school.

Friday - 4th day of the clinic. Today is the holy day of the week for Muslims so the clinic ran from 9 - 11 and 1-3 with the break in the middle for time to go for prayers/church. Don says that each day a break is taken and prayers are led right at the gym. Today they left for their mosque.

We have access to the "signature lounge" at our hotel where we get a complimentary breakfast in the morning (ok so I admit that I rarely go to breakfast with Don. The time difference of seven hours keeps me in bed for most of the morning. Don goes to work and I sleep. 9 am here is really 2 am at home and I'd rather sleep than eat breakfast! AND considering that we were on Hawaiian time right before we came we are at a twelve hour difference!). BUT I do love the lounge for the late afternoon/evening hot & cold hors d-oeuvres and drinks!

Yummy desserts
A variety of cheese, breads and fruits available also

Unusual cold hors d-hoeuvres
Hot ones available - chicken, beef, shrimp

Lounging in the signature lounge!

Ahmed and his wife picked us up at 6:00 and we were off to the pyramids to see the sound and light show. Sometimes plans don't work out! The trip should have taken us an hour and it took over 2 1/2 hours and we missed it! HUGE traffic problems on the six lane highway. We did get a glimpse of the three huge pyramids in the dark. I can't wait to go back on Sunday and spend the day exploring the pyramid complex! The traffic is horrible here and they drive like crazy people. They tend to ignore their lanes and drive snaking in, between, and around each other. Lots of honking!

Ahmed drove us back into Cairo and we went up the Cairo Tower. The 610 ft, 22 story tower was built in the late 1950's and from the top allows excellent views of the city. The Nile River splits in this area and the tower is on the big island.

The Cairo Tower

At the top!

Looking down over the Nile River, opera house and central Cairo

Saturday - last day of the coaching clinic. Don finished coaching in the morning, but we went back at 4:00 for the closing ceremony. The coaches earned certificates this week and they were passed out.

We were invited to Samy's home for an evening meal - his wife fixed lots of the traditional Egyptian foods.

Green soup eaten with rice.

"Meat" - like meatballs

Chicken

Macaroni

Around the table at Samy's house.

Islamic Cairo. A coaching acquaintance from this week picked us up at Samy's house around 8:00 and wanted to show us Islamic Cairo. Following their conquest of Egypt in 641 AD, the Muslims build their city on what is now the area known as Islamic Cairo. It has a wealth of mosques, mausoleums, and Islamic buildings. It is a maze of marrow, congested streets challenging the senses with its unique blend of sights, sounds and smells!

We could see mosques all around this area. We went inside the Mosque of Sayyidna al-Husseim. The holiest site in Cairo, this mosque is said to contain the head of Hussein, grandson of the Prophet Mohammed. Built in l870 on the site of a 12th century mosque.

The shrine containing his head

I had to go in a different entrance than the guys.

Women's entry & prayer area.
Shoes were removed and I needed a scarf to cover my head.

Khan al-Khalili - One of the biggest bazaars in the Middle East. Filled with glittering paraphernalia, this bazaar is Cairo at its most magical. The lanes of the original Khan area are lined with shops selling everything: handicrafts, silks, spices, traditional clothing, items made of gold, silver, brass, or copper, sacks full of spices, and major tourist items. This bazaar went on for street after street and alley after alley!

Beit as-Suhaymi - an example of a luxury residence
in medieval Cairo. It was closed, but we had a shortened
tour in the dark.

Back to the hotel by 11:00 to watch the Iowa football game via internet!

Sunday - The DAY TO GO TO THE PYRAMIDS!!

The Giza Plateau - Nearly 5000 years ago, Giza become the royal burial ground for Memphis, capital of Egypt. In less than 100 years, the ancient Egyptians built the three pyramid complexes to serve as the tombs for their dead kings. After the king's death, his body was brought by boat to the valley temple for preparation before being taken up the causeway and buried within the pyramid. The king's close family and the royal court were buried in smaller pyramids and stone tombs nearby.

Ahmed picked us up at our hotel and we were off to see the pyramids. When we arrived in Giza at the pyramids we were met by a private guide. He was most informative the whole afternoon. We went to the Great Pyramid (the biggest one) and were told we could go inside if we wanted. Of course! We climbed, bent over, ducked through to get to the top chamber where the king was buried.

The facts of Khufu's Pyramid, commonly referred to as the Great Pyramid are staggering. It is estimated to contain over 2 million blocks of stone weighing on average around 2.5 tons, with some stones weighing as much as 15 tons. Until the 19th century it was the tallest building in the world.

Walking up to The Great Pyramid

Going up the Great Gallery - thought to have been used
as a slipway for the huge blocks.

Bending over and climbing up!

The lidless sarcophagus (coffin) in the King's Chamber.
This chamber was probably emptied 600 years after being built.
The King was buried here with lots of his treasures.

We made it out!

Pyramid of Khafre: The base of the second (and in the middle) Pyramid is just 50 ft. shorter than The Great Pyramid and only 10 ft shorter. This is the burial place of the son of The Great Pyramid. The summit remains intact with the limestone casing that originally covered all three pyramids.

Khafre Pyramid

Pyramid of Menkaure: The last pyramid built on the Giza Plateau, the pyramid of Menkaure has a base area less than a quarter of that of its two neighbors. This was the son of the second pyramid and grandson of the first one.
Beside this pyramid (and the first one) are Queens' Pyramids, constructed for the wives and important relatives.

Menkaure Pyramid and the Queens' Pyramids

Time to ride the camels! It was so much FUN.

The camel is really staring at Don.

My view from the top of the camel.
It was a bumpy ride.

Down, down.....

And down on the ground!

The Spinx - guardian of the Giza Plateau, standing guard at the approach of the Pyramid of Khafre (middle one). The Spinx is the earliest known monumental sculpture of ancient Egypt. It is dated to around 2500 BC! It stands 60 ft high with a long body, outstretched paws and a royal headdress framing a human face, possibly that of the king himself. Several stories tell of it's missing nose.

The Spinx

We stayed for the Sound and Light show at the Pyramids. It explained the history of the pyramid, told stories of the kings and this time period along with a light show.

Monday - Egyptian Museum
The museum has the greatest collection of Pharaonic treasurers in the world. More than 120,000 items are on display here, with another 150,000 stored in the basement. Pride of the collection are the artifacts from Tutankhamun's tomb (King Tut). We enjoyed the life-sized gold mask and some of the 1700 items from the tomb of this boy king. I enjoyed the ancient Egyptian jewelry collections. With a hired tour guide we make our way through the most important items. Cameras were not allowed so we only got pictures outside.

We ate at a seafood restaurant - El Borg with two Egyptian coaches.
You pick out your fish that you want.

Seafood soup

The fish was delicious!

Tuesday - We set up 2 tours through our hotel
Old Cairo, Islamic Cairo, the Citadel, Khan al-Khalili
Dinner cruise on the Nile River

Old Cairo
Our guide for the day tour was wonderful! Dates, stories, and explanations for all of the places that we visited. And we could understand her!

Roman Towers - the original Roman fortress of Babylon
from the 1st century AD

Hanging Church - it is built on top of the Roman towers

Church of St. Sergius - The oldest "Coptic" (Christian) church in
Cairo. Legend says that the Holy Family sheltered in a cave below the altar.
Notice how this church just looks like a house from the outside to avoid
being noticed and persecuted long ago.

Ben Ezra Synagogue - Egypt's oldest synagogue
Testament to the ancient and significant presence of Jews in this regions

The streets/alley ways of Old Cairo

Homes

PEPSI!

Homes with laundry hanging out

Testing the different perfumes - a specialty of Egypt.

Delicate glass perfume bottles

And now on to a Papyrus demonstration - from plant to "paper"

Islamic Cairo

Mosque of Sultan Hassan and Mosque of ar-Rifal

Mosque of Sultan Hassan - built in the 1350s.
Central courtyard with the fountain

Prayer area - I was give a silky "robe" to wear while here.
Usually I'm given a scarf instead.

Inside the Mosgue of ar-Rifai

The Citadel
Home to Egypt's rulers for almost 700 years, the Citadel was founded in 1176 by a Muslim commander.

Mohammed Ali Mosque in the Citadel

Central courtyard and fountain in the Mosque

Prayer area inside the Mosque

Nile River Dinner Cruise
We spent the evening eating and cruising the Nile River. It was a fun and relaxing way to spend our last night in Cairo. The evening included a live band and entertainment complete with belly dancing.