Sights The main attractions within Fayyum city are Egyptians living tourist-free lives. Visitors who weren’t ossified by the Islamic architecture in Cairo should visit the Mamluk Mosque of Khawand Asal-Bay, about lkm west of the town center along the canal. The restored mosque was named for the favorite concubine of the Sultan Qaytbay. For a quick introduction to the rural life of Fayyum, head north out of town along the Bahr Sinnur. You’ll pass farms and boundless green fields, and after about 2km you’ll reach the first of seven waterwheels, still used in the irrigation system. Unlike Western versions, these great wooden tires are not used to power pumps but are pumps themselves, ingeniously using the flow of the stream to lift the water to a higher level.

The Ain Sileen (Sileen Springs) are 9km north of town and the easiest to reach of the area’s attractions. The road to the springs winds through fields bristling with corn, palms, and fruits and vegetables, interrupted by canals. Several restaurant- ] cafes provide a place to sit and imbibe as the streams babble by, but drink from the springs at your own risk (we mean it-risk). The springs feed a small swimming J pool crammed with Egyptian children. Foreigners bathing here will create a stir; foreign women will cause widespread apoplexy. (Open 24 hrs. Admission 25pt.)

Fifteen kilometers farther north is Lake Qaroun, the south shore of which, although home to periodic cafes and even a hotel or two, retains a desolate, windswept aspeci. Just east of the Auberge de Fayyum Hotel, a former royai hunting lodge. La Promenade cafe juts into the water. Waves will slosh on three sides of vou as You fo^ over an astonishing LE6 for a Stella. A cheaper option is the Gabal aj-Zina Casino, 4km west of the Auberge, which is still overpriced but bearable (tea or coffee LEI, Stella LE4) and next to a beckoning beach. At sunset the view of the Sahara’s barren dunes beyond the shimmering lake is quite eerie.

To reach Ain Sileen, Lake Qaroun, or any other place north of Fayyum, walk north from the infor-uxation stand to the railroad tracks running parallel to Bahr Youssef. Turn left and walk west to the fourth crossing; 300m further on you’ll find a taxi stand on your left- Thc pickup trucks shuttle between Fayyum and Ain Sileen (50pt) and Lake Qaroun (LEI). It may be necessary to change taxis at the village of Sanhur to reach the lake; the total price should be the same.

Ten kilometers along the road to Beni Suef stands the village of Hawara, which boasts the Pyramid of Amenemhat III. Once surrounded by a vast labyrinth, the broken-down tomb now surveys a field of pharaonic rubble. A service from the Beni Suef station in Fayyum will drop you at the village; walk 2km through the settlement and across the fields behind (not on the paved roads-the path is much shorter). When in doubt, ask for al-haram. Probably only for pharao-fanatics.

The most prominent historical site in the Fayyum is the Pyramid of Al-Lahun, near the village of the same name, to the southeast of Fayyum city. To reach the pyramid, take a service taxi from Hawatem Sq. to the village and hike 3km to the site. The structure, built by Senusert II of the 12th Dynasty, has been robbed of its stone casing but may be a worthwhile stop for those who just can’t get enough.