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.

Fayyum Oasis

Fayyum offers a glimpse of a kinder, gentler Egypt that most tourists never see. A little more than 100km from Cairo, Fayyum is a large oasis spreading west and north of the Nile Valley along an offshoot of tlie river. Although occasionally victim to tlie grime, crowding, and overnight modernization that plague many parts of Egypt, Fayyum remains primarily agricultural, producing everything from chrysanthemums to straw hats. Those passionate about the pastoral will find an overnight stay blissful; otliers can easily visit as a daytrip from Cairo or as a stopover on a journey south or north. One warning: the worthwhile spots in Fayyum are scattered outside the main city, so you’ll need the better pan of a day to enjoy them.

Unlike the other oases of Egypt, Fayyum shares in the life and culture of the Nile and has done so since it was first developed by the rulers of the 12th dynasty (19th and 20th centuries BC). The Ptolemies, through canal-building and irrigation, made the area into a rich province with its capital at Crocodopolis (near tlie site of modern Fayyiim), the center of a cult that worshipped Sebak and other reptilian deities. Roman conquerors used Crocodopolis as a vacation resort as well as one of the primary granaries of the empire.

Distanced from the long arm of persecuting authorities, this oasis was an early center of Coptic Christianity; it also sheltered a large population of exiled Jews in the 3rd century AD. The Muslims believed the extensive canals and agriculture to be the work of the biblical Joseph during his stay in Egypt; the main waterway, the Bahr Yusef, is named for tlie technicolor-bedecked interpreter of dreams. Lake Qaroun to the north is a popular beach resort, and the local government is attempting to develop the rest of the area for tourism.

Deir Abu Maqar (the Monastery of St. Maccarius) lies roughly 8km southeast of neir Anba Bishoi and can be seen to the west of the Cairo-Alexandria desert road efrom Point about 129km from Alexandria or 86km from Cairo). Tlie monastery is ordinarily closed to visitors.

The foundation of Deir Abu Maqar is associated with the life of St. Maccarius the Great (300-390 AD) and marks tlie beginning of monastic life in Wadi an-Natrun. It is believed that an angel led St. Maccarius to a rock and ordered him to build a church there. In spite of the monastic community that he founded, St. Maccarius remained a religious hermit throughout his life and lived in a eel! connected by a tunnel to a small cave. Virtually none of the original building remains. In the beginning of the 11 th century, the monastery became the refuge of monks fleeing Muslim persecution. During the Middle Ages, the monastery was famous for its library, which remained intact until European marauders discovered the treasures in the 17th century and removed them to European libraries.

Deir Anba Baramus (The Monastery of the Virgin Mary) is about 4km northwest of the Monastery of St. Bishoi. Take a taxi from Wadi an-Natnin town, or catch a ride from Deir Anba Bishoi for about 50pt. This is the oldest monastery in the Natmn valley. Relics of St. Moses and St. Isadore are kept in the first section of the old church. In the old days, the body of St. Moses would shake the hands of passers-by through a small aperture in his casket. For the past 200 years, however, the corpse has not been quite as gregarious and the aperture has been sealed. Tradition holds that a rvpt under the altar holds the remains of Maximus and Domidius, sons of the Roman Emperor Valentinus (later St. Valentine) who both monked here. The oldest hitectural element in the church is the 4th-century column of St. Arsanious.

Deir as-Suryan (the Monastery of the Syrians, for the Syrian monks who once inhabited it), lies 0.5km northwest of the Monastery of St. Bishoi and is easy to reach. (Open 9am-6pm, 7pm in summer.) Tlie monastery was established when a group of monks broke away from the Monastery of St. Bishoi following a 6th-cen-tury theological dispute about the nature of the Mother of God. When the dispute ended, this alternative monastery no longer had a purpose. In the beginning of tlie 8th century it was purchased by a Syrian merchant for use by monks from his homeland, the first of whom arrived at the beginning of the 9th century. The monastery was prominent throughout the 10th century and by the 11th housed tlie largest community in Wadi an-Natrun. Tlie design is supposedly modeled on Noah’s Ark.

Ask to see the Door of Prophecies in the Church of the Virgin Mary. The uppermost panels depict disciples, while the panels below depict the seven epochs of the Christian era. The domes of the church are covered with frescoes of the Annunciation, the Nativity, and the Ascension of the Virgin. At the back of the church is a low, dark passageway leading to the private cell of St. Bishoi, The monks will show you an iron staple and chain dangling from the ceiling and explain how St. Bishoi would fasten it to his beard, thereby maintaining himself in a standing position lest he fall asleep during his all-night prayer vigils. Set in the floor at the western end of the church is the lakan (marble basin), which is used in tlie Holy Thursday Rite of the Foot Washing.

Sights The Introduction to the Region (tinder Essentials) contains a brief explanation of Coptic Christianity as well as a description of the main features of a Coptic church. When touring the Coptic monasteries, modest attire is the rule-no shorts or sleeveless shirts,Deir Anba Bishoi (the Monastery of St. Bishoi), the largest of the four monasteries, is the most accessible to visitors.

Fifteen kilometers from the Rest House and 500m from Deir as-Suryan, this monastery is open daily 7am-5pm (6pm in summer). There are seven churches in the monastery; the Church of St. Bishoi, the Church of St. Iskhiron and the Church of the Holy Virgin (both located within the Church of St. Bishoi), the Church of St. George, the Church of St. Michael, and the recently ^| restored Church of Marcorious and Church of St. Mary. The Church of St. Bishoi has three haikals and is part of the most ancient section of the monastery, dating from the 4th century. It was rebuilt in 444 after being sacked by nomads and now contains the remains of St. Bishoi, who is still believed to perform miracles for the faithful. The church has undergone several restorations and was completely redecorated in 1957. The entrance to the keep of the monastery is on the first story through a drawbridge resting on the roof of the gatehouse.

Practical Information

Just about the only way to reach Wadi an-Natrun from Cairo is by a blue bus which leaves from the station behind the Egyptian Museum, north of Tahrir Sq. (2hrs., runs hourly 6:30am-6:30pm, except at 11:30am and 2:3Opm, LE2.75). It’s unnecessary and usually impossible to purchase tickets in advance; your money will be collected after you board the bus. Buses returning to Cairo or continuing to Alexandria stop at the Wadi an-Natrun Rest House frequently luring the day. Ride the bus past the Rest House into Wadi an-Natrun town; from ^ terminus you can ride with pilgrims in a pick-up truck to Deir Anba Bishoi Alternatively, from the Rest House you can hire a taxi for the trip to the mon asteries (one-way about LE4).

It may also be possible to rely upon the kindness of pilgrims-Copts flock here by the busload and are often willing to pick up strag.glers. Start your journey early if you plan to return to Cairo or Alexandria in the evening. There are no places to stay in Wadi an-Natrun town.Deir Anba Bishoi alone is open every day of the year; Deir as-Suryan, Deir Anba Baramus, and Deir Abu Maqar (in order of decreasing accessibility) close for various feast and fast days. To avoid spiritual and physical frustration, verify open dates and times with the Coptic Patriarchate in Cairo (tel. 91 79 71 or 91 44 48) or Alexandria (tel. 546 05U). The monks receive foreign tourists with alacrity, and hand out free, informative booklets. Man doth not live by bread alone, and visitors to Anba Bishoi can partake of God’s bounty in the form oifuul, pita, and tea-it’s on the Deir.

Wadi an-Natrun : Excursions From Cairo

If the craziness of downtown Cairo made you think that all Egypt is a circus, come to Wadi an-Natrun-the quiet surroundings and kind-hearted people will restore your tranquility like nothing else (except on Sundays). For 1500 years the 50 monasteries of Wadi an-Natrun nave been the backbone of the Coptic community in Egypt. The four that stand today, generating an ill-proportioned but spiritually uplifting cross in the desert landscape, are not just impressive relics: they are still functional, serving the spiritual needs of Egypt’s orthodox Christian population.

The Orthodox Copts introduced the tradition of monasticism; the first Christian monastery was established in Egypt’s Eastern Desert by St. Anthony the Great (250-355 AD). In 330, one of Anthony’s disciples (St. Maccarius) began monastic life in Wadi an-Natrun. In the 1980s, Coptic monasticism again came into vogue, and new rooms were added to accommodate the novice ascetics living in the Natrun valley. The majority of modem monks are young, college-educated Egyptians.
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The Delta : Excursions From Cairo

The loveliest place in the immediate vicinity of Cairo lies 15km north at the Nile barrages in the town of Qanater. Decorated vividly with turrets and arches, the barrages were constructed in the first quarter of the 19th century in an attempt to regulate the flow of water into the Delta. Avoid visiting on a Friday when the crowds burgeon into absurdity. Small bridges connect the islets next to the barrages, where the Nile reaches one of its widest points.

Qanater marks the official beginning of the Delta. Bus#2l4 sputters there (15pt) from the front of the Nile Hilton at Tahrir Sq. A small passenger ferry runs along the Nile between Cairo and Qanater hourly 6am-6pm (2hr., LE2). Catch the ferry on the west bank of the comiche, north of the Ramses Hilton and in front of the Television Building. It’s also possible to hire a. felucca, but the journey to Qanater from Cairo voraciously consumes time, as the mast of the boat must be lowered for each bridge. Farther north lie the flat agricultural lands of the Nile Delta, “the pharaoh’s breadbasket,” lauded as the most fertile agricultural region in the world.

It was primarily in Lower Egypt that the Old Kingdom thrived, and many looming monuments were erected in the Delta throughout the pharaonic period. Due to the looseness of the soil, the deployment of irrigation canals, and the natural fanning out of the river, almost all of the major pharaonic sites in the Delta have been lost. Southeast of Zagazig (SOmin. from Cairo via any train bound for Port Said or lhr. by service taxi; both about LE3), between Moustafa Kamel St. and Bulbais Rd., are the ruins of Bubastis, one of Egypt’s oldest cities and the most accessible of the Delta’s pharaonic sites. Take a taxi from the station (LE1-2). The name means “house of Bastet” and refers to the goddess of felinity to whom the main temple was dedi-
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Memphis

As late as the 13th century, Arab historians wrote with awe about the remnants of the Old Kingdom capital at Memphis. The brick houses of this city of 500,000 had melted into mud, but many of the stone monuments were not destroyed until much later, when they were pilfered for construction in Cairo.

Only the ancient canal (responsible for the lush vegetation) and some exhibits in the modern museum in the village of Mit-Rahine remain. Near the museum is the famous alabaster sphinx, which probably stood at the south entrance of the Temple of Ptah. (Museum open 8am-5pm in summer, 7:3Oam-4pm in winter.) Admission LE7, students LE3.5O. Photo privileges LE5.) The only reasonable way to get to Memphis from Saqqara or Abu Sir is by taxi; hitchhiking, as always, is risky, especially for women.

Abu Sir

The pyramids of Abu Sir are isolated in the Eastern Desert just north of Saqqara. You can enjoy them without the camera-clicking clowns, since no tour buses make it nere. The pyramids (6km from North Saqqara and 2.5km from the village of Abu Sir) are accessible only by foot or beast.

The Pyramid of Neferirkare, the most imposing of the three main pyramids, stands tall at 68m. This structure once had a stone facing like its neighbors at Giza, but the casing has completely deteriorated and the exterior now resembles a step pyramid. Nevertheless, the Pyramid of Neferirkare is one of the best-preserved monuments in the Saqqara area. The Pyramid of Niuserre is the youngest of the trio and yet the most dilapidated. It is possible to enter the Pyramid of Sahure, the northernmost member of the group, on its north face. One of the custodians at the site will show you the entrance, which is about 0.5m high and 2m long and requires you to worm your way along the sand floor.

The small chamber inside was the pharaoh’s tomb. More pyramids are visible from here than from any other site in the country. If you wish to walk on to the village of Abu Sir, have the guards point out the route. If you are traveling by animal between Abu Sir and Giza, have your guide stop off on the way at the 5th-dynasty Sun Temple of Abu Surab, about 1.5km north of the Pyramid of Sahure. Located on the fringe of cultivated fields, the temple was built by King Niuserre in honor of the sun god Ra; it features an impressive altar constructed from five massive blocks of alabaster. A horse or camel ride from Zoser’s pyramid in North Saqqara costs LE10.

South Saqqara

The most interesting funerary monument at South Saqqara is the Tomb of Sheps-eskaf (popularly known as Mastabat Faraun), an enormous stone structure shaped like a sarcophagus and capped with a rounded lid. Though Shepseskaf, son of Myc-erinus (whose pyramid stands at Giza), reigned for only three or four years, his brief stint on the throne was long enough to qualify him for a grand tomb. Originally covering 7000 square meters, the Mastabat Faraun is neither a true mastaba nor a pyramid. The interior consists of long passageways and a burial chamber containing fragments of a huge sandstone sarcophagus. Ask a guard to admit you.

North Saqqara

Saqqara’s largest edifice is the mountainous Step Pyramid built by Imhotep, chief architect to the Pharaoh Zoser, in about 2650 BC. This was the first monumental tomb and the inspiration for Egypt’s many subsequent architectural wonders. like most pharaonic structures, the Step Pyramid was built as part of a funerary complex. Most experts believe the tomb began as a mastaba and was augmented five separate times, producing the present six-level structure.

Enter the Step Pyramid complex from the eastern side of the limestone enclosure wall. The paneled barrier was designed to resemble the mud-brickwork which graced the fortifications surrounding the cities and palaces of the period. On your way into the complex itself, you pass through a hallway with a stone ceiling that mimics the palm log rafters of earlier wooden structures. Two fixed stone panels, carved to resemble a massive wooden doorway, open onto a 40-pillared colonnade. The walls and roof have been restored as part of a lifetime project of reconstruction undertaken by the French archeologist Jean-Philippe Lauer. The Egyptian pillars, ridged to create the stylized effect of a bundle of papyrus stems, are probably the world’s first stone columns. This imposing corridor culminates in the Hypostyle Hall, a fledgling version of the great hallways found at Karnak and Abydos.

Sights Saqqara consists of five different archeological sites scatted over a large area. The primary destination for most visitors is North Saqqara, site of the funerary compiex and the great Step Pyramid of Zoser I. (Most sites are accessible, but entrance into the pyramid itself requires special permission from the Antiquities Service; ask at the Egyptian Museum in Cairo.) The three pyramids of Abu Sir lie 6km north of North Saqqara, only a few kilometers from the tiny village of Abu Sir. The two pyramids and the funerary complex of South Saqqara are about 4km south of North Saqqara. The historically significant but scanty ruins of the ancient city of Memphis are farther from the necropolis of Saqqara, located next to the Nile just south of the village of Mit-Rahine. The pyramids of Dahshur are at the southern end of the row.

Mahandiseen
Tandoori Restaurant and Take-Away, 11 Shehab St. (tel. 348 6301). Take bus #815 from Tahrir (Nile Hilton station). Anyone longing for a curry and a lager will Get a very early start-it takes time to travel around the sites at Saqqara. The summer afternoon sun can be immobilizing, so be sure to bring plenty of water. Wear a hat, bring your own food, and make sure you’re wearing good shoes. Lighting inside some of the tombs is poor-a flashlight (which you can either bring along or rent for LEI) will enlighten your expedition. A cautionary note for women: ancient stones evidently make cold company, and the caretakers of these monuments can be overly friendly

El-Dahhan Chicken Home, 82 Gohar al-Qa’it St. (tel. 93 92 78), 1 block down Al-Muski St. from Ad-Dahhan. Half a grilled chicken for LEI 1; 0.25kg of kabab, LE10.50; pigeon, I.E9.50. Takeout or sit down. Open daily 9anvmidnight. Egyptian Pancakes, 7 Al-Azhar Sq. (tel. 90 86 23), 1 block from the intersection of Ai-Azhar St, and Gohar al-Qa’it St. Meat or sweet fatir (LE7-9). Open 24 hrs. Khan al-Khalili Restaurant, 22 Hussein Sq, (tel. 92 94 69), a few doors down from Hotel El Hussein. Kabab or kufta (0.25kg LEI 1). Open Sat-Thurs. 1 lam-midnight. El-Dahhan, Hussein Sq. (tel. 93 93 25), 20m from the end of Al-Muskj. This dark, smoky hole-in-the-wall serves fantastic kabab (LEIO.50 for 0.25kg). Usually packed with Egyptian families and local traders. Open lOam-llpm; during Ramadan 10am-3am.

Khan al-khalili

Choffee shop Naguib Mahfouz, 5 AL-Badistante Lanc (tel 903788 or 932262,) 2 blocks west of Al-Hussein Mosque. Expensive but convenient new restaurant in the heart of the Khan. Far from the madding crowds; allegedly a hangout of Nobel laureate and author Naguib Mahfouz. Every night, live music accompanies a Lebanese-style meal; etna (dumplings, LE6.50), shwarma (LE25), kabab or kufta (LE25), tabouli, baba ghanoush, or tahina salads (LE4). Also various exotic fruit drinks (LE3.50-4.50), Minimum charge LE3-50 per person (plus LEU 0 for music). Open daily ll:30am-l :30am, during Ramadan 8am-4am.

El Haty, 8A July 26 St. (tel. 391 8829), in an alleyway to the south of the street. Don’t confuse the cafeteria with Ali Hassan al-Haty opposite, or with the expensive restaurant upstairs. Marble and fern decor, complemented by soothing pastel green chairs. Unimpeacliably hygienic. A meal of tabina, salad, and one of their meat dishes costs LE6-10. Open daily I2:30pm-lam.

Doumyati, on the north side of Falaky Sq. (tel 392 2293), near the pedestrian overpass, about 4 blocks east of Tahrir Sq. One of the most popular (and cheapest) fuul restaurants in Cairo, No menu in English, but it’s real simple: fuul (50pt), fitul with oil (75pt), fiUafel (20pt), fuul sandwich or falafel sandwich (25pt), potato .sandwich (30pt), a’atz (lentil soup, 75pt), salad (30pt), and drinks (35pt). Open Sat.-Thurs. 7am-midnight. Closed on Islamic holidays.

Excelsior, 35 Tala’at Harb .St. (tel. 392 5002), at the corner of TaJa’at Harb St. and Adly St. This bright, airy restaurant features Italo-Egyptian specialties: canneloni (LE 6), lasagna (LE3.25), shwarma (LEIO), and taguen (LEIO). Old-fashioned ice cream bar in the corner. Minimum LE2 per person. Open daily 7am-midnight. Bambo, 39 Tala’at Harb St. (tel. 392 5179), 1 block from the intersection of Adly St. and Tala’at Harb St. Take away and sit-down restaurant spewing Italian food, Egyptian food, and some American food. For LE4-12, enjoy a fairly generous meal of pasta, kufla, shwarma, or hamburgers. “Pizza” is an exaggeration. Open daily Sam-midnight.

AIfy Bey Restaurant, 3 Alfy Bey St. (tel. 77 18 88), 1 block north of July 26 St. The oldest restaurant in Egypt (est. 1936) serves up traditional fare: kabab (LE7.80)escalope (breaded meat, a favorite among locals, LEI3). and a sinful stuffed pigeon (LE8). Open daily noon-lam.

All Hassan al-Hatf, 3 Halim St. (tel. 91 60 55), on the comer between Alfy St. and July 26 St., 1 block south of the Windsor Hotel. Vaulted ceilings, crystal chandeliers, soaring mirrors, and forlorn waiters. Flavorful kabab (LE15) and fish (LEI 1).The fattabs (mixtures of meat, rice, bread, and garlic, LE1-3.5O) also do nicely.Open daily noon-1 lpm.

New Hotel Restaurant, 21 Adly St. (tel. 392 7176), ground floor of the New Hotel. If the menu doesn’t have your belly wobbling, the food will. More comic than gastronomic. Simple starters (LE2.50-7), followed by pigenon (LE11) or fright fish (LE14) make a full meal. Big spenders and Monty Python fans will love the Chateau Brian (LE25 for two). Finish up with one of their tasty sweats (LE1-3). Open 7am-10pm.

Zeina, 32 Tala’at Harb St. (tel. 574 5758). A midtown bakery and eatery with meals for LE4-10. Outgoing waiter can make his bowtie jump up and down. Shwarma (LEI.35), large selection of fruit juices (LE1.35pt), cold drinks, and pastries. Try the konafa (LEI) or some bessboussa (90pt). Open daily 7am-midnight. New Kursaal, 5 Imad ad-Din St. (tel. 91 84 11), at the intersection with Aify Bey St. Professional service and good food. The adventurer can explore the various taguen (a mix of potatoes, carrots, onions, and various meats backed in a clay pot) or kobeba (ko-BAY-ba. beef with crushed wheat in it). Meals cost from LE3 to LEIO. Drinks (LE2), alcoholic beverages (LE5-7.50), and desserts (LE1-2). Open daily 7am-midnight.

Fatitry Pizza at-Tahrir, 165 Tahrir St. (tel. 355 3596), 2 blocks east of Tahrir Sq. A small scrumptious fatir (with various meats or egg) or a sumptuous pizza fatir topped with meat or seafood, cheese, sauce, and olives makes a filling meal (all fatirs LE5-7). Obscenely sweet dessert, with apple jam and powdered sugar, is worth the sin. Open 24 hrs.

El Tahrir, 169 Tahrir St. (tel. 355 8418), 3 blocks east of Tahrir Sq. Clean and crowded with Egyptians, featuring tasty kusbari and mahellabiya (milk and rice pudding). Sit down and they’ll briny you a huge bowl for LEI.50. Beware: that’s hot sauce in the wine bottles. The off-white liquid is a lemon concoction. Open daily 6:30am-l lpm.

Felfela, 15 Hoda Sharawy St. (tel. 392 2751 or 392 2833), off Tala’at Harb St., 1 block south of Tala’at Harb Sq. Perhaps slightly overpriced, but the fare is consistently excellent, making this spot a favorite among Egyptians and tourists alike. Busting out all over with bamboo, aquariums, and mosaics. Try their spiced fuul (LEI.50-3.75) and falafel dishes (LE1-2). A full meal can range from wara’ainah (stuffed grape leaves, LE8.50) to various meat kababs (IE9.75-12.65). Also delicious is om ali, a pastry baked with milk, honey, and raisins (LE2). Another entrance on Tala’at Harb St. allows access to a self-service take-out counter with cold drinks and a wide selection of Egyptian sandwiches for 40-80pt. Open daily 7am-l 2:30am.

Food

If you’re not a stickler for taste and sanitation, you’ll need but 25pt to fill your stomach in Cairo on fuul and falafel (ta’amiya). Pizza-sryle/aftr, with vegetables and meats piled on top and stuffed inside, is far tastier than the imitations of Italian pizza in town and, at LF.5-10, usually much cheaper. Kushari, a mixture of rice, noodles, and toppings, will set you back about LEI.50. Even at more expensive restaurants, you can create a handsome meal out of fyummus, tahina, baba ghanoush, and salad for under LE5.

To track down these delicacies, just look in shop windows: pUes of rice and macaroni betray a kushan house; falafel,/«w/, and other treats pose seductively for the famished tourist on counters and street stands. Wash it all down with exhilarating fruit juices, on offer anywhere you see bags of fruit hanging around a storefront. Orange juice costs about LEI; more exotic fruits retail at LE1.25 or so. At gastrocenters that do not have waiters, pay first and then exchange your receipt for Ibod. There is a 5% tax on everything and a 10-12% service charge in sit-down restaurants, always included in the bill.

Nile Zamalek Hotel, 21 Ma’ahad as-Swissry St. (tel. 340 1846, international 340 0220), next to the intersection of Ma’ahad as-Swissry Street and Muhammad Muzar Street. Quiet and secluded. Rooms boast thin carpets and worn furnishings, but a plethora of electronic marvels: TV, fridge, telephone, and A/C; many also have extremely nice bathrooms and a balcony overlooking the Nile. Coffee shop, bar, and restaurant. Singles with bath LE45. Doubles with bath LE55. Breakfast not included.

The Mayfair Hotel, 9 Aziz Osman St. (tel. 340 7315), on the corner of Ibn Zinky St. 2 blocks south of July 26 St. Relief from the frenzy of Tala’at Harb. Tidy rooms, with excellent lime-green linen. Ask for one of the new rooms upstairs. Singles LE16, with A/C and bath LE2T Doubles with A/C and bath LE39. LE2 discount for Let’s Go users.

Hotel Viennoise, Tl Mahmoud Bassiouny St. (tel. 575 1949), at Champollion St. Vast winding corridors, minimal space economy, a disused bar and a run-down atmosphere. But the rooms, with manual crank fans, are spacious, cheap, and nearly clean. Singles LE13.5O. Doubles LE18.50, with bath LE20. Gresham Hotel, 20 Tala’at Harb St. (tel. 75 90 43), enter through the alley. The hallways are dusty, the fungus green carpet is molded to the floor tiles, but the rooms are clean and, well, roomy. Singles LE25. Doubles LE40, with bath LE45. No hot water in rooms.

Hotel des Roses, 33 Tala’at Harb St. (tel. 393 8022), 2 blocks north of Tala’at Harb Sq. Small, grimy hotel with reasonably clean rooms, Make sure you actually get some bed linen. Doubles LE23, with bath LE31. Fans LE3. Prices negotiable. Hotel Beau Site, 27 Tala’at Harb St. (tel 392 9916 or 392 9877), 2 blocks north of Tala’at Harb Sq. Watch your step in the doorless elevator. If the outer door won’t close, pull back the plastic toggle at the top. In one corner of the lobby stands a table of books-a “library.”

The rooms are clean, but the dining hall is a bit shabby and the bathrooms could be cleaner. Singles LEI 5. Doubles LE23-Anglo-Swiss Hotel, 14 Champollion St., 7th flr. (tel. 75 14 97), 2 blocks west of Tala’at Harb Sq. Quiet, secluded, and clean; this is the place to calm your shattered nerves after a day of sight-seeing. Cool stone floors and conservative decor do in fact create a European ambiance. Bathrooms are clean. Manager swears that all modern conveniences will be installed by the date of publication. Singles LE22. Doubles LE35. 10am checkout.

New Hotel, 21 Adly St. (tel. 392 7176 or 392 7033, fax 392 9555), 1 block from Tala’at Harb St. Though the halls are punctuated by inexplicable construction sites, the bathrooms and the rooms are large and very clean. Singles LE32, with bath LE38. Doubles LE51, with bath LE55.

Lotus Hotel, 12 Tala’at Harb St. (tel. 75 06 27 or 75 09 66, fax 92 16 21), 1 block from Tahrir Sq. Professional service, large rooms, hardwood floors, big beds, and clean bathrooms greet the frazzled sojourner. Restaurant, bar, and, coming soon, a solarium. But you pay for comfort: the prices, though negotiable, are due to rise. Singles LE40, with shower and A/C LE50. Doubles LE52, with shower and A/C LE65. Hot water 6-9am and 6-9pm. Major credit cards accepted. Montana Hotel, 25 Sharif St., 7th flr. (tel. 392 8608 or 392 6264, international 393 6025), 2 blocks south of Adly St. Attentive and organized employees keep spotless halls and clean bathrooms, but dim and dingy rooms, despite fans and natty internal phones. Singles IE27, with bath LE37. Doubles LE45, with bath and A/C LE53. Montana?

Crown Hotel, 9 Imad ad-Din St. (tel. 91 83 74). An alpine mural, glistening with glaciers, taunts guests in the lobby. Dorm-sized rooms are clean and monastic. Singles LEIO. Doubles LE20. LE2 discount for Let’s Go users. Breakfast not included. Amin Hotel, 38 Falaky Sq. (tel. 393 3813), next to the fork of Bustan St. and Tahrir St, Located in bustling Bab al-Louq Sq. The halls are dank and the bathrooms old, but the rooms are surprisingly decent. Singles LE20. Doubles LE26, with bath LE28. Breakfast not included.

Hotel Nefertiti, 39 Tala’at Harb St. (tel. 392 5153), just above Bambo Restaurant; enter through the alleyway to the left. Clean and cheap. Hot water available by request. The front desk is often unattended, so keep valuables locked up. Doubles with shower LE15. Triples with shower LE21. Breakfast not included. Pension Select Hotel, 19 Adly St.. 8th fir. (tel. 393 3707), next door to the synagogue. Clean and quiet. Acceptable rooms with balconies. 3 people of the same gender per room (not a problem if you don’t mind living with strangers). Dorm beds LEIO.

Tulip Hotel, 3 Tala’at Harb Sq. (tel. 393 9433). A clean, cheap hotel beckoning with mint-green walis and lounge with TV. Several rooms have balconies overlooking Tala’at Harb Sq. Singles with shower and phone LE25. Doubles LE30, with shower LE37. Check-out 10am.

Hotel Petit Palais, 45 Abd al-Khalek Sarwat St. (tel. 391 1863), half a block west of Opera Sq. Run by the same people as the Ismailia; offers the same facilities but a less frenetic pace. The shared bathrooms ooze hygiene. Spacious singles LE20. Doubles LE30.

Ismailia House Hotel, 1 Tahrir Sq. (tel 356 3122), on the east side of Tahrir Sq. across from AUC. Simple and neat rooms illuminated by green neon lights. Spotless blue-tiled bathrooms. Many students stay here and appear to be having a good time. Dorm beds LE15. Singles LE20. Doubles LE40, with bath LE45.

Pensione Roma, 169 Muhammad Farid St. (tel. 391 1088 or 391 1340), 1 block south of July 26 St. and 2 blocks east of Tala’at Harb St., above the “Gattegno” department store. Clean, airy, tastefully decorated rooms. Decent bathrooms, but the dining room and the salons are truly grand. Singles LE18. Doubles LE33, with bath, LE37. This place is no secret; call ahead.

Windsor Hotel, 19 Alfy Bey St. (tel. 91 58 10 or 91 52 77, fax 92 16 21), behind Cinema Diana. Beautiful and very clean, with an atmosphere of faded grandeur. The Barrel Bar, so named because all the furniture is made from retired barrels, was once the British Officers’ Club, and remains the hoppingest joint of the Anglo-American expatriate scene. Ask to see the Michael Palin package. Excellent service. Singles with complete bath, A/C LE71. Doubles with complete bath, A/C LE94. A 25% discount for Let’s Go users makes it just about affordable.

Fontana Hotel (tel. 92 21 45 or 92 23 21), Ramses Sq. on your left as you leave Ramses station. Amenities of a first-class hotel: private baths, international phones, A/C, color TV, psychedelic Arabian disco, and a gift-shop in the lobby. There is also a restaurant, a small but beautiful pool, and a loveiy, expensive coffee shop on the roof. Singles with bath LE47. Doubles with bath LE64. An all-you-can-eat buffet breakfast costs LE10 per person.

Accommodations -Youth Hostel (HI), 135 Malaak Abd al-Aziz as-Saud St., Roda Island (tel. 84 07 29, fax 98 41 07). Take metro to Sayyida Zeinab. Exit to the right, and walk straight to the Nile. Cross the Sayala Bridge, and continue straight across Roda island to the main channel of the Nile. Turn left just before the bridge; the hostel is on the left after 10m. Bunk beds are crammed into spartan but clean rooms. Crowded from November to May; call ahead. Lockers in every room; padlocks available around the corner for LE2. Bring toilet paper and HI card. Lockout 10am-2pm. 1 lpm curfew. LE6.60, nonmembers LE7.60. Breakfast LEI .50.

Accommodations

You can find any of Cairo’s many luxury hotels by looking for the nearest 30-story ink tower; finding a decent budget hotel is more of a challenge. You can stay in easonable comfort for as little as LE10 per night, but you will have to do some com-narison shopping. Most of Cairo’s budget hotels occupy the upper floors of stores and office buildings in the downtown area along Tala’at Harb St. between Tahrir Sq and July 26 St. The quality varies with little relationship to price: try bargaining, olead poverty, but don’t hold out too long; the best beds fill quickly in summer.

Don’t shy away from hotels perched on upper floors. Cairo’s streets are noisy throughout much of the night and the increased altitude will aid sleep-but make sure the elevator works before committing. Rooms overlooking interior courts are even quieter, if less aesthetic. The breeze at this height and the fall in temperature at night make air-conditioning unnecessary, even when the days are sweat-sizzling. Many places rent fans cheaply and serve tea, coffee, and soft drinks in their lobbies. Unless otherwise specified, breakfast and round-the-clock hot water is included in the price. The checkout time is noon.

Practical Information

The most comprehensive compendium of useful information on Cairo is Cairo: A Practical Guide, which includes a set of city maps (published by American University in Cairo Press, available at most bookstores for 1X25). The most reliable telephone directory for goods and services is the Cairo Telephone list, published by the Ma’adi Women’s Guild and available for LE15 at the American Chamber of Commerce, Marriott Hotel, Zamalek (tel. 340 8888, suite 1541).

Tourist Office: Main Office, 5 Adly St. (tel. 391 3454). About a 2()-niin. walk from Tahrir Sq.: follow Tala’at Harb St. past Tala’at Harb Sq. and turn right on Adly St. The office is 3 blocks down on the left, marked “Tourist Police.” Free map. While the staff is short on actual facts, they can usually steer you in more or less the right direction for more information, and will readily write out questions in Arabic (useful for buying train tickets). Open Sat.-Thurs. 9am-2pm. Other offices at the New Cairo International Airport (tel. 245 4400) and Giza at the Pyramids (tel. 385 0259).

Tourist Police: Tel. 126 or 390 6027 or 75 35 55.

Intercity Transportation - Service Taxis

These are best for short trips. Catch them to Alexandria and the Suez Canal next to the Egyptian State Railway Building in Ramses Sq.; south to Fayyum and Minya in Giza Sq. by the train station; to the Delta and Port Said in Ahmed Hilmi Sq. You’ll have to hunt for taxis to the Sinai. Fares should be only slightly more than the price of the relevant bus, and you’ll get there faster. Be prepared, however, to ride with an assortment of fruits, vegetables, and farm animals.

Intercity Transportation - Train

Ticket windows at Ramses Station are open 8am-10pm. If you have time, first go to the tourist office on Adly St. and have them write out the desired destination and other details in Arabic to avoid confusion. Which line you stand in depends upon whether you are reserving a seat in advance or trying to buy a ticket for the same day (often impossible). Women (and men traveling with women) can take advantage of the special women’s line that may form at crowded times, which is much shorter and faster than the corresponding men’s line. In addition, women are permitted (possibly expected) to push to the front of the fine, head held high. If you give up one day and come back the next, don’t assume that you want the same ticket window. If you are willing to travel third class (solo women shouldn’t), you can buy tickets from the conductor on the train. Students can get 50% discounts on fares-show an ISIC or student ID.

The trains enter their berths at least a half-hour before departure time. None of the train numbers or destinations are in English, but fellow travelers and the tourist police will lend a hand. Nonetheless, be prepared for yet another infusion of confusion. For information at Ramses Station, call 75 35 55. An information desk is directly ahead as you enter the station and the grudgingly helpful tourist information is on your left. For more information on trains, see Transportation in the Egypt Introduction and under specific destinations.

In between lines, take a moment to admire the towering Statue of Ramses II in front of the train station. The statue was excavated in 1888 near the remains of the ancient city of Memphis.

Intercity Transportation

BusesUnfortunately, Cairo has no single bus depot, which means you’ll have to search for the various points of departure. All reservations must be made in person.

Tahrir Square: These buses actually leave from a station behind the Egyptian Museum, under the October 6 Bridge just east of the Ramses Hilton. Reserve seats for Alexandria (LEI5) and Marsa Matrouh (I.E30) 24 hrs. in advance. (Prices include A/C and TV.) Buses also leave this station for destinations in the Sinai. See Alexandria and Marsa Matrouh for details.

Ahmed Hilmi Square (ma-HAA-tat Ahmed Hilmi): Behind Ramses Station; cross below the tracks via the pedestrian underpass behind the ticket windows and exit through the back entrance. The station is to the right of the service taxi lot. The Wagh Ibli Company (tel. 574 6658) serves Upper Egypt, with frequent buses to Fayyum (6am-6pm, LE2.50), and 2-4 buses per day to Minya (LE10), Mallawi (LE9), Assyut(LE15). Qena (LE17), Luxor (LE25), and Aswan (LE34). Same company also runs to Hurghada (LE21). All prices include A/C and TV.

Transportation within Cairo - Walking

One positive aspect of Cairo’s absurdly packed layout is that almost everything in the city is within easy walking distance of Tahrir Sq. Though it may take more time, you can see all the sights of Islamic Cairo, the downtown areas, and Roda and Zamalek Islands without once using mechanized transport (an attractive proposition con- . sidering Cairo traffic and driving habits). Many argue that walking is the only way to see the city; on foot, you will indubitably catch many fascinating glimpses of Cairo life which would go unseen from a bus or car. You will also get your shoes mucked up; many city streets are strewn with garbage and random piles of sawdust.

Traffic is almost always abundant: the only times the streets are empty are during Ramadan and important football (i.e., soccer) matches. After a Cairo team has won a football match, venture out onto the streets at your peril. (Thousands of jubilant Cairenes screech recklessly around the city, brandishing lance-like flags, honking their horns, and flattening unwary pedestrians.) Friday, the Islamic day of prayer, is the least crowded day of the week. Cars reign in Cairo; drivers expect pedestrians to look after themselves. Since pedestrians must often take to the streets, it is wise to iace oncoming traffic and heed the horns of oncoming cars. A long, uninterrupted honk usually indicates that the driver is either unwilling or unable to swerve. Do not be alarmed if you are lightly pushed or tugged by Egyptians attempting to stay alive. Ignore traffic lights; everyone else does, Cairenes warn against being too careful when you cross a street because if you stop short or break into a run you’ll upset the rhythm of the drivers speeding towards you, and they just might hit you. Biking is not a viable option in Cairo for those who wish to live.

Transportation within Cairo - Taxi

Never take the large, unmetered, colorful Peugeot taxis within the city-they charge LE2-3 for a ride around the corner, and the only advantage is their luggage rack. Instead, lavish your attention lovingly on the metered black-and-white taxis that often cam’ passengers collectively.

To hail a taxi, pick a major thoroughfare headed in the general direction you wish to travel, stand on the side of the street, stretch out your arm as a taxi approaches, and scream out your destination as it goes by. If the drivers are interested in your business, they’ll stop and wait for you to run over to their cars. Jump in, and repeat your destination. Don’t be alarmed if the taxi seems to be going in the wrong direction; drivers sometimes take circuitous routes to avoid traffic-clogged main arteries, to deposit other passengers, or simply to drive by and say salaam to a friend. (Who’s in a hurry?)

Transportation within Cairo - Metro

The Cairo Metro system, completed in 1987, is a world apart from the rest of Cairo oublic transport. Cool, clean, and efficient, the trains run along a single route linking the southern industrial district of Helwan to the workers’ homes north of the city, with a number of stops downtown. Downtown stations feature excellent cartoons and Egyptian ads on little TV screens. Trains run every few minutes 6am-lam (35-75pt).

Keep track of your ticket; you’ll need it to exit. The downtown stations (look for the enormous red “M” signs) are Mubarak (Ramses Sq.), Orabi (Orabi St. and Ramses St.), Nasser (July 26 St. and Ramses St.), Sadat (Tahrir Sq.), Sa’ad Zaghloul (Mansur St. and Ismail Abaza St.), Sayyida Zeinab (Mansur St. and Ali Ibrahim St.), Al-Malik as-Saleh (Salah Salem Road), and Mar Girgis (Old Cairo). Trains are often packed and sweaty during rush hour; try to avoid Metro travel before 9am and between 5-7pm.

Transportation within Cairo - MiniBus

Red-and-white minibuses operate along many of the same routes served by the
larger, older buses. These vehicles should not be confused with the older, multi-colored taxi-vans that are privately operated. Although more expensive than the regular buses (25-75pt-prohibitively expensive to most Cairenes), the minibuses are far more comfortable. Finding the right bus will inevitably be confusing, but most Egyptians should be glad to help. The following are important minibus routes: from the Mugama Station

#24: Abbassiya Sq., Roxy.
#27: Masr al-Gadida, Airport.
#30: Nasr City. Abbassiya Sq., Ramses Sq.
#35: Abbassiya Sq., Ismailiya Sq. (Masr al-Gadida), Ramses Sq., Nasr City, Roxy.
#39, 32: Hada’iq a)-Quba, Al-Maza, Midan al-Hagaz (Heliopolis).
#49: Tahrir Sq., Zamalek.
#50: AtabaSq., Citadel.
#52, 56: Ma’adi, Old Cairo.
#54: Tahrir Sq., Rifi’a Mosque, Ibn Tulun Mosque, Citadel, Southern Cemetery.
#55: Ma’adi via Dar as-Salaam.
#58: Ramses Sq., Manial (no stop at Tahrir Sq.).
#59: Ramses Sq., Tahrir Sq.
#82: Giza, Al-Gama’ah, Kasr al-Aini, Faisal Rd.
*n3- Dokki, Giza, Midan at-Ta’awon (Al-Ahram St., Pyramids Rd.).

from the Arab League Building «26: Roxy, Tahrir Sq. (face the museum to catch the bus), Dokki, Giza (face
jvfugama).
#54: Citadel, Cemetery, Bab al-Louq, Sayyida Zeinab. #76: Ataba Sq., Zamalek (face the museum), Tahrir Sq., Bulaq ad-Dakrour (face Mugama).
#77: Bulaq ad-Dakrour (face Mugama), Khan al-Khalili (face the Egyptian Museum). #84: Ataba Sq-, Tahrir Sq., Dokki, Giza.

Transportation within Cairo - Bus

The red-and-white and blue-and-white public buses in Cairo run often and everywhere, and they’re the cheapest available means of transportation. But you get what you pay for-buses have a high breakdown potential and are shabby, stilling, and uncomfortable. Numbers and destinations are usually written in Arabic, so you’ll need to familiarize yourself with the characters (see appendix). Most buses run 5:3Oam-l 2:30am, and during Ramadan from about 6:30am-2am with a break from about 6:3O7:3Opm. Two of Cairo’s central bus depots are located in Tahrir Square.

The station directly in front of the Mugama serves Giza, points south, and southern portions of Islamic Cairo; the one in front of the Nile Hilton serves points north and the rest of Islamic Cairo. Several buses depart from a stop in front of the old Arab League Building, to the west of Mugama along Tahrir St., adjacent to the bridge over the Nile. Once you reach the right station, ask someone to point out the correct bus. Rides cost lOpt, 15pt, or 25pt without rhyme or reason: Egyptians apparently disdain outmoded conventions like correlating the price to the distance traveled.

Downtown Cairo

The New City, now the transportation and commercial hub of Cairo, was conceived in the 19th century. Under the auspices of the benevolent British and French colonialists, the khedives then ruling planned the city around a system of midan?, (squares) from which radiate straight avenues; these are named for national heroes and revolutionary activists. Buses leave from two stations on the northern and southern sides of Tahrir Square to every metropolitan destination. At the north end of Tahrir facing the square is the sandstone Egyptian Museum; adjacent to it on the west side is the blue-and-white Nile Hilton, useful as an air-conditioned mailbox. At the southern end of the square is the concave Mugama Building, the headquarters of Egyptian bureaucracy, where you need to register your passport within seven days of arrival (for more details, see Practical Information below).

The American University in Cairo (AUC), directly to the east of the Mugama Building across Kasr al-Aini St., has gardens filled with English-speaking Egyptians and Arabic-speaking Americans, plus an excellent bookstore offering a variety of guidebooks and maps. Taia’at Harb Street runs from the northeast side of Tahrir through Taia’at Harb Sq. Ramses Square to the north and Ataba Square to the east (both major transportation hubs) form a rough triangle with Taia’at Harb enclosing the main business and shopping district, which is crammed with travel agents, banks, restaurants, juice stands, clothing stores, language schools, and budget hotels. Opera Square, on the east side of the triangle near Ataba Sq., was the site of two great imperialist monuments, now destroyed: the Opera House and the old Shepherd’s Hotel. Only the Azbekiya Gardens, encircled by bookstalls, remain.

Orientation - Metropolitan Cairo

Metropolitan Cairo consists of two distinct administrative governates: Cairo, on the eastern bank of the Nile, and Grza, on the western bank. Tahrir Square (Midan at-Tahrir, Liberation Square) is the center of the Downtown Cairo area. Among the streets that radiate out from this center, the three most important are Kasr al-Aini Street, Ramses Street, and Taia’at Harb Street. Kasr al-Aini St. runs south from Tahrir Sq. and ends at Old Cairo. Squalid and ungainly, Old Cairo is the most impoverished area of the city. It is known also as Coptic Cairo as it is the historical and spiritual center of the Copts (Egyptian Eastern Orthodox Christians). Sandwiched between Kasr al-Aini St. and the Nile is the serene Garden City residential area.

Foreign embassies and banks cluster in this neighborhood, where you will also see many of the city’s best-preserved 19th-century colonial mansions. The American University and various government buildings (Parliament, Ministry of Social Affairs, and Ministry of the Interior, among others) line the opposite side of Kasr al-Aini St. Running all the way to the airport, Ramses St. heads northeast away from the Nile. It passes through Ramses Square, next to which is the Cairo train station, also called (bingo!) Ramses Station. Further out on Ramses St. is Heliopolis, the fashionable suburb where you will find colonial architectural extravagances that include the residence of President Mubarak.

History

The strategic significance of the sandy plateau just below the Nile Delta did not elude the Pharaohs of the Old Kingdom. In the vicinity of contemporary Cairo on the western bank, the ancient capital of Memphis flourished as one of the world’s earliest urban settlements. On the eastern bank, Pharaonic remains suggest the presence of similarly important cities-Heliopolis and Khery-Aha, later known as Babylon. These cities, along with the funerary complexes at Saqqara and Giza, were located at the juncture of the newly joined upper and lower lands, at the throat of the new body politic. With this joining of the kingdoms, Memphis became the logical locus of the capital and reached its zenith in the 30th century BC. Even though the royal capital eventually moved to Thebes and elsewhere, Memphis and Heliopolis remained important political and religious centers until the Ptolemaic period, when Heliopolis faded along with its sun cult. Memphis’ eminence endured until the beginning of the Christian era, when massive population shifts left the western bank only Giza with its small settlement and the eastern bank Babylon, an economic base for the Romans, protected by its Byzantine fort.

The early decades of the seventh century AD found Egypt, and the Nile Delta region especially, in the throes of power struggles between the Persian and Byzantine empires. Both Memphis and Alexandria changed hands continuously; the warring near Babylon drove many urban dwellers to the villages, leaving the city bereft and deserted at the time of the Arab conquest in 641. General Amr Ibn al-As, head of the invading Arab forces, came to Egypt with specific instructions from the Caliph Omar to center the new state at Babylon, not Alexandria. The former had the appeal of its strategically superior location, and the latter the desert people distrusted because of its Mediterranean culture. Amr instead founded the outpost of Fustat (the Latin and Byzantine roots of which mean “entrenchment"), the seed of modern Cairo, on part of the plain due east of the ruins of Babylon.

Cairo

For Ibn Battuta, a I4thentury traveler, Cairo was the “mother of cities"; to the newly arrived visitor, it appears to be the mother of all cons. On the ride from the airport to the city, your bus will probably be the most ancient artifact you see. The view from your 7fh-floor hotel room, overlooking a dysfunctional elevator shaft, will not inspire a Kodak moment. Downtown, the shop windows resplendent with Barbie dolls and hot pink poly-vinyl plimsoles will detonate any ecstatic Battutan visions you still harbor. And when the umpteenth perfume salesman with a brother in Tallahassee, Alice Springs, Burbank, or any other Western city you care to mention just happens to pass a souvenir shop while showing you the way to the bank; when die quadrillionth horn-happy Cairene driver ruptures your eardrums while attempting to relieve you of a few limbs, you might ask yourself why you ever came to Cairo.

The answer is simple. A jaunt on the streets of Cairo (in Arabic Al-Qahira, or The Victorious) is an exploration of a vast archeological site where the remnants of different eras overlap in creative disorder: grand 19th-century colonial buildings encircle ancient statues of Ramses, pulsing neon stretches across ornate arabesques. The Pyramids will stun you with their vast magnificence; Tutankhamon’s funerary treasures knock spots off the British Crown Jewels; the minarets and mihrabs of Islamic Cairo mesmerize with their intricate splendor. But Cairo’s not just an ugly metropolis to be tolerated for its glorious past. Its real attraction lies in its current vitality. The largest city in Africa, with a population of over 15 million, Cairo lives for itself, for its inhabitants, and for modern Egypt, with all its contradictions, foibles, and charms and not for the tourist. It’s all included in the package: muezzins, Hondas, galabiyas, credit cards, poverty, grime, crowds, wonton soup, din, heat, fresh mangos, and the Sphinx. Cairo will frustrate, bewilder, and bewitch you-but never bore you. After a few days in this sprawling, exotic, surprising city, you will realize that Cairo preserves all the allure that so delighted Ibn Battuta six centuries ago.