CAIRO MOMMY: July 2014

Oh my! How time is flying. July is nearly over and I haven't written anything this month. I have several posts in "DRAFT" form, but I'm having trouble finding the time to sit down and get the job done. I resolve tonight to provide at least one more update. This one is a quickie, so here it goes.

Although he's already trying to forget it, my husband recently had another birthday and we set out to celebrate in style by visiting one of Cairo's most popular tourist attractions: the Al-Tannoura Egyptian Heritage Dance Troupe. Located at the Wekalet El Ghouri Center in Islamic Cairo across the street from the Khan el-Khalili Bazaar, this is supposed to be a wildly entertaining show of live musicians and Sufi dancers (akin to the famous Whirling Dervishes). They perform late in the evening on Mondays, Wednesdays and Saturdays. We called in advance to make sure we got the time/date right, so you can imagine how bummed we were to show up with our kids in tow and the show had been canceled. The terrorists got the best of us again! I'm not kidding. Because terrorists had just recently carried out a successful attack in southwest Egypt that resulted in the deaths of approximately 21 Egyptian soldiers, Egypt's President Sisi called for 3 days of mourning. That edict meant that things like the Dance Troupe were shut down for a few days - during my husband's birthday. We were disappointed to miss the show, but under the circumstances, we completely sympathize with the difficult challenges Egypt is facing and mourn with those whose lives are affected by these tragedies.

Not wanting to write off the entire evening as a loss, my husband talked me into crossing the street to wander through the Khan el-Khalili Bazaar to salvage some of his birthday party. This souq is hundreds and hundreds of years old and is full of rich history, old and new. Anciently, it has been an international market that still serves that purpose today. In the past decade, it has been the target of two deadly terrorist attacks. Nearby are several other major sites significant to Islamic culture and history, like the Al-Hussein Mosque. We visited in the evening during Ramadan, so it was bustling and bursting with energy and near chaos. I was most smitten by the multi-colored, exquisite lanterns (Ramadan Fanous). The vendors are as aggressive as I have ever seen - and that is half of the experience! My husband said we shouldn't be intimidated by the pushiness. In fact, he said I should expect it and even embrace it! He was right - and I was impressed by his bargaining skills. I even took a shot at it and talked a vendor down to an acceptable price on a gift I've been eying for my mom.

Honestly, lots of the stuff inside the Khan is junk - probably imported from China. But there are many little treasures to discover that are quintessential Cairo! Shopping for a good deal is probably the #1 reason for going, but the architecture and history are phenomenal, too. Next time we go we'll either do our homework beforehand or hire a local guide for a very modest fee. That way we'll be able to take away much more from the experience than just a brass trinket. And just one practical observation: there are public toilets . . . but they're nasty! See the picture below for an idea why my 3-year old asked me what it means to squat!