Sandy Supposes....

Cairo, Egypt Camel Jockey??

Day 15 Cairo, Egypt

         

         

         

         

         Once again I am amazed by the accommodations Lyn's a Witchy Woman has arranged for us. All I can repeat is wow. The Heliopolis Towers Hotel is luxurious and grand with its sunlit grand atrium , its lush gardens, its enormous palm trees, not one but two pools and eighteen restaurants. Virtual travel has its perks.

         So, today we embarked upon an eight-hour tour in the desert. The brilliant blue sky, the unrelenting heat, and the swirling sand made an indelible impression. People actually toiled here thousands of years ago to build pyramids. Did they contend with this blistering sun and the relentless sand?

         Of course, I've seen photos of pyramids, but nothing compares to standing next to one and craning your neck to take in its size. They appear to be so solid, so immoveable. We tramped around three today known as the Pyramids of Giza, the Great Pyramid Khufu, the Pyramid of Khafre and the Pyramid of Menkaure. Its no surprise they are considered one of the original seven wonders of the world. Monuments or tombs they are testimony to the determination of man. Look at what I can erect with envy and awe.

          The Great Sphinx is also impressive set against the desert backdrop. Is it a silent sentinel? It does not compare to the stone or plaster statuary some home owners display at their properties in suburbia. This behemoth required skill and muscle to raise, not a generic mold.

         When in Egypt why not attempt to ride atop a camel, a desert ship. Would it be similar to bouncing around on a horse, a very tall horse? First a handler cajoled my hairy, knobby-kneed, long-lashed conveyance to kneel. I witnessed reluctance, attitude, and bawking... from both of us. Could this clumsy-looking beast carry me? We eyeballed each other before I rose into the air grasping at a worn pommel. I liked the superior vantage point. The camel's gait could best be described as sedate, a casual saunter. I swayed atop its back, but I had no delusions I steered or coerced its progress in any way. I giggled imagining playing polo from this height.

         What do you call a camel with no hump? HUMPHREY.

         I bid 'my' placid camel and its equally solemn handler "salam alekum", Arabic for both hello and goodbye.

         I loved the Khan el Khalili bazaar. It hummed, bustled, and throbbed with chatter, shouts, and laughter. It vibrated and shimmered with a rainbow of colours. Metals glistened and gleamed. Lyn's a Witchy Woman Apondia WakeUpAndLive~doingNaNo'24 💙 Carly-wrimo 2024 Prosperous Snow celebrating BlueMoon and I opted to sit and people watch while we submitted to the application of henna tattoos. There's nothing like smuggling Egyptian art openly on your hands.

         We sat and caught our breath at a coffeehouse where we admired the roaming cats.

         I could not resist the gorgeous swaths of jewel-toned fabrics and I impulsively purchased several yards for my intrepid daughter. I can't wait to see what she'll fashion from them.

          Back at the hotel, we resorted to a good old-fashioned coin toss to choose a restaurant. Japanese cuisine won. Everything tastes wonderful after a full day of exploration.