Confusing the locals, Cairo chaos and toilet touts

The reason for this photo is two-fold, firstly to update my father-in-law Frank as to the current state of my beard as we are in something of a competition; and secondly, to ask anyone who reads this blog if I look like the latest convert to Islam? Ever since arriving in Egypt my beard has been attracting stares from the locals, some have told me I look Egyptian and a shopkeeper asked me if I was Islamic? I should also say that in Morocco, the locals called me "Ali Baba", I thought this was my unique and cool name until I discovered that they seem to call any foreigner with sufficent facial hair by the same moniker. (I think though that I will have a shave before flying into the US, I have this irrational fear of arrest and deportation by US Homeland Security to Guantanamo Bay and questions like:"What exactly were you doing in Morocco and Egypt Mr. Schlesinger or should we call your "Abdul?"")

Jokes aside (though I do intend to cut or at least trim my beard for wedding purposes) its made for some interesting conversations over the last few days.

So today we spent a good few hours visiting the Egyptian museum famous for its ancient artefacts and mummies. The best part was undoubtedly the Royal mummy room with about twenty mummies on display most with their bandages removed. Very ghoulish, especially when you see the manicured nails and teeth sticking out. A little sign mentioned that when the mummies were first brough to Cairo in about 1923, the importers had no category for them so registered them as "salted fish" which I thought was probably as close a category as any when you think about it. The overall artistry and beauty of jewellery, sarcophogi, sculptures and statues was astounding.

And the toilet tout? We are growing used to people trying to get us into their stores, restaurants, up onto camels, horses etc, but today we experienced our first toilet tout in the museum who insisted that "Yes indeed, I really do need the toilet" when I noticed the sign for the WC. Even though it said clearly "Please no tips" on a sign outside, he suggested I pay him 5 Egyptian pounds (about one Aussie dollar) for the use of his dirty loo. I gave him a pound fifty.


We have not seen a great deal of Cairo yet (the first two days we were out of action recovering from colds picked up in Morocco) and don't think we will get to experience more than a taste of this chaotic, groaning beast of a place. We both realise we should have set aside more than a week in Egypt, not just for Cairo but for places like Alexandria and Luxor. Ah well, we shall see as much as we can.



Tomorrow, the pyramids await!