The experiences that travel can bring

I am not a museum person. Specifically I am not an ancient history museum person. They are always cold and dark and once inside I always think it seems like such a bad way to spend the day. And let's face it, I go because some guide book says I should see things from the past that I have no real interest in, but I'm in (insert name of city) and it seems like such a shame to miss it....etc. So I always go. I happen to love art museums - if they are a little more modern. I will never turn down a trip to the Musee Dorsay in Paris, but then I have an actual interest in impressionist and post impressionist art. The Louvre? Not so much. Once you've seen the Mona Lisa ...

But I digress. The point is that we were in Cairo, and the big must see thing in the guide book is the Egyptian museum, so on Wednesday we went to the museum. Bharat was excited about it, I was doing my tourist duty and going. Okay, so then I must admit that the King Tut room was worth seeing if just to be amazed at how much stuff the Egyptians piled into one tomb. It took up the better part of a floor in the museum! And I got to see the 'death mask' which is the gilded head dress thing that you see anytime King Tut is mentioned. That all took a little over an hour. As I started wandering through rooms filled with one sarcophagus after another I realized I was just about done spending my day walking among the dead.

I didn't really feel like I had explored the city of Cairo much, and to me that is what traveling is all about. I like to roam the streets and explore the shops and the cafes and just get a feel for the city. And I wasn't getting that in the museum. So I let Bharat know that I was out of there and we made plans to meet two hours later.

I spent the time aimlessly walking around the city. I shopped and had tea in a cafe and enjoyed the sunshine of the day. It was perfect. I even mastered the art of crossing the street - by stepping into oncoming traffic and hoping that they don't in fact hit you. I will admit that the first street I crossed took about 10 minutes. I just stood there hoping for some break in traffic...it was a six lane road and I had no idea how I was going to get across. This is where my pale skin and hair that pegged me as a foreigner worked to my advantage. A policeman in the center island walked across the street to me and then had me follow him across! It helped. Once I got the feel for it I was a pro...two hours later crossing the same street without any help with confidence :)

This was our last day in Cairo, so Bharat and I found a traditional type Egyptian restaurant Abu El Sid. Dinner was a little later and was very relaxed, so it was close to 11pm when we made it back to the hotel. Bharat was tired and not in the mood to go out, but I was...so I thought I'd give the casino in the hotel a try.

What an idea that turned out to be. I will say this - traveling can make for some good stories and this is definitely one of them.

Okay - apologies for stopping the story like that, but I was tired and ready for bed.

So I went to the casino and sat down at a blackjack table. The people sitting around it were friendly enough and chatting a bit - I didn't understand any of it at first but then everyone started talking English to include me. The gentleman to my right and I started talking a bit. It turned out he was from Iraq but was now living in Egypt because Iraq has gotten too dangerous in the last year. Hmmm. You all know my political view points on the war so I won't go into a rant here. But it was really interesting to just sit and hear him talk about what it was like when Saddam was in power versus what the country has become. Don't get me wrong - he was not upset that Saddam was recently hung and considered him to be a vile human being, but there was order in the country and he and his family could live and work there. Anyway, I was sitting there thinking that this is what I love about travel - you get to talk to people and experience other perspectives in a way that people who never leave the safe confines of their little world will never do. The entire table was discussing the situation in Iraq, and collectively at the table we represented 5 vastly different countries. Everyone agreed that the world didn't hate Americans, just the American government. The seemed to all believe that the American people don't agree with Bush's war (their words, not mine) either. I chose not to point out that the American people did re-elect Bush smack in the middle of 'his' war as I liked letting them think that we were an intelligent nation. (oops, almost a rant...oh, come on, you knew it was coming...).

The topic eventually moved away from politics, and some people at the table came and went. I was still talking with the Iraqi gentleman on my right about - well, nothing really. Idle chitchat. Suddenly out of the blue he says 'I want to kiss you'. To be honest I burst out laughing and said 'wow, you just put it right out there, don't you'. He didn't seem to understand why I was laughing, but the syrian guy on my left (who has lived in San Diego the last 15 years) was also laughing (I think at my reaction as much as anything). But the guy doesn't let it rest. And people at the table can hear him. He litterally says 'I am hot just sitting next to you'. I said 'maybe you should take your coat off'. Everyone else at the table giggled a little - they were all acting like they weren't listening and trying to hide their laughter. He asks if I want to go home with him. I am polite but firm 'you seem like a nice guy, but no.' He asks if I'm married. I say no, then decide I should have said yes because that may have ended things, so I tell him I have a boyfriend and I'm engaged to get married. Nope, doesn't phase him. He tells me it is okay, the boyfriend doesn't have to know. This goes on for a few minutes and finally I end it ( I think) with a firm (read: bitchy) response and tell him in no uncertain terms that he has gone from nice to annoying and he needs to stop it. He apologizes and says he will stop, but adds 'but I am just so hot sitting next to you'. I can't help it, it makes me (and the rest of the table) laugh.

A brief period of time goes by and the table is again engaged in idle chit chat, but Iraqi guy isn't saying anything. Suddenly he bursts out 'I really want you - just a half hour - I will pay you!'. Now I'm in the middle of taking a drink of beer and very nearly spit it out on the blackjack table. The entire table (including the dealer) just kinda stop and can't control the shocked looks and laughter. I was momentarily speechless, but finally when I could talk I replied 'you know, I don't know what it is like in Iraq, but that is really not the way to pick up most American women...'.

Shortly after that he left - but not without first giving me his email address 'in case I want to get in touch with him'.

See the new experience that travel can bring - I mean, I've never been so propositioned before...

The next day was Thursday, and that meant our time in Egypt was over. Bharat and I got packed up and headed to the airport. We were both on the Swiss flight to ZUR and then I was going on to VIE for a few days.


Note: Cairo pictures have been uploaded and can be reached from the link on the right hand side of the page. I will add the rest when I get them from Bharat.