It had to be done!
The Sphinxs and Pyramid
Pyramid light show from the terrace of Barry's restaurant Giza.
I've been here for more than three months and haven't been to see the bloody Pyramids!
My plan had been to jump on the Metro one day...go down to Sadat (Tahrir Square) change trains and head out to the "Giza" the area of the city of Cairo where the Pyramids are. I have been there before about thirty years ago and have the pictures to prove it....but you can't be in Cairo and not go there.
I had managed to put it off...because I know it's just a dirty little tourist trap...but Kim came home from her "Cairo-practer" one day and he told there is a restaurant right across from the Pyramids on the second floor of this old buidling where you can sit and eat and drink and if you go at night you can watch the Pyramid light show....eat...drink...light show...that's the ticket.
We tried to get some other people involved ..but they weren't biting.
So it was my plan to do the Metro thing...just for the experience.
The metro!
Well it was that for sure....we jumped on the train a little after four hoping that I could see the Pyramids in daylight. But when we got close to downtown and I think some protestors had blocked the track....so we had to get off the train and get on another one and proceed to the city..the delay was about half an hour. Then there was another stretch of time when we changed trains and headed finally out to Giza.....we got there...and discovered Giza is quite a messy city..that is in fact no where near the Pyramids. We got a cab to take us there....and he mistook what we said for the "Pyramis" hotel which is in the OPPOSITE direction..."Sorry sorry I will shut off the meter and start it again and I will take you to the Pyramids"...okay another half hour gone.A long drive through beautiful Giza...they have a goat section...yes goat...all along the street small herds of goats eating and shitting right on the avenue...STINKY!
We get to the Pyramids...40 pounds about 7 bucks Canadian....no problem...but it's now dark...so no seeing them in the daylight.
We track down the hotel...it's in the middle of the area where they stable all of the horses they use to rent to the tourist so they can ride horseback around the Pyramids...STINKY...STINKY!
The foyer into Barry's terrace restaurant.
The restaurant...called Barry's is another throw back to the past....a big chandelier at the top of the stairs when you come up to the dining area...lots of really old stuff..antiques and such....and sure enough a beautiful terrace with the Sphynxs and Pyramids in the distance.
The pyramid light show....
The light show was already underway by the time we got there,...close up it was probably pretty good...from where we were no so much...but we had food and booze and a great atmosphere...so we ate a mixed grill of brazed chicken lamb and beef...with rice and vegetables and a salad...very good.
More decor ay Barry's.
Presentation of the bill at Barry's.
Met the manager on the way out...asked why there's a picture of Barack Obama in the stair landing...he says the owner who is in America right now visiting.... is a Democrat...oh why not!!
Photo of Barrack Obama in the stair well at Barry's. No the President has never been there!
Kim and the manager of Barry's....sorry about the photo....I learned my craft at the Mike O'Drowksy school of photography
Back out into the kind of darkish alley street...gingerly stepping around piles of horseshit...and kids galloping around on horses bumping you and asking for baksish...(bribe).
One kid is charging around on a camel....
Into the town proper...we were looking for our taxi driver who we called on his cell phone and got no answer....and looked for him at the "sheesha" ( where guys sit around smoking hookahs and drinking tea) where he said he was going to be ...but we couldn't find him.
One area where they keep the horses in Giza
There weren't alot of taxis up there at that time of night....but a guy finally came along and offered to take us to Maadi for 50 pounds...I said I want it on the meter which is usually a lot cheaper...these guys are so desperate these days he said okay.
Off we go on our merry way....it's a LONG way from Giza to Maadi...we run into a traffic jam on the ring road we finally get to the apartment about 40 minutes later...the meter shows 38 pounds....I gave him his fifty ( 8 dollars Canadian)and said "shokran" (thanks)...the poor bugger deserved it....he now had to go all the way back out to Giza with and empty load.
When I told Kim how much the taxi ride was...she said "shit...we should have taken a taxi out there in the first place!" I said yes I know...."my bad".
I never did see the "friggin" Pyramids in the day light...my scheme fell through...but I don't give a horseshit!!
I'm not going back out there!!!
The Sphinxs and Pyramid
I've been here for more than three months and haven't been to see the bloody Pyramids!
My plan had been to jump on the Metro one day...go down to Sadat (Tahrir Square) change trains and head out to the "Giza" the area of the city of Cairo where the Pyramids are. I have been there before about thirty years ago and have the pictures to prove it....but you can't be in Cairo and not go there.
I had managed to put it off...because I know it's just a dirty little tourist trap...but Kim came home from her "Cairo-practer" one day and he told there is a restaurant right across from the Pyramids on the second floor of this old buidling where you can sit and eat and drink and if you go at night you can watch the Pyramid light show....eat...drink...light show...that's the ticket.
We tried to get some other people involved ..but they weren't biting.
So it was my plan to do the Metro thing...just for the experience.
Well it was that for sure....we jumped on the train a little after four hoping that I could see the Pyramids in daylight. But when we got close to downtown and I think some protestors had blocked the track....so we had to get off the train and get on another one and proceed to the city..the delay was about half an hour. Then there was another stretch of time when we changed trains and headed finally out to Giza.....we got there...and discovered Giza is quite a messy city..that is in fact no where near the Pyramids. We got a cab to take us there....and he mistook what we said for the "Pyramis" hotel which is in the OPPOSITE direction..."Sorry sorry I will shut off the meter and start it again and I will take you to the Pyramids"...okay another half hour gone.A long drive through beautiful Giza...they have a goat section...yes goat...all along the street small herds of goats eating and shitting right on the avenue...STINKY!
We get to the Pyramids...40 pounds about 7 bucks Canadian....no problem...but it's now dark...so no seeing them in the daylight.
We track down the hotel...it's in the middle of the area where they stable all of the horses they use to rent to the tourist so they can ride horseback around the Pyramids...STINKY...STINKY!
The chandelier at Barry's note the Canadian flag on the wall...upper left.
The restaurant...called Barry's is another throw back to the past....a big chandelier at the top of the stairs when you come up to the dining area...lots of really old stuff..antiques and such....and sure enough a beautiful terrace with the Sphynxs and Pyramids in the distance.
The pyramid light show....
The light show was already underway by the time we got there,...close up it was probably pretty good...from where we were no so much...but we had food and booze and a great atmosphere...so we ate a mixed grill of brazed chicken lamb and beef...with rice and vegetables and a salad...very good.
More decor ay Barry's.
Presentation of the bill at Barry's.
Met the manager on the way out...asked why there's a picture of Barack Obama in the stair landing...he says the owner who is in America right now visiting.... is a Democrat...oh why not!!
Back out into the kind of darkish alley street...gingerly stepping around piles of horseshit...and kids galloping around on horses bumping you and asking for baksish...(bribe).
One kid is charging around on a camel....
Into the town proper...we were looking for our taxi driver who we called on his cell phone and got no answer....and looked for him at the "sheesha" ( where guys sit around smoking hookahs and drinking tea) where he said he was going to be ...but we couldn't find him.
One area where they keep the horses in Giza
There weren't alot of taxis up there at that time of night....but a guy finally came along and offered to take us to Maadi for 50 pounds...I said I want it on the meter which is usually a lot cheaper...these guys are so desperate these days he said okay.
Off we go on our merry way....it's a LONG way from Giza to Maadi...we run into a traffic jam on the ring road we finally get to the apartment about 40 minutes later...the meter shows 38 pounds....I gave him his fifty ( 8 dollars Canadian)and said "shokran" (thanks)...the poor bugger deserved it....he now had to go all the way back out to Giza with and empty load.
When I told Kim how much the taxi ride was...she said "shit...we should have taken a taxi out there in the first place!" I said yes I know...."my bad".
I never did see the "friggin" Pyramids in the day light...my scheme fell through...but I don't give a horseshit!!
I'm not going back out there!!!
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