The "Virginian"

Entrance to the "Virginian" in the "Mokattam Hills" Cairo.
Obviously at night.


It's a good deal for the teacher's at the Cairo American School.
If  one of them wants to plan a little expidtion out and around Cairo...the school will provide transport...usually in the form of a little twenty seater van for free.
One of the teachers a young Egyptian fellow named Mohammed naturally  ``Mo`` for short, planned a late in the afternoon early evening trip out to a what is a former night club called the "Virginian"...in the hills of "Mokhattam" just on the edge of Cairo. My friend Dana happens to live out there...so I called her she agreed to meet us at the restaurant.

The foyer of the "Virginian

Kim and I had been out in that neck of the woods when we went to visit Garbage City and the Church of the Caves so the drive out was uneventfull. But what a suprise the Virginian was....I think the best way to describe it generally is an anachronism....a throw back to former days of splendour in a Cairo that is much different than the city is today. This was a nightclub pure and simple....many rooms and restaurants....an actual stage for big bands...and a huge sprawling patio the gives you a panormic view of the Cairo in the distance.
It`s my understanding that a family owns the place and has for many years...and they seem to be hanging  by their fingernails....not wanting to give the place up....but not having the energy ot the expertise to move forward.

Cairo from the Mokattam Hills pointing North

Cairo pointing south note the busted up statue....I told you the place has seen better days.

When evening came it was entrancing to see the city stretched out like that....when you're living here the only Cairo you see is close up and in your face...from the terrace at the Virginian you could see just how big the city is...
Mo said we could take as many pictures as you want...just try to get the military base directly below the restaurant in any of your shots...which was entirely impossible to do.


The military base we weren't suppose to take a picture of.

Alas the Virginian has fallen on hard times...long gone are the days when the city`s elite came up to the refreshing hills to sing and dance and drink the night away...you can see much evidence of the past splendour....but now everything is old and broken the carpets are musty...the washrooms to die for...literally.

Kim , Dana and Walker and his girl friend...Walker has just had his tonsils out!

But the view....we ordered beers all around...and they brought pickled chik pees and fava beans.
But then what we did was send our driver out to Dominos for pizza...the people who owned the restaurant don`t mind that...I don`t really think they like to cook.

On the terrace of the Virginian..Kim's collegues from Cairo American School

So there we sat for a very pleasant afternoon soaking up the sun...enjoying the view...talking.
As the sun went down...as is the case just about every day here...and chilly windy blew up...and high in the hills it got really quite cool...but we wanted to wait to see the lights of Cairo...and it was impressive...
It was a very good experience...but how I wish I could have been here int the days when this place was rocking!!!