Coptic Cairo

St George's Church & Monastery

The Hanging Church

After a cooked breakfast of pork sausages and bacon which Tom has been craving for, Ahmed picks us up to drive us to Coptic Cairo where we wander around the Coptic church of St Georges, the nunnery, a synagogue, graveyards and eventually the cavern church (St Sergius & St Bacchus) where the holy family are supposed to have found refuge after their flight from King Herod. I can't help feeling a little sad that I can't share this experience with my mum and dad, they would have been so interested.

Dave & Tom in contemplation

We leave the Coptic area and I can't help smiling as we've definitely exceeded Dave's rule of only 3 churches in one day.... but as we walk towards the Amr Ibn El Ass Mosque Ahmed has asked us to meet him at we are accosted by a very excited and enthusiastic group of people who insist we join them in their celebrations. Quite frankly we've not got a clue what is going on, only that they are very eager to meet us, the whole hall of children, adults, singers turn round to welcome us and before we know it we're joining in with the dancing, well shuffling awkwardly from foot to foot. This followed by the strangest photo call session ever, I feel like a celebrity and I'm not sure I like it! However, they all seem very happy that we stopped by. Eventually we reach the Mosque where Ahmed is patiently waiting for us and he kindly shows us round the mosque explaining the customs and etiquette to us.

A warm welcome in Cairo

Ahmed drives us to the downtown area of Cairo where he leaves us to wander around the streets, watching people selling mint and lemons in the streets, the tiny shops and the bigger department stores and of course the people. The drive home gives us enough time to decide to go to Festival City tonight to eat. This is a very large Mall with food court attached and fountains just like we've seen in Dubai and like Dubai the fountains dance to music while being illuminated. The meal at Beirut is a Middle Eastern meze, all gorgeous food washed down with lemon mint smoothies.

Amr Ibn El Ass Mosque

Festival City fountains

Now is the time for us to split up, Tom to go to the airport to pick up Rob and Maria, while Dave and I return back to Rehab. This sounds so straight forward on paper, but in practise was so complicated, a taxi that picks someone else up, 2 taxis that don't turn up when booked and finally the one that does picks us up tries to take us to the airport! What should have been a 20 minute ride for us turns into well over an hour. I begin to think the boys and Maria will be home before us. 

First egyptian beer together in a dry City.

Al Rehab and the Nile

After yesterday's excitements we start today slowly, taking pleasure from drinking coffee on the balcony before walking the route Tom took us on our first night but in reverse. First the mall, it is deathly quiet with very few shops open, maybe we're too early so we move on passing the food court and on into the Souk and on to City Square, here there are a few craft stalls setting up but very little else happening. We return to the Souk to have a coffee at a busy corner where we can indulge in people watching. There are several ladies smoking shisha, the car wash next door is doing a roaring or should I say spraying trade, washing cars, we are definitely the only white faces here. There's a boy who looks only 12 years riding round the souk on a motorbike with a pillion passenger and further round there's a car for rent but it has 4 very flat tyres! We move on to the food court for lunch at The Grand Café before returning to the apartment to wait for the Uber driver to take us to Tom's school and after a whistle stop tour of the very impressive facilities which include a full sized AstroTurf pitch and an Olympic sized pool, we catch another taxi back to Al Rehab, trouble is he doesn't seem to know the way and between his lack of English and our lack of Arabic, the journey is longer than necessary cutting down our preparation time for tonight.

Jan & Tom 

Whirling Dervish

Belly Dancer

Tom has instructed us to be ready to be picked up by 5.30pm tonight for a surprise, the only clue we have is that we should dress in smart/casual clothes. So by 5.25pm we're sitting ready and waiting as Tom dashes in heading for the shower telling us to stall the taxi if necessary, with our lack of Arabic that shouldn’t be hard! The drive is long and manic with lots of traffic, weaving in and out before we eventually reach the banks of the Nile. Tom has book us all onto a dinner cruise with entertainment for the night, what a great surprise. As the boat sets sail, the sun is just setting and there's a cool breeze blowing across the deck, fortunately the meal and entertainment are inside. The entertainment is a belly dancing show with a "curvaceous" belly dancer dressed in a bejewelled bikini which accentuates the shimmying. But the highlight for me is the whirling dervish that follows. How this man doesn't fall over or throw up with all the turning he does is incredible and then the lights go out and the costume lights up. Just as I think he can't have anymore surprises left, the costume is gradually shed in layers each one revealing another layer of lights, it's very impressive.

Alexandria

Fill every available space in a car! 

Alexandria Library

King Farouk's Palace  

Ahmed our driver for today picks us up at 8 am after taking “Mr Tom” to school, he’s taking us to Alexandria today. The journey will take 3 hours and we are kept entertained by the egyptian driving, sofas being transported on bikes, men travelling along the motorway in the open boot of a car, men travelling to work on the back of open flat bed trucks or horse and carts travelling the wrong way along the carriageway. Ahmed keeps us informed what we are passing and what some signs mean. It’s interesting to talk to an ordinary Egyptian about daily life, politics and his aspiration. Once we reach the outskirts of Alexandria the traffic builds and progress again slows until we pull up outside our first stop The Alexandria Bibliotec, the biggest in the world. It is impressive a huge sloping roof covering a vast hall with central steps leading down through the centre. When we look back we can see blue and green coloured glass strips set into the roof all glittering in the sunshine.Our next stop is Montaza Palace Gardens and. King Farouk's  Palace. We can only walk round the outside of the palace peering through the railings. Our final stop is The Citadel reached by driving along the Corniche and over Stanley Bridge. We are the only white people there and certainly the only people in shorts through out Alexandria. The Citadel is wonderfully preserved and restored and from the walls has amazing views of the bay which is vast and from one tip to the other lined by tall buildings.

A lot of the buildings along the bay of Alexandria are extremely dilapidated. The plasterwork is falling off, balconies often broken or missing, patio doors that open onto fresh air. The apartments are obviously occupied but look like death traps.

Alexandria bay and fort

Meal at "The Tap"

I must admit the journey back passes me by as I fall asleep in the car only waking briefly at the speed bumps that seem to be randomly placed. After a quick shower and change we set off with Tom for The Tap in New Cairo City an area that isn’t a dry city so we can all have a beer while we eat and watch the Arsenal game. And so to bed

Flight to Egypt

Dave & Jan at Birmingham Airport

There’s someone singing in the room, oh I know why, it’s 3 am and we’re going to Cairo to see Tom. By 3.30 am we’re on our way to Birmingham airport soon checked in and waiting for the gate to be announced. Our flight to Cairo is not direct we go via Frankfurt. No sooner has the flight taken off than we’re being given pecan pastries and coffee by stewardesses and then the flight is landing. Now the fun begins! We only have an hour till our next flight and this time is being whittled away by the non arrival of steps. When we’re finally released from the flight we march smartly through the airport following signs for flight transfers and specifically B32, it’s miles of corridors up steps down steps a mono rail and finally a dead end at a security check point. We have to go through security which seems to be taking ages before finally running to find gate B32, we arrive there breathless just in time before they shut the gate. A long coach drive across the airport tarmac before we finally reach the plane only to be told the flight is delayed as 15 people checked in for the flight but haven’t made the flight! “no wonder” I say but on the bright side there are 15 people slower than Dave and I.

The rest of the flight and journey goes smoothly and at last we’re about to walk out of the airport into a sea of taxi drivers who look like paparazzi, oh to be famous. Ahmed our driver meets us with a large sign saying "MORSE" which helps us identify him, but unfortunately for him, as Morsi the deposed President, was to say the least unpopular, he had many suspicious looks from fellow taxi drivers holding up that sign until we arrived. He drives us to Al Rehab and our apartment home for the next 10 days. We are met by the owners who don't speak much English but do their best to show us around and explain everything. Fortunately Ahmed, who is Tom's regular driver helps out with translation. The apartment is very Egyptian and spacious with 3 balconies and beautifully cool. Tom has also kindly stocked up the Apartment with essentials, including beer and wine, as Al Rehab is a dry city this may come in useful.

Tom, Dave & Jan at City Square, Al Rehab

We catch up with Tom before setting out with him as tour guide to show us Al Rehab, the mall, the food court, the souk and city square before we eat at a local restaurant, El Dehany. A lovely meal of traditional Egyptian tajin and stuffed vegetables before walking back to the apartment and collapsing in bed...

La Orotava

I've wanted to come to the Corpus Christi celebrations here in La Orotava for several years now and after a mistake in the date last week, we've finally made it.

The town is gently humming with anticipation and preparation is going on everywhere. The streets are being swept, no parking barriers erected, pop up bars set up, lawns receiving their final trim and the flowers dead headed so they look their best. We enjoy a relaxed tapas lunch in La Duquesa bar in front of the Inglesia de la Concepcion. As we enjoy Ropa Veijo and red wine we watch a floral display being made from carnations in the shadow of the church. A trip inside the church late reveals this was only a tiny part of the stunning floral arrangements.

After checking into the beautiful Hotel Rural Victoria, all old Spanish wood, galleried walkways and an enclosed courtyard, we stroll to the town hall. This year's "sand carpet" has the theme of mercy. The design and size are amazing and best viewed from upstairs in the town hall. We stand on the balcony, speechless trying to take in the details of the picture in front of us. As we walk back through the Town Hall we're equally impressed with the lovely Spanish building, the Victoria Gardens beyond have been manicured to perfection.

After a fiesta in the hotel we join the crowds, perambulating in their finest and it appears tightest most blingy clothes, stumbling across a wine tasting/tapas fiesta with Spanish salsa music. The crowd is a happy mix of babes in arms to old folk walking with sticks, all enjoying fiesta.

Sandstorm

It’s so dusty when we first open the curtains this morning we can’t see the other side of the marina, not what we’d hoped for. The plans we had for today have to be changed, no point sightseeing in a sandstorm when you can only see 200meters away. To occupy the morning we walk to the marina mall, the air is thick with sand so we’re forced to cover our nose and mouths with tissues. By the time we get there our skin is carrying a film of dust. The meander around the mall is pleasant in such a spacious, marble clad and air-conditioned environment. By lunch time the sandstorm is just beginning to show signs of abating, we move on to the food court and purchase a kebab sandwich each. After this we can’t shop etc in the mall any longer, a dust walk back leaving us looking like something out of Lawrence of Arabia. By evening time the air has cleared, the rest of the marina has reappeared, a Lebanese restaurant has seduced us tonight and the food is certainly good, vine leaves and cheese to start followed by lamb koftas and chicken kebab with a salad. However, the service was more of the Basil Fawlty style so instead of lingering we leave quickly and head for the Yacht Club for a final drink.

Malls, Burj's and Fountains

After a much needed night’s sleep, it’s time to hit the beach, the hotel shuttle bus takes 15 minutes to get there not because of distance but due to road development works. The beach, like the rest of Dubai is broad and flat golden sand with a calm waveless sea, perfect for swimming. To one side of the beach there are some vast building works and on the other side the edge of the Jumeriah Palm can be seen with speed boats going in all directions out to sea and sea planes landing and taking off. The beach is busy, but not overcrowded and always with plenty to look at. We set off in plenty time to catch the shuttle bus back to The Pearl Marina Hotel as we haven’t really got our bearings yet and I really don’t want a long walk!

For the afternoon we’ve decided to go to The Dubai Mall so suitably cleaned up and dressed we set off to find the metro. The entrance to the metro – which runs high above the 7 lane motorway – is very futuristic and grand. It’s easy to buy tickets and find our way around, the ride to the Dubai Mall gives us a great view of the expanse of Dubai, it’s impressive. Now the walk to the Mall from the station is via air-conditioned walkways and goes on for miles with travellators covering much of the distance!!! Then there’s the Mall, shopping heaven for many vast, glitzy, impressive but that’s not really why we’ve come here. First stop the Aquarium and Under Water Zoo. The tank is visible from the shopping centre and at first we’re underwhelmed, yes the tunnel through the Aquarium is impressive with 18cm thick glass and Tiger Sand Sharks and Rays swimming round you but it can be seen from the outside. We’re directed up 2 escalators to the Zoo and this is amazing, lots of great displays (some a little small for big animals) and high level walkway. Now for the second and third stops, The Dubai Fountains and The Burj Khalifa, we’ve decided not to pay extortionate amounts to go up the Burj as it is not clear today and the amount we would see would be limited. There are huge crowds of people round the lake waiting for the lights and music display that happens each night every half hour, we are just in time. The display starts and is amazing all with the backdrop of the Burj complete with flashing lights. The Burj is so tall you almost have to lie down to take a full picture of it. The whole are is awe inspiring. A short meander through the Dubai Souk which in itself is amazing and then back to see another display of  lights and music, this time at night, wow!

The walk back to the metro takes 40minutes! And so to our evening meal at a local restaurant recommended by a local. The restaurant is a vegetarian Indian and the food is incredible,  salad & poppadum’s to start, garlic & vegetable rice with Kadai Paneer Punjabi, Channa Marsala and butter nan and to finish fresh fruit. We finish the day with a drink at the Nell Gwynne pub within the Marina Byblos Hotel, very bizarrely British except for the smoking inside. The attraction of course was a live band and true to form they do 3 numbers before taking a break, our timing has not improved during our travels!