Cairo tips, tricks, and traps

Sashy · 05-12-2007, 07:35 AM

Egypt`s juices are the best!I`ve travelled quite much and nowhere i have tasted fresh juices like in Egypt.No water added,just juice as thick and flavourful as no other.My favorites are karkade(hibiscus)strawberry and tamarind.The strawberry one was soooooo thick i could have taken it using a spoon instead of a straw.

bintbeled · 05-12-2007, 07:43 AM

I love Karkadeh! I make it all the time for my dance troupe, but not quite as sweet as the Egyptians do.

leylalanty · 05-13-2007, 10:04 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by bintbeled

Yes ma'm yes ma'm! I will have my hubby and brother in tow, so won't be going to too many workshops, but will most definitely be at the opening and closing show.

It'll be good to be back -- I've missed Cairo. I really really really want to go to Fishawi's, drink some karkadeh, and watch the world go by! Oh, and drink fresh mango juice from juice bars!

Me too, me too! Don't forget that there will be parties every night with great live music, Khamis Henkesh and his band (confirmed about Khamis with Raqia last month at her workshop here in the SF Bay Area). The teachers perform (usually the evening of the first day of classes) and festival participants can sign up to perform the rest of the evenings. Look for me on teachers' night!

Noor~ · 05-31-2007, 05:49 PM

I brought liquid Grapefruit Seed Extract (GSE) to Cairo and to Mexico. Its a natural antibaterial, antiviral, antibiotic. The Peace Corps uses it. Before each meal out in Cairo I would drink a glass of bottled water with 10-15 drops of GSE in it. It tastes just AWFUL - it is the most bitter substance- I am not kidding it is yucky - but I never once got sick travelling from the food or otherwise. I use it at home in the States as well whenever I start to feel like I am getting a cold. If you have a sore throat it is great to gargle 10-15 drop of GSE diluted in water. I swear it works to nip it in the bud.

Brush your teeth with bottled water. If you forget you can clean your toothbrush with GSE.

Pack your suitcase once, wait a little while, lug it around.Then go back and unpack half of it. You don't need as much as you think you do. Leave room for stuff. I brought an empty dufflebag I filled up with costumes. I brought my new costumes back in my carry-on to make sure they didn't get lost in transit!

Bring little woolite travel packets to wash your clothes and underwear in your hotel sink. If everything is lightweight it will dry fast.

The paper money is filthy dirty and stinky. You might want to bring a ziplock bag for it.

Bring travel sized bottles of hand sanitizer, little bags of kleenex and babywipes. You will be tipping the bathroom lady for toilet paper in many places. I usually brought my own anyway and still tipped the lady.

Don't wear anything sheer, sleeveless or tight in public. Bring a big scarf you can cover your shoulders or hair with when necessary. They sell alot of pretty scarves at the markets. The most comfortable clothing in the heat is loose, long sleeved cotton or silk tunics, dresses, long cotton skirts. If you are going out to places that cater to westerners at night definitely dress up but always bring a big scarf or very light shell/jacket to cover up with wherever you go just in case and for when you are in transit bewteen places. No short skirts (above the knee) or shorts.

Invest in a pair of really comfortable sandles. Bring sunglasses and sunscreen.

Avoid alot of smiling and prolonged direct eye contact with men you don't know.

Go with the flow, relax. A sense of humour will go far and make your trip more enjoyable for you and everyone around you. If something goes haywire don't let it ruin your trip - stay positive, be grateful for your experience.

Learn some basic Arabic even if it is just hello, good bye, and thank you!

Cairo is not a place for 'type A' personalities. Leave any impatience, uptight perfectionism, useless fear and western expectations of time and effeciency at home.

Earplugs are indeed great to have as an option but I have to say I absolutely LOVED being woken up in the morning by the early morning prayer call. It is one of my all time favorite memories.

A little battery alarm clock is helpful- especially if you are jet lagged.

The little kids over there ask for ball point pens if you want to bring some to give away.

The most insane driving is in Cairo. Wowie!! Everyone is on the street - cars, donkey carts, people, goats, bakers on bikes balancing bread on their heads, sometimes camels. I don't remember any lane rules. What lane? YIKES. Try not to be terrified about it, go with friends and decide to make it fun and adventurous and thrilling and just don't LOOK. Distract yourself in conversation. Most important let go and have FAITH in getting to your destination. Drivers don't signal in Cairo they honk instead. Lots of expressive honking. Its kind of great in a way.

Have a great time!! I wish I was going sometiem soon!

~ Noor

leylalanty · 05-31-2007, 08:06 PM

DEFINITELY everything Noor said! except I didn't know about the grapefruit seed extract. I'll have to look into that... I want to add that I have a special wallet that I use only for Egyptian money so that it doesn't stink up any of my other wallets!!

gympie4570 · 06-11-2007, 01:05 AM

As for Egyptians think Bdancer are sluts… (sharmotas in Arabic) Isn’t that a world wide ideology? Just not reserved for Egyptians, I wish it where different. I was once told by a Arabic musicians that dancers respect dancers and every one else has no respect for them….

I don’t know??? I constantly have Arabic mothers , grandmas and there daughters coming up and hugging me and kissing me saying thank you, they love me!! I think because I’m so obviously Australian looking with blonde hair and blue eyes. My partner and I think it’s a subliminal acceptance that they feel that Arabic culture is excepted and assimilated into Australian culture. But the western and eastern veiw of a bellydancer is very poor. people often put it on the same level as as a stripper which angers me!!! . Bellydancing has bad P.R (public relations) worlwide.

My wish and true hope is that Belly dancing is excepted into a world view of a classic form of dance like modern, jazz, ballet , maybe this is to idealized ?

Traveling to Egypt can be dangerous for a foreigner, some fundamentals are very extreme, such as the bombing about a 1.5 year ago targeted at foreigners. I think people should be more diligent when going over there and think about what is going on in that area of the world.... just be safe and aware.

I’m for sure going, nothing will stop me it’s my dream... to see the pyramids and all the fabulous dancers... I think when I go I will wear a veil so I don’t attract any attention of any kind... I will be going by myself, my partner refuses to go because its to dangerous for him, he is Jewish and from Israel... so that goes with out saying, probably not a good idea, he has been there before in more moderate calmer times he said its very beautiful.
HAPPY TRAVELS!!! xxx

06-12-2007, 07:42 AM

I posed this question in an other post but think this thread would be more appropriate, I think

What time of the year would you consider going to Egypt and for what reasons?
I know there are the obvious festival times in June but I may be considering Feb 08. this tour i'm thinking about will include a workshop with a known name with 15-20 participants plus river cruisers, watching dancers, shopping and a side trip to Dubai. I'm very tempted.

*Shira* · 06-12-2007, 10:08 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by nigma

What time of the year would you consider going to Egypt and for what reasons?
I know there are the obvious festival times in June but I may be considering Feb 08. this tour i'm thinking about will include a workshop with a known name with 15-20 participants plus river cruisers, watching dancers, shopping and a side trip to Dubai. I'm very tempted.

The nice thing about going in February is that the temperature will be MUCH more comfortable than going in the summer!!! MUCH!!!!

Speaking more generally:

Winter is more comfortable than summer because it's not so brutally hot.
Don't go *during* Ramadan because dancing pretty much shuts down then.
Arriving a day or two after Ramadan ends can be good because there's likely to be some good dancing worth seeing then for the post-Ramadan celebrations.

Sashy · 06-12-2007, 10:18 AM

The only side-effect of visiting Egypt during spring are the sandstorms that can prevail from February to April.This last April i could experience one while in Cairo,so if for any reason you happen to be allergic to dust be prepared.It can almost choke you off.

kharis_UK · 06-12-2007, 10:33 AM

...and don't forget a trip down the Muski...that wonderful bottleneck road where one can guarantee a good old fashioned groping of the nethers by all and sundry. Try to have someone behind you and in front of you, preferably your husband and a good mate (one of those landmine jackets which cover breasts, bum and front bottom are handy but somewhat sweaty in high summer)

A carrier bag held over arse and minge can work wonders, but leaves one vulnerable to the breast swipe...a surreptitious act of elbowing the boobies usually performed in a pincer movement by ten year old boys.

However, don't be perturbed. After a couple of days of intense gropage, one finds oneself immured. I came back from Cairo liberated and empowered and can now hold my own in any old orgy.

Noor~ · 06-12-2007, 10:36 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by nigma

I posed this question in an other post but think this thread would be more appropriate, I think

What time of the year would you consider going to Egypt and for what reasons?
I know there are the obvious festival times in June but I may be considering Feb 08. this tour i'm thinking about will include a workshop with a known name with 15-20 participants plus river cruisers, watching dancers, shopping and a side trip to Dubai. I'm very tempted.

Be aware of Islamic holidays or observances - it may have an affect on what is open or closed or what kind of cultural experience you have. I went in October during Ramadan. The first night we were able to catch Asmahan (she is Argentinian) before Ramadan officially started but we didn't get to see any of the Egyptian dancers in the hotels/clubs. We were able to take dance lessons, see a zar, see the dervished, and see the temples etc..but there were less oppportunities to see dancers during Ramadan.Vendors at Khan el Khalili during Ramadan get a little edgy as they fast all day and their blood sugars drop but then it is a truly amazing sight when it is dinner time - food EVERYWHERE - vendors making a feast outside their shops and then everyone is so happy and relaxed. Dinner time during Ramadan is the only time the city streets were empty of honking cars!! The city is decorated with lanterns. I loved going at Ramadan and I had an amazing trip but I would like to go again when it is not a holiday.

cbarros · 06-12-2007, 10:38 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Sashy

The only side-effect of visiting Egypt during spring are the sandstorms that can prevail from February to April.This last April i could experience one while in Cairo,so if for any reason you happen to be allergic to dust be prepared.It can almost choke you off.

As yes, those wonderful sandstorms!!! Last year, I couldn't go out for a couple of days because it was not fun to have all that sand blown in your eyes and nose and mouth and . . . .! Everything turned browner than usual, hehe!! This past trip it was not so bad . . . just a little bit of sand . . . but the pollution can still put a bit of a damper on things!

I do like to go in Feb and March. Maybe next year I will manage to go in April if I can schedule myself time for a festival. I've thought about November too as I prefer slightly cooler temperatures than boiling! I can stay home in Texas to experience that!

cbarros · 06-12-2007, 10:41 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by kharis_UK

...and don't forget a trip down the Muski...that wonderful bottleneck road where one can guarantee a good old fashioned groping of the nethers by all and sundry. Try to have someone behind you and in front of you, preferably your husband and a good mate (one of those landmine jackets which cover breasts, bum and front bottom are handy but somewhat sweaty in high summer)

A carrier bag held over arse and minge can work wonders, but leaves one vulnerable to the breast swipe...a surreptitious act of elbowing the boobies usually performed in a pincer movement by ten year old boys.

However, don't be perturbed. After a couple of days of intense gropage, one finds oneself immured. I came back from Cairo liberated and empowered and can now hold my own in any old orgy.

I didn't have that happen on Muski, but I did get some of that while at the Pyramids . . . trying to take some photos of the Sphinx I was surrounded by a huge group of school children on an outing! The boys were a bit more physical than I expected, but the girls were trying to talk to me . . . funny!!

Sashy · 06-12-2007, 04:57 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by cbarros

As yes, those wonderful sandstorms!!! Last year, I couldn't go out for a couple of days because it was not fun to have all that sand blown in your eyes and nose and mouth and . . . .! Everything turned browner than usual, hehe!! This past trip it was not so bad . . . just a little bit of sand . . . but the pollution can still put a bit of a damper on things!

I do like to go in Feb and March. Maybe next year I will manage to go in April if I can schedule myself time for a festival. I've thought about November too as I prefer slightly cooler temperatures than boiling! I can stay home in Texas to experience that!

Thanks God i only had to endure a few hours in the middle of one on this last visit,so i put on my big dark sunglasses and wrapped a shawl that kept my hair,nose and mouth covered while i ventured the streets in the middle of the sandstorm.

Sashy · 06-12-2007, 05:00 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by kharis_UK

...and don't forget a trip down the Muski...that wonderful bottleneck road where one can guarantee a good old fashioned groping of the nethers by all and sundry. Try to have someone behind you and in front of you, preferably your husband and a good mate (one of those landmine jackets which cover breasts, bum and front bottom are handy but somewhat sweaty in high summer)

A carrier bag held over arse and minge can work wonders, but leaves one vulnerable to the breast swipe...a surreptitious act of elbowing the boobies usually performed in a pincer movement by ten year old boys.

However, don't be perturbed. After a couple of days of intense gropage, one finds oneself immured. I came back from Cairo liberated and empowered and can now hold my own in any old orgy.

I have to confess here that my butt was slapped by a young boy while walking down Tahrir Square

......and yes,i was very conservative dressed:had a long loose tunic down to my knees with long sleeves over my jeans.

bintbeled · 06-12-2007, 05:02 PM

From the NY Times, April 8:

Instead of pretzels, long-haul flight attendants might want to consider handing out bags of dried cherries to passengers. According to Dr. Russel Reiter, a nutrition researcher and one of the world’s authorities on melatonin, cherries might help fight jet lag. “Tart cherries contain melatonin, which is then absorbed into the blood stream influencing your biological clock,” he said.

According to Dr. Reiter, when flying east (say from New York to London) travelers should eat a handful of dried cherries (which have even greater levels of melatonin than fresh cherries) 30 minutes before trying to sleep. Once at their destination, they should eat a handful of cherries 30 minutes before going to bed every night for the same number of nights as the time change. (For a five-hour time shift, eat cherries for five consecutive nights.) When heading west, do the same regime, only eat your cherries the night before departure.

“We have not tested them on humans specifically for jet lag but think it should work,” he said, adding that concentrated cherry juice, and even cherry pie should have the same effect. For more information go to www.choosecherries.com

bul_bul_ksa · 06-12-2007, 08:37 PM

Wow. Me loves dem cherries so now I have an added reason to eat them!

Mind, I'd imagine that anyone that is going to eat dried cherries be aware that if you eat too much (easily done with dried fruit) you'll put on weight - drying them out will make them v high in sucrose!

06-13-2007, 03:42 AM

thanks everyone, great tips and a few unusual things to consider. I've never had my butt slapped by a ten year old before

cbarros · 06-13-2007, 09:43 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by bul_bul_ksa

Wow. Me loves dem cherries so now I have an added reason to eat them!

Mind, I'd imagine that anyone that is going to eat dried cherries be aware that if you eat too much (easily done with dried fruit) you'll put on weight - drying them out will make them v high in sucrose!

I love the dried cherries too . . . but hesitate to get them anymore for this reason. But when traveling, you need to have something portable anyway . . . I just would be eating them all the time!!!

Since there is an 8 hour difference between Dallas and Cairo, I found I have less jet-lag problems if I get up later and stay up later while in Egypt.

This works out great if you don't have to be out at 7am to beat the heat of the day when going to visit places in Luxor. Not good for taking dance lessons when they want you to be there at 11am and you don't want to get up until 2pm!!!! Well, I never can stay in bed until that time anyway . . . but I will stay up till 4 - 5am with a nap sometime in the early evening depending on plans.

Cairo tips, tricks, and traps

Travel to the Lands of Dance