Second trip to Cairo

(picture- the restaurant, Sequoia, on the nile)

So we took a second trip to Cairo this weekend, just staying one night, to celebrate some August birthdays and do some shopping.
Our adventure started with trying to catch our train. As usual, the system (well, lack there of) at the train station made things confusing. It's hard to be sure which platform you are supposed to be on. After asking around, we figured it was platform number three. We waited for a while on the platform, being a general spectacle as we usually are. People pointed and stared. Finally, a train came in. We walked hurriedly trying to find our car. The platform ended and we had to get on the train and walk between cars toward our car. We arrived in car number 9 and found people in our seats. We stopped to ask an employee and discovered we were in fact, on the wrong train and it was definitely starting to move. We quickly hurried everyone forward. We had to run through 2 cars to we could get back to the platform and then had to step off the moving train. One of our friends was seated in a different car and we frantically called her to tell her to get off the train. Luckily the train stopped again and she could get off. In the mean time one of the girls with us discovered she had lost her ticket and had to jump back on the train to find it. One of the train employees had it and she was able to retrieve it luckily.
(Picture- Zamalek, the area of AUC)
After that, we waited on the platform for our real train to come. It was running late. As we stood on the platform, a group of women began talking to us. They were pointing at one of our friends and saying, "She is beautiful, like honey!" They then began asking us if we were married. Another woman came over to them and started yelling, "Shame! Leave them alone!"
As we continued to wait another train that wasn't ours pulled in and a group of women sitting on the train started taking pictures of us through the window. One of the guys we were with noticed and smiled at them and they got all embarrassed and stopped. After that train left, a small group of young boys started to crowd near us on the platform. Finally, our train arrived.
Once again, the platform was too short for the train and we had to step off the platform and then climb up into the train. We found our seats with no problem. The train was less than appealing. It was extremely slow and stopped frequently and our car smelled like piss. We made it to Cairo at last- about two hours late.
(picture- Khan Khalili)
We dropped our belongings off at the hostel and changed and went to dinner at this beautiful restaurant on the Nile called Sequoia. It was a little on the expensive side, but worth it. I got a Greek salad that was literally bucket sized. It was the first salad I've had all summer and I savored every bite.
After dinner we went to a party at the Swiss Club. It was mostly foreigners and it was really strange. In Alexandria, when we go out, guys will not approach you. period. Here, there were a lot of forward guys and we were all a little creeped out. Although I did get to hear a good pick up line involving a beard. We danced and tried to ward off unwanted attention and after a while returned to the hostel for some sleep.
The next day, we slept late, ate breakfast at the hostel, and then split into two groups. One group went to check out Old Cairo, and the group I was in went to Zamalek, the area in which the American University in Cairo is located. We walked around, stopped in a silver shop and a book shop. I bought four books- one in English, three in Arabic. I have a feeling I'm going to have an entire library by the time I leave next year which will be tricky to transport home!!
(picture- spices at Khan Khalili)
Afterward, we all met up at Khan Khalili- the large open air market. It was a super intense experience! People are yelling at you left and right, trying to get you to come into their shop and buy things. We were called a variety of things, including- Beautiful, Sweetie, Yank, Obama, and some others. The first thing I bought was a small bracelette which I bargained for. I was offered it for free for my phone number. The guy also insisted that I should take an Egyptian husband, he being first in line of course. I finally managed to pay and escape.
We wandered around the market which seems like a magical place. There are so many colors and noises and smells. It was overwhelming. It was beautiful. We found another silver shop and stepped inside. Hannah, one of the girls we were with had been there before. The shop owner was extremely nice and we passed the time in conversation while we looked.
(Picture- scarves)
Each of us bought a necklace and Hannah bought some earrings. Finally we decided we were ready to leave.
Instead of taking the train home, we hopped on a mini-bus, which was faster and cheaper. We got lucky and the mini bus had airconditioning. We arrived home safe and sound and in time for a good night's sleep.
I was really surprised at some of the thoughts and feelings I had in Cairo. It's much less conservative than Alex. Especially when we were at the party. You don't realize how the conservative ideals we live in every day are affecting you until you are some place much less so. You just tend to feel much more awkward and that things are in some way out of place. I have a feeling I will probably experience some reverse culutre shock when I return to America after a year!