Cairo

FINALLY.

I have to say all the work to get here has been worth the trouble. I was working on weather to go via Nuweiba on the flipping midnight ferry...yeah, like I needed a few more boyfriends...
Then I just left it up to my angels to decide. Didn't a sandstorm come in via Aquaba and was I ever relieved that I didn't have to take the slow boat in and arrive in Egypt at 4 am. Instead the seas were pretty rough and so I was very pleased that I went diving the day before, as the visibility would have been toast.
So instead I went via Isreal.

I had gone to the Egyptian consulate in Aquaba and they said come back in 4 hours. I didn't want to and so they said well you can get a visa very easy at the border. Well, not exactly. That's the interesting thing in Africa. It's not ever what it seems.

I decide because of the bad seas to come through Isreal. Everything goes well until I get to the Egyptian side. You have not visa? No problem for a mere $50 US and $15 US we can make that happen. Huh? I get angry. Backsheesh? I am tired. So I got angry. You don't do this in Africa. So I went back to Eilat, Israel to try and sort it out the next day. Now, I have to say anything is possible in Israel - really. Here was a country that was an unexpected surprise. Everyone is matter of fact and very very helpful. Why it's the first time in probably over a month I have heard music from North America. Eilat is very very nice. What's not to like? If the seas hadn't been so rough I might have done some diving here too.
I am cooling my temper just fine here. I meet another Canadian girl at the hostel and it is unbelievable to me the amount of stuff she is carrying with her. She is 43 and brought her moose teddy bear. She starts to give things to me that I don't want. Yikes.

Next day to the Egyptian consulate. Only this time they say maybe you can get a visa on Sunday. I need to get to Cairo by Monday, because I'm flying to my next revoluted country Tunisia!!!

So I just give up and go back and pay the backsheesh at the border to the tourist agent who has to guarantee that I will leave Cairo.

I get across and walk 1 km to the bus station and wait until 1630 to catch the bus. I get on and there are only two other tourists on the bus. We are it. Three of us.

We come through at least 10 military checkpoints and at each one the soldiers are very polite look at your passport and sometimes ask a few questions. What's your name, etc.

In the meantime I meet Alex from Germany who came originally to make a film on the music industry. He is in is 50's. He's been here since Jan 4th.

The hostel that we are going to is right down the street from Tahrir Square. He showed me some pretty amazing photos that he took about the demonstrations and also how the police shot tear gas and didn't check the wind direction and got it right in their faces and they are running away!

Anyways Alex is showing me on the bus and there are only about 8 of us on the whole bus. We get to a checkpoint just before the Suez Canal. They ask everyone to get off the bus and take our stuff with us. I grab my backpack and throw it on the ground. (Guess you wouldn't do that with a camera, eh?) So we pull out our passports and the military singles us out and brings us into a station for questioning. They say welcome to Egypt. They ask me about where I came from and where was my latest point of entry. I tell them Taba. Alex sits beside me. They ask him to open his backpack and he does. They see his camera and ask him to turn it on. He only has three photos on it. For some reason they think we are together. So the one English speaking guy says to me if you had been here since 4 Jan would you only take four photos. I just looked at him. (He obviously didn't know me...I had my camera stolen the last time and decided not to replace it!) Then Alex said she isn't with me, we just met on the bus. The corporal is feeling pretty good. He asks what is in Alex's dry sack. Alex pulls out a hard drive. (I just looked down). Now Alex is starting to shake, so I move chairs, drawing some attention to me. They ask Alex what is on the hard drive, and he says some videos and stuff. They continue with the photo line of questioning and Alex says that there are more photos on the hard drive. They drop the conversation and turn to me.

I was expecting this. So they start to ask me not to be afraid. I'm not. I tell them my story of how I tried to get a visa. He says did you spend just 2 hours in Eilat? I said no. He says he though so. I gave him the whole meal deal. I was kinda liking that I was able to tell the whole flipping fiasco to someone. I then said would you like to see my onward ticket. Yes, he would. I pull out my e-ticket and show him. I show him that I made the reservation in November. I show him who I am flying out with and where and when. He says well I wanted to hear your story. He says why are you here. I say as a tourist, I want to see Giza. He says please don't be scared. I said I'm not. He said welcome to Egypt. ( I think they are wondering about either journalists or spys).

No more checkpoints and we get to Cairo before the curfew - 2230. We grab a taxi and head to the hostel. Now there are more cats in Cairo I think than people. At least at the hostel there is. Alex and I decide to push the curfew and we head out for something to eat and a beer. We head to a place that is recommended which is open 24 hours. We enjoy our Stella beers and then at about 1230 we head back to the hostel. They have civilians directing traffic on the streets and it is hilarious. The people are very welcoming and I don't feel threatened at all.

Today I've wandered around and everyone is either stunned that I'm here - as every tourist attraction is closed. Alternatively, they walk you everywhere and nowhere just to be seen with a tourist and get you to their store and try to sell you something.. There are only a handful of us here. Businesses haven't seen people in a month. I went to the Citadel today and the Islamic area of the city. I will have to get a tougher skin here, because everyone wants to help you and then walk you towards their shop. Several of the police stations have been burned - gutted. On my way back I try to get a local bus back and there is a guy with a minibus. He says he is in love with me....I just laugh and laugh. I get on a bus with a bunch of women and they squirrel me away on the bus and the one woman knows that I need to get off at a certain mosque so she watches me and makes sure I get off with her. Really, the sisterhood is alive and well!

I came back on the Metro and had some help there too. Egyptians love everyone. When I say I'm from Canada, they say Canadian Dry?

Tomorrow is the day of rest and I am going to attempt to get to Giza. There will be a big peaceful celebration tomorrow in Tahir square so I hope to be part of that party too.

I got off the Metro and headed here to write this so all of you will be updated and not worry. It is very safe where I am. While walking around Tahrir square they are selling flags and painting the Egyptian flag on kids faces. They are very peaceful. I think they are handling this exceptionally well.

I have made contact with one couple today in Tunis who will come to get me at the airport when I arrive in Tunis. That is truely nice.