Saturday, Nov 9 — Cairo
Depart Mitiga International Airport MJI, Tripoli, Libya, at 10:20am, on EgyptAir flight MS 832. Arrive to Cairo International Airport CAI, at 1:41pm, meet my driver, and head to the Golden Palace Hotel, in downtown Cairo. I give my laundry to the staff.
Dinner at Koshary Abou Tarek, then an epic walk around downtown Cairo, to the Nile river, and across the famous Qasr El Nil Bridge. Locals are milling about, having the pictures taken by quasi-professionals, and cars are driving by, honking their horns, with passendgers hanging out of the sunroofs and side windows, waving their hands in the air and hollering for joy. I have a Stella beer at an outside bar at The Nile Ritz-Carlton, Cairo. A band is playing. In another part of the hotel, a large Egyptian wedding is also taking place. It is quite festive.
Sunday, Nov 10 — Cairo
Islamic Cairo
In Khan El Khalili I find the Khan El Khalili Restaurant et Naguib Mahfouz Coffee Shop, an adorable place namied in honor of the Nobel prize winner Egyptian novelist. I order my favorite Egyptian stew, called Mulukhiyah. Its deep color is from the nearly-puréed jute leaves. This dish comes with rabbit, rice and lentil soup. I devour it.
Monday, Nov 11 — Cairo
Pyramids
Tuesday, Nov 12 — Cairo
Egyptian Museum
In the afternoon, I Uber to Cairo International Airport CAI, and board Qatar Airways flight QR 1302. At 8:05pm, our Airbus A350-1000 A7-BAS takes off and heads toward Doha, Qatar.
