We thought there was one place we must take Kevin to, and that was the "used car parts market" just north of downtown Cairo. So after getting up late and grabbing some coffee and breakfast on Saturday morning we head out to pick up a taxi.
Not totally sure how to describe where we want to go we say "mumkin Corniche weh sharia sitta w'ishreen julio" in an attempt to descirbe the junction we want. The taxi driver claims to understand, but keeps asking "corniche?" as we travel north along it. We add "corniche, bardain midan tahrir" to imply that we want to keep going on the corniche. He takes a detour towards the other side of the river and when we're almost ready to just get out and take another taxi; we arrive.
We dive straight in and get walking around the streets. Kevin tries to get his camera out casually but we warn him to put it away - last time we were down here we were told off for taking photos even though we had small cameras and were subtle. Scott manages to later grab a few pics on his phone (as it looks like he is texting but is actually taking a photo) to document the visit.
We wander the streets, walking slowly to take it all in. We get a fair number of "hello's" and "welcomes" which we smile and respond to. As we twist and turn Kevin is pointing out to us the finer points of car mechanics. To be honest he could be speaking arabic to us (!) but he gesticulation draws the attention of the mecahnics there who seem to understand and also start to explain what each greasy piece of metal does. This causes many smiles all round and feels good.
At one point we pass a guy welding a metal gate. As this is Kevin's trade he tries to tell the man "I am the same" I try to add "heyya amel same same" in half arabic / half english. This would have been a more effective way of saying "he job same same" if I'd used the pronoun for "he" rather than "she"!!! Oh well!
We manage to stumble on the motorbike area which gets Kevin excited and I see a stall to rival my favourite (the seat belt stall!). This place sells only the door arm rests that have electric window controls in them - talk about specialist!
As we weave in and out of the streets lined with oil we see some of the fabric and clothing stalls. We try and find the stall where we managed to buy a small rug last year (a doormat really, but it's very cool because it's patterned like a keyboard!) and although we find places selling rugs it seems that the new fashion is for stars rather than the ivories.
When we explored the area with Net and Jim last year it seemed to be mainly kids clothes, horrifically patterned material and naff imitations clothes for adults. This time though we manage to push past those and get to a different area. Here Kevin finds some (very reasonably priced) scarves (10-25LE each) and some casual trousers that he has been on the look out for. This area has more "normal" clothes as I woudl descirbe them but they are all a real mix. Soon we realize; it's a cross between TK Maxx and a charity shop...and it's huge (stretching all the way along two streets that have been pedestrianised). Brilliant!
I buy three shirts and we spy some decent jeans and tops and dresses that also have potential - we'll have to come back to do this all justice we think! The first shirt I got was an H&M and was from a street stall (so no opportunity to try it on) = 25LE, the second two were in a shop which had a more organised feel and changing rooms = 35LE each. Back home they all fit perfectly so we decide were very good buys and that we'll have to dedicate a good afternoon shopping's time in the future. (although later we become concerned that if we buy all our clothes from these charity shop-esque streets then it means the Buxton charity shops will lose a lot of business from us in the summer....a fave activity is doing the "charity shop run" along Spring Gardens for clothes and books and other good buys)
Feeling weary we walk up the street to grab a taxi home. Typically the moment we start looking there are none. The walk doesn't do Scott's lungs any good as we're beside a main road and he's been really affected recently by the horrible pollution and heavy air we've had around. Feeling the bronchitus come on he's started on his tablets again to try and stop it before it starts and fortunatly a few days later he's feeling better.
Before we manage to get a taxi Kevin sets his eyes on a bakery and I get excited because they are selling freshly made "rolitos". I buy a small packet and we get "nos kilo" (250g) of breadsticks to nibble on. 7.5LE all in which is a bargain.
We don't have much time at home before we head out again (!) this time to the BCA for a drink and chewing the cud with Jona. We grab dinner at La Rosa and collapse into the couch (and then bed) after another full day!
Not totally sure how to describe where we want to go we say "mumkin Corniche weh sharia sitta w'ishreen julio" in an attempt to descirbe the junction we want. The taxi driver claims to understand, but keeps asking "corniche?" as we travel north along it. We add "corniche, bardain midan tahrir" to imply that we want to keep going on the corniche. He takes a detour towards the other side of the river and when we're almost ready to just get out and take another taxi; we arrive.
We dive straight in and get walking around the streets. Kevin tries to get his camera out casually but we warn him to put it away - last time we were down here we were told off for taking photos even though we had small cameras and were subtle. Scott manages to later grab a few pics on his phone (as it looks like he is texting but is actually taking a photo) to document the visit.
We wander the streets, walking slowly to take it all in. We get a fair number of "hello's" and "welcomes" which we smile and respond to. As we twist and turn Kevin is pointing out to us the finer points of car mechanics. To be honest he could be speaking arabic to us (!) but he gesticulation draws the attention of the mecahnics there who seem to understand and also start to explain what each greasy piece of metal does. This causes many smiles all round and feels good.
At one point we pass a guy welding a metal gate. As this is Kevin's trade he tries to tell the man "I am the same" I try to add "heyya amel same same" in half arabic / half english. This would have been a more effective way of saying "he job same same" if I'd used the pronoun for "he" rather than "she"!!! Oh well!
We manage to stumble on the motorbike area which gets Kevin excited and I see a stall to rival my favourite (the seat belt stall!). This place sells only the door arm rests that have electric window controls in them - talk about specialist!
As we weave in and out of the streets lined with oil we see some of the fabric and clothing stalls. We try and find the stall where we managed to buy a small rug last year (a doormat really, but it's very cool because it's patterned like a keyboard!) and although we find places selling rugs it seems that the new fashion is for stars rather than the ivories.
When we explored the area with Net and Jim last year it seemed to be mainly kids clothes, horrifically patterned material and naff imitations clothes for adults. This time though we manage to push past those and get to a different area. Here Kevin finds some (very reasonably priced) scarves (10-25LE each) and some casual trousers that he has been on the look out for. This area has more "normal" clothes as I woudl descirbe them but they are all a real mix. Soon we realize; it's a cross between TK Maxx and a charity shop...and it's huge (stretching all the way along two streets that have been pedestrianised). Brilliant!
I buy three shirts and we spy some decent jeans and tops and dresses that also have potential - we'll have to come back to do this all justice we think! The first shirt I got was an H&M and was from a street stall (so no opportunity to try it on) = 25LE, the second two were in a shop which had a more organised feel and changing rooms = 35LE each. Back home they all fit perfectly so we decide were very good buys and that we'll have to dedicate a good afternoon shopping's time in the future. (although later we become concerned that if we buy all our clothes from these charity shop-esque streets then it means the Buxton charity shops will lose a lot of business from us in the summer....a fave activity is doing the "charity shop run" along Spring Gardens for clothes and books and other good buys)
Feeling weary we walk up the street to grab a taxi home. Typically the moment we start looking there are none. The walk doesn't do Scott's lungs any good as we're beside a main road and he's been really affected recently by the horrible pollution and heavy air we've had around. Feeling the bronchitus come on he's started on his tablets again to try and stop it before it starts and fortunatly a few days later he's feeling better.
Before we manage to get a taxi Kevin sets his eyes on a bakery and I get excited because they are selling freshly made "rolitos". I buy a small packet and we get "nos kilo" (250g) of breadsticks to nibble on. 7.5LE all in which is a bargain.
We don't have much time at home before we head out again (!) this time to the BCA for a drink and chewing the cud with Jona. We grab dinner at La Rosa and collapse into the couch (and then bed) after another full day!
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