Cairo - historic Islamic quarter

Today we visit the historic Islamic quarter of Cairo. There, you can see the oldest (well-preserved) houses and mosques. We start with the Gayer Anderson Museum: a very exciting collection of (art) objects, mainly from the Arab-Asian world. The museum is in a beautiful 17th-century house where Gayer Anderson lived until shortly before his death.

Right next door, connected by a passage (which unfortunately is no longer open, because this way they can sell 2 tickets instead of 1...), is the Ibn Tulun Mosque, one of the oldest mosques in Egypt. A beautiful mixture of plaster and woodwork. I like the minaret, which is a bit unusual, with a spiral staircase on the outside. The view over Cairo is very nice. To go up, the door must be opened - as always, for a small tip to the guard.

It's very hot and humid today, so after these two visits we already need a break. We walk through the Quarter, where I was on my first day in Cairo, along El Moez Street. It looks completely different from two weeks ago, now almost all shops are closed and there is no traffic. It's not only the second day of Ramadan, but also Friday, our Sunday - nothing will open before 1pm. We go to the El Fishawy at the Khan el Khalili market, one of the oldest cafes in Egypt. It's a bit hidden, but hidden from the sun. The falafel sandwich and the fresh hibiscus tea taste excellent. But it's quite deserted, only tourists are sitting here. Since it's Ramadan, it's not really worth visiting a cafe for Muslims...

None of us is in a shopping mood, so to my relief, we skip the hustle and bustle of the market. Even now, when it's not very busy, the small market streets are still quite crowded with people. Imagine what it must be like when there is normal hustle and bustle here!

After resting and packing at the hotel, we are invited to break the fast with a family on our last evening.

That was one of the most beautiful experiences: the father of the family is also a tour guide at Intrepid and is currently on a tour. His wife raises their four children: two sets of twins! OMG! The older twins, two girls, speak excellent English and very casually. They are happy about the visit. The food is excellent, especially delicious are the Egyptian Sarma, whose real name I unfortunately forgot. The preparation takes over 2 days, it's really a feast!

So far I find Ramadan in Egypt very exciting. I can understand the reasoning behind it, it's a time that everyone goes through together, whether male or female, rich or poor. Everyone has to face their desires and overcome them. The joy and relief when breaking the fast is palpable. There are fairy lights everywhere in and outside the houses, it's a festive time. After breaking the fast, the children release firecrackers, there is a cheerful atmosphere. I'm curious to see what it will be like in Jordan.

That was our last evening in Cairo - tomorrow we're off to Jordan.