CAIRO - Tomorrow.
Oct 9th, 2011, 09:14 PM
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CAIRO - Tomorrow.
I'm flying direct Melbourne to Cairo in about six hours. I turn on CNN and see death and destruction all around - but that might be more CNN than Cairo. I arrive midday tomorrow 11th.
Is there anyone on the ground there who can tell me the latest? I'm staying Kempinski - intending to.make repeated visits [between bouts of jet-lag] to the Egyptian museum.
Nah, I'm not scared. I've been to Egypt three times before - but I do like to arrive mentally prepared. Any extreme no-go areas?
Is there anyone on the ground there who can tell me the latest? I'm staying Kempinski - intending to.make repeated visits [between bouts of jet-lag] to the Egyptian museum.
Nah, I'm not scared. I've been to Egypt three times before - but I do like to arrive mentally prepared. Any extreme no-go areas?
Oct 10th, 2011, 12:43 AM
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The BBC has been reporting & showing scenes from Cairo, it doesn't look so good. See http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-middle-east-15235212, it talks of the curfew now imposed and mentions some areas around the city where the conflict is.
Oct 10th, 2011, 01:20 AM
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The health health ministry said a total of 174 people were injured in violence during a Coptic Christian protest in central Cairo today, which saw a curfew imposed on the ...
http://www.news.com.au/breaking-news...t-23-killed-in....
Not there but have been there during dodgy times including
tourist murders in Luxor/Valley of the Queens worst I have ever seen for travelers.Always have done fine staying OUT of the city center and crowds of any kind in tourist enclaves/hotels along the Nile until things settle after curfew which usually happens fairly quickly.
I always monitor my consular advisories travel.state.gov
Register with my embassy and insuremytrip.com so no worries.
Good luck odds are great you will be just fine if careful.
I always have been.
http://www.news.com.au/breaking-news...t-23-killed-in....
Not there but have been there during dodgy times including
tourist murders in Luxor/Valley of the Queens worst I have ever seen for travelers.Always have done fine staying OUT of the city center and crowds of any kind in tourist enclaves/hotels along the Nile until things settle after curfew which usually happens fairly quickly.
I always monitor my consular advisories travel.state.gov
Register with my embassy and insuremytrip.com so no worries.
Good luck odds are great you will be just fine if careful.
I always have been.
Oct 10th, 2011, 09:40 AM
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I have no information, sorry. I came here myself looking for information. I had finally convinced my husband that booking a very last minute trip to Egypt and Jordan with an admittedly over-priced small tour group was a good idea. Now we're on to Plan B ... except I have no Plan B.
Safe travels if you are on your way.
Safe travels if you are on your way.
Oct 10th, 2011, 07:23 PM
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Guns, searches, horror! Arghhh, my gawd, things are clear;ly terrible here! Everywhere I look some poor creature is being dragged off for interrogation, there are men with rifles everywhere...
Oh, that was Melbourne airport...
I'm in Abu Dhabi now after a fifteen hour flight from Oz. I guess we'll all find out together in about five hours.
By some miracle I slept twelve of the fifteen hours - no pills, amazing, but I'm in that jet=lag oonfusion, just the same. Dogster walks into walls, the usual hopeless bumble.
I'll be your on the spot reporter, live from the Cairo Krasnapolski. If I were you, I'd ignore everything I say.
Be back soon.
Oh, that was Melbourne airport...
I'm in Abu Dhabi now after a fifteen hour flight from Oz. I guess we'll all find out together in about five hours.
By some miracle I slept twelve of the fifteen hours - no pills, amazing, but I'm in that jet=lag oonfusion, just the same. Dogster walks into walls, the usual hopeless bumble.
I'll be your on the spot reporter, live from the Cairo Krasnapolski. If I were you, I'd ignore everything I say.
Be back soon.
Oct 10th, 2011, 07:27 PM
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Dogster, keep all of us informed. We will be concerned about you. The Kempinski should be fine, but don't go wandering about looking for interesting people to talk to. The stuff on tv today was scary. Stay on a high floor.
Oct 11th, 2011, 06:01 AM
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A note from the G.M. of Kempinski Nile Hotel:
A Mr. Dogster was carried in mumbling incoherently about Coptic riots. He mentioned Fodor's repeatedly. 'Tell them I'm still alive,' he screeched before we threw him out of the hotel. The Kempinski does not welcome guests of his calibre.
Mr Dogster was last seen being carried over the heads of the crowd as they shouted 'Kill the infidel'. They were all headed to Tahrir Square where, apparently, there is a large bonfire with his name on it.
I don't know where he ended up.
A Mr. Dogster was carried in mumbling incoherently about Coptic riots. He mentioned Fodor's repeatedly. 'Tell them I'm still alive,' he screeched before we threw him out of the hotel. The Kempinski does not welcome guests of his calibre.
Mr Dogster was last seen being carried over the heads of the crowd as they shouted 'Kill the infidel'. They were all headed to Tahrir Square where, apparently, there is a large bonfire with his name on it.
I don't know where he ended up.
Oct 11th, 2011, 06:39 AM
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<i>...If you dress like a pharaoh you will look almost identical to Ramesses II</i>
http://tvo7i.wikispaces.com/file/vie..._II_mummy2.jpg
Gee, thanks pook. lol
http://tvo7i.wikispaces.com/file/vie..._II_mummy2.jpg
Gee, thanks pook. lol
Oct 11th, 2011, 08:30 PM
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Yes, I'm often mistaken for Omar. In fact, when I checked in yesterday several people asked me for my autograph...
So far, not a whisper of discontent - although I've not left the hotel. Jet-lag crept in and wiped me out. Consequently, I've been awake today since 4.00 a.m.
I'm off to the Egyptian Museum in an hour or so. I love that place. I'll report from Tahrir Square.
So far, not a whisper of discontent - although I've not left the hotel. Jet-lag crept in and wiped me out. Consequently, I've been awake today since 4.00 a.m.
I'm off to the Egyptian Museum in an hour or so. I love that place. I'll report from Tahrir Square.
Oct 12th, 2011, 03:27 AM
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Oh dear, what a fizzer.
Not a riot in sight - just wall to wall Russian tourists waddling around the museum dressed for the beach. Someone has to tell these overweight, pasty, blank-faced women NOT to wear those itsy-bitsy shorts that clamber excitedly up their fat bottoms, intent on disappearing into the nearest dark crevice they can find.
I have photographs.
Of course, the Egyptian Museum is mind-boggling - as it always has been. I'm pleased to see there have been no renovations since 1923 - nor any attempt to make it user-friendly. Ahh - Egyptian tourism...
The Egyptian Museum seems to be a tunnel through which all tourists must pass. The utter lack of interest and enthusiasm from the patrons is quite extraordinary. They slog after their guide, bored and irritable, just longing to get out.
Soon they do, to be shlepped to the Pyramids on the next part of their Egyptian ordeal.
"The European tourists,' said my driver 'aren't interested in antiquity at all. They just want to see the Pyramids, then go swimming.'
'Pfft,' he added.
Yup. Pffft.
Not a riot in sight - just wall to wall Russian tourists waddling around the museum dressed for the beach. Someone has to tell these overweight, pasty, blank-faced women NOT to wear those itsy-bitsy shorts that clamber excitedly up their fat bottoms, intent on disappearing into the nearest dark crevice they can find.
I have photographs.
Of course, the Egyptian Museum is mind-boggling - as it always has been. I'm pleased to see there have been no renovations since 1923 - nor any attempt to make it user-friendly. Ahh - Egyptian tourism...
The Egyptian Museum seems to be a tunnel through which all tourists must pass. The utter lack of interest and enthusiasm from the patrons is quite extraordinary. They slog after their guide, bored and irritable, just longing to get out.
Soon they do, to be shlepped to the Pyramids on the next part of their Egyptian ordeal.
"The European tourists,' said my driver 'aren't interested in antiquity at all. They just want to see the Pyramids, then go swimming.'
'Pfft,' he added.
Yup. Pffft.
Oct 13th, 2011, 01:30 AM
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I can see I'm going to have to write this report properly later... but, truly, really, sincerely, there just ain't nuttin' to fuss about. Cairo rolls on, just as it always has - and always will.
Local reportage about the recent Coptic 'problem' is very interesting indeed. Everybody I speak to seems to think there are other forces at play; nobody can understand why two religions who have been living side by side for a zillion years should suddenly combust.
But I'm just a tourist. All I can do is tell you what I see - which is nothing. A lot of evidence of what has happened, but absolutely no indication that it will re-occur.
For those of you that have been to the Egyptian Museum the closeness of the destruction is kinda scary. If you face the museum, the office blocks directly on the left were completely gutted. There was obviously a serious fire, right next door - less than a hundred yards from the museum. The area directly in front seems now to be a construction zone - for what I don't know, so Tahrir Square seems about a third the size it was before.
If the Museum is anything to go by, tourism is returning with a vengeance. I'll be in Luxor tomorrow - the hotel prices there are rock-bottom so perhaps all those porky Russians went to Sharm instead.
The Kempinski is a classy hotel, only open twelve months and absolutely recommended. They do good upgrade, too. My unexpectedly palatial suite is a rabbit-warren of bliss; if you include the loo[s] it has eight rooms, three toilets and two bathrooms... rather more than I need. I'll force myself to cope.
AND, brilliantly, there is none of that tiresome hovering for a tip - at all. Which, in Egypt, is some kind of modern-day miracle.
My Nile Deluxe room here - well, one of them:
http://www.kempinski.com/en/cairo/Pa...AndSuites.aspx
Local reportage about the recent Coptic 'problem' is very interesting indeed. Everybody I speak to seems to think there are other forces at play; nobody can understand why two religions who have been living side by side for a zillion years should suddenly combust.
But I'm just a tourist. All I can do is tell you what I see - which is nothing. A lot of evidence of what has happened, but absolutely no indication that it will re-occur.
For those of you that have been to the Egyptian Museum the closeness of the destruction is kinda scary. If you face the museum, the office blocks directly on the left were completely gutted. There was obviously a serious fire, right next door - less than a hundred yards from the museum. The area directly in front seems now to be a construction zone - for what I don't know, so Tahrir Square seems about a third the size it was before.
If the Museum is anything to go by, tourism is returning with a vengeance. I'll be in Luxor tomorrow - the hotel prices there are rock-bottom so perhaps all those porky Russians went to Sharm instead.
The Kempinski is a classy hotel, only open twelve months and absolutely recommended. They do good upgrade, too. My unexpectedly palatial suite is a rabbit-warren of bliss; if you include the loo[s] it has eight rooms, three toilets and two bathrooms... rather more than I need. I'll force myself to cope.
AND, brilliantly, there is none of that tiresome hovering for a tip - at all. Which, in Egypt, is some kind of modern-day miracle.
My Nile Deluxe room here - well, one of them:
http://www.kempinski.com/en/cairo/Pa...AndSuites.aspx
Oct 13th, 2011, 03:36 AM
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Wish you safe travel and enjoyable time in Cairo - the area of down town with demonstrations let you feel that there is unrest in the whole city but this is totally not correct, I live in Cairo and everything is ok here, It is a big city and all tourists are safe here and do their tours together with their travel agencies and tour guides and they are very safe.
All the best
All the best
