well i havnt had time to read the T/R's section
in awhile , but finally had the chance..
Ray nice trip report, and
a big Congrats to you and VWRW!!
by the way - i remember that red brick Cairo museam very well.
::::::::::sorry slightly off topic ::::::::
jinx wrote:
About Egypt, I think there are far more Russians in the Sharm El Sheik resort area, maybe you wouldn't be hassled so much there, and Cairo is just a day trip away. Just a thought for anyone thinking about going there in the future.
jinx you are correct.
Sharm is a very common Russian and Ukranian vacation site.
VWRW-
my wife Tanya experienced the same feelings in Cairo that you did.. and honestly aside from a Nile river trip (sail boat)
and seeing the museams and pyrimids , which she liked,
did not enjoy Cairo at all.
Our trip was to sharm el shiek,
and we took a couple day excursion to Cairo.
I wouldnt base your impression of Egypt too much on this particular city.
Sharm was fantastic by comparision, and with all the Russians there daily you will not run into the same level of
" being the white bird"
(By nationality, Russians are likely the largest group of tourists visting there)
Of course the locals may still look !! or call after you " okasana, svetlana, tatiana, etc.. LOL!
but in a far more joking and relaxed way..
just to get a smile or responce
and not further hassle you.
also a very good percentage of the local hotel , cafe, restaurant staff know a good deal of the russian language, and some are quite fluent.
That alone can make things feel a little more comfortable.
As a resort town its pretty commercialized and like a mini US Las vegas atmosphere, with lots of casinos and discos..
not really my thing !
and i enjoyed the diving and snorkling far more.
Anyway my wife loved Sharm el shiek, and some other places we visited in Egypt, but was not not impressed with Cairo.
a romantic side note..
we were also engaged in Eygpt,must be something in the water..
a strange side note..
my wife busted a flip flop,
so we go into town market to get a new pair of beach sandels.
An owner in one of the hundreds of tent kiosks were my wife is haggling flip flop prices..
says to me,, with some confidence " i know you"
I tell him, its unlikley as I have never been to sharm before.
He then spits out my name, and the middle east base i was stationed at long ago!!
it's a dang small world! and some people have incredible memories.
my wife couldnt fathom how this shop owner knew me..
other than i must have visted sharm with a few RW before.
(no she wasnt upset at all, but she also wasnt buying the
Tanya, listen I dont have a clue who he is!
or how he possibly knows, or remembers my last name , he says he met me years ago in another place far from sharm bit)
but she was happy he stopped haggling over the flip flop price, and even thru in a flower into the deal..LOL
