Osirius Hotel May 18, 2016

Awoke and had breakfast for the last time overlooking the pyramids on the roof of Pyramid View then set out for a short walk.

It was short walk-maybe 15 feet – until I saw the man that had arranged two evening carriage rides for me. We talked for 15 minutes then I walked another 50 feet and met Abdoul from Sphinx View. He calls me “Mr. Maybe” because every time he asks me about buying something from him, I honestly reply “Maybe”. I invited him for tea and a shisha in a café 2 blocks away.

Abdoul went to mid day prayers and I wandered the shops outside the entrance to the pyramids. Walking past the same cab driver that repeatedly, every day,  asks me “Taxi?”
I again said “No”.
He said “Again today, no taxi?”
Then the policeman, who recognized me, said to the cabbie “He lives here”.
I felt like a local. After 7 or 8 nights at Pyramid View I am recognized by the locals and have met and talked with many men.

After prayers, Abdoul and I took a taxi to get my shirts, which are killer, but cut a bit bigger than the ones I bought in Luxor.

Had a nice fish lunch at a restaurant that I have been to four times now, just 3 blocks from Pyramid View.

Then back to PV for a shower and a ride from PV Abdou, to central Cairo, 4 blocks from Tahrir Square. Up on the 12th floor, in a nice room, I have a sweeping view of Cairo from the balcony. 

Quickly changed clothes then went downstairs to meet an Uber driver that Moro sent to pick me up. Off in 10 minutes, I met Moro, Kevin, his wife Linda and their son Matthew, 13 years old.

My good friend Moro.

Kevin, Linda and Matthew have been traveling for 10 months and have visited 30 countries. They will visit 10 more countries before they return to Portland, OR after relocating from SoCal. All their stuff is in storage.

We had dinner and drinks in the same restaurant that Luis, Moro and I did several weeks ago.

Fantastic location, on an island in the middle of the Nile in downtown Cairo. We sat for 3 hours and talked travel.

Then off to the 12th floor of the Kempinsky Hotel for drinks in the piano bar overlooking downtown Cairo. Spectacular sweeping views of the Nile and the heart of Cairo.

A great day. Busy. Never stopped after drinking morning tea on the streets of Giza.

Again, just to refresh everyone’s memory.  I met Moro on the terminal transfer bus in Vienna on day 1 of my walkabout.  Travelers are often blessed with meeting other travelers.

Time for bed.  12:45 AM.