Wednesday, 11 April. This was the day many of our group were taking the optional 13-hour excursion to Alexandria ($95), and we were very happy that we had decided not to go. I went to the hotel gym at 8:00 while Jane rested. While there, I found that they had a massage opening at 14:00. Jane made the appointment as soon as I got back to the room and told her about it. Then we lingered over a big breakfast until 11:00 before walking over to the Museum of Islamic Ceramics, just a block from the Marriott.

Prince Ibrahim Palace

Some of the ceramics on display

Exquisite inlaid chest in palace room

Jane & floating rock in garden

Ceramic fireplace in the palace

The museum is located in the Prince Ibrahim Palace, itself an impressive example of Islamic architecture and decoration. The ceramics collection, mostly from the7th -15th centuries, was very extensive with many beautiful pieces, and the palace was just as interesting. We also enjoyed a stroll through the modern sculpture garden behind the palace.

On the way back to our room, we browsed through some of the shops in the hotel. About 13:30 I decided to go for a walk to explore some of the city while Jane had her massage. The Marriott is on Gezira Island in the Nile, and I walked east across the nearby 26th of July Bridge toward the city center. I found a beautiful, wide, tree-lined pedestrian walk between the river and the high-traffic river road (Corniche El Nil). It was filled with locals of every age and description enjoying the pleasant afternoon.
 

Tree-shaded walk along the Nile

My walk: Marriott(R) to Museum(L)

Feluccas along Nile; Marriott across

Looking at my map, it looked like it wasn't far to the Cairo Museum, so I decided to go there to check out the gift shop. As I got to the next bridge (6 October), I encountered a daunting maze of ramps and cross streets, but managed to get through to the museum. The gift shop was a disappointment, but I did buy a costume jewelry set for Jane. It resembled one that had been found in King Tut's tomb.

As I started back, a friendly man (who said he was a teacher) offered to help me get across the busy street (where the drivers completely ignored the traffic lights and pedestrian signals), then insisted on leading me to a "government bazaar" where, he promised, I would get wonderful bargains. When we got there, it looked like any other tourist shop. I looked around but t really wasn't in the market for souvenirs.

Floating restaurants; Marriott in distance Sleeping on sidewalk

I had decided to take a different route back to the Marriott so I could see more of the city. I planned to cross back over the Nile on the 6 October Bridge. When I got to the maze of ramps, though, I couldn't find a stairway to get up to any of them. I finally walked up one of the ramps on the narrow curb between the roadway and the railing until I reached a sidewalk on the bridge.

 

La dolce vita in Cairo

I got to Gezira Island without incident but was disappointed that the scenery as I walked north along the Nile wasn't nearly as interesting as it has been on the opposite bank. I passed a man sleeping on the sidewalk, the only such sight I saw in Egypt, and in a very upscale area. It was 15:30 by the time I got back to our room, and my legs were really tired. (I had run a couple miles at the gym that morning.) It felt good to rest and read in our room.

 

At 19:30 we went to dinner at the Ristorante Tuscany, the hotel's Italian restaurant. The food was excellent, and the service was fantastic, like something out of an old movie. We got back to our room about 21:30, very happy we had skipped the tour to Alexandria.