Our first apartment guests arrived earlier this week- Froody's parents! I've been looking forward to their visit and am real glad they're here. It's always nice to have visitors and share a new country with them. This is their first trip to Egypt, too.
Froody and I have shown them bits of Cairo we've already seen and much that we've never gotten around to. Of course, we showed them around our neighborhood- fruit and veg stand, the bakery.
Then we all wandered Islamic Cairo together. I particularly love how minarets are just everywhere here. Naturally the streets led us to the Khan il Khalili, a huge bazaar or souk where you can buy almost anything. We went into the Hussein Mosque which we later learned non-muslims are not allowed in, so I don't know how we got in. Froody's mom and I had to cover our hair, of course, but then had to enter on the other side of the mosque and stay in the harem section. Froody and his dad got to enjoy the huge interior. But both sides led to this smaller room and I wondered what was inside the silver box. Turns out that a grandson of the prophet Mohammed was beheaded, and his head now lives here. :-O
MIL made a friend during lunch and did a bit of shopping. (Really, it's hard to resist buying anything here, although I did the first time around.) As we followed the Muski (this street here) we eventually left the tourists behind and found all the locals and most of the women- shopping, of course. The Muski gets more and more narrow and you get more and more squished as you walk through. I think my in-laws found it a bit overwhelming. I know I did my first time there!
Of course, we haven't done everything together. They spent a day at the Egyptian museum and we met them on the top of the Nile Hilton in the evening, as we had class that day. We also invited Morad and his family over to meet them.
3 comments:
Welcome to your family! Hope they are enjoying their visit. Lovely photos. I had to smile at your visiting the mosque where you shouldn't have been allowed to visit.. just goes to show you what wonderful hosts the Egyptians are. Seriously, even though there is so much that is different, I feel right at home - because I have been made to feel like I am at home - I think it is my favorite thing about Egypt.
I hope your family is enjoying themselves! Are they planning any big trips? Nile cruise or Jordan or anything like that? My parents are coming in January and in typical me fashion i want to have every moment plan and am gathering ideas! LOL
Where in kenya do you live?! I was in Nairobi for the last two years. :)
thanks to you both for your welcomes! the in-laws are having a good time. they went to the pyramids the other day and were there ALL DAY. fil absolutely loved it. i think anyone who's ever learned anything about ancient egypt would. as for trips, they are currently in luxor and i think they're thinking about a day trip to saqqara.
connie- must have been hospitality, as no one asked for money or anything like that. egyptians are friendly, though as a semi-young woman i seem to get some unwanted attention, even with dh right next to me!
cairotyp0- we were in kenya for about a month before entering egypt. we did mombassa, tiwi, masai mara, lake naivasha, lake nakuru, kakamega rainforest, and one whole day in nairobi.
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