Due to the current crisis in Iraq. Are there safety concerns about traveling to Cairo at this particular time? And especially for a female?

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Originally posted by ExptinCAI:
did you hear about anything happening DURING the war?

so what would be the problem now?

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Originally posted by timbuctoo:
The only danger worth your worry is trying to cross the road. To ensure your safety, side up to a street-savy local and tail them as they scuttle across the street!

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i'm just fed up with such questions as it tends to be asked when people see anything within a 2,000 mile radius of egypt on the news or just the word "middle east" and think the entire area is somehow unsafe.

sorry sprkle. i guess it's the same as i read about german tourists being killed in florida and asked if it was safe for me to visit montreal.

I just noticed you are in Orlando! WOWOW my old 'hometown' yeahhhhh

I have been in Egypt now for 2 years and if it is of any comfort to you, know that I feel a million times safer here in Egypt...and I mean ANYWHERE here in Egypt in comparison to Orlando.

I have a world map on my wall, and it does help, believe me people: if you look at where Iraq is located, then you look at where occupied Palestine is located, you will see that the latter is so much closer to Egypt than Iraq is...and yet the war has been going on for over 50 years around occupied Palestine ~ which is very close to Jordan, and if you are in Amman, Jordan you can see Palestine from the top of a mountain, and it is way closer to it than it is to Egypt, still safe!

Egypt is SAFE.....please believe me!!!!

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Originally posted by ExptinCAI:

sorry sprkle. i guess it's the same as i read about german tourists being killed in florida and asked if it was safe for me to visit montreal.

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Originally posted by sprkle:
Thanks for the apology ExptinCAI. I've never traveled abroad and I'm a military spouse. My significant other wants me to meet him in Cairo but I've never been out of the states. Very excited but maybe it's the fear of traveling out of the country alone and being a female.

Any advice?

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well...cairo is nothing like the english patient...and you'll either love it or hate it.

i would recommend that you take a flight via europe and have 1-2 day layover...Egypt is going to be a culture shock for sure if you've never been outside the States..you might want to take a small step first. Plus, easier on the jet lag if you do a sleep over in Europe first.

as far as Cairo... it's dirty, dusty, crowded, polluted, magical, charming, graceful, and pulsing with life and laughter.

some people would use all the adjectives, others pick out only a few to describe it. practically...

1/ bring loose clothing and cover up because you will be stared at just because you look different (and if you're covered up you will feel more confident to know it's just your hair/complexion, etc and you just look "exotic") but... bring a going-out outfit you'd also wear at home clubbing. Since yr husband knows Cairo, he'll probably take you to the restaurants in 5-star hotels or equivalent popular with expats, and foreign women tend to dress differently if they're stepping in/out of car to go out than if they're going to be taking taxis/walking a lot in public places/street.

3/ don't beat yourself up if you get a craving for a hamburger...you don't have to experience everything new all at once...but be sure you also try some local cuisine.

4/ try to see a variety of lifestyles...ie visit a popular cafe to see how middle/upper class lives... and not just assume the entire country consists of taxi-drivers and the guys at the pyramids trying to sell you overpriced trinkets.

have fun!

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Originally posted by ExptinCAI:

as far as Cairo... it's dirty, dusty, crowded, polluted, magical, charming, graceful, and pulsing with life and laughter.

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True!

And between 3 am and 5:30 am it is quiet, and beautiful and peaceful too! And you can still find a coffee shop that would welcome you, then!

my advice generally is to buy a few linen shirts in XL or L and wear them as "jackets" in hot weather over a t-shirt. you'll quickly pick up when you can take off your "jacket" and when you should button it up. don't wear shorts or skirts (but not jeans either which can be too hot) but opt for linen pants (which you can always pick up at marshalls, ross, or one of those discount chain stores for $10-15 on a sale).

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Originally posted by Monica:
True!

And between 3 am and 5:30 am it is quiet, and beautiful and peaceful too! And you can still find a coffee shop that would welcome you, then!

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oh, you know...i never did this while i lived in cairo and had a full-time job because it's such a luxury on time....only when i had that blissful 3-month sabbatical...but... my favorite thing was to get up in the winter, grab my camera and tripod at 5am, and find a taxi to take me to the hill right above the khan, overlooking the city of the dead..and photograph the sunrise over the minarettes and graves. it was soooo quiet, except for the few coffee shops that were closing DOWN for the "night."

I really love that early time of the day in Cairo...never thought of waking up or staying up that way, in any other city!

Theres' a café in Heliopolis called Harris Café, you can have the best coffee there...and listen to music, or to the call for prayers at one point...which in itself regardless of religion, is connected to the exotic sounds of Cairo, fabulously unique!

An amateur photographer myself, I know what you're talking about!

Can't wait to go back!

Salam for now!
Monica

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Originally posted by ExptinCAI:

oh, you know...i never did this while i lived in cairo and had a full-time job because it's such a luxury on time....only when i had that blissful 3-month sabbatical...but... my favorite thing was to get up in the winter, grab my camera and tripod at 5am, and find a taxi to take me to the hill right above the khan, overlooking the city of the dead..and photograph the sunrise over the minarettes and graves. it was soooo quiet, except for the few coffee shops that were closing DOWN for the "night."

after the every-day living, the only thing that came close is the hush that comes over the city btw 4.45pm-5.30pm at ramadan...everything is quiet, deserted, and you can drive like the devil and get from the pyramids to downtown in 15 minutes flat

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Harris cafe, Heliopolis /Korba/ Cairo Egypt

People drinking Coffee safely in Cairo

I really miss Cairo when i'm talking about it this way! Like exptinca wrote here somewhere... Either you love Cairo or you hate it... And I'm on off those people who loves Cairo, so very dearly!

ExptinCAI, publish them....why not!!!? I love Black and white ones too, I frame them in black wood and it makes a super wall...

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Originally posted by ExptinCAI:
nice pics...unfortunately i'm something in btw and still deciding whether to try to publish my photographs in a travel book or not...which prevents me from sharing those sunrises i was thinking about over the internet..plus...this site only allows yo to link to images already on the internet.. too bad

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Originally posted by Basmalah:
You guys are making me 'homesick'! Every time I set foot on Cairo ground all the stress and problems just fall off my back...
When I'm in Cairo it's usually in my holiday's so i can stay up very late... and like Monica and ExptinCa wrote.. it's so beautiful early in the morning! Such a peace, and almost never cold (when ur used to the Dutch weather) I always sit out on the balcony and just breathe the air! And preferable with the call of prayers on the background! A person can't get more happy at such a moment

I really miss Cairo when i'm talking about it this way! Like exptinca wrote here somewhere... Either you love Cairo or you hate it... And I'm on off those people who loves Cairo, so very dearly!

Basmalah

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Originally posted by Monica:
For Cairo lovers!

[This message has been edited by Monica (edited 15 April 2004).]

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Monica this is cool.

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Originally posted by Monica:

Harris cafe, Heliopolis /Kerba/ Cairo Egypt

People drinking Coffee safely in Cairo

[This message has been edited by Monica (edited 15 April 2004).]

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Wow, this is so nice. Just like some streets off Michicagn Ave in Chicago!!! No wonder some say some parts of Cairo resemble Chicago!

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Originally posted by katrina:
Wow, this is so nice. Just like some streets off Michicagn Ave in Chicago!!! No wonder some say some parts of Cairo resemble Chicago!

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Originally posted by Monica:
kat...you should plan a visit to Cairo at least in 2005??? when I'm back there for good... !!

[This message has been edited by Monica (edited 15 April 2004).]

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We shall see! I would certainly love to! If things work out, I would certainly do. kat

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Originally posted by Monica:

Early morning Nile view

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Originally posted by katrina:
Chicago River is not like that nope ;( no way. Lake Michigan is nice though. thank you so much for pics, send more if you have. kat

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Originally posted by Monica:

The Khan

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Where in Cairo is this?

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Originally posted by katrina:
Where in Cairo is this?

[This message has been edited by katrina (edited 15 April 2004).]

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quote:

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Originally posted by ExptinCAI:
well...cairo is nothing like the english patient...and you'll either love it or hate it.

i would recommend that you take a flight via europe and have 1-2 day layover...Egypt is going to be a culture shock for sure if you've never been outside the States..you might want to take a small step first. Plus, easier on the jet lag if you do a sleep over in Europe first.

as far as Cairo... it's dirty, dusty, crowded, polluted, magical, charming, graceful, and pulsing with life and laughter.

some people would use all the adjectives, others pick out only a few to describe it. practically...

1/ bring loose clothing and cover up because you will be stared at just because you look different (and if you're covered up you will feel more confident to know it's just your hair/complexion, etc and you just look "exotic") but... bring a going-out outfit you'd also wear at home clubbing. Since yr husband knows Cairo, he'll probably take you to the restaurants in 5-star hotels or equivalent popular with expats, and foreign women tend to dress differently if they're stepping in/out of car to go out than if they're going to be taking taxis/walking a lot in public places/street.

3/ don't beat yourself up if you get a craving for a hamburger...you don't have to experience everything new all at once...but be sure you also try some local cuisine.

4/ try to see a variety of lifestyles...ie visit a popular cafe to see how middle/upper class lives... and not just assume the entire country consists of taxi-drivers and the guys at the pyramids trying to sell you overpriced trinkets.

have fun!

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This is what the Swiss Hotels new name is. It has been years since it was the Swiss Hotel, but alot of people still refer to it as the Swiss Hotel (myself included).

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www.casualcairodetours.pyramids.net for customized excursions in Cairo and beyond
Dds71@aol.com

the egypt tourism site gives these numbers (but the numbers here tend not to be updated)

Phone: +20-2-3488990,+20-2-3488994,+20-2-3488998
http://www.telefax.com.eg/

gives these numbers
02/7488998 Fax: 02/7489009

I'd try telefax's listing first.

( there is'nt better than our country, I swear on my mother's life)

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Originally posted by NOxReducer:
Monica those pictures of the Harris Cafe in Korba bring back good memories. Can't believe I've only been away for 6 months and miss home like crazy....Thank you for the pictures.

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On my trip there last year, my cousin was wearing a dress (below the knee), fell and started to lift her skirt to see the damage to her knee and a native man shoo'd her hand away and indicated very strongly not to do that.

Cairo is becoming more 'westernized', but you would do well to at least attempt to learn a little about the culture and customs, particularly for women, before visiting....when in Rome....!! ;-)

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Originally posted by sprkle:
Hello,

Due to the current crisis in Iraq. Are there safety concerns about traveling to Cairo at this particular time? And especially for a female?

Sprkle

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quote:

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Originally posted by ExptinCAI:
my favorite thing was to get up in the winter, grab my camera and tripod at 5am, and find a taxi to take me to the hill right above the khan, overlooking the city of the dead..and photograph the sunrise over the minarettes and graves.

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hmmm ... reminds me that's one of the things I definitely want to do, too.

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Originally posted by sprkle:
I've never traveled abroad and I'm a military spouse. My significant other wants me to meet him in Cairo but I've never been out of the states.

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LOL.- Jennifer, I never looked at this post that way. I assumed the "military spouse" was the same person as the "significant other".

I didn't know all that could start such a uprising.

For the record my significant other is the same as my fiance a.k.a boyfriend and soon to be HUSBAND. I'm visiting him in Cairo because he's currently stationed in Egypt.

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Originally posted by sprkle:
Well I hope to travel in late May or June. Is there a website for the state department? I would be interested in checking also.

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Originally posted by Gail H:
Yes, you can reach the web site at Travel.state.gov/travel_warnings OR call them at 202-647-5225 They will keep you posted on safety......Good Luck and have fun

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