I am in Cairo

Stepping off the plane in Cairo, I first noticed the smell, a mix of rubber and diesel that sweetened the air. I walked down a wobbling staircase to a bus on the tarmac which took us to the main gate. I waited in line for a visa, then I waited in line the clear customs. As I exited, I was greeted by my cab driver, named Mohammad Ali. He welcomed me to Egypt. It was past three in the morning.

My flight out of New York was delayed and I didn't end up leaving until half past midnight. The airline had supplied snacks while we waited. I attempted to sleep. Some six or seven hours later we touched down in Amsterdam. The flight had been smooth and the skies were clear. My head was anything but. Still, I bought a train ticket to the center of town and then boarded a tram bound for the Van Gogh museum. It was just nice to be outside.

The museum was under some reconstruction, and I wandered the galleries that were still available. I was particularly drawn to the top floor, which exhibited some of Van Gogh's final panoramic landscapes. On the lower levels, a travelling exhibition of Japanese art traced some of what inspired the artist.

I bought a few postcards and walked outside to sit in a nearby park. I hadn't realized that fall was practically upon us. I could see it in the long shadows and feel it in the slight crispness of the air. I wrote my cards and checked the time, then decided to return to the airport to nap before my flight to Egypt.

This morning I forced myself to sleep in. Upon arriving, I was told that the room I had booked was not available and the manager asked if I would share a room. He showed me to the dorms where a man was snoring, his luggage in the bed beside him. I took a quick shower, and went to bed.

As I packed, a man appeared in the doorway. He asked me if I wanted to see the pyramids. No, I told him. He asked me if I were checking out. I said yes. He asked me where I was staying next, and I told him the Cairo Marriot. His eyes widened. Five star hotel, he said. I smiled and said I was staying with a friend. I paid for my five dollar bed and wished him well.
Posted by eku at September 21, 2006 10:27 AM