"Cairo: 1960 and Now" a Cairo Travel Page by atufft

In 1960, my Uncle Chris and Aunt Margaret visited Cairo and Giza during an around-the-world-cruise. They traveled differently than I or anyone does today. My Uncle wore a white long sleeved shirt, tie, jacket and hat. My Aunt wore a skirt, 3" heals, and sweater much of the time, and never wore pants. I also dressed conservatively, wearing long pants and short-sleeved shirt. At the time we visited in December and January, Cairo was cool enough that I wore a sweater part of the time. The ageless city of Cairo remains much the same for us, although it has grown considerably. In the overview images of the city in 1960, one can easily see the pyramids of Giza in the background, whereas today, the pyramids are obscured by tall buildings and smog. My Aunt and Uncle were reluctant to leave the tour van whereas my wife and I wandered the narrow streets of Cairo without a concern. The city remains quite safe, although con-artists of sorts are quick to engage in conversation with the hope of making a fast dollar.

The mistake made by most is to rush through the museum and then proceded to visit the pyramids at Giza. This is a mistake, by any comparison, Cairo is a lively city with plenty to do day and night. We preferred to stay at near the Mindan Tahrir transportation center of the city where the metro and bus system is within easy walking distance, as is the Egyptian Museum. Taxis are also easy to flag down anywhere around here. The hotels in the part of the city date back to the early 1900's and are quite cheap and adequate for the purpose. Here, the hotels will arrange to secure a "student ID" given a couple of passport photos while one spends the day roaming around the Islamic Quarter, the Khan Al Kalili, or taking a fast metro ride down to Old Cairo where the Christian Coptic center is located. The best restaurants are located in this part of the city as well, places that serve a Stella beer and an authentic Arabic breakfast, lunch, or dinner.

During the day, once can easily walk from Mindan Tahrir up to the Citadel and Muhammad Ali mosque, and in route, there are a number of mosques with their slender minarets and madrassas with students coming and going in their arab garb. At night, the Madrassas provide dance entertainment, which reveals the rather liberal form of Islam generally practiced in Egypt. Although predominantly Muslim, Cairo men and women are more cosmopolitan in their attitudes and fashion than other parts of the Arab world. The city remains tolerant of its Christian and Jewish citizens, as it remains a great center of learning and culture within the Middle East.