Thursday 30th December 2010

• The back streets of Coptic Cairo
• Inside a church in Coptic Cairo
• Rubbish piling up at the back of a church in Coptic Cairo
• Mauseleums in Coptic Cairo
• Another church in Coptic Cairo
• Yet another church in Coptic Cairo, flying the Greek flag

Coptic Cairo is a small area of the ancient city in which there is a high density of Coptic Churches, each of them completely different to the rest. Ahmad acted as my guide – Seif had other business to attend to. The churches varied in architectural style, layout and ambiance, but each consisted of a nave and a screened-off sanctuary where the priests sing mass. The screen has a curtain over a central doorway, and a hatch on each side, one for distributing the host, and the other for the wine. The other common factor was the wealth of icons and decoration – too much to take in, and a little overwhelming – all of which was beautiful.

• Another Coptic church
• A sign outside a church in Coptic Cairo proudly telling the story of the Holy Family's flight to Egypt and that they (supposedly) visited this site
• Beautiful woodwork patterns in a screen

An adjacent Coptic museum provided an interesting (but again somewhat overwhelming) array of Coptic artefacts, including some beautiful old manuscripts and religious books. Afterwards, having not realised how much time had elapsed, I dashed for Ahmad’s car, whereupon we picked up Adam (Ahmad’s Hungarian friend) for a little shopping and “lunch” (or dinner, as I would prefer to call it – here that meal is eaten in the late evening) in the famous Khan el Khalili. We walked past carcasses of meat hanging alongside vegetables and spices of every description. The stalls gradually became increasingly touristy, full of tat peddlers, but we found a nice little restaurant, full of hapless American tourists, for some Falafel and salad.

• A market-seller's cart
• The back streets of the Khan El Khalili
• Khan El Khalili Bazzar

Yasmine’s friend Jennifer finally arrived from New York having been delayed due to bad weather. Her suitcase was delayed even further and is probably floating around Istanbul airport somewhere. Having exchanged pleasantries, we were picked up by Mamdouh and his Russian friend Aliana.

The evening was spent at another party (can a trend be spotted?) – this time at an old palatial town house adjacent to the American Embassy, with peeling wallpaper and smoke-stained, crumbling plasterwork. It was quite something: the furniture was in the French style and rather grandiose. The atmosphere was enhanced by dim lighting (though it could have been to conceal any as-yet-unnoticed damage to the décor). I was tired and barely knew anyone, so didn’t make as much of the party as I could have done.

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Cairo Diary: Pyramids
Wednesday 29th December 2010

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Cairo Diary: St Antony and the Grumpy Monk
Friday 31st December 2010