Friday 7th January 2011

Today was quite an adventure, and probably not the sort of thing one does on a package holiday. Seif was secretive about the day’s plans and it wasn’t clear where we were going until we (Seif, Ahmad, Nora and Christian) arrived at the gates of a derelict building in Helwan.

• The Capritage health spa in Helwan (abandoned)
• The Capritage health spa in Helwan (abandoned)
• View from the Capritage health spa with Ahmad in the foreground and the Saqqara Step Pyramid just visible on the horizon
• Ahmad and Nora at the abandoned health spa
• The interior of the abandoned health spa in Helwan
• Bearing a heavy load

The building in question was a spa resort from the forties in a formerly-nice area of the city which was known for its sulphur springs. A small opening underneath the main gate provided a less-than-dignified entry, but we all made it in and explored the pavilion, swimming pools and clubhouse. There were traces of its former glory days – such as stained glass windows, beautiful tiling, etc. – but alas it was in an exceptionally decrepit state for a building that had only been abandoned five years previously. I explored with trepidation, expecting every ceiling and staircase to collapse around me.

The second abandoned building to be explored was in a far worse state of repair. Formerly a hotel, it had been converted into a hospital and abandoned several years hitherto. My foreboding was evident but understandable, given the number of holes in the floors, ceilings and staircases, and the countless nails sticking out of the rubble that was strewn across the floors. Eventually I put my foot down (fortunately not on a nail!) and turned back with Christian. We watched with horror as Seif and Ahmad scaled around gaping crevices and staircases. But for them it is all in a day’s work – it is what Ahmad is paid to do (and hence why we weren’t arrested for trespass).

• Interior of the abandoned palace
• Interior of the abandoned palace
• Exterior of the abandoned palace
• Seif surveys the damage
• At the King Farok Museum
• The King Farok winter house

A short drive brought us to the winter “summerhouse” of King Farouk, an art deco bungalow complete with tower, the interior of which was designed to resemble a luxury ocean liner. Many artefacts from the last King of Egypt’s lifetime were displayed around the house, and his bedrooms and bathrooms were preserved intact. A quick loo-stop was of great relief.

• Protesters on the Qasr al-Nil Bridge – this was one of the first Arab Spring protests in Egypt
• A gloomy Cairo skyline from the speedboat
• Nora disembarks the speedboat

Back in the city centre, we met Sam and his friend Mohammed at the quayside. After a short delay, we embarked his powerboat and sped off down the Nile, primarily to observe some protesters who had gathered on the Qasr al-Nil Bridge. Some of Seif’s friends were quite excited about this protest, saying that this would be something big, but there were only a couple of hundred people gathered above us as we watched from the river. It will take something much bigger than this if the government is to take notice. But the boat ride was an exhilarating and unique way to see Cairo from the water.

As it was Seif’s final day in Cairo before returning to Durham, I invited him, his mother and sister, Ahmad, Jennifer and Christian to late lunch (5pm!) at Trattoria to thank them all for their generous hospitality. A convivial evening segued into an open-house leaving party for Seif. He is so well-loved in Cairo that his friends can’t bear to see him go, so a “wake” is held in honour of his departure. Eventually I made it to bed at 2am.

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Cairo Diary: Alexandria
Thursday 6th January 2011

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Cairo Diary: Khan el Khalili
Saturday 8th January 2011