The Eagle Has Landed

Kristi's flight came in about 2 1/2 hours late. I had been waiting for months for her visit, so I waited the extra time with practiced nonchalance. After a happy reunion our first concern was getting a cab to the city center. After a some haggling, getting out of one cab, and some more haggling, we still got ripped off by paying 100LE for us and two Norwegians to take a minibus into town. At four in the morning saving 20LE isn't as worth it. The guest house was a welcome sight. We got our things upstairs and into our rooms and went straight to sleep.

Five hours later we were up. Thankfully breakfast was still lingering on the table downstairs in the common area: toast, jam, fruits, coffee. I picked it over and saved a banana for Kristi who was getting ready to go. We hopped a cab downtown then the subway to Maadi. As on every Friday, the train was empty (i.e. we had seats) and Maadi was the same. I thought we'd be 40 minutes late, but the church service began a half hour later than when I thought, so we were right on time. The one thirty is an African service so we were well in the minority, which is what I like about it. The singing was especially lively, the kind that gladdens your heart. We strolled out of church towards Main Street Maadi where we got a bite to eat before heading back downtown on the train. The rest of the day was pretty laid back, we toured my apartment, walked across the bridge to Zemalek, took naps, and ate Hommos wa Shwerma at a river boat restaurant watching the dozens of neon lighted river jetties plying the waters of this ancient river.