SIGHTSEEING IN EGYPT

Bay of Plenty Beacon, Volume 3, Issue 260, 20 January 1941, Page 3

SIGHTSEEING IN EGYPT

EX-TANEATUA BOY'S EXPERIENCES DOING THE ROUNDS OF CAIRO SERIES OF LETTERS On Saturday wc had no parade so just got things ready to go out alter lunch. Went for a ride round on the desert with one of the officers and put the machine on the sick list. By the way did you find thai Pix? As soon as I had finished lunch I headed) for the Maadi Station on my way to Bab-el-luk to meet the party which w<is .to do a walking tour of Cairo. There were about 25 of us and the Egyptian Rover Scouts very fine chaps too It's a real treat to get out and meet someone who is not connected with the army. Our particular guide William AbdAssavett was in charge and took us round to the Government buildingsfirst, The first buildings were the P.W.D. and are housed in a modern building 200 years old. Near the P.W.D. is the Geological Museum. All these buildings are built from the street level, and inside is a big courtyard, well laid with lawns, flower plots and trees. The next building was Ihe Ministry of Communications. Along the street on our left was the House of Parliament. Across the road is the Ministry of Health and then the Ministry of. Finance. Along, the block are the Ministry of Justice and Internal Affairs and we went through the gardens between them. Near the House of Parliament is the tomb of Saad Zagloul Pasha. He was leader of the Wadft when lie died in 1927 or 1929. His tomb was built just across the road from his old home, where his willow still lives. The tomb is a huge affair, the granite used being brought from Asswan away up the Nile. The heavy bronze double doorsare about 12' or 14' high, each 2 r G" wide and about 4" thick. They arc well worked and are they heavy —not much show of shutting them in a hurry. The tomb itself is inside a huge vault and \s about 10 or 12ft high and is a masterpiece of granite marble. This place is flood lit at night and looks good too. Next we Avent across the railway and through some of the native quarters which are out of bounds except on such a tour as this. We came to a building no different from the rest (to oulside appearance) and went in. It was a native kindergarten. The boys had the room nearest the street and the girls the one at the back. They had desks but were well and truly crowded. The boys sang the Egyptian National Anthem for us before we left for the Royal Palace—Abdin Palace* I had been past here before but not from thej area wc had just been in. Photographing the Royal Palace is a crime but we broke the law. We saw the Sentries being relieved and J I'm quite satisfied that DJiv. C'av. 1 would leave them miles behind with drill and we are pretty rough at times. On again to Midan Bab-el- ' Khalaz. Round this square is the 1 Arab Museum, the Native Court of 1 Appeal and the Library,, and we ; started to get well into the native 1 quarters, bazaars and homes or rath- 1 er hovels. It was through here that 1 we saw the Black Marias (they are J just open lorries). The first only 1 had about half a dozen women on, i they were being run in for practic- 1 lng their trade without a licence; 1 the second was crowded with a mot- ' ley collection, all ages and both 1 sexes. They had been arrested for * various offences — fighting, petty ' thefts, free riding on trains, etc. * The lines would be anything from c Pt. 5 to 50 or a few days in clink.

They seemed quite happy about it though.

Soon we came to one of the old Gates of the City. Hanging on the walls was a gruesome looking collection of chains and iron balls, which used U) be dropped on invaders. Opposite this gate is a na-< live market, the buildings- jut out over the top ami meet, forming a sort of arcade. A\ r e didn't go far into this place. In this area the streets wind all the way and there are numerous alleyways. It is certainly no place to be on one'.s own. We saw blacksmiths' shops, wood turners, butchers' shops where the meat hung out over the pavement to collect al! the flies and dust, numerous native shops displaying mats, cloth, fruit and several shops which could hardly be seen for the collection of rubbish hanging in front of it. I write ru-:sh ! ;i \ r ' ;s , v iron and rubbish. Tin ketllcs, pols

group of its own. It is nothing to see a street full of tailors all ting" out on little benches sewing away, two or three laundries together, a whole street of mat shops or Avoollen dealers. They are all there, so is the slink. linve just had a good afternoon nap, the first for a long time. A few days ago we drew our mosquito nets. I have heard no mosquitos since we arrived, but the}' are alright to get under to dodge dies. The rest of the boys in this tent arc asleep too and all under their nets. I hope and pray that this war soon end.; and we can get back home again. j Twice while we were in this network of native streets we were stopped. The iirst time was when William was going to take us down a verj' narrow alley and a middle-aged native stopped him and told him Ave should not be in that part of Cairo, that he should be showing us the modern Cairo, ihe Pyramids, etc., not these low c;uarters. William didn't argue but stuck to the main street and said 'Follow me and more fast.' About another 50 yards along the street lie dived down to the left. We followed and his face was all smiles. He showed us what he wanted to, it was similar to some of the others but was a much narrower alleyway. The shopkeepers put.their slock out in front and there is only a mere track through. One section of this alley was occupied almost exclusively by shops displaying bags of grain as I thought, but they are merely herbs. We saw some of the natives making spices. Apparently they are ground as Ave saw them working with si heavy stick in a big jar. I wish I could write about these tilings as I saw them.. We left this place and were on our way to tlie Mohammedan Universily when a native policeman thought we should not be there and that Ave should be seeing the usual tourist sights. However William managed to talk his way out of trouble and away Ave Avent again. When these Egyptians start arguing half of it is done Avith the hands and arms' iind the other half Avitli their tongues. The UniA'crsitv is a fairly.big place but one can't see much from the oiuside, only the Avails and they ire nothing out of the ordinary'.' Near the University, AA r hieh by the way is attended by students from [ill over the world, is the Mosque Saividua el Huisein. This is the biggest and most beautiful mosque we have seen so far. One of these Jays I Avill do Ihe mosques and then ivill be able to tell you, or at least .vill try to picture for you just Avhat they arc like. We Averc not alloAA r ed inside. There are certain mosques n Cairo though that are open to ourists, but that doesn't let them inter without first removing their ;hoes. All through this part of Cairo here arc dozens of mosques from )lain stone-willed ones to big beau.ifill places—the}' are as much: dike as a roadman's hut and Buckngham Palace. In one place Ave saw md listened to a man calling the aithful to prayer—he stood in a ort of balcony behind an ornamenal iron grill. The next leg Avas into i section Avhcre the JeAVS are the

[ principle business men. Being Saturday most of them were closccl, but we saw several stores of cotton all baled. That particular street looked more like a street of warehouses than anything else, even although there were several shops open, including 'Home Furnishers.' The furniture is of modern design but they don't put the Avorlcmanship into it. Before leaving this out of bounds area we visited a native market which is like an Arcade. Here we saw butchers' shops, one very modern and very spick and span too. We also saw well laid out greengrocers. The apple cases bear Canadian labels, also a few Australian labels and several times during the afternoon 1 noticed Caiil'ornian prune boxes. (To be con tinued).