We flew into Cairo the next morning, and headed immediately to a private visit to the Royal Abdeen Palace of King Farouk.
Modeled on the luxury palaces of Europe, this was a showcase of elegance and ostentation--every room bejeweled in every possible way. And yes, it is an official government building, so we had to show passports and get our identities verfied before we could enter.
The tour including both public and private rooms--no photos allowed in the queen's bedroom!--and was followed by a delicious lunch in one of the larger rooms of the palace. Quite a show, from beginning to end!
After that we were left on our own in the hotel, and I went for a walk along the Nile river promenade, passing cafes and restaurants, locals out for a stroll, and watching the river launches pass by. Some were accompanied by deafening disco music, and included a break-dancing gorilla on board.
As Ahemd had warned us in the beginning, everything is normal in Egypt!
A huge shout out to Ama Waterways, who organized this whole adventure from Amman to the last day in Cairo. Their professionalism and customer service was second to none, and we'd travel with them again in a heartbeat.
And a special thank you to Ahmed Eleter, who not only guided us through the fascinating archeology of Egypt, but also helped us understand the Egypt of today. I have a new appreciation of his country and his people due to his skills and character.
Here's a link to all 800+ photos from Egypt https://photos.app.goo.gl/efYThQ6kTAN1pK8JA
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