Walk like an Egyptian

We landed in Cairo later than expected (a longer story for another day) and met up with our hotel driver without issue. During the 45 minute drive from the airport to the hotel Greg taught Gavin arabic numerals, I kept Connor from sleeping and Greg and I tried to think of ways to verify that the five of us weren't being kidnapped via some elaborate plan.

When we arrived at City View Hotel we were warmly welcomed... profusely warmly welcomed. Lots of friendly Egyptian gents bustling around welcoming us to Cairo and to City View - giving us the nickel tour of the hotel. I had researched so many hotels and also looked up our hotel, but was shown what I think was an incorrect map. I couldn't remember where we'd be in relation to the sites. But when they showed us the famous "City View" of the Hotel I remembered. We were right across the street from the Egyptian Museum!

So our first morning in Cairo we awoke and dined together as a family at the hotel restaurant buffet. Then headed over for our first lesson in Egyptology at the famed museum across the street. It seemed like a baby step to have our first excursion just to be heading across the street. After we risked life and limb to get to the other side we read in our Lonely Planet that crossing the street in Cairo is "probably the most challenging thing you will do in Egypt." They advise to follow the locals and use them as 'human shields' from on coming traffic. I thought it was funny later when we spotted our one and only sighting of a cross walk light that the green person crossing signifying that it is safe to cross is actually a little person that does a running motion.