Mubarak's birthday

There were rumors of protests so Dr. Sullivan suggested we stay away from downtown Cairo today...
Some background info from the NYtimes.
http://topics.nytimes.com/top/reference/timestopics/people/m/hosni_mubarak/index.html?inline=nyt-per

So I'm debating like crazy what to write right now. I know people are reading this and I might submit it for a grade eventually

Not that I'm into breaking rules particularly...I just know what I want sometimes...

What it comes down to is I need to make my own choices and be OK with them. At the same time I respect everyone leading and on this trip.

I even called Ahmed, (Mickey) the Egyptian student who Elizabeth (thanks!) put me in contact with to get his opinion.

I didn't come to Egypt to eat in Cilantro, a nearby touristy restaurant, or drink beers with Americans in hotels. I want to see the real deal. I want to see how people live, know what they think. There are bread shortages here but you'd never know it from the places we go. Zamalek, it seems, is living up to its touristy rep.

Last night we met a guy, Ramiez. Though Egyptian, he grew up and went to school in Canada for international business. Now he's taking his father's stationary business international, from Cairo to Canada.
He said he'd show us the best salsa clubs.

Earlier yesterday we visited Coptic Cairo. We saw a couple churches, the oldest Mosque and a Temple with Syrian-influenced white and blue stripes. I'll post more details...i.e. names when I put up pictures later.

Later on we rode Fellucas (sail boats) in the Nile, walked back to Zamalek and then went out to Garden of Versaille for food, sheisha, etc....It was Saturday night which is equivalent to our Sunday night, so not too crowded. I'm excited to try something downtown next...

Mary and I have been getting a fair amount of footage for the doc/promo we volunteered to make....The sound quality is poor though...

In about 15 minutes we're going to Abduh and Hayam's, Sullivan's close Egyptian friends, for a feast Hayam has been cooking the last few days for us. Our expectations regarding Hayam's cooking are extremely high =)