December 6 -- Still Home (Lou)

This being our 3rd Cairo trip, the pressure to see pyramids and sphinxes is off.  Certainly, we want to see more of the historic sights,they will come next week.  At this juncture however, we’re in pragmatic/pleasure mode where dentist/optometrist details, and tailer/shoemaker chores reign at the top of the to-do list.  With Roger departing a week before me, it’s imperative to get everything of that nature in the works now.  I, on the other hand, have the luxury of an extra week.  

Luxury may well not be an accurate description of the Roma but, the word pleasant is certainly operative.  Btw, our shared room here at the Roma costs £440 ($27.50) a night, including breakfast.  Dinner here downtown can vary widely as in any city but we’ve had perfectly lovely meals for very little.  When we’d rather a nosh than a meal, a Stella beer comes with carrots, cucumbers, and bowl of spiced beans for £45 ($2.80).  Most entrees fall in a modest price range but the Koshary (a wildly popular comfort food dish) joint we ate at a few nights ago set us back £15 each, $.93.  So, on the whole, I think I can afford that extra week.  

All bets are off next week however when we treat ourselves to Mai-Tais at the Ritz Carlton’s Bab El-Sharq terrace bar.  There, where ‘smart casual attire’ is required, we can don our new threads for the very first time.  Stay tuned.