Can't believe it, been here in Cairo 2wks...done nothing at all but the time's flown by! Really, really love Cairo! Definitely the most livable city I've stayed in yet! Modern with an underlining exoticism.

Been havin' an utter blast without doing much. Finally went to the famous Egyptian Museum today...but there was too much stuff... gotta go back! Also went on a felucca boat for a sunset sail on the Nile the other night. But other than that, the only somewhat touristy things I've done is go to "trashtown" where garbage collectors live & the city of the dead where people have moved into a cemetery -- complete with laundry hanging on headstones! If you've been following this trip, you've probably noticed my strange fascination for poverty & death~

But still haven't taken the 10 minute metro ride to see the pyramids...

What I've really been doing, is simply hanging out with great company. Met many American students learning Arabic here... brilliant guys from schools like Georgetown & Yale...& a very cool American expat... & while they're definitely making the whole experience even better, it's the hours spent sitting in alley cafes smoking a water pipe (sheesa) & learning Arabic from the shopkeepers that's the best. I'm now completely fluent in the sheesa vocab! Not ready to quit, but eventually gonna need a 12-step sheesa program :)

Got stoned! No, not drugs... I'm talking about the biblical throwing rocks at the heathen woman! Nothing too serious, no pain but still... pissed me off!

Went & bought a headscarf post stoning. About 90% of the women here wear 'em. Which is interesting because just 10yrs ago 90% of the women didn't. Islamic fundamentalism grown fast. But I've got fantastic hair... (if I do say so myself...) so my own vanity keeps me from wearing it except at night out alone. Been grabbed & inappropriately rubbed against enough that I walk rudely with one hand out, like "don't you dare even get close to me." Also tried hiding behind local families but then they would yell back at the guys making their catcalls in Arabic, which only made me more aware of the comments being hurled at me...decided ignorance really is bliss.

But despite the guys, still really, really love Cairo. Even looked at an apartment last week!