Our 2nd day in Cairo

So it was day 2 in Cairo and we were off for part of the day with Alvira our excellent guide. We headed out through the city to the Mohammad Ali Mosque which is situated in the Citadel and built in 1830

from the ramparts of the Citadel you can see all over the City, that is when it is not shrouded in smog - I think the view will be fantastic on a clear day. from the same viewpoint and others you can see over the rooftops - big question, so many houses are unfinished with the upper floors ready to build on- families over there allow for upward extension.

Through the smog we were able to see the pyramids in the distance, but only just !!

In the distance from the Citadel were the quarries were all the sandstone for the pyramids was cut and moved over over the City.

Within the quarry there is now a large new hotel being built.
We stopped off for lunch at one of the "tourist " restaurants, packed out with bus trips - but the meal was OK.

Our biggest problem, which was consistent throughout was trying to cope with the street vendors who hassled, haggled, and tried to con you at every turn. We regularly had to "run the gauntlet" of the traders who failed to understand that if they had given people a bit peace they would have stopped to look at their wares.