Tag Archives: Cairo

August 1, 2025 · 5:35 am

Fun Food Friday — Mar Charbel Hotel Restaurant

Be careful where you eat in Cairo. That’s no joke. When we took our children there in 1984, three out of the four of us got a severe case of Imhotep’s Revenge. From a salad bar, of all things. Making matters worse, there is only one toilet in a hotel room. First come, first served, and knocking on the door gets you nowhere. When you gotta go, you gotta runs, so to speak. By the way, did you know that diarrhea is hereditary? It runs in the jeans.

Imhotep — resistance was just as futile in 1984 as it was in 1932

But is that warning still valid in 2025? I don’t know, but I was unwilling to test the premise. Also, as you’ll find out my upcoming 6 August article, you’re taking your life into your own hands if you even think of crossing the street in Cairo. So, heading out to dinner on foot is a real adventure. Fortunately, we found a very acceptable restaurant on-site at our hotel, Mar Charbel. As for the hotel, it was very well appointed, quite comfortable, and relatively quiet save for the street noise, which you get everywhere in Cairo. Our only quibble was during check-in, as the desk staff could not find our reservations. But the wait just gave Ursula time to set up a tour, which you’ve seen already.

Fortunately, dining in your hotel means you needn’t brave crossing the street, and in a reputable hotel you won’t be subjected to The Wrath of Colon (William Shatner, Ricardoo Montalbuns, Paramound Sphincters, 1982). So, with those enticements in mind, up we traveled to the Mar Charbel Hotel Restaurant.

Being a rooftop restaurant offers up some nice views of Cairo, especially as the Sun sets:

Cairo sunset view from the Mar Charbel rooftop restaurant

In the mood for Egyptian cuisine? You’ll find it here. Not all that adventurous? You see French, Italian, and even Mexican dishes on the menu. Looking for something really basic? Yes, even sandwiches, burgers & fries, pastas, and pizzas await you. But, when in Cairo…

The lentil soup was so good we kept coming back for more

Is spicy your thing? Got you covered:

The tables are nicely appointed here:

Worried about eating raw vegetables? That’s what got us back in 1984, as the veggies were “washed” in the local tap water. If you’re worried (we had no problems here this trip), then just make sure you forego the salad, tell the waiter to leave off the parsley, and order your veggies cooked:

Breaded cutlet, fries, and mixed vegetables

Don’t forget dessert. You’ll even find milkshakes on the menu. But the dessert we kept coming back to was the lava cake:

Next week draws to a close our Cairo adventure, after which it’s time to head south for a Nile cruise.

Слава Україні! (Slava Ukraini!)

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Filed under Fun Food Friday, Fun Photo Friday, Photography, R. Doug Wicker, Restaurant Review, travel, vacation, Wine & Food

Tagged as Cairo, Egypt, Fun Food Friday, Fun Photo Friday, Mar Charbel, Mar Charbel Hotel, photography, R. Doug Wicker, travel, travel photography, vacation

July 30, 2025 · 5:35 am

Cairo — Walking the Streets; El-Khayamiya Cloth (Tentmakers) Souk

Within easy walking distance of the Khan el-Khalili Souk is the El-Khayamiya Tentmakers Souk. As you approach El-Khayamiya, if you’re on foot from Khan el-Khalili Souk, you’ll pass through Bab Zuwayla, one of Old Cairo’s three remaining gates within the historic city walls. The Bab Zuwayla gate is the southern gate of fortified Cairo, and it dates back to AD 1092.

And if you want to know the exact foot route between these souks, here it is courtesy of Google Maps:

Hoofin’ it from Khan el-Khalili to Khayamiya via Bab Zuwayla

This route also takes you past the Sabil Muhammad ‘Ali Pasha. There is much history associated with this community fountain, which supplied water to the surrounding community starting in 1820. This water source was built by Muhammad Ali of Egypt, who ruled from 1805 until 1849 and who is considered today the founder of Modern Egypt. There is also a U.S. connection to this fountain. The American Research Center in Egypt (ARCE), the United States Agency for International Development (USAID) assisted in its restoration, along with the Royal Netherlands Embassy in Cairo, the Barakat Trust, and the Delegation of the European Commission in Egypt. This project, started in 1998, was completed in 2004.

Plaque commemorating the restoration of Sabil Muhammad ‘Ali Pasha

So now let’s take a look at Cairo’s Cloth Souk and surrounding streets:

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Tagged as Cairo, Egypt, El-Khayamiya, El-Khayamiya Cloth Souk, Khayamiya, Khayamiya Tentmakers Souk, photography, R. Doug Wicker, travel, travel photography, vacation

July 28, 2025 · 5:35 am

Cairo — Walking the Streets; Khan el-Khalili Souk (Bazaar)

Ursula loves souks, the mostly open-air bazaars (markets) in North Africa, the Middle East, and elsewhere in the Arabic world. I say mostly because there are exceptions. For instance, in Istanbul I’ve shown you the Grand and Egyptian souks, which are indoor affairs. So, this week and next I’m going to present two Cairo bazaars, beginning today with the Khan el-Khalili Souk.

Now, as one would image, you are never far from a mosque in Old Cairo. And Googe Maps isn’t exactly up-to-date with their Cairo street images. Google Image Search also wasn’t much help as I tried to figure out which horizontally striped mosque is depicted above, and searching for the tower in the first image of this article didn’t help either. All I can tell you is when you see these two structures, you’re near the souk. Once you arrive, you’ll find myriad bookstores, coffee shops, and other vendors plying their wares. Here’s a little photo gallery/slide show sampling of what you’ll find: