Donderdag in Kairo

Vandag was 'n relatiewe rustige dag.

Ek het vroegoggend die lugfilter op my fiets vervang en die ketting skoongemaak en ge-olie. Die ketting gee ongelooflike diens.

Vanmiddag was ek in die Egiptiese museum, op aandrang van Sib en Nic. Ek was nie lus vir die verkeer en baie mense nie. Dit was egter die regte besluit. Wat 'n museum!

Die museum is in 1858 gestig en huisves die wereld se grootste versameling van antieke Egiptiese kuns.

Die tyd wat ek daar spandeer het, was te min om alles te sien en genoeg om my lus te maak om dit weer te besoek. Ek sal eendag as 'n normale bustoeris kom en dan kan ek heen en weer tussen al die hoogtepunte vervoer word.

Die doodsmasker van Toetankamen was een van baie hoogtepunte.

Ek het taamlik gal gebraak oor die optrede van die Egiptiese polisie. Miskien was ek daar verkeerd. Ek het vandag gaan oplees oor aanvalle op toeriste in Egipte, en die prentjie van aanvalle en gefnuikte aanvalle is onrusbarend. Luxor - 71 toeriste doodgeskiet in 'n aanval by 'n tempel in 1997; Egiptiese museum in Kairo: 10 Duitse toeriste en hul bestuurder dood in aanval; Onlangs is 17 Palestynse militante in hegtenis geneem met o.a. 'n bom in hul besit. Hulle wou toeriste uit Israel in Egipte aanval. Baie meer inligting oor aanvalle op toeriste is by http://www.usdivetravel.com/T-EgyptTerrorism.html te lees. Ek verstaan die polisie se optrede nou beter.

Ek ry more verder as ek betyds inligting oor oop grensposte kry, anders Saterdag. Beskikbare inligting in Kairo oor oop grensposte na Israel is baie teenstrydig. My ou bosvriend Johannes gaan probeer om korrekte inligting vir my te kry. Indien enige leser kan help, stuur my 'n e-pos asb!

Groete!

Today was a day to relax and do nothing.

Early morning I changed the air filter on my bike and lubricated the chain. I am surprised on how well the chain handled the trip.

This afternoon I visited the Egyptian Museum. Sib and Nic urged me to do that. What a museum! I wasn't eager to do that as I the traffic and many people turned me off. However, I am glad that I've done that.

The museum was founded in 1858, containing the world's biggest collection of ancient Egyptian artifacts.

I spent too little time there to see everything but enough time to wet my appetite to go back there one day. I'll do that as package tourist so that I can be transported between all the tourist attractions.

Seeing the death mask of Tutankhamun was one of the many highlights.

I was quite harsh when I critisized the Egyptian police. Perhaps I was wrong. There is a long list of attacks on tourists in Egypt since 1992 (http://www.usdivetravel.com/T-EgyptTerrorism.html) When one reads that long and disturbing list of attacks then one can understand the behaviour of the police much better. I take back many of the things thought about and said to them. They only did their job.

I intend leaving Cairo tomorrow morning. Unfortunately information on open border posts between Egypt and Israel is quite contradicting. My old mate Johannes in South Africa is trying to get to correct information. If anyone of you can help, please email me.

Regards!