Midnight at the Oasis

Thursday, April 16, 2026

Friday, April 17, 2026

Cairo, Egypt

Cairo, Egypt has an estimated population of about 23.5 million in 2026, making it the largest city in Africa, the Arab world, and the Middle East, and the 6th-largest urban agglomeration globally. Its metropolitan size far surpasses other Egyptian cities and rivals major global hubs. Visiting the sprawlng market was chaotic — an overload to the senses with merchants aggressively marketing their wares, and bargaining is a must. The Cairo traffic is horrendous — no rules just lots of horn honking , weaving in and out and near-misses every minute.

We had a day of visiting religious sites, mosques and Christian churches as well as the market for some power shopping.

This family showed us their tattoos of a cross signaling they’re Christians. A morning of discussion and learning about the religions of the country that include Christianity, Islam, Coptic, and a very small group of Judaism. All these religions worship one god and it was said that there are many similarities. While our suspicions and perceptions about Muslims might linger, our female Muslim guide declared that the extremes in the Middle East don’t represent all Muslims. It was beneficial to learn more about the religion and their practices and beliefs.

We stayed at the famous Mena House with stunning views of the nearby pyramids — a real treat! There was an incredible wedding last night, a lavish affair with constructed staging and giant fresh flower arrangements, 2700 guests at an estimated $2 million. The boisterous party loud rock/Egyptian music went until 2 am, our departure time 😵‍💫. We were oogling the bride and wedding party from our balcony. The bride’s gown is gorgeous, eh?

Our outdoor farewell night was a nice culmination of a once-in -a-lifetime trip, thanks to Tauck Tours and Ellie Beck and our own bravery overcoming our concerns about traveling to the Middle East.