I have always heard how Cairo is overrun with desperately poor people hounding tourists, living on highway medians, and making the city unbearable. What I found was a vibrant and fascinating downtown where I saw no poor and I wandered completely unmolested. I suspect that the government decided to clean out the center city to improve the tourist experience. Police with machine guns are posted in front of every bank, ATM, government building, and tourist site, and it would be easy to run out the poor with that kind of manpower. However sad it may be, it is a relief to be able to roam and explore with no hassles.
Taxis rule the downtown. Since so many people take them, the prices are dirt cheap. It only costs a dollar or two to go most places in the city. Egyptian drivers are daring and it can be quite a thrill for someone accustomed to the very foreign concept of road rules. Almost anything goes in Cairo. Stop lights and stop signs are not acknowledged in normal driving, only a policeman in the street or a car in the way gets the drivers to stop. Additionally, taxis frequently turn off their lights while driving at night, only turning them back on when there is substantial cross traffic. Maybe to save their light bulbs??
My hostel is a very cool, formerly grand building from 1941. The wood and glass elevator only goes up (figure that one out for yourself) and I have to walk down from the 7th floor, which is fine. I am just glad it goes up. I get fresh squeezed orange juice when I wake up and then a free breakfast of bread, eggs, and coffee. I can ask for free tea or coffee to be served to me at anytime. The guys running the place are great and it is wonderful to be in a place where they really understand the concept of hospitality.
