CAIRO

WE HAVE JUST RETURNED FROM THREE HOURS IN THE EGYPTIAN ANTIQUITIES MUSEUM. IT WAS HOTTER THAN HELL, SO CROWDED YOU COULD BARELY MOVE, DUSTY, VERY OLD BUT I LOVED IT. WE SAW SO MUCH THAT MY HEAD IS SPINNING. IF YOU ARE AN ANCIENT EGYPTIAN HISTORY BUFF YOU WOULD THINK YOU DIED AND WENT TO HEAVEN. IT WAS SO HOT I ALMOST DID, ALTHOUGH I AM NOT SURE ABOUT THE HEAVEN PART.

WE MET AN ATTORNEY FROM THE EUROPEAN UNION AT BREAKFAST THIS MORNING IN THE HOTEL DINING ROOM ON THE ROOF WITH A MAGNIFICENT VIEW OF THE ENTIRE CITY AND WE HAD A VERY INTERESTING CONVERSATION WITH HER ABOUT EGYPT IN PARTICULAR AND THE WORLD IN GENERAL. WE COULD HAVE SAT THERE WITH HER FOR HOURS BUT SHE HAD TO GO TO WORK AS A LEGAL AND ECONOMIC ADVISOR TO THE GOVERNMENT AND WE, NOT BEING SO IMPORTANT, ONLY HAD TO GO TO THE MUSEUM. I MUST SAY WE MEET SUCH FASCINATING PEOPLE WHEN WE TRAVEL.

ANYWAY, THE MUSEUM WAS JUST WHAT I EXPECTED AND AMAZINGLY ENOUGH, JERRY, WHO IS ALLERGIC TO MUSEUMS, ACTUALLY STAYED FOR TWO HOURS. MAYBE I ACTUALLY CAN INFUSE SOME CULTURE INTO HIM AFTER ALL. ALTHOUGH HE DID SAY HE LIKED THE EXHIBIT AT THE LUXOR HOTEL IN LAS VEGAS A LOT BETTER. MAYBE THERE IS NO HOPE AFTER ALL.

WE ARE LEAVING SOON FOR ALEXANDRIA WHERE WE WILL TOUR FOR THE REST OF THE DAY BEFORE PICKING UP THE SHIP AT THAT PORT. ALEXANDRIA IS WHERE THE WORLD'S LARGEST ANCIENT LIBRARY WAS BEFORE IT WAS BURNED TO THE GROUND BY THE ROMAN LEGIONS AROUND THE TIME OF QUEEN CLEOPATRA'S DEATH. BY THE WAY, I SAW A BEAUTIFUL STATUE OF QUEEN NEFERTITI THIS MORNING AND IT LOOKED EXACTLY LIKE MY AUNT HARRIET WHEN SHE WAS YOUNGER. I WAS REALLY TAKEN ABACK BY THE REMARKABLE RESEMBLANCE. SHE IS MY FATHER'S SISTER AND I HOPE I HAVE A LITTLE BIT OF HER DNA.

WE TOOK ANOTHER WALK ALONG THE NILE AFTER BREAKFAST AND ALMOST GOT KILLED TRYING TO CROSS THE STREET. THEY HAVE TRAFFIC LIGHTS HERE BUT NOBODY PAYS ANY ATTENTION TO THEM AND I DOUBT IF THERE ARE ANY LAWS AND EVEN IF THERE WERE NOBODY WOULD OBEY THEM ANYWAY! I JUST STOOD NEXT TO A LADY IN FULL COVER-UP GEAR AND RAN ACROSS THE STREET WHEN SHE DID. SOMEHOW I MADE IT. IT'S SUNDAY TODAY AND THAT IS A REGULAR WORK DAY. THIS IS A SECULAR COUNTRY BUT THEY ARE ALL MUSLIMS AND THEIR DAYS OFF ARE FRIDAY AND SATURDAY. SO I WILL SIGN OFF. GOODBYE FROM CAIRO FROM THE QUEEN OF THE NILE.