Back in New York

Continuing from yesterday...

Aboard the bus, a three-hour freeway drive over territory previously covered. Time for farewell speeches. Fadel assured us we had been a wonderful group, and opened the bus microphone for thoughts and comments from his audience. Sitting in the front row, I came up first, and took my time thanking Fadel for his good work as a tour guide, for those special plums he’s always able to pull out, and for the access he seemed uniquely able to provide—and also made comment on the wonderfully friendly reception from the Egyptian people throughout the country. I confessed to my misgivings, before leaving home, about being in a country where I feared that people would dislike me for not better reason than that I’m an American—and how wrong I had been. Took the opportunity, too, to thank Islam for his excellent work as tour facilitator.

Others came to the mike gradually, making up for points I had missed—particularly thanking Craig for his great contribution to our understanding of the technical achievement of the pyramids. It was a good, warm moment, and one which allowed us all to reflect on how much we had learned from the trip, and how much we had enjoyed it.

Once on the outskirts of Cairo and within sight of the pyramids again, we made a short detour to one more of Fadel’s favorite spots, an outdoor lunch place offering an excellent selection of by now familiar Egyptian specialties to a huge crowd of customers—incuding large numbers of Egyptians as well as tourists. On the way in, Fadel grabbed a flute and joined the musicians at the entry gate in a great display of musical virtuosity. Is there no end to his remarkable skills?

Back through the usual Cairo traffic to the Semiramis, where we started out fifteen days ago—in time to catch the royal wedding on Windsor chapel on CNN. What a relief, finally, to get this whole royal mess sorted out into a happy ending. Hardly the stuff of fairy tales, but that’s about what we get these days. Then a walk, with Todd and Linda, along embassy row—sad to see the American Embassy so heavily protected, Bush, but that’s been our story, in a minor key, ever since our arrival here—and through what must have been the upscale neighborhood: huge, elegant mansions, now largely in varying states of disrepair. Tea in the lounge of the luxurious Four Seasons Hotel, surrounded by exquisite flower arrangements everywhere. And back to our own moderately luxurious establishment to put the finishing touches on our packing, a TV movie, and a room service bowl of soup and cheese plate. Early to bed, and a good night’s sleep.

Up at 4:30 for a skimpy breakfast at the hotel, and a fond farewell to Fadel. Islam brought us out to the airport, efficient as ever, and left us in the hands of an “inside” man with airport credentials, who saw us past the various inspections and bureaucratic obstacles. Some shopping at the duty-free, and finally aboard our aircraft for the Atlantic crossing to New York. I’ll post this final entry from there, and probably jot down a few of our New York doings before getting back to the original purpose of The Bush Diaries. See you soon, Bush. Take good care.