Monday, 5/27. Saturday flights were routine. Drive from airport to Marriott Hotel was not. Horns, heavy traffic (10 PM), driver and escort (security?). “Red lights and lane lines are decorations.” If they have lane lines. Two lane roads have three-wide traffic. Massive billboards.

Beautiful hotel complex is full of revelers. Sober revelers. Fast all day, party all night. I’ve quickly learned that Ramadan pervades existence. I’m not sure this is what Mohammad had in mind.

Sunday I rested. A whole lot of nothing. My huge room has a front row view of the Nile. I had arrived one day early for the tour so the room was at my expense. $55 a night for a five star hotel. In the evening the tour group got together for a quick informal walking tour of the neighborhood. Many shops closed while people prayed and ate following sundown (in that order). They would reopen at about 8:30. Neighborhoods set up tables to serve poor people. Tour Leader kept calling the meal “Break fast”, which was disruptive to thought process.

Monday was the formal start of the Tour. Introductions. Many companions are wordy. Lots of experience to go with their age. Some in their eighties, all well traveled. I’m the outlier. Only one other has no companion. Tour of the Egypt Museum. Not a great building and poor presentation of incredible history. English descriptions on old, faded signs. A new building is under construction near the pyramids and some items have already been moved. Leader refers to “Egyptian Time” when asked when the new museum will open. Maybe December. King Tut’s items were marvelous. No photos allowed of his stuff. Lots of displays are behind glass, making photos difficult. The entire place is overwhelming in it’s collections.

Decided to follow my Roman roots and try out Ramadan fasting (i.e., do as they do). Had some water in the morning, but otherwise skipped breakfast and lunch. Walked back to the hotel rather than sit while others ate. Fitness center and pool in the PM. Counted the minutes until sunset (6:47). But after the meal I went to bed while the Egyptians partied. I found a study that examined cause of death trends during Ramadan in a city in Turkey. Suicides and homicides go down (religious fervor and lack of alcohol-related violence), while accidental deaths and natural causes go up (distracted thinking from hunger and poor health). Cancels things out.

The companions are creeping me out with their banter. After a month of 24/7 with Yoriko, I’m missing her. But I’m in Egypt! Tomorrow I see the pyramids. Things could be worse. (It’s not too hot yet.)