This week's episode of An Idiot Abroad landed Karl Pilkington right in the middle of the one world destination most people will be avoiding for the next few months: Cairo.
Obviously, the episode was filmed long before the recent turmoil in Egypt, not that it would have mattered much to the show's producer Ricky Gervais, who purposely tries to make each journey as uncomfortable as possible for his sidekick Pilkington. ]]>
This may be a long shot, but for those whom it touches, it could be a lifesaver:
The maker of one of our favorite favorite iPhone Travel Apps (Tokyo Teleport), is offering their newest app, Cairo Taxi Guide, for FREE right now in order to aid any foreigners in Egypt who are perhaps not so well-versed in Arabic.
The premise is simple; search a glossary of landmarks, museums, and really everything else in Cairo in order to discover how to say that you'd like to go there, in Arabic. The app provides clear taxi cards to show to your driver, so that you aren't literally just taken for a ride. They've also released similar Taxi Guide apps, priced between $5.99 and $9.99 each, for Hong Kong, Beijing, Shanghai and Guangzhou. ]]>
Conflicting reports from major news outlets today tell us that anywhere from 200,000 to 2 million protesters have converged upon Tahrir Square in Cairo, where the anti-Mubarak chanting and demonstrating has reached a fever pitch on this, the ninth day of protests in Cairo. And, in the news, it's all Tahrir Square, Tahrir Square, Tahrir Square...but what is the significance of this spot, where exactly is it, in relation to the rest of Cairo, and why are the protesters coming here?
The answer is simple: protesters are gathering at Tahrir Square because, in a bustling and crowded city like Cairo, Tahrir is one of the biggest open expanses in the city. Plus, it's located at a major traffic nexus, for subway and other transportation. But most importantly, Tahrir is the historical site of past protests, including that against the War in Iraq. If you want to know even more, Tahrir is very important to the modern Cairo, as within the vicinity of it are many western 4- and 5-star hotels (like the Hilton, Intercontinental, Kempinski and Four Seasons), the Egyptian Museum, the American University, and essentially, the heart of tourism.
If you, like us, are curious about exactly how many people are in Tahrir Square today, check out WIRED's great article that works out approximating it.]]>
Where are you right now? Since it's Monday, you're likely back to work and daydreaming of somewhere else. Well, take a moment today to be thankful for the fact that you are not one of the desperate thousands trapped in the humanity of Cairo International Airport as the place has broken down into chaos. MSNBC noted one particularly crazed moment at the airport: "By midday, an announcement filtered through the crowd instructing groups of Danish, German, Chinese, British and Canadian passengers that their governments had sent planes to evacuate them, prompting a nervous stampede toward the gates."
With many airlines temporarily cutting off their Cairo routes "until further notice" and a large percentage of both airport and airline employees unable to even make it to the airport to carry out their jobs of getting people out, CAI more than qualifies as a complete sh*tshow. Let it also be known that with the internet down, for those travelers still in Egypt rearranging travel plans is no small feat. ]]>
Ashton Kutcher and Demi Moore took some time out from their usual hectic schedules of punking TMZ, taking pictures of themselves, and saving the world, to visit the Great Pyramids of Giza in Egypt.
The couple was in Egypt to attend the End Human Trafficking Now International Forum on behalf of their own foundation, DNA. The conference was held in the southern city of Luxor last weekend but, as soon as it ended, Demi and Ashton headed north to Cairo for some R & R. ]]>
After a typical date night escape brought President Obama to New York City earlier this week, we can only imagine that he was all warmed up to play tourist on his Egypt jaunt.
He may be in Dresden today addressing issues of Holocaust denial, before he rounds out this week with a visit to the D-Day beaches of Normandy, Obama made sure to drop by Cairo University to deliver a hotly debated speech. Thankfully he brought his khakis and set aside enough time to day trip out to the Pyramids of Giza and the 600-year-old Sultan Hassan mosque. During a private visit to the Spyhnx, Obama even joked that were he a typical visitor, he'd get on a camel. ]]>
Need to check your e-mail before heading to the Pyramids? Let your stomach show the way at Cairo International Airport to free WiFi.
The airport's own Aviation Information Technology Company offers a free signal in the terminals, but the best signal is in the Terminal 2 food court. Just like in Santiago, no purchase is necessary to partake.
Eat up all the free bandwidth you want, but make sure to tell us afterwards.
Related Stories:
· Natural Wonders Travel: The Green Returns to Egypt [Jaunted]
· World's Greatest Train Travel: Olde Africa, Bathtubs Optional [Jaunted]
· Airport WiFi Map [Jaunted]]]>