After the fort we decided that we had starved for long enough so it was a trip to the local Mall which was surprisingly modern and lavish, with a variety of decent stores that you would expect to find in a place like Hong Kong, Milan or Paris.
The food hall was great and had plenty of variety so we all grabbed something different and after pulling a few tables together managed to fit all eight of us together before leaving to catch the return train back from Alexandria to Cairo.
We experienced the joys of travelling by tram, watching the bustling locals cram inside the tiny metal boxes and wondered why the three rich kids thought it was fun to save the fare money ( one quarter of an egyptian pound ) by loitering on the platform and then hopping onto the cars step as it pulled away from each stop, avoiding the ticket inspectors as they did.
This time round the train was a little archaic but what surprised us most was that it arrived and left late, contrary to what my expat friends told me, which was that the only things that ran on time in Egypt were the trains.
Darkness had already set by the time our delayed train left Alexandria and after the fun filled day we had shared we were all a little too pooped to do much talking on the way back, so instead we sat and slept in silence or would have if it were not for the screaming cries of the baby a few seats back from us.
Leaving the train station we found another station wagon and this time they did not hassle us for a price on the way so yet again we managed to cram all eight of us into one car and happily travelled back to the hotel, only for the driver to "pitch the bitch" and complain at our generous payment of 25 pounds, knowing full well that a normal car taking four passeners each could only expect to make 8 -10 pounds. Why is it that train stations and airports always seem to attract the worst taxi drivers.
Back in the hotel Al volunteered to help me find a place to watch a good bellydancing show, so with the motto of "sleep when your dead" we headed out into the night, half aware that we were unlikely to see any dancing til after 12:30.
After a couple of false leads we agreed to let a touting taxi driver take us to a night spot known for local dancing, a floating boat all set up permenantly moored by the keyside and went inside, already figured out how hard we would have to haggle to get a fair price. They started at 300 per person each, including two drinks and salad, but after much negotiation and us half walking out they settled for 150 per each and let us inside, promising that we would have belly dancing in five minutes.
Liars. We had to wait 10 minutes before anything at all got going, and when it did it was just a band loudy bashing their drums while a sexy singer warbled into the microphone amid chewing gum when she thought we were not looking. The place was a ghostship with us being the only customers at this early hour, but still they did not let us sit even within two tables of the front saying that the place would soon fill up and we had not paid for premium seating.
Double Liars. Around 12:30, just as Al had predicted, we finally got to see a belly dancer come on, although she didnt quite have the curves for it and seing that the room was still less than a quarter full she could not muster up much enthusiasm, just going through the motions til her next set started in another lounge or on another ship. All throughout the show the waiters kept trying to push a salad and trays of nuts on us, but they were all at least 25 pounds each ( for a small tray of peanuts !!! ) and so wise to their scams we shooed them away before they could settle the trays and leave.
I feel a little sorry for Al, as he had just ordered himself a shesha pipe when the belly dancer ended her set, being about 1:30 and it was followed by another singer, which was for me enough for one night and so I bitched just a little, but it was enough for Al to get the message and we left, his pipe still more than half full.
What should have been a ten minute taxi ride back became a nightmare as the place was pitch black when we got back, both me and Al had been drinking a bit and the hostel was not in the best place, so after half hours slow crawling drive around the area I finally spotted the non-lit sign above our heads and then we jumped out and finally crashed asleep.
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