Friday, September 3, 1943. - Cairo
We finally got underway this noon - after four memorable days in Cairo. We have the liquor on board - stowed safely in the bomb bay!
The billboards come into their own here in Cairo. There are many horse-drawn carriages. Our daily Hotel Heliopolis rate per person, including meals, was 94 pilasters (about a pound - $4 American.)
The City of Cairo has a population of about a million and a quarter people - 50% Arabs; the rest French, Jewish, and English. There used to be 50,000 Italians living here, but since the war, they have all vanished!
The street cars are about 20 years old. The front of the car is for women, the back for men, and the middle section for Arabs. (When we rode the street cars, I don’t remember this segregation.) I was surprised at how many people speak English here.
I gained 8 pounds, and spent $120 while here - a GREAT R & R.
Many movies are showing here - “Gone With the Wind”; “Yankee Doodle Dandy” and other current pictures. They are in English with French and Arab captions running underneath the screen.
There are many photo shops - proof of a tremendous tourist business in peacetime.
There are countless searchlights positioned around the city - making Hollywood seem very small scale!
The 10% tip is included on all checkups. Directions are given in minutes, instead of blocks. Women wear their wedding rings on the finger of their .right hands.
Gum is 20 cents a pack; gasoline 50 cents an Imperial gallon (5 liters). Auto tires are $200 each! There are convertibles for sale, but I don’t know the price.
It seemed good not to be mobbed by kids - all asking for “bon -bons” and “shewing gum”. “Cigarettes?” was their substitute plea - although they are sold in the stores. Again, I don’t know the price.
King Farouk has a mammoth palace here in Cairo.
I saw a large funeral procession. The mourners march behind the coffin. The pall bearers carry the corpse with the head always pointing towards the East!
When we got back to our base, we had covered the 1600 miles from Cairo to Tunis in 9 and ½ hours. All in all, a beautiful trip!
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1 comment:
Grandpa,
I just finished reading all of your posts on Cairo. Very interesting and that must have been quite an experience to see all of that. I guess that's a postive thing that you can take from being in the war- all the countries you were able to see and experience!
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