I went with Kay Taylor of www.faridaadventures.com on a custom trip with some great ladies from Glasgow-thanks for letting me tag along girls. As usual I loved every minute of the trip and I managed to to fit in quite a lot of different things this time.

DAY ONE- Getting our bearings, Hanan, Cultural Centre and Dina.

Orienteering walk round the streets near the hotel. We stay at the Grand Hotel on 26th July street. It has gradually been going upmarket over the last few trips with room decorations and this time the breakfast had improved out of all recognition. You now get a lovely big buffet to start the day. Here is the view from my balcony this year-not very picturesque but more than compensated for by being at the quiet side of the hotel.

Lunch at Felfelas and then off to Hanans costume buying. Photo of us going into the building where Hanans atelier is.

After trying a few costumes that weren't quite what I was after I got a lovely purple bra and skirt costume with turquoise beading and diamonte. Its very striking and elegant.

Early evening we went to a cultural centre dedicated to keeping folk music alive. Here we heard Nubian and Sudanese music as well as Saidi. It was delightful and the performers very talented. Here is a guy playing a musical instrument I wish I knew the name of.

 Then off to see Dina. Great show. She had practically changed her show completely since last year apart from Tatil Shibbak, the shimmery Om Kalthoum and a short burst of El Enab (from the film she did with Saad el Sogheer a couple of years ago). I also thought that the pace of most of the songs she danced to seemed very upbeat She changed five times. I did not get shots of them all.

Costume 1 a lovely red costume with a D on the bra and on the hip at the back. Thanks to Terri Taylor for the photo.Because i'd seen Dina many times I sat at the back of the table so all my photos have heads in the way.

Costume 2 a silver frock. (photo Laura Armstrong)

Costume 3 a blue two piece

I missed costume 4 and the last costume was this black one which had keys on it instead of fringing. I liked that. We were still pretty tired after the flight the night before so we didn't stay to listen to the singer after her for long, he was very good and sang Egyptian song requests and  golden oldies but we couldn't keep our eyes open to appreciate it so back to the hotel. (Photo-Laura Armstrong)

DAY TWO. The Khan el Khalili and party night at Yasminas 

I love a visit to the Khan el Khalili.We started off with a drink at the famous cafe El Fishawy and then off to bellydance heaven-Mahmouds. 4 storeys of costumes and accessories to explore. I did buy a costume. I tried it on for a laugh because it was quirky, liked it and i bought it. No picture of it because I'm keeping it as a surprise for my shows this year.

We also called in at Yassers and after some trying on of stuff I bought a lovely galabeya with matching headscarf and hip wrap. I also spotted a nice animal print frock for when I go back in May!! Thanks to Laura Armstrong for the picture of Yassers shop with Mr Yassers head just in at the bottom of the pic.

Another view of the Khan el Khalili just round the corner from Mr Yassers on the way to the lovely restaurant and cafe Naguib Mahfouz-which is like an oasis of calm in the crazy world of the Khan el Khalili. (photo-Laura Armstrong).

I also had a good time buying music at the usual place in the Khan- Gamal el Saway near El Fishawy,I've been that many times I'm always greeted like an old pal here. I must remember to take a photo of these guys when I go next time.They are really helpful and have,several times, managed to work out the music I want from my singing. Thats quite an achievement!!! 

Party night at Yasminas lovely rooftop apartment with pyramid view. Here we are doing Nubian dance-a lot of Nubian music and dancing about this trip.

DAY 3-sightseeing. Randa and Lucy

Today  three of us Sarah, Val and myself decided to strike out on our own and armed with a good guide book we headed off to the Khan el Khalili to explore some of the recently restored medievel buildings. As someone who loves history I had a wonderful day-so peaceful and fascinating.The khan has a lot of history and gorgeous old buildings if you have the time to look.

The first building we tracked down was where the Tanoura Cultural show is. I've seen the show a couple of times but not explored the building. It is called Wakala of Al Ghouri and is a restored caravanserai which is basically  lodgings for merchants in medievel times. Look at the lovely fountain base.

You can go upstairs and see the rooms the merchants would have lodged in. Here is Sarah by one of the elaborately carved window screens which are just beautiful.

Then we went off to find the restored medievel merchants house which I had tried to find before but hadn't. I am so so glad I found it this time. It is round the back of the Al Azhar mosque. You come to a delightful little square. The merchants house is where I have taken the photo from.

It is called House of Zeinab Khatun. This is a view of the courtyard inside the house. Look at the beautiful window shutters.

The beautiful stained glass window in the house

And the roof top looking over many mosques. While we were there we wondered if they were still in use and then we found out yes, as the the call to prayer echoed evocatively out from the mosques. A truly beautiful moment to treasure.

Lunch at the Naguib Mahfouz restaurant. An oasis in the khan and then on the metro to Coptic Cairo. Picture of the Hanging church, called the Hanging church because its hanging between the Roman walls. Coptic Cairo is so easy to find. Its right next to the metro. Lots of beautiful churches including the one that has a crypt where the Holy family is supposed to have sheltered while in Egypt. It was very atmospheric.

That evening saw us on the boat the Nile Maxim watching the wonderful Randa. Here she is in her first costume, which I wasn't so keen on, but Randa looks good in everything even beige!!!

Now we're talking great costumes. I loved this trouser costume she wore for her Saidi set. These trouser costumes seem to be the new galabeya. She really suits red.

Here she is in her third costume. She fetched a guy out of the audience that she knew to dance with her.

She does a great show.

Then we walked up to the Marriot Hotel. Where I discovered that despite informing the bank that I was in Cairo that week my card would not work in the ATM. Very annoying. Word of advice. Always tell you bank you are going to Egypt and always take a phone number to get in touch with them if they don't do the necessary. Heres some of the group outside the Marriot Hotel which is very swish as it was built as a palace for a visiting Princess.(photo-Terri Taylor)

Next dancer was Lucy at La Parisianne,her husbands club down Pyramid Road. She does a cabaret show of the old style and I love it. So you get different singers before her each with their own bands and then she starts dancing about 4am.

She does a bit of everything in her show. Dancing, singing and here she is doing some Khaleegi dancing.

Nubian going on to beledi when she played sagat.

And if you go with a group she always gets you up on stage

We got back to hotel about 7am.

DAY 4. Quiet day shopping and the Nile Pharon

Most of the girls had a dance class with Amani but I opted out of this and went shopping back to Hanan. I did have a glance in at the class and Amani was a lovely teacher. She was also wearing a lovely pink practise outfit designed by her mum. I got the details and looking up her mums atelier is definately a project for my next visit.I had shopping to do for other people at Hanans but also wanted to look for a bedlah. I couldn't find one but Hanan brought me one out that was half finished.It was in purple and pink. I loved it and it fitted-Wow!!

That evening we went on the Nile Pharon. It was a very enjoyable night. Excellent food.. The Nile Pharon is decorated to look like an Ancient Egyptian barge. Even the landing stage.There is an upstairs restaurant as well as downstairs. We were in the upstairs which was lovely you got a great view of the lights on the banks.

Our dancer was Joanne who was very enjoyable to watch. here is her set one costume

Then we had Tanoura

Then Joanne again. her second set began with saidi. Here she is in her red trouser Saidi outfit. Trousers are definately very now. She is playing sagat.

By now I had managed to sort out the bank problem (thank goodness I had that phone number with me). The Nile Pharon sets off from near The Four Seasons Hotel at Giza so we nipped in there and I was once more solvent-relief!!!

DAY 5 Alexandria, Asmahan

Today was very exciting we went somewhere completely different off to Alexandria with a guide, Dalia, and a minibus. It is somewhere I would definately like to come back to but in the summer. It was so cold compared to Cairo and it rained very heavily for most of the day. reminded me of Scarborough!! So we didn't really want to walk round to explore. The things we visited were fascinating though. We went to the catacombs which was very Greco-Egyptian in decoration style. Unfortunately no photos allowed. Then we went to the site of Cleopatras palace and saw the little bit left underground of her library.We had lunch near the citadel down on the harbour and a few of us brave souls went a very short walk on the corniche. The sea was very rough. after lunch we had a little look at the modern library.Despite the weather I really enjoyed the day.February is not the time to visit Alexandria though.

That night we were back on the NIle Maxim to see the Asmahan show. And boy, does this lady put on a show. here she is being carried on dressed as the goddess Isis.

Then she peeled off her costume (very tastefully I must add) to reveal what for me was the second best costume of the trip (Randas red trousers winning top costume prize).

Her boys did a stick number and then off came the galabeyas to reveal denim and they went into a shaabi number with audience participation. Of course they picked on us and another group of dancers to join in-all very energetic. I did make a bolt to sit down but they got me up again.

Asmahan returned as a fortune telling beledi girl. She told my fortune in Arabic so no idea what it was and gave me a shell for luck, which I shall treasure.

Off came the galabeya to reveal her miniskirt trick costume and off she went into her drum solo. She is quite a commedienne and her technique is marvellous. I love how she does a  show with lots of visual supprises. She is great for the boat.

DAY 6-Felluca, Al Azhar park, shopping, Hassan Folkloric troupe show.

Day 6 began with a relaxing trip on the Nile in a fellucca. Its so quiet out there on the Nile. you can forget that you are in such a busy noisy city.

Then off to the Citadel View restaurant in the beautiful Al Azhar park for yet another excellent meal. here we are walking up through the park to the restaurant

Here's the citadel view from the citadel view restaurant.

Returning to the Khan el Khalili for last minute shopping. Mahmoud is usually closed on a Sunday but he opened up especially for us. I did quite a bit of shopping orders for other people and then spotted a very elegant dress that I'd not seen before. It turned out to be so reasonably priced that it would have been so wrong not to buy it!!!

Our last dance show was at  the Nile Hilton to see the Hassan Troupe folkloric show. We had such a fun evening. First there was a Nubian band who had us all up and boogying. Then the show band came out and played. Then the show started. The lead guy is very very funny and his wife is also excellent. I ended up having a rather bigger part in the show than I had anticipated!!!

I had to take a photo of this-shamadans were involved. I was amused to see they got round the messy candle bit by leaving out candles altogether!!

And now see if you can spot me in the line up. I had a week of audience participation. The word must have gone round Cairo the "we've got a right one here" but this was my biggest role. It didn't make any sense to me at the time but I did as I was told and went with it-apparently it was very funny. I enjoyed it anyway.Although I'm not sure why I became a soldier at this point???

Now it was time to return to the hotel pick up our luggage and head for the airport. I had an amazing week as always, met and shared the week with some great people, bought some lovely things, saw great dancing and as always learned a lot.

So goodbye Cairo see you again very soon (in May!!!)