This year was a special birthday trip for me organised by the wonderful Kay Taylor of Farida Adventures. She does fabulous "Taylor made" holidays to Cairo, Basically you tell her what you want to see and if its possible she makes it happen.

So as a Cairo veteran visitor I had very clear ideas of what I wanted to see and do on the trip. It was very definately going to include lots of Nightlife and shopping!, also the opportunity for new Cairo visitors to visit the Pyramids and the Cairo Museum.

So 16 of us set off from various places round the UK to meet up for our Cairo birthday adventure.

 Off to Cairo

Of we go. 4 very excited ladies meet up at Leeds/Bradford airport. I'm the fourth one and I'm taking the photo!!!

Day One in Cairo- Orienteering walk, lunch at Felfelas Restaurant, visit to Sahars and Eman and Randa on the Nile Maxim!!!

Arriving in Cairo at silly o'clock in the morning!!! Met at the airport by bus and taken to the Grand Hotel. I am still pleased with myself that I actually managed to say good morning to the driver in Egyptian Arabic-he was most amused-probably at my strange Yorkshire/Arabic accent!!

No rest for the Cairo girls!!!Up and on our orienteering walk round the hotel area, down the main shopping street Talat Harb, pausing only to look and drool at the shoe shops!!!

Delicious lunch at Felfelas restaurant where the Cairo new girls discovered the fabulous fruit juices you can have in Egypt. I think the lemon juice was the hit of this trip!!

More happy eaters at Felfelas

Then down to serious business of shopping. Splitting into two groups one went off to visit Eman Zaki and one went to visit Sahar (Dina's costumier). I went to look at Sahars work.

I didn't splurge this time but I have every intention of doing so in the future!! However some of the girls bought some totally amazing costumes. One of the exciting things about them as well as the loveliness of the costumes, they all have a lttle signature S on them AND they come in a special bag....how cool is that. Here are some very very excited shoppers!!!

Then off we went to Eman Zakis. I lost my heart to a feathered creation but unfortunately they had no fabric left in the colour I wanted, I was also loving a fabulous costume with a snake winding its way round it and a black one with multicoloured splodges. However I ended up with none of them. I ended up with a gorgeous pink costume with feathers and flowers made specially for me......how cool is that??? Many many thanks to Sara Farouk and Emans very talented tailor Ramy who cut me an amazing skirt that drapes so beautifully and actually feels so light I can't tell I'm wearing it. It was a very special birthday present to me.

Back to the hotel for a brief rest then off to do what we really came to Cairo for....to see the dancing.Tonight was Randa on the Nile maxim.

It was a fun night. The warm up act including a crazy bongo guy who kept getting our group up and the Spanish group on the next table. I ended up doing a drum solo with the band (ironic when everyone who knows me knows how allergic I am to drum solos!!!)Photo by Emma Chapman

Then the tanoura who has managed to add yet another novelty trick into his act. His costume lights up. It looks amazing.Photo by Emma Chapman

Randa was totally fabulous that night. She was really excellent. Of course she is always amazing but there was definately a special sort of something about her performance that night. Unfortunately they didn't want us to take any photos. I saw her again the week after and photos were ok then so we were just unlucky with that. However we managed one or two photos of her first costume. Photo by Zafirah Dance

She wore the amazing red pants suit again that I really like-so this picture is from the Nile Maxim last year.

Some time chilling at the cafe across from the hotel over a mint tea or two before bed!

Day 2- The Pyramids or more costume shopping. Camellia on the Grand Hyatt Boat

While most of the group went off to see the Pyramids with Nibal-a lovely Egyptian lady tour guide.

(Thats Nibal in the photo by Emma Chapman)

The rest of us went in pursuit of more costumes. This time we visited Aziz who has an atelier out near the pyramids. He did not have anything to suit me but I loved his designs on other people. They are certainly very creative.

A few more of us met up at the Khan el Khalili (the old bazaar in Cairo!) and had a fruit juice in a lovely roof top cafe. By now the weather had turned pretty hot. We were lucky they had had rain and hailstones the week before!!!

I spent the afternoon wandering lazily round the Khan, checking out Mahmouds of course and listening to music at the music shop. A few of us had chosen to have photos taken by Yasmina and went off on a quest to get some costumes for it. Here we are in the cave of sparlies (photo from Sabrina)

Off to Grand Hyatt Boat to see the fabulous Camellia.

Today was my birthday and Kay had organised for a cake and for the warm up band to sing happy birthday/ sana helwa ya gamil to me which was lovely. (photo Zafirah Dance)

Of course I got up and danced...how could I not!!!

Camellia was totally fabulous. I love how she has her own style which again, would totally not work for anyone else. Anyone else would look wrong and over busy doing her hand and arm movements but it works for her.

And she did shamadan. I have such shamadan envy. She was my principal influence in taking up shamadan so it was great to see her do it. This time she actually lit a few, not all of the candles-partial health and safety!!!!.

Here is her saidi set. 

She is certainly an unstoppable force on stage. Here she is fighting with the guys.

And we got in the act too (photo Emma Chapman)

The group had their picture taken with her after the show

More chilling and mint tea at the cafe. Tonight there was a football match on and they didn't allow us in the cafe presumably as it was full of men so they put tables outside for us so they could watch the footy.

Day 3-The Khan el Khalili and Dina or Nesma (and a singing lesson!!)

Off to the Khan today for some shopping. Kay took most of the group on an orienteering work round, showing people how to find Mahmouds, Mr Yassers and the music shop. Then let everyone loose for some serious shopping. I spent the afternoon at Mahmouds and trying costumes on at Mr Yassers-where i bought a nice pharonic Egyptian style costume.

Mahmouds

Then Sabrina and I headed back to the hotel to meet Ahmed who was going to teach us to sing my favourite song Aktep Aleik. Ahmed was a great teacher, he had brought a sheet for us with the words written how we should pronouce them and in English so we would know the meaning of it. He accompanied us on the oud. Sabrina and I both agreed that we had really enjoyed doing this. It certainly gave a new insight into the song.

That night we split into two groups.About half the group went to see Dina and the rest of us headed out to Heliopolis to see up and coming dancer Nesma.

I didn't see Dina so these photos are courtesy of Emma Chapman, Zafirah Dance and Siobhan Waring -thanks ladies.

More Dina

Dina again. I like this frock.

And Dina in a another costume

Those of us who went to see Nesma had a great evening due mainly to the singer and the band who was on after her. Anna requested the singer should sing my favourite song and he got me up to dance which was fun. I don't think anyone of us got a photo of any of our evening which was a pity.

Day 4  Chilled out day of Culture-the Om Kalthoum Museum, Al Azhar Park and crazy evening Hassan Folkloric show, Party Boat and the Scherazade Night club.

We went on the metro to the Om kalthoum museum which was a small but interesting museum on a pretty little island on the Nile

It had such gems as some of her clothes, trademark scarf and sunglasses and the original handwritten poetry for Leylet Hob an Ente Omri.

We stopped on the way back to the metro to try Asap a local speciality a drink made from sugar cane-a great "pick me up"

Then off to a great chilled out lunch at the lovely Al Azhar park.

We went to the cafe by the lake at the park. The food was lovely and the deserts large!!!!

Everybody had a free late afternoon and early evening to return to the Khan or go for fittings or just relax ready for a busy evening.

First up was the Hassan Troupe Folkloric Show. What fun this always is. You might spot some special guest stars that got to perform that night as well. Here we are dancing with the band before the show.

The show

We got involved!!!!

Some of us got quite a leading role! Angela becomes a soldier!

And Cis gets to dance a duet.

Then off on the Nile on a party boat. Although our boat man didn't seem to get the hang of the fact that yes we were English and yes we did want to dance to shaabi music.

Fun on the Nile!!!

Finishing up at the Scherezade Night Club which definately is not as sleazy as it used to be, the music quality is also better and most of the dancers could and did actually dance!!

Day Five-Enjoy yourself day -photo shoot with Yasmina for some, Trip to the spa for others, more shopping or Cairo Museum. Aziza at Casino el Leil

Today you could please yourself. This is where I ended up chilling by the pool at the Semiramis, followed by coffee and delicious cakes in their coffee lounge...yum!!!

That night we down Pyramid Road to a nightclub I had wanted to go to for years. Casino el Leil mainly because of all the pictures and cut outs of the shaabi singers that are outside. It looked a fun place to me and it was!!Here we all are ready to go out. Photo by Kay Taylor

Here am I next to my favourite singer Saad outside the club. Sadly this was the nearest I got to him all week...shame!!He does a great show. Never mind.. next time!!!

We saw a fantastic dancer at Casino el Leil that I'd never seen beofre called Aziza she was wonderful.

Here we all are dancing with her. I loved how she heard the music and her choice of songs was unusual and dramatic. She had a great singer with her too.

There was a good shaabi singer on after her and we ended up dancing on stage with him too. Its a great night. I definately want to come here again.

Day 6 last minute shopping, costume collection and sightseeing and party at Yasminas

Today everybody went off in groups to do last minute shopping, or sightseeing , costume collection or just relax by the pool.

Then it was off on the bus to Yasminas beautiful appartment with pyramid view for more dancing. This time to the Feret el Negoum band and Sabrina and I got to sing with Ahmed. Sadly we were not offered jobs as singers with the band....pity! Singing an Arabic song with a band has been a dream of mine so it was a wonderful thing to do. I really enjoyed it. There was one line I never got right though!!!

By the end of the evening everyone was up and dancing with the band.

Sadly it was all over far too soon and here we all are waiting in the reception at the Grand Hotel for the bus to take people to the airport

Goodbye Cairo see you again next year!!!!