Dirty, dangerous Cairo

The gay tourist to Egypt has to be very careful

By Suzy Size, gay Cairo

Will you believe silly Suzy Size? Your heroine was very aware of all the different dangers awaiting her in Egypt. She had read the comment of Itamar, posted on Sticky Rice Gay Guide Asia and Gay Guide World in January, when Egypt was mentioned as one of the many upcoming stops of the Gay World Friendship Tour: “Egypt should be banned by gay travelers according to there attitude toward gays (arrests and jail).

Better considering Israel as better destination as Tel Aviv is the gayest city in middle east and Israeli law is very tolerant toward gay... no speaking about the beauty of Jerusalem, Dead Sea, Haifa, red sea, Ceasarea, Nazareth and Galilee. If you really cute horny traveler, we can meet in the Holy Land...”

The only gay Website – regarding Egypt - listed in the Pink Pages at present did not sound inviting either: “You may be aware that both the state security and sex police in Cairo are engaged in a vicious campaign to imprison and intimidate gay men. Their tactics are constantly changing. Please be careful and don't become a victim. Although, to our knowledge, discreet gay foreigners have usually been able to avoid arrest, the state's future actions are highly unpredictable.

Cairo's gay scene is in constant flux as the authorities clamp down. What we list here are the more obvious locations, already well known, which is all the more reason to take extreme care. Try to seek advice regarding new and more discreet locations from someone you can trust and do beware of "police guides" masquerading as knowledgeable gays or especially rent boy pimps. They sometimes, but not always, betray themselves by the confidence of their approach. Do not reveal your personal details to anyone too quickly.”

That was going to be a hard task for such a talkative girl like silly Suzy Size.

But after her near arrest in Chile, your heroine was very risk avert, especially when she read this on above mentioned Website, which is a Gay Guide to Egypt: ”

DEALING WITH THE POLICE:

If you are caught do not trust any promise of release in return for signing a confession. Especially if you are asked to sign one you can't read, don't understand or a blank piece of paper. However, if faced between the alternative of torture or signing something you must then weigh up the relative risks yourself but it is very likely they will be able to get you to sign eventually. If you can safely play for more time then do so and also consider if you can provide misleading information which may win your release but only if you have considered all the possible follow up questions and possible consequences if your "deceit" is discovered.

Don't assume you will never be caught. Do prepare for many hours what you will tell the police for they will get you to talk. Don't just refuse to say anything. If you decide to give them misleading information do give plenty of thought to it before you even start cruising the streets. You will be questioned for hours, even days, often without the opportunity of sleep. You are also likely to be beaten and/or threatened.”

Arriving at Cairo airport was easy. Suzy paid the 15 $ for the Visa at one of the bank counters before going through immigration. The process of checking into Egypt was as smooth as silk, nobody suspected that your heroine was not a so called “real man” in the Thai meaning of words and nobody was interested in the few seeds Suzy Size had been able to acquire in Sao Paulo (a very sweet variety of small, yellow Papaya) and Istanbul (extremely spicy chilies). When Miss Size stepped out of the terminal, she told a taxi driver (after the usual hard bargaining): “Take me – at once - to The Gresham!” And off they went.

Your heroine had found The Gresham on booking dot com. It – according to the description – had been renovated just recently, was located in a very central (and so called cruisy) area (Talat Harb) and was at 16 $ US a night dirt cheap. The old elevator to fourth floor – where the reception of The Gresham is located - looked very dangerous to start with. Suzy Size, an atheist to her bones, always murmured a little prayer when entering it and also did so when she reached her destination safely, thanking HIM that she had survived. Your heroine had made a reservation for two nights and had to pay those two nights upfront and cash when checking in. Whereas floors 1 to 3 of the dilapidating building had been terribly dirty and looked deserted judging from the view from the elevator, floor 4 really had been slightly renovated and was more or less welcoming or acceptable. The two girls at the reception were absolutely charming and really friendly, indeed.

After payment the redhead lead Suzy to her room on floor 5. The carpet on the stairs was incredibly dirty. Since the air conditioning and the boiler were functional, Suzy gave The Gresham a try. But before going to bed your heroine went for a walk as usual. She turned her valuables in at the reception for safe keeping – a leather bag, containing about 700 $ cash and her passport – but the girls did not wrap it, nor did they issue a receipt. Suzy was a bit suspicious, but the charming girls in this hotel dump were assuring that everything handed to them was safe and your heroine did not need to worry. Well, your heroine worried anyway. But in the end, nothing was stolen, Suzy got everything back when she checked out two days later. She slept well at that very basic Cairo hotel, there were no mice or other pests in the room and even the somewhat dubious bed sheets contained no unwanted surprises, after all. Suzy thinks, the two girls were the owners of The Gresham, had just managed (with their last money) to renovate floor 4 and were now in the process to renovate floor 5 as well. When your heroine asked for a hotel card, they handed her a hand written piece of paper…

Suzy first went to Ramses train station which is supposed to be cruisy, but your heroine mainly went there to book a sleeping train to Aswan (up, up the Nile) which is sometimes difficult to get. It took the motherly clerk over an hour to get the thing out of the computer and she therefore almost naturally asked for a bakshish. Your heroine did not discover any worthwhile scene at Ramses train station at all. She went to Tahir square too (which is seen as cruisy by some guides), but was only approached by some guys that wanted to sell her tours, not flesh. Actually, the young Egyptian men are very attractive, like most Mediterranean men, but get bold and fat when approaching their thirties or late twenties. But – even if a catch could be achieved - where would one go with them? You cannot take them to their hotel, not even The Gresham would let strangers in, for good reasons.

Your heroine went to the famous Egyptian Museum (supposed to be cruisy as well) and walked the shores of the Nile which stinks in Cairo. She started to drink tea at local cafes: “In Rome do as the Romans do,” which turned out to be the perfect drink in this hot, dirty and so noisy city, but she never tried those silly water pipes. For food she went more than once to Mc Donalds, not does she really like that garbage junk food, but at least food safety should be guaranteed: Your girl feared the revenge of Pharaoh…

Suzy discovered some beer bars - there are not too many - and had some delicious, ice cold Stella beers. The Bar at Windsor hotel was a jewel, it used to be the British Club once and still looks like that, frozen in time.

For her return to Cairo – after Aswan and Luxor – Suzy looked for a hotel more comfortable than The Gresham and found Hotel Longchamps on stylish Zamalek island which is in the middle of the Nile. Miss Hebba Bakri is the owneress and the managing director. She speaks a perfect German since she has worked for Lufthansa for many years and therefore has many German speaking guests. Her hotel is highly recommendable, the single is about 50 $ US and the whole out of time place has Wifi. Every room is different. This place is an oasis in this huge and so noisy city. Suzy Size loved every minute spent at that Longchamps and it has therefore been listed in the Pink Pages of Sticky Rice Gay Guide Asia and Gay Guide World.

Even though your heroine has seen the Pyramids and the Sphinx of Giza before (about thirty years ago) she wanted to visit this unique place at the edges of Cairo again. She found Ashraf (or did Ashraf find her?) at the banks of the Nile. His taxi was old, but functional. His price was unbeatable. First stop was at a so called Papyrus Museum where Suzy actually bought something to take back to Castelgandolfo. Ashrafs unbeatable price did not include yet the commissions he was making from his customers. Shortly before reaching the Pyramids Ashraf asked Suzy whether she wanted to ride a camel or a horse there? Neither, your heroine responded. But she was brought to a friend of Ashraf anyhow who had camels and horses for rent. Even though it was bloody hot, the atmosphere became somewhat frosty when Suzy just did not want to ride any of those animals. She had to promise that so called friend of Ashraf she would take a close look at his shop after the Pyramids.

The Pyramids are crazy buildings, very impressive, though. Suzy did not climb into them again, this is a somewhat claustrophobic pastime. When she returned to Ashraf, his friend took her over to explain some silly oils and fragrances he was selling at outrageous prices. He was visibly angry that your heroine showed no interest. He then asked several times about the boy friend of Suzy Size who might enjoy those oils and that was more than odd. Suzy had told Ashraf, she was not married, but was certainly not going to go any further…

Remember the good advise given by above mentioned website? Here it comes again: “Do not reveal your personal details to anyone too quickly.” That fellow was eager to provoke a coming-out of your heroine, but she was not playing along. She imagined what might happen next, if she did: “We can provide a nice young man to you.”

And soon such a fellow might arrive.

They would leave Suzy and that young man alone for a while.

And then suddenly the police would storm in and that could become nasty and bloody expensive.

So Suzy Size stayed in the closet at that shop near the Pyramids, invented numerous girl friends back in Thailand and soon after boarded the night train to Aswan.

According to well informed sources, a lot can happen on that night train if you have a single compartment. And – luckily – your heroine had made exactly such arrangements…

Suzy Size will continue her trip through gay Malaysia, gay South Africa, gay Argentina, gay Uruguay, gay Brazil, gay Chile, gay Istanbul and gay Egypt. Next week Suzy Size will be reporting from gay Aswan in Egypt. Read about the newest adventures of your heroine here, exclusively on Sticky Rice Gay Guide Asia and Gay Guide World which is the only true Global Gay Guide on the net.

Support the Suzy Size World Friendship Tour – pay on-line now

It feels so good to do good

Suzy Size likes her tours all over the world so much, she now plans to go on an eternal World Friendship Tour for Sticky Rice Gay Guide Asia and Gay Guide World. Well, eternal is a long time – contrary to short time – and our heroine needs some funds for this unique venture, the boys are costly, you know. Support your heroine and pay on-line with your credit card. Any amount of 20 US $ and above welcome. If you commit 100 US $ or above you will get a dinner invitation at Castelgandolfo, the Suzy Size residence slightly outside Pattaya and an interesting plant. It feels so good to do good!

Suzy Size thanks thee an awful lot and is mighty proud of you.