Return to Tahrir Square - Part II

As you can see from the previous post, the southern end of Tahrir Square is blocked off from traffic, holds a tent city and street vendors, collects demonstrators etc.  How about the northern end near the Egyptian National Museum?

The museum looks fine.  We understand that there are very few visitors except for Egyptians.  I am going to get back down there soon to take a good look.  Without the hordes of people and their loud guides, it should be a very pleasant tour.



If you cross the street from the museum (no easy feat with traffic like this and no stoplights), you will approach these two attractive buildings.  They should look familiar because, two years ago, they were center stage as the rebels and the police battled it out for control of Cairo.  Obviously, they survived the fight.


The reason that they were center stage is apparent if you stand by them and look toward the northwest.  The Ramses Hilton and the National Television Building were great camera platforms.  Today's revolutionary generals choose their battlefields for greatest strategic advantage just as in days past.



We crossed the street from the museum to shop in this store.  The owner had very good prices for Christmas ornaments.  We were his only customers for the half-hour or so that we were there.  He turned out the lights as we left to hold down on overhead costs.