Egypt Day 13

Today was lucky 13 for me.
I walked to the Museum of Islamic Art this morning, and spent the morning there. It is a modern museum, well layer out, and well labeled. There are some truly beautiful objects; tiles, books, jewelry, ceramics, weapons, and scientific instruments.
I had to leave my passport at the front, and the guy was quite stunned when I undid my pants to get at my money belt, where I keep my passport. He asked for it.
I had then planned to see one of the mosques in the old Islamic quarter. As I tried to orient myself a man approached to offer his help. To make a long story short it was a guide, offering a free tour. If I liked it I could hire him for other tours.
I took him up on his offer, and we spent the next three hours walking through the maze of alleys in this part of Cairo. We toured a couple of mosques, I climbed a minaret, visited a bakery, a print shop, a veggie market (Yeah!), and the oldest university in Egypt. One amazing place was where a man made beautiful inlaid boxes in a workshop the size of a closet. Amazing.
We had coffee in a hole-in-the-wall cafe, and it was excellent. I treated him to lunch. Pizza for two, with 2 bottles of water...5 dollars. With the pizza they bring side dishes of potato salad and dill pickles.
Afterward he took me back to my hotel, on a local mini bus.
I insisted on giving him 10 dollars. I felt guilty, but that's all I had with me.
And as a bonus I didn't see another tourist all afternoon.
I have agreed to hire him for some more tours.
This has been a gem of a day.