First week in Morocco, Friday, 25–Thursday, 31 October

Friday, 25 October, Cairo, London, Casablanca, Marrakech: Taxi driver Rachid waited with us in front of McDonald’s; searching for apartment thanks to crazy Moustafa and Âdel.

Saturday, 26 October, Marrakech: reunion of old friends at Belhaj restaurant, Djemaâ al-Fna; visited Âzize’s house with Âbdelrahim; moved to next temporary apartment with crazy Moustafa and Âdel; met Mr. Hassane; N’zaha restaurant, tea with Âbdelâli in his new store, Djemaâ al-Fna.

Sunday, 27 October, Marrakech: Belhaj, Djemaâ al-Fna; Âzize and Âbdelrahim visited our apartment; Mr. Hassane: man in towel at Yasmine building; Samir visited.

Monday, 28 October, Marrakech: Samir’s visit; purchased telephone from Samir at N’zaha; dinner at Belhaj; visited Mbarek restaurant; N’zaha: Âbdelhadi, returned broken telephone to Samir, “belching in the corner.”

Tuesday, 29 October, Marrakech: (My mother’s birthday on the Gregorian calendar.) N’zaha, continued; Rachid visited; Résidence d’Atlas; lunch at N’zaha; souk, including Souk Souafine; bought audio adapter for Samir in Canaria; N’zaha again with Samir, Polly and Hicham.

Wednesday, 30 October, Marrakech: N’zaha, continued; I spilled Coca Light on Samir; visited Belhaj as it was broken down; bumped into Cherif and Âbdel-something; lunch with Samir at N’zaha; bumped into goofy-looking Mohammed at Djemaâ al-Fna, and he visited; hidden Internet place with Samir; Samir visited.

Thursday, 31 October, Marrakech: (Halloween.) Samir’s visit, continued; Djemaâ al-Fna: various restaurants; bumped into Âbdel-something again, and he visited; Marjane with Polly; dinner at Mbarek; bought gandouras at Âbdelâli’s store; tea at Belhaj; shared figs and apricots; souk.

Last half-week in Egypt, Wednesday, 23–Friday, 25 October

Wednesday, 23 October, Cairo: Hana restaurant (Zamalek); visited Fathi Hamamah’s factory and met his son Musa‘at(?); searched for Blal’s boxing match.

Thursday, 24 October, Cairo: Dr. Ragab’s Phara‘onic Village; discovered too late Ahmad from the Bronx was also in Cairo; goodbyes and propositions at Khan al-Khalili.

Friday, 25 October, Cairo: Horus House hôtel, airplane to Morocco.

Second week in Egypt, Wednesday, 16–Tuesday, 22 October

Wednesday, 16 October, Cairo: (World Food Day and Boss’s Day.)

Thursday, 17 October, Cairo: Train to Aswan.

Friday, 18 October, Aswan: Aswan Station; Hôtel as-Salam; dam; Philae complex; unfinished obelisk; Chief Khalil restaurant; Nubian Museum.

Saturday, 19 October, Aswan, Abu Simbel: (Sweetest Day.) Felucca ride around Elephantine Island; Kitchener’s Island; Abu Simbel; Sami in the souq.

Sunday, 20 October: Aswan, Luxor: Shady Hôtel; East Bank: Luxor, Karnak temples; café with Walid, Ahmad, Mamduh; wandering with them and ‘Ala’.

Monday, 21 October, Luxor: West Bank: Valleys of Kings, Queens; temple of “Hot Chicken Soup”; locked out of room at Shady Hôtel; market/storefront; train to Cairo.

Tuesday, 22 October, Cairo: Khan al-Khalili/Muski: met Blal, ‘Amber store with Dracula, ad-Dahan, met Mustafa and friends with sexually agressive sales pitches.

First week in Egypt, Wednesday, 9–Tuesday, 15 October

Wednesday, 9 October, London, Cairo:

Thursday, 10 October, Cairo: Longchamps Hôtel (Zamalek); Khan al-Khalili (Islamic Cairo); Hamis Travel (Central Cairo).

Friday, 11 October, Cairo:

Saturday, 12 October, Cairo, Memphis, Giza, Saqqara:

Sunday, 13 October: Cairo: Old Cairo.

Monday, 14 October, Cairo: (Columbus Day in the United States.)

Tuesday, 15 October, Cairo: