Guide in Egypt

My wife and I took an extended business trip to Cairo in October ’03. During our stay at the historic, downtown Windsor Hotel (al-Alfy Street, Cairo, Egypt — $54 for a double), which was the British Officers’ Quarters prior to the ’52 revolution, we met Samir Fayek (cell phone 011-20-12-399-5147 or e-mail samirfayek@hotmail.com).

Samir is an experienced guide who runs tours for small groups of four to six people on a half-day or full-day basis. He is extremely knowledgeable, speaks fluent English and knows how to navigate Cairo traffic expertly.

Samir took us to the City of the Dead in Cairo and to a historic mosque nearby, then to Giza for a visit to the Papyrus Museum, the Sphinx and the infamous pyramids. His fee was $12.50 per person for his all-day tour of Cairo.

Samir’s good cheer, his excellent sense of humor and, above all, his knowledge of Egyptian history all made for a memorable outing. I recommend him highly and would put myself in his capable hands without question on my next trip back.

STEVEN SCHLOSSSTEIN
Princeton, NJ