Trip To Egypt, Jordan And Israel

[bookley]

I'm going to spend the next six weeks traveling through Egypt, Jordan, then Israel. Was hoping members of the forum might share some of their travel experiences to these regions with me. What do I HAVE TO check out? What's overrated? And most importantly, where do I find interesting shisha experiences? (From cafes to tobacco growers/mixers to rad pipes.) Am grateful for any contacts and tips on etiquette too. Thanks!

[Tikhman]

Small street shops in cairo. Have some tea and shisha, try the tombak style, its really really good in most places. Don't expect to have a lot of flavors though unless you're in tourist markets.

Also, if you have time, smaller cities on the nile are unbelievable. I think I like Luxor the best, just because it was very chill and relaxed.

[bookley]

Thanks Tikhman. I'm not as concerned with variety of flavors as I am authentic experiences in interesting places. Any particular streets or neighborhoods in Cairo?

And will definitely spend a couple days in Luxor.

[Codename067]

You wont believe how sweet the prices are over there [compared to here].

Just buy as much as you are allowed to bring in, and share the love after =D

[Tikhman]

Anywhere in Cairo is great, just stay clear of the highly tourist traffic areas. We actually stayed about 5 blocks from the "Egyptian Museum", which was essentially a large warehouse full of really neat things, but that neighborhood was great, it was friendly and not very touristy. Also you need to try the street food and various breads/pastries.

Also hit up the main (and mostly touristy) bazaar (sorry the name escapes me right now). I would recommend going there at night, and if you want to buy something, be able to walk away. If you walk away and they don't drop the price, thats probably as long as they'll go.

[SmokinMoose]

Anywhere in Cairo is great, just stay clear of the highly tourist traffic areas. We actually stayed about 5 blocks from the "Egyptian Museum", which was essentially a large warehouse full of really neat things, but that neighborhood was great, it was friendly and not very touristy. Also you need to try the street food and various breads/pastries.

Also hit up the main (and mostly touristy) bazaar (sorry the name escapes me right now). I would recommend going there at night, and if you want to buy something, be able to walk away. If you walk away and they don't drop the price, thats probably as long as they'll go.

The bazaar you are talking about is Khan-El-Khalile

There is a famous sheesha cafe called El-Feshwee make sure you go there to smoke.

[bookley]

Great suggestions. I've got El-Fishawy on my itinerary. And also Naguib Mahfouz. Will be interesting, at night, during Ramadan.

[TizaNabi]

Hi,

As far as smoking goes like in an outside cafe, you won't find in the Arab market of Jerusalem. In Akko (Acre) way north in the lower Galilee on the Mediterranean Sea is a nice Old City Arab market and which has a hookah tea house with around 7 tables. It's enclosed and looks like it was built on a former barber shop. No reason to go there for the shisha in that market, but for travelling its wonderful. Napolean Bonepart built a still standing fortwall all around on the base of a Turkish wall based on the Crusader wall which is excavated.
There you will see many old Churches and Moslem places of worship which equal some of the sites I've seen in Istambul for beauty.
Look up "Acre" and "akko" "Acco" online photos.
Nearby Akko 8 kilometers away is "Melekh Ha Nargilot" "King of Nargilot".This is in the Christian-Moslem small town of Kfar Yassif Village of Yosef. Must ask the Christians who the Yosef was. There is THE Mother of all Hookah Stores open 24 hours a day, 7 days a week. The owner is a Druze (another Eastern Religion in Syria,Israel,Lebanon) and to not offend the Christians of the town, he closes up the very large store and has a Jew from a nearby settlement sell outside 1/4 of the wares.
I haven't been there in 2 years but I used to go regularly and they sell cheaper shisha in 40 gram packs of ten at that time Al-Waha, Nakhla, Saet-Safa, Abed El-Kadher(I smoke this its great). The same hookahs can be found in Jerusalem since he distributes.
Just for Shisa to get the same and more where I go is "Siam" on 46 Yafo road off of King George street. They have a deal to pick any flavour Nakhla shisha 10 packs for $11.30 now price.But he has 10 home made ultra-fantastic shisha in 100,250,500 gram which he dishes out in front of you.
I don't know if MIZO Nakhla has gotten to America yet, but the Apricot Mizo Nakhla and mint Mizo from Nakhla I have are amazingly wonderful. He sells Mizo from Nakhla.
I don't know how long you will be in Israel but for any human of any cultural background Jerusalem is the best way to see everything in Israel, all in one city.
If you want to see an Arab village you have many onthe outskirts of Jerusalem. You can see hundreds of different Jewish neighborhoods.From hundreds of years back settled t today.You can visit the Arab market which is very bigand in that area of the market are quarters. Moslem Quarter, Christian Quarter, Jewish Quarter.The Via Dolarossa the Route Jesus pulled his cross is there, the Church of the Sepulchre (go online).
You won't find many hookahs usually 8 to a store and around 10 stores only selling. I checked a month ago. Shisa is almost non-existent.3 possibilities of old Nakhal for too much money.
Hookah in Tel-Aviv : I have not been to Tel-Aviv maybe 30 years since it is and has all that Modern Western Culture has to offer, but more so, and its far from where I live. In Jerusalem that's available too.
But, from what I understand there is hookah probably around outside cafe's
They made a law that prosecutes a smoker and the owner of smoking in restaraunts.
But check online since privately hookah is gigantic in modern life Israel.
English can be spoken wherever you go. On the streets or anywhere on a very high level.
I don't know what your time limit is, but I could give you more ideas. also for Jordan.
The Galilee might be important for you. I lived in the North Galilee for 30 years with the "Sea" of Galilee out my window from a mountain perch. It is no sea and any normal lake in Canada or America will outsize it. Also satistically the waterlevel has dipped so low that the plant life below are dying. Terrorist regullarly drop insecticides in the water and the fishing industry went belly up. Most of Israel drinks from that Lake but it is cleaned so well and cross checked by a few anti-pollution Green groups.
Keep in mind that Israel is a tiny country. A bit smaller than New Jersey.
Jordan is 3 times the size, but mainly desert.
Keep in mind that the best market for supreme high class hookahs are the custom made ordered from anyone who wants to those special custom made companies.
The next best high source and market for the best hookahs are right where you live in the USA. If I want a Premium Mya for example I have to have it shipped to the Middle-East from America.
What we get here are plentiful mainly stainless steel Chinese made. $20 for a mini $30 a juniour and roughly $32-$36 for large size. In the store Siam I mentioned in Jerusalem 46 Yafo street, they are on display to take apart and check by yourself. Edited September 18, 2008 by TizaNabi

[bookley]

Wow TizaNabi. What a thoughtful response. (I sent you a personal email with a couple more questions.) Thanks so much.

[NickReppinThe909]

my home town bat yam has a great hookah scene and galilee in general is a great place to go and also has alot of hookah presence

[Wharbone]

Go to Cairo and visit Khalil Mamoon.