Cairo, Egypt

INK: Street Tattooers of the Cairo Souk

When it comes to tattooing, Egyptians are the true old-school. Wall paintings in tombs and temples suggest that tattooing there dates back to 2000 B.C., and Egyptologists have discovered female mummies adorned with blue-black markings. Street tattooists in the souks (street bazaars) of Cairo date back to 1800 A.D., and many of the stalls there today have been in the same place for centuries. These tattooists line the streets with design sheets and prices laid out on carpets, which also serve as their workspace. Designs are mostly Christian, including the Coptic cross and images of Mary, Christ, the crucifix, and various saints—each for a few dinars. Tattoos are crude at best, applied in the same manner they have been over the last three centuries (a single needle dipped into a mixture of Indian ink is tapped into the skin), and there are no safeguards against blood disease. That's not your only risk. The souks are dangerous places, for locals and foreigners alike. Learn to say “La” (“No” in Arabic), be firm with the locals, and remember: No street vendor or bathroom attendant will ever have change. Keep in mind that in the Arab world there is a potential fee for everything. Even taking pictures of a quiet street will lead to palms held out for money. And remember what mom always said: Don't go with anyone you don't know, don't take items from strangers, and stay off the camels (their owners charge one fee to get on and a significantly larger one to get off).

STAY: Mövenpick Resort, $200 per night, moevenpick-hotels.com

A mile from the Great Pyramids and Sphinx at Giza, the Mövenpick Resort at the Cairo Pyramids will quickly become your sanctuary after a day in the

chaotic streets of Cairo. The unique layout features a bungalow village buried amongst lush gardens, providing an oasis of calm where you can relax by the pool, hit the sauna, and play tennis or racquetball. Throw yourself into a long day of sightseeing in the frenzied streets then enjoy dinner at the garden restaurant or rooftop bar with a full view of the pyramids laid out in front of you.

SEE: Nile Cruise

Cairo is crowded with cool and creepy things to see including pyramids, tombs, and temples. To cover as many as possible, take one of the many

Nile cruises. Available in a range of 7- to14-day adventures, cruises are allinclusive, with adequate sleeping quarters, meals, translators, guides, and ground transportation to each site. Begin in Cairo, where a private car will escort you to the incredible Cairo Museum and the Great Pyramids at Giza, and then board the boat where you will travel by night and sightsee by day. Stops include the temples of Ramses II at Abu Simbel, the Temple of Horus at Edfu, the temples at Karnak and Luxor, and the Valley of the Kings, where 500 years of rulers are buried.

Nightlife: Sound and Light Show at the Giza Plateau Pyramids, $8

Cairo is one destination where you'll want to save your drinking for the hotel bar and instead put your evening to good use by taking in the Sound and Light Show at the Giza Plateau Pyramids. The hour-long show plays three times a night in multiple languages and tells the history of ancient Egypt through the use of fl oodlights, lasers, and special effects set to a booming soundtrack. It sounds hokey, but there is something eerie about sitting in the moonlight near these monuments and listening to their story. Bring a sweater or blanket since the desert cools off at night.

Related Links:
Inkrat Tattoo : http://www.inkrattattoo.com/
James Samuela's Moorea Tattoo : http://www.mooreatattoo.com/
Tattoo Peter : http://www.tattoopeter.nl/
Hotel Arena : http://www.hotelarena.nl/
Bulldog Coffeeshop : http://www.bulldog.nl/