Cairo Opera House

OK, despite my trials and tribulations here in Cairo, Egypt is starting to grow on me. I'm going to post a picture of the Cairo Opera House as soon as I can. It's actually in Zamalek (which I'm starting to get a much better sense of). When I went to the Opera House the actual front door was locked (it was middle of the day), but I just went down a hallway and stumbled right into the Opera House itself. It was very unique with a beautiful fabric ceiling which is essentially open to the heavens. On the same grounds there is also the Museum of Modern Egyptian Art, as well as the Ministry of Culture as well as a couple schools. Artistically you can certainly see the European/American and Arabic and African influences but with a definite Egyptian flair. When I first arrived there everything was essentially closed because it was the middle of the day, and, well, it is only mad dogs and Englishmen (or folks of English-descent) who are out in the noon-day sun. I went to a little shop on the grounds of the museum to grab some water (I think I've had more bottled water on this trip than my entire life leading up to this moment) but the guy behind the counter was washing and didn't hear me come up. We were coming up to the next round of daily prayers and he was preparing for prayer. This also includes thorough washing the ears so that you can hear Allah. One of the security guards noticed me and walked over and sold me the water.