Last day in Cairo

We arrived back in Cairo from Luxor around midday. Our original plan was to visit the Giza Zoo across the street or head to one of the large modern malls (City Stars in Heliopolis) to hang out. Alas, the 100 degree temps would have made the Zoo animals rather listless, and the traffic was bad enough that it would have taken a really long time to get across town to the mall.

So the girls went to the pool in the afternoon, made lots of new friends and had a blast.

I decided to try out the Cleopatra Bath in the Four Seasons Spa.

The spa was quite large with a women's locker area with jacuzzi, sauna and steam room, plus a women-only workout room. There's also a larger main workout room for both sexes. The first indication that I was not thinking in modest enough terms, was when the attendant handed me my pink paper bikini that I was to wear in the jacuzzi.

At the appointed time, my attendant escorted me to the treatment room where there was a large hydrotherapy bath in the middle, partially filled with water. I got into the tub, which was very comfortable - and she proceeded to pour several large jugs of milk into the tub as well. The jugs were very beautiful and ornate - Arabian style, made of brass. Then she poured various oils into the milk bath, and scattered rose petals from what seemed like many dozens of roses over the surface. Finally she threw in a few muslin bags, possibly filled with lemon and cucumber slices. The heat of the water, the burning incense and the various fragrances combined to send me into somewhat of a daze.

My feeling of being the centerpiece of an upcoming feast for some cannibalistic tribe only intensified when she started pouring hot oil into my hair and massaging it into my scalp and face. Then she grabbed huge handfuls of rose petals (this is why we needed so many!) and used them as a makeshift loofah for my skin. This was not altogether a pleasant sensation.

Finally after about 30 mins, I was "done". She helped me get out of the tub and dried me off - I stood like Cleopatra in the middle of the room, while she wandered all around drying me with a couple of towels. This was an odd feeling. Then she produced a new pink paper bikini, and told me to change out of my existing wet one. Not quite sure this had any useful effect, but since my brain wasn't quite functioning at full capacity, I complied.

Then I lay down on the massage table and she rubbed various oils on me with a short massage. As my treatment ended, she advised me to sit in the steam room for a few minutes and to let the oils soak in for at least an hour before showering.

Overall, this was an interesting treatment - not quite sure I'd do it again though. Perhaps the Nefertiti Facial next time...