From the Nile, the Old Cataract Hotel looks grand, perched on the granite bluff above. If you’ve seen Death on the Nile, it will also look familiar. My oldest daughter enjoys sipping tea in old world hotels, preferably while wearing a big hat, looking mysterious.
Uniformed guards at the gate inform us we have to pay 85 Egyptian pounds to enter. They obviously don’t want any riff-raff hanging about. However, the entrance fee can be applied to anything you buy while here, and we are having tea. To spend the full amount, we even have Royal Tea. We’re shown to the lower terraces. The grand terrace where there’s a band, plush, comfortable sofas and, not least, a roof over our heads, is for residents only.
Agatha Christie was once a resident of the Old Cataract. Do I ever want to be one? Well, I’m not so sure I like the attitude here.
Then again, I probably will…
Have a look at DeliciousBaby for more fun photos.
Sophie-Anne, I’m glad that you didn’t let the high brow attitude ruin your lovely tea with the girls. It was still overall a great experience for you it seems and you made the best of it. It is a lovely place and now you have wonderful memories to share with the wee ones.
Renee King recently posted..Riding the rails of the Verde Canyon Railroad in Sedona, Arizona
Sorry about that Anne-Sophie…this is what little sleep gets me. lol
Renee King recently posted..Creating a climate of Creative Discontent
No worries, Renee. Sophie-Anne is a nice name, too
Loving the picture of the girls. I always love going to high tea with my nieces, and after being to Egypt, rather relish the idea of high tea on the Nile.
Erica Hargreave @ Roamancing recently posted..Vancouver Theatre Giveaway: I Love You Because …
What a great location, Sophie. Sounds like a wonderful place to visit!
Andrew Graeme Gould recently posted..Santiago, Chile: Folk dance group in Parque Forestal
Look at those happy faces while having Royal Tea. I guess it’s kind of a mystery as to if you’ll be a resident there.
Cathy Sweeney recently posted..A Quieter Side of Prague
I recognize the glee of of coming across a sinful lot of familiar cakes in unfamiliar surroundings. It’s great.
ItalianNotes recently posted..Insalata di cavolo rosso con fichi e arancie
Your daughter is quite right of course that a mysterious look is de rigeur for these old places. I like to pick a spot in the lobby and pretend to read a newspaper…
Egypt is one of my most visited countries but I’ve still never made it to Aswan!
robin recently posted..Real Estate
I love the excitement on your daughter’s face! It must be bacause of the cakes.
Emilia recently posted..dental implants
Glad you got to enjoy the experience of the tea in such a grand place. We found a similar attitude when we went into the Pera Palace Hotel in Istanbul. Never have we felt so unwanted – great to be there though!
Julia
Turkey’s For Life recently posted..So, What For The Future Of Marmaris?
I love the smile on their faces!
adventureswithben recently posted..A Trip to the Taronga Zoo: A Photo Essay
Sophie, by the look on your daughter’s face, I’d say that 85 Egyptian pounds was well spent.
InsideJourneys recently posted..Soulful Sundays: Marcia Griffiths
I’m with your oldese daughter, looking mysterious and wearing a big hat. Places like these are where I feel most at home… I dream and pretend to be a movie star. I’m also quite capable of answering attitude with attitude!!!
inka recently posted..The Venetian Quarters of Naxos/Greece
OMG! You had me at “Agatha Christie”. This looks like a PHENOMENAL place to have high tea!!!! (And how cute is your last picture? TOO CUTE!)
Court @ Haunt Jaunts recently posted..Movie Monday: Finnair Flight Crew Caught Doing Some Very Happy Dancing
What an experience that must have been!
Michael Figueiredo recently posted..7 Super Shots From My Travels
The girls look so happy with their smiles =) For me I would love to wear a puffy Victorian dress while having my high tea, with many lads keeping me company XDDD
Annie – FootTracker recently posted..Taiwan (13) Funnest Airport @Taoyuan
I like how your eldest daughter thinks! I could sip tea in hold hotels all day long
Ana (Ana Travels) recently posted..Lisbon, warts and all
Tea with your girls can’t be beat!
Debbie Beardsley @ European Travelista recently posted..My First Bamberg Adventure!
I remember sailing up the Nile on a falucca and seeing that majestic hotel. Who knew it was 85 Egyptian pounds just to enter! That’s a lot of money but, in my opinion, you earned it all back with that fabulous image of your girls!
Melinda Eliza recently posted..Travel Prep Advice: Get Ready To Take Great Travel Photos!
Thanks for reading, everyone
That is SO fun!!
Abby recently posted..Life Lessons from Elvis the Horse
a royal tea time indeed… the kids are so cute!
Gladys | WanderingTandem.com recently posted..Packing my Son’s Luggage for a Trip
Thanks Gladys
Similar feeling when we went to the Emirates Palace, well, the first time they refused us the entrance.. Is it a hotel or what? Can I say I much prefer little, dirty, local places??
Angela recently posted..In Orgosolo, preserving ancient silk art
Yes, you absolutely can
I like both ends of the scale – luxurious places or the grottier little ones with heaps of personality. The middling, bland ones are a bit more dull.
Once again, you’ve been some very interesting places!
Sonja recently posted..Flying SWISS
What a fabulous spot to have tea – I’m pretty sure I’d be grinning like that too!
Lisa recently posted..A Day at The Wizarding World of Harry Potter
Wow! That’s a pricey tea. I don’t even want to think about what the room rates would be.
Vera Marie Badertscher recently posted..Drinking in Ohio with Dickens
I checked the room rates – and remember they weren’t too off-putting.
I like the idea of making you purchase a certain amount to enter places like these. Otherwise the people there to eat and drink have to put up with too many crowds.
Andrea recently posted..What We Do In Perth
You may have a point, Andrea. Only serious visitors…
That smile = pure excitement
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