The ad in the magazine said that "The Fish Garden" in Zamalek was a romantic place to take your lover. It said that there were fish in tanks in a cave. It said that the grounds were beautiful. It said that it was a great place . . .
But the truth is that it wasn't any of those things. Imagine a tacky-looking bumpy rock mound in a park surrounded by tattered, plastic outbuildings. Now imagine that inside that "cave," there were a few sickly fish swimming around in dirty tanks built into the "rocks." A few exhibits down, three, dead, dried out crocodiles sit on pedestals staring out into nowhere. The next exhibit over some "screaming" seals sat on display. It looks as though someone just drained the water out of their tanks and left them to die. Fish in jars of formaldehyde sit on display in what you assume were once actual aquarium tanks with real fish. There's graffiti around the tanks. In one of the tanks, there's a half decomposed turtle. Overhead, bats squeal. And the worst part is that in the dim-light, you can't see them. Then, you pay the guide, who you didn't want to help you in the first place, 5 pounds baksheesh (tip) and he demands fifty. You walk away disappointed . . . and you think to yourself, "This is the worst tourist attraction that I've ever been to."
I went there and it was the worst tourist attraction that I've EVER been to.
That sounds disgusting. I am really at a loss of words....
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