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The social geography of Dokki (usually pronounced "Do'i", with a glottal stop in the middle) is more complex than Aguza's. Broadly speaking, the rich occupy the land nearest the river and the Dokki Sporting Club, with a phalanx of private hospitals, VD clinics and covert bordellos separating their villas and apartments from the poorer market quarter to the southwest. Coming over the Galaa Bridge from Gezira Island, you'll see Mahmoud Mukhtar's Renaissance of Egypt statue and the twin towers of the Cairo Sheraton . The hotel forecourt is the departure terminal for buses to Tel Aviv and Jerusalem . From here, Sharia al-Sad al-Ali itself continues on to meet Suleyman Gohar, Dokki's vibrant market quarter . For cinemas and restaurants , look along Sharia Tahrir and Sharia al-Misaha, radiating west and southwest from the Galaa Bridge. Two main roads head south from the Sheraton. Running one block inland, Sharia el-Giza passes the Russian Embassy and the former residence of President Sadat, where his widow, Jihan, still lives in guarded seclusion (photography is prohibited in this area). Another once-famous resident of Dokki was Field Marshal Amr, a long-time friend and ally of Nasser's who committed suicide after being accused of plotting a coup against him, and was posthumously scapegoated for Egypt's defeat in the 1967 war. The main feature of interest on Sharia el-Giza, however, is the Mahmoud Khalil Museum (daily 10am-6pm; tel 336-2376; GBPE25; wheelchair access), two blocks south of the Sheraton, housed in the refurbished mansion where Khalil, a pre-war politician and Agriculture Minister, lived with his French-born wife, Emeline Hector. Together they built up this magnificent collection of art and sculpture, mostly French Impressionist and Post-impressionist works by the likes of Monet, Renoir, Gauguin and Pissarro, but also featuring artists such as Van Gogh, Delacroix and Rodin. There are information sheets on the artists in various languages, but the computer screens that tell you about the Khalils and their home are, unfortunately, in Arabic only. Running parallel to Sharia el-Giza is the Corniche, Sharia el-Nil (now officially Sharia Gamal Abdel Nasser). Three boats moored 200m south of the Giza Sheraton house Dr Ragab's Papyrus Institute (daily 9am-9pm; free), where the ancient craft of papyrus making (which died out in the tenth century AD and was revived in modern times by Dr Ragab) is demonstrated. Although more of a papyrus emporium than a museum (and pricey to boot), you are not harassed to buy. Beyond the Papyrus Institute are Cairo's Rowing Club and Yacht Club , both citadels of privilege. A few blocks nearer Giza, the Nasr Building contains two excellent restaurants owned by SwissAir: Le Chalet and Le Chateau. Dokki is well served by buses (#19, #166, #182, #186, #194, #203 and #815) and minibuses (#77 & #102) from the Arab League Building on Midan Tahrir, but you'll have to check which route suits your objective. "Dokki" metro stop is on Sharia Tahir, which is close to both the Mahmoud Khalil Museum and Dr Ragab's Papyrus Institute
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