Leka and Karen ready to leave for Cairo.

A book about Leka's Egyptian weasel cousins at Diwan bookshop in Cairo. This was Leka’s first day in downtown Cairo and she had already made the first of many security guards laugh. Your bag gets checked everywhere in Egypt.

Leka poses with a drawing of an Egyptian weasel. Unfortunately this is the closest she was able to get to a real weasel, although many Egyptians recognised Leka as a weasel and confirmed that they are very common in Cairo.

Carmen and Leka crossing the Nile in Cairo.

Karen and Leka crossing the Nile in Cairo.

Leka at the bizarrely eclectic Agricultural Museum in Cairo, posing with "types of women in the Western Desert."

Leka waiting for a tattoo at the Agricultural Museum in Cairo.

Here is a picture of the wall of heads (and blue electric fan) in the Agriculture Museum. Leka was too scared to come out for this picture.

Leka in Al-Azhar Park, a beautiful new park on the outskirts of Cairo. The medieval fortress known as the Citadel is in the background.

A better view of the Citadel from Al-Azhar Park. Leka was off playing with some stray cats so she didn’t make this picture.

Leka gobbling gateau from Carnaval, one of the best pastry shops in Cairo.

Leka with Karen, Sarah, and cake. Sarah had an encounter one night with a real Egyptian weasel. She much preferred to have Leka in her apartment.

Leka with some hieroglyphics near the Pyramids.

Leka soaks up some sun in front of the Pyramids.

Leka rides a camel at the Pyramids.

Close-up of Leka at the Pyramids.

Cairo native Meme examines Leka and discusses how she is different from the real weasels she has seen.

Meme's niece Kristi makes friends with Leka. (I think).

Yet more discussion of whether Leka is or is not like an Egyptian weasel.

Leka poses in front of some Roman ruins in downtown Alexandria. This site was discovered in 1965 by people digging the foundations for a new apartment building.

Leka falls in love with the Mediterranean in Alexandria.

Leka soaking up some more sun on the beach in Sinai. (That's Saudi Arabia across the water in the background).

Leka poses with some "destruction bombs depots" on the front lawn of the Military Museum in Port Said.

Leka contemplates potential uses for a "human naval torpedo chair" at the Military Museum in Port Said. (We had to leave Leka outside the museum, which is too bad because she didn't get to see the glass case containing the piece of Israeli cheese captured in 1973).

Karen and Leka at the entrance to the Suez Canal, Port Said.

Leka watches ships go by on the Suez Canal.

Back in New Jersey, Leka gets one last taste of Egypt with some yummy baked goods from El Abd bakery in Cairo.