How can I attempt to sum up the unique qualities of a city like Cairo within the confines of a short review? Well the answer is I can't, not to the degree that I would like, but if this brief snap shot gives you some idea of the glorious diversity of this wonderful city then that is a worthy enough goal. It is a city that sits with one foot in the modern cosmopolitan world and the other in a timeless past and the two seem to co-exist and merge in a truly remarkable way. It is heaving with life, volatile, polluted and boisterous, with an intensity that both exhausts and invigorates the visitor. As I spent only a few days in the city I can only attempt to whet your appetite with a small selection of the delights that I encountered, these however will give you a flavour of this place.
A Short History. The cities western name is derived from the Arabic Al Qahirah, it is Egypt's capital and is situated in the northern delta region of the river Nile at a location that marks the boundary of the ancient upper and lower kingdoms. It is a port city of around eighteen million inhabitants and due to the inhospitable nature of the country this constitutes a large percentage of the countries population. Cairo is the largest population centre in the Middle East, as well as the largest in the whole of Africa, Egypt being a country that overlaps two cultural and geographical zones. It is the administrative centre of the country and along with Alexandria is the cornerstone of the economy, which is based around textiles, food and tobacco products, chemicals, plastics, metals, and automobiles as well as tourism. Cairo is a melting pot of cultures all of which have left their
mark on the architecture and spirit of the place. After the marvels of ancient structures left by the pharoahs, the Greeks and Romans both carved their passing in its stone, but the majority of the city is the legacy of the Arab invasions that that swept North Africa in the seventh century and the European influence of the later imperial age.
A City of Extremes. The city centre which sprawls along the banks of the majestic Nile is a modern urban environment and but for the telling Arabic writing on the billboards and shop fronts, could be almost anywhere in the world. As you move towards the outskirts of the city the place changes, some of it moves back in time and some of it remains modern so that you end up seeing timeless coffee bars and artisans nestled in between mobile phone retailers and tourist shops. Another contrast between the cosmopolitan city centre and the outskirts is the condition and up keep of the place. The look of the city centre reflects the money that is present there and so does the suburban sprawl that surrounds it. Run down slums and abject poverty contend for space in this massive city and to the western eye there are some sites that make you re-evaluate the state of the world that we live in. Ragged beggars and peddlers crowd the streets looking for the tourists, who by their standards are relative gentry. In these run down back streets there is a mix of beauty and decay, rich colours and alluring scenes stand cheek by jowl with filth and ruin. The streets present some strange juxtapositions, a BMW stops to wait for a camel rider who has right of way at a road junction, a Bedouin in full traditional dress, looking straight out of the middle ages, stops to answer his mobile phone and above the hi-fi retailer the peaks of the famous pyramids rise high and proud. It is very much a city of extremes. As a tourist though you will have the money to stay in the more luxurious parts of the city, but it is worth experiencing the full range of diversity that the city sets before you and that means taking the occasional wander off of the tourist trail and see really how the other half live.
As I said before Cairo is such a big place to try to cram into the confines of a review of this type, whole books would be needed to do it justice, but I will briefly run through a few of the more obvious places that you may want to consider.
The Pyramids and the Sphinx The obvious and most famous of all is the Pyramids and the Sphinx, which are set surprisingly right on the edge of the city and dominate the skyline in that district. For all their fame and grandeur, there is surprisingly little to the pyramids themselves from the tourists point of view. Off the three massive structures, only one is open to the tourist and that in itself comprises of on claustrophobic tunnel into a large but empty room. It's a must for anyone, but don't expect it to be time-consuming experience. The best way to see the site is to book yourself in to a light show that is held most evenings. As the coloured lights play over these structures and the sphinx itself tells its story of what it has seen through the millennia, it is then that you get a better sense of the mystery and majesty of the place. Of more interest is a museum built next to the Great Pyramid that houses a boat or bark that was found dismantled and buried in the sands at its feet. At sixty metres long and almost perfectly preserved due to the oxygen free sands that it was buried in this is a fantastic place to visit and opens up a lot of questions about ancient Egypt's maritime heritage.
The Egyptian Museum of Antiquities With over 100,000 artefacts in 107 halls, the Egyptian Museum can provide days of exploration. Inside are treasures from ancient Egypt, including priceless finery taken from ancient royal tombs, and one of the museum's masterpieces, the statue of Khafre (Chephren). The most popular attraction is the Tutankhamun Gallery where exquisite treasures from the tomb of the Boy King are displayed, including the famous solid gold death mask. Another top attraction is the Royal Mummy Room containing mummies of some of the most powerful Pharaohs in Egypt dating from the 18th to the 20th Dynasties. Of personal interest was massive the statue of Ahkenaten, a pharaoh that I have particular interest in, but whether you are a historian or just a casual observer there is loads of interesting exhibits here for your eye and mind to take in.
Old Cairo The small and enclosed area, also known as Coptic Cairo, is the oldest part of the city and was once known as the Roman stronghold of Babylon; some of the old walls still exist. It is the ancient heart of the Coptic Christian community and although only five of the original 20 churches remain they are interesting to visit, along with the first mosque built in Egypt and the oldest synagogue, a representation of three of the major religions of the modern world. It is a peaceful place to wander around and a respite from the busy city centre. Churches of interest are the Al-Muallaqa (Hanging Church), the oldest Christian place of worship in the city, and St Sergius where the Holy Family reputedly sheltered during their flight to Egypt.
Khan al-Khalili - The Old Bazaar Famous in song and history books the "Old Bazaar in Cairo" is a must. A massive sprawl of winding narrow streets is full of stalls and shops, catering for the tourist and local alike. It does get busy, so I would suggest that you go early; say about nine in the morning. Whether you want to hunt down bargains and interesting gifts or just sit in a coffee bar, a steaming cup in one hand and a "shisha" pipe in the other and watch the world go by it's a great experience. Buzzing with the activities of buying and selling, Khan al-Khalili is one of the largest markets in the world. It is situated within Islamic Cairo, a World Heritage Site that attracts travellers and locals alike. This is the best place to soak up the colour of Cairo and to people-watch. Traders have been bargaining in these alleys since the 14th century and it is possible to buy almost anything, from exotic perfume bottles to everyday Arabic clothing. On the northern corner of the bazaar is the Mosque of Sayyidna al-Hussein, one of the holiest Islamic sites in Egypt. A word about shopping though. Egyptian shops don't have fixed prices. The attitude is an item is worth what ever you agree to pay so you have to be prepared to haggle. Generally the seller will open the bidding at double the price that he wants and the thing to remember is not to be intimidated. There is no obligation to buy and you can just walk away at any time, if the seller thinks that there is still a deal to be made he will soon come after you. Once you get the hang of the way they work you can have a lot of fun in the markets, and there are some wonderful items to be had.
Mosques Obviously in an Islamic city there is a wealth of religious sites to visit. If you visit only one then make it "The Citadel". Built on the site of one of Saladin's forts, this majestic mosque is a site to behold, with its lush interior and a ceiling that rivals even Rome's finest sites. I was amazed how welcoming to tourists these holy places are, considering that as you wander through their rooms and courtyards, the devout are going about their prayers and many are also religious schools as well.
I haven't even mentioned accommodation in any depth as, with any city, a whole range of places to stay is on offer, from five star luxury hotels like the Intercontinental, to the cheap and basic guesthouses that are found in every street. Cairo is one of those places that can be fitted into a break centred in another part of the country, but it is a good idea to spend a few days there as there are a lot of interesting sites on offer as well as the usual range of bars, restaurants, shops and the like. I do recommend the place as a small part of a longer break but will warn you that to our western eyes there will be sights presented to you that will remind you we do live in comparative luxury compared with much of the world. A city of extremes but one well worth experiencing.
Wonderful review Dave. Your notes are definitely useful for future visitors to Cairo. Thanks once again
Jen1978 24.06.2006 09:40
Will be visiting Cairo while on holiday in Egypt this year, thanks for the great review, very interesting to read.
Librelola 17.02.2006 00:31
It is quite beyond me how I hadn't read this before but the fluency with which you wrote it... I am jealous of! Good to see that you like Ahkenaten, he is also one of my "favourite" pharaoes!
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