Cairo

There is only one constant in Cairo: the addictive honking of car horns. Whether it be cautious driving or just an annoying habit, the deafening experience is relentless as a never ending stream of dented vehicles (that should be on display in the Cairo Museum of Antiquities) jostle aggressively for position along an intricate maze of unkempt streets and flyovers; an infinite spider's web of movement within a decaying landscape of old and crumbling buildings and tower blocks.

Despite an impressive ability to judge distance with such amazing precision that redefines the phrase, ‘that was a close shave’, pedestrian daily life is fraught with danger avoiding a colourful array of impatient road users; brightly coloured tuc-tucs, blue neon lighted Russian-made taxis, overburdened donkey drawn carts and motorcycles with the whole family and big bags of shopping on board! No wonder the affluent of Cairo are escaping the crowds and the congestion of the downtown area for the modern housing developments located around the city, places like 6 October, Al Rehab and Obour City, even if it is to escape the extortionate personal accident premiums! But the traffic flows, indeed with an obvious disregard to road etiquette and proper lane usage, never seems to stop for long, each driver communicating his intentions using a unique language of body movements, making the traditional art of indicating almost redundant! And the pedestrians appear to survive, confidently jumping with amazing dexterity and precision too, from one lane to the next avoiding driver eye contact, to make it to the other side!

For its entertainment value alone the whole experience is best viewed from one of the bustling street side cafés, a cup of mint tea in one hand and a shisha in the other, appreciating a most impressive coordinated exercise of road usage!

Despite its aged and unkempt appearance, Cairo offers an exciting opportunity to absorb a whole new culture set in a crazy and chaotic landscape, full of life, character and adventure, and indeed a great base from which to explore the many archeological and historical treasures from Alexandria in the north to Luxor and Aswan in the south along the Nile, not to mention the Red Sea retreats for unique diving adventures or for simply chilling out on the beach!

In between, venturing out beyond the city limits, experiencing local village life is a must. I was taken to such a place via a two-way highway, the drivers of our side deciding to make it a four-lane highway in our favor pushing the opposing traffic onto their pavement! With the usual array of musical two-tone honking, avoiding local women folk in traditional dress balancing huge pots of water on their head, passing through frenetic communities of street side traders and scruffy little kids targeting tourists with their wares, we bumped across the Alexandria-Cairo railway line littered with the burnt-out tangled wrecks of train carriages into a haven of complete tranquility.

Despite an impoverished appearance of crumbling buildings and dirt streets, the local villages are bound by an extraordinary rich community spirit, a relaxed and peaceful way of life, set in a superlative landscape of water plantations and palm trees stretching to the distant shores of the Nile. The rustle of the vegetation in the cool evening breeze, the clatter of donkey hooves struggling to pull heavily laden carts of local produce, the smell of wood smoke and the distant cries of children playing with a very worn canvas football makes an unforgettable moment after a long hot day in the city!

This is Egypt! It is not an affluent country. Life is simple and poverty is abundant. However, expatriates who select Egypt as a destination for work will be rewarded by an overwhelming reception of warmth and hospitality and will savour an unforgettable experience of adventure, culture, history, landscapes and archeology. If one readjusts the expectations, conducts comprehensive research and asks the right questions then I am positive that one will not be disappointed by what Egypt has to offer!

- Teachanywhere visiting schools in Egypt 2007

Cairo Captivation

Few countries can be so dominated by their capital: Cairo is Egypt, and is home for around 16 million Egyptians, Arabs, Africans and sundry international hangers-on. She is overburdened with one of the world's highest densities of people per square kilometre, which makes for a seething compress of people, buildings and traffic, and all the attendant cacophony and jostling for space this brings. Cairo's lack of room to develop or expand constantly throws up startling juxtapositions. In one central Nile side district, less than 500m from a new computer superstore, there are mud brick houses where goats wander through living rooms and water has to be obtained from spigots in the street. The people of Cairo are not driven by the Western obsession to upgrade and update: possibly as a result of living in such close proximity to the physical remains of 4.5 millennia of history (the Pyramids are visible from the upper storeys of buildings all over the city). The resulting pervasive scene of timelessness is one of the city's great charms. It's possible to move from the medieval backstreets of Islamic Cairo to the Pharaonic monumentalism of the Pyramids, then take time out in a coffee house that looks identical to those portrayed in 19th century prints. And what is really wonderful is that none of these places feels historical, they all just feel like Cairo. That's to say, they're chaotic, noisy, totally unpredictable and seething with humanity. Its an exhilarating city for those with the patience to appreciate it.

Cairo Carriage

I keep on promising a tour of Cairo and Egypt. Bear with me; I am just setting the scene. There is one more issue to address to help you to get around an introduction to the transport system. Do you recall when I mentioned that this place is not for the faint-hearted? So how does one travel around Cairo?

Overcrowded buses and minibuses are the most common form of transport for the majority of the population, an experience not to be missed. Egyptians will stampede towards the buses, charging towards the entrance before the thing has even slowed down. Hand to hand combat then ensues as they run alongside trying to leap aboard. There is lots of pushing and shoving and those that don't quite make it hang on to the outside. Inside there are daily attempts to break the Guinness World Record for squeezing the greatest number of people in a fixed space. Crammed at the back you could be overcome by exhaust fumes billowing around you, then as if by magic a conductor appears selling tickets. For an exit you need to be ready to jump off as the bus slows down before the next onslaught of desperate travellers surges forward and engulfs the open doors! Taking a minibus is better.

For anyone who prefers breathing while travelling, taxis are the only option. They are black and white and by western standards they are very cheap and there's never one far away. The only time when taxis aren't a good bet is when you are travelling a fair distance, in which case they become a little expensive. Just stand at the side of the street and hail; but be prepared to share your ride.

You can always try the metro, a startlingly efficient rail system that is clean, inexpensive and not too crowded. Metro stations are easily recognised by signs with a big red M in a blue star. Men should note that the first carriage is reserved for women. You need to be quick and agile as the trains do not hang around for long in the station.

Hantours are horse-drawn carriages and their insistent drivers hang around on the Corniche near Helnan Shepheard hotel and on Gezira near the Cairo Tower. They are not the most feasible means of getting around but they are quite unique and relaxing for a pleasurable trip around parts of the city.

The river bus terminal is at Maspero, on the Corniche in front of the big round radio and TV building. From here, boats depart every 15 minutes or so between 6.30am and 3.45pm for university, a landing over on the Giza side of the river just north of University Bridge. Every second boat continues south on to Manial, Rhoda, Giza and Masr al-Qadima (old Cairo). The last stop is convenient for Coptic Cairo.

Cairo central – the exploration begins

Now armed with a good pair of walking shoes, a map, plenty of change for the buses and taxis and a supply of water, we are ready to begin our journey of exploration. We will begin in the centre of Cairo and radiate out throughout the country in all four directions. We will highlight some of the more popular locations and activities but to go into any great detail you need to refer to the appropriate guide books of which there are plenty. This document simply acts as a rough guide and a taster of great experiences to come during your time in Cairo and Egypt.

Midan Tahrir and around Also known as Liberation Square, this is the fulcrum of modern Cairo where all the city's main roads converge resulting in a round-the-clock jam of traffic and pedestrians. But the square is one of the few spaces that isn't tightly hemmed in by buildings or choked by overpasses, making it an excellent spot to stand back, have a look around and orient yourself. It is the bustling and noisy centre of Cairo where you will find an amazing variety of shops as well as most of the budget hotels and eating places, banks, travel agents and cinemas. One of the best buildings to use as a location aid is the Nile Hilton and immediately north of this is the dusky pink neoclassical bulk of the Egyptian Museum which houses more than 100,000 relics and antiquities from almost every period of ancient Egyptian history. There is too much to mention here but some of the highlights of the museum include the Tutankhamun Galleries, the Royal Mummy Room, the Royal Tombs of Tanis, Animal Mummies, Old Kingdom Rooms and Pharaonic Terminology. Other landmarks around the square include the Mogamma, home to 18,000 civil servants and the American University in Cairo, which has an attractive courtyard and a good bookshop. About 50m north of the university is the Ali Baba Café which serves chilled Stella beer and the tables beside the window on the upper floor are a good place to watch the goings-on outside. Abdeen Palace dominates the square of Midan al-Gomhuriyya not far from Midan Tahrir, a place for the boys to explore a series of halls filled with vast arrays of weaponry ranging from ceremonial daggers to howitzers.

Downtown

This is the commercial heart of the city located north east of Midan Tahrir. Its streets are packed with glitzy shops and above them is a beehive of countless thousands of small, dusty businesses. Talaat Harb and Qasr el-Nil are the two main streets and they intersect at Midan Talaat Harb where you will find Groppis, once the most celebrated patisserie and tearoom this side of the Mediterranean. Just to the south of the Midan on Talaat Harb there is Café Riche, and north of the Midan, Qasr el-Nil is devoted to shops selling a drag queen's delight of footwear. The street is also characterised by some particularly fine architecture, notably the Italian Insurance Building as well as the Cosmopolitan Hotel. Talaat Harb is graced by the Cinema Metro and the Excelsior restaurant, another venue that offers chilled Stella beer and great views of street life. Along the nearby Sharia 26th of July Street you will find the El-Abd bakery which is packed all day with folk jostling for cakes and the best pastries in town. One block north there is the smoke-filled Sharia Ezbekiyya, the street of kebabs. The pedestrianised Sharia Alfy is Downtown's nightlife centre with several seedy bars, some dubious belly-dancing joints and a good 24-hour eating place in the Akher Saa. The nearby Tawfiqiyya Souq is a late night fruit and vegetable market with several cheap eating places and a couple of good coffee shops in the surrounding alleyways.

Midan Ataba This is the chaotic transition zone where the modern European Cairo runs up against the old medieval Cairo of Saladin, the Mamluks and Ottomans. Behind the big white theatre is the Ezbekiyya book market. Running north from Midan Khazindar is Sharia Clot Bey, a shabby, but charming street with stone arcades over the pavements sheltering dozens of sepia-toned coffee houses and eating places. It eventually merges onto Midan Ramses.

Midan Ramses and Around

The northern gateway into central Cairo, Midan Ramses is a byword for bedlam. The city's main north-south access collides with overpasses and numerous arterial roads to swamp the square with an unchoreographed slew of minibuses, buses, taxis and cars. Commuters swarm from the train station to add to the melee. In the middle of it all stands a Pharaonic-style Colossus of Ramses II, but it is only a replica. Ramses Station is an attractive marriage of Islamic style and industrial-age engineering. At its eastern end it houses the Egyptian National Railways Museum (575 3555) which has a beautiful collection of old locomotives. On the south side of the Midan is the Al-Fath Mosque.

Garden City and Manial

This area, south of Midan Tahrir, was developed in the early 1900s along the lines of an English garden suburb. Its curving tree-lined streets were intended to create an air of tranquility, while the proximity of the UK embassy no doubt provided a reassuring veneer of security. Many of the elegant villas that once characterised the area have fallen prey to quick buck developers, however, enough grand architecture and palm, rubber and mango trees survive to make a walk through the streets still worthwhile. Alternatively, its a pleasant walk south from the salmon-pink Semiramis Inter-Continental along the Nile-side corniche, shaded by trees and cooled by river breezes. A walk of 20 minutes passing the towering new Meridien Le Caire extension on your right and crossing the third bridge will bring you to one of Cairo's least visited and most eccentric tourist sites, the Manial Palace Museum (368 7495).

Islamic Cairo

This is almost another city altogether. As one heads east from Midan Ataba all of the familiar trappings of the modern world drop away, to be replaced by chaos and curiosities of a completely different nature. The term Islamic Cairo is a bit of a misnomer, as the area is no more or less Islamic than most other parts of the city, but maybe the profusion of minarets on the skyline gives the impression of piety. Unchanged over the centuries to an astonishing degree, the neighbourhoods are full of twisting alleyways so narrow that the houses seem to touch at the top. Splendid mosques and crushes of medieval facades hedge in rutted streets on which little Suzuki vans compete for right of way with donkeys, carts and merchants with impossibly laden barrows. The sweet, pungent aromas of tumeric, basil and cumin mix with the odours of livestock and petrol. It's a mazelike area that is completely disorientating, and one loses not just their sense of direction, but also any sense of time. With more than 800 listed monuments, exploring the whole of Islamic Cairo would take days, if not weeks, so here are a few of the top highlights. The central point of the area is the world famous Khan al-Khalili bazaar comprised of many narrow canvas-covered streets, home to an immense conglomeration of markets and shops where it is possible to find everything from blankets and soap powder to books of magic spells and precious stones. Try the Fishawis Coffee house for a break, a resting place that has been open for 24 hours for the last 200 years (except during Ramadan of course!). Go for a visit to one of Cairo's most historic institutions, Al-Azhar Mosque, the keystone to Islam in Egypt. Find out how elegant and sophisticated life in 18th century Cairo could be with a visit to Beit Suhaymi. Take a leisurely walk from Al-Azhar to the Citadel through busy market streets, past the Carpet and Clothes Market, the Street of the Tentmakers and Museum of Islamic Art. The mighty Citadel (512 1735) sprawling over a limestone spur on the eastern edge of the city was home to Egypt's rulers for some 700 years. Their legacy is a collection of three very different mosques, several palaces housing some fairly indifferent museums, and a couple of terraces with views over the city. The Gayer-Anderson Museum (364 7822) is one of Cairo's quirkiest museums that was used during the James Bond production The Spy Who Loved Me.

Old Cairo

This area incorporates the entire area south of Garden City down to the quarter known to foreigners as Coptic Cairo. Most people visiting this area head straight to the latter, from where it is possible to explore sights further afield such as the Mosque of Amr ibn al-As and the Early Islamic-era Nilometer on the nearby island of Rhoda. This is a very traditional part of Cairo and appropriate dress is essential. Visitors of either sex wearing shorts or with bare shoulders will not be allowed into churches or mosques. There are many landmarks to visit including the Coptic Museum (363 9742), the Roman Towers, the Hanging Church, the Convent of St George and the Monastery & Church of St George.

That is Cairo finished for a moment. Let's leave the hustle and bustle of city life and take a clockwise tour of Egypt beginning with the pyramids south west of Cairo. Then we will head south down the River Nile and the surrounding areas.