a Taste of Cairo

    It felt like starring in a Hollywood movie full of guns and terrorists – lots of persecution. From the airport into the city, four lanes in the road but nine lanes of cars brought back from the past, an orchestra of  horns, and men shouting at each other in incomprehensible Arabic. Yet you could imagine! Everyone smokes. Cigarettes in the car, sheesha in the cafes, hash in the house... Nobody asks if you mind, only if you want. The sun setting, squared concrete buildings on the sides of the road with clothes hanging out and absorbing smog.

"Is this your first time here?” Magdi asked us.

A staggered “Yes,” is all my friend could reply. My jaw dropped, I was mute with my head out of the window trying to cross into that different dimension, and a little bit afraid too.

Magdi smiled at us through the rear view mirror and blurted out "Welcome to Cairo my friend! Welcome to Cairo!"

   

Men playing board games, MTV Arabia playing the music

The city was packed by dawn. We roamed the streets.People are very laid back and social. Men get together to play domino and cards and smoke sheesha in the cafes. In a cobbled pedestrian street, one cafe next to another. The beat is irresistible and soon it gets under your skin. We sat down and got local: ordered falafels, shawarma and labneh zabadi (plain yogurt sweetened with honey) and chatted while MTV Arabia played the latest hits.

   Magdi showed up at our hotel the next morning. After a cigarette over a coffee and some falafels we were off on a road trip to Alexandria. We visited the classics: The Library, Tombs of Kom el Shuquafa that end up in the ancient Citadel of Quait Bay, where Alexandria’s Lighthouse once stood and a Roman Theatre. We stalked another taxi that was driving a very beautiful young lady who Magdi instantly fell for. She was flattered to say the least, perfect example of round silky beauty. Spontaneously is how things are done in Egypt. We had a huge lunch at a fishery by the corniche. The feast started with the classic Arabic mezze. main was barbecued catch of the day: nobody knew the English name, one of the best fish I ever had so far. Mandatory extra sweet tea to finish the banquet. A quick stop at Abbu El Abbas Mosque, classic example of Islamic Architecture. Mini stops for extremely sweet teas (and add some more sugar to it) along the way on our return to Cairo.

    Dawn became night at Magdi’s place. Mother Fatima showed her eyes behind the black abaya and burka, and one of the sisters (also wearing traditional clothing) welcomed us with more tea. Magdi’s nephews and nieces and their mothers popped up their heads when the voice was spread that the foreigners were at home. They all live in a multi-storied unfinished concrete building, one family in each floor and no glass in the windows. The kids study English at school and translated the questions the adults had: How are you? Why are we not married? Why do I not wear make up? How come we live in Dubai? Do we like working on an airplane? Later on the Doctor in medicine for kids and oldest brother showed up for a while. Lots of pictures were taken, and in another room the ladies uncovered their faces and we took some more pictures, only ladies.

    Well into the night Magdi’s friends showed up at his flat with some hash and beer. They rolled african style: Monumentally long joints. And how to refuse? It is bad education to refuse in the arab culture. We were very curious, we thought muslim people don't do these things. Magdi's friends don't speak much english, and after the second round they didn't speak any english! At this point Magdi couldn't translate anymore, yet we talked, and it all made perfect sense. We laughed out loud and spoke our nonsense minds and laughed even more. A drive through Cairo to culminate the night. Nile's gentle breeze washed up our faces, stuck out the taxi's windows.

    I woke up very early the next morning and walked around town whilst David still slept off the previous night. The city woke up to perennial ladies with colosal amounts of fresh pitas settling in the corners, bread aromas mixing with the ones coming out of the coffee house grinding all sorts of grains, cats lazying and men coming form their first prayer into life. 

    We visited Museum of Cairo, the Tombs of Mohammad Ali  and Khan el Khalili: the endless Cairo bazaar where a lot of mummies, pharaohs, pyramids, cat and bugs replicas amongst other souvenirs are sold, for the better price to the seller only unless you bargain big time!

    One more morn cigarette, coffee & falafel combo. Imhotep Museum on the way to Saqqara site, the stepped pyramid of Zoser lays here, considered to be the first one to be built in Egypt. In the valley of Giza The Great Sphinx and the three famous Pyramids. Everything seems so cheap, but when we start adding up it all ends up being so expensive: Even camels are trained to snap a dollar for a picture! Then we hit the Mit Rahina Museum where the eleven meters statue of King Ramses ll lays together with other ruins and sphinxs. Mit Rahina, modern Memphis, was the first capital for Egypt. Shawarma al paso, back to Cairo, to visit Citadel and Coptic Cairo: Christian Cairo built before the Islamic era began. An old lady from a balcony helped us find our way and asked for tips -say no more!- while men in the craft shops were making from lamps and tables to backgammon boards in pearl and wood. Gorgeous stuff.

    Night caught us driving around town from wedding to wedding, al fresco, bands and mics on stage, ladies traditionally dressed up sang euphorically. Magdi explained us these are joy songs, (not lament cries like we thought). People danced. Colorful lightbulbs framed the scenes. We also drove up the hill for a  panoramic view of the city and the Nile dinner cruises all lit up. Before heading back Magdi showed us “the Christian who has a dog, but he’s a good man, I talk to him”.  During this drive Magdi asked David about the origin of his name, “I have never heard dziz one before”. David explains his name is of hebrew origin, and that we are not married because he is gay. “You don't like woman!?” “No” replied David, “I like men”. Magdi looked thoughtful and confused and said nothing. Maybe a bit uneducated, but wise man. Better say nothing than something senseless, right? We had an early flight to catch up the next morning.

We said good bye to Magdi, who was now over the shock and amused by his new gay christian friend with a jewish name. Blessed our new friend, who opened his wallet, his door and his heart to us.