Living in Egypt renders the possibility of finding cheap products almost endless. Whether you are looking for a knock off pair of oakleys, to faux designer purses, the markets and soukhs scattered throughout Cairo are sure to fulfill your needs
For someone like me who likes to shop on a budget, it's perfect. Of course I have learned the hard way that sacrificing price generally requires accepting your lower quality product, but hey if I'm only talking about ship ships (flip flops) that I will wear around the house, do I really need an 80 LE pair? No, the 18 LE pairs readily available from places like the Grand Mall do just fine.
It was however, with this in mind, that I was discussing with a friend the other day about the knock off's available on the market. Perhaps the most noticeable would be "designer" brands such as Gucci, or rather, Gucy/Guccy/Guci, etc, or as I recently saw, Dolce and Gabbana shoes with the "D" reversed (lol). Now, when it comes to purses and accessories and such, I don't mind the knock offs. They look great, and most of the time it's small things that would indicate it's a fake...which generally you have to be searching for. My "Chanel" purse has lasted for two years now, and still going strong.
There are however, Egyptian knock offs that cannot be mistaken as anything but. My favourite (aside from the variety of alcohol wannabes like Johnny Walking, or Red Labal, or Finelandia - lets not wake up blind please) woud be the painted on "chevy" or "toyotas" on the sides of cars, or the infamous "Abibas." Yes, that's right, it's not a typo...It's "Abibas."Generally you would witness Abibas worn by the poorer Egyptians, and to even suggest to a wealthier person here that they may wear Abibas is a mortal insult :p. It got me thinking though, in the West those who wear designer items are marked as the 'social elite,' and flaunt their designer wear so everybody knows that they can afford a 500 dollar pair of jeans. In Egypt, can the same be said for knock offs? Are we isolating ourselves as "cheap" when we chose the "fanel" over the "Chanel?"
Thought for the day...hmmm.
Tuesday, October 27, 2009
Tuesday, October 20, 2009
The Maadi Bubble
Cairo is a city of suburbs. Ranging from the bustling suburbs of downtown, Zamalek, Mohandessin, to the quieter more picturesque suburb of Maadi.
I live in Maadi, and have done so now for quite a few years. My friends for the most part live in Maadi, and up until last week, I also worked in Maadi. Now, I am working close to downtown, and it has truly opened my eyes. My friend's and I live in what we like to call our little "Maadi bubble." It's a syndrome that doesn't take long to infect Maadi'ites, everything you would ever need is just down the road. Sheisha bars, cafes, pubs, restaurants, schools, work, recreational activities, malls etc are all available within the small area that comprises Maadi. One of the least densely populated areas of Cairo, Maadi gives you a sense of stepping out of the urban sprawl, and traps many people inside it's bubble.
With its quiet streets and greenery, it's not hard to see why people are reluctant to leave Maadi
I have often heard many of my friend's grumble when you suggest we head downtown, a brief 15 minute taxi ride should traffic permit. "Why should we go downtown???!! It's so farrrrrr, lets just stay in Maadi." It is a haven for expats, with many embassies allocating family housing in the suburb. Even its history is indicative of its "expat friendly" environment, having been one of the areas the British colonisers moved into - Old Maadi's streets are actually laid out in the shape of the Union Jack. This of course is a bone of contention for "downtowners" who come to Maadi, and claim our streets are the hardest to navigate with all the medans (roundabouts) and small alleyways. Maadi'ites will defend our turf, and fire back that downtown is impossible to get around in due to all of the one-way streets, and Maadi is exceptionally easy to get around.
Anyhow, to get back to my point. I now work downtown. And I can now honestly say how sheltered us "Maadi'ites" are. We take for granted the extra liberty granted you as a foreigner living in an expat haven. Shops and businesses here are catered towards the foreigners, rarely will you find businesses here that do not speak English. We are also granted more leeway in abiding by Egyptian customs, where having parties in your apartment is not necessarily frowned upon by your neighbours or landlord.
*Enter downtown here*
Downtown Cairo, is a world in it of itself. The streets are crowded, there is minimal green surrounding you - a fact that many living in Maadi take for granted - the bountiful number of trees that line the streets. The air is heavy with pollution, the traffic almost nonnegotiable. Driving downtown is a sport itself, dodging horse carts, donkey carts, vegetable stands, fruit vendors, tissue boys, microbusses racing from one end of the city to another at breakneck speeds, all combined with an exceptionally densely populated area.
The view of Cairo you see from Maadi, is not really Cairo. But to understand this, one must actually step outside of our comfort bubble, and this does not mean a trek into the Wadi Digla with the Hashers, or a trip to the Golf Course in Katameya ;). The intensity of downtown Cairo may prove too much for many, but the excitement and high energy that you feel upon crossing
into this turf, is unrivaled. I will be sure to update you on my stories from downtown, as perhaps now, I will truly be able to say I have seen the 'real' Cairo, and not the sugarcoated bubble that Maadi has become for so many. :D
I live in Maadi, and have done so now for quite a few years. My friends for the most part live in Maadi, and up until last week, I also worked in Maadi. Now, I am working close to downtown, and it has truly opened my eyes. My friend's and I live in what we like to call our little "Maadi bubble." It's a syndrome that doesn't take long to infect Maadi'ites, everything you would ever need is just down the road. Sheisha bars, cafes, pubs, restaurants, schools, work, recreational activities, malls etc are all available within the small area that comprises Maadi. One of the least densely populated areas of Cairo, Maadi gives you a sense of stepping out of the urban sprawl, and traps many people inside it's bubble.
With its quiet streets and greenery, it's not hard to see why people are reluctant to leave Maadi
I have often heard many of my friend's grumble when you suggest we head downtown, a brief 15 minute taxi ride should traffic permit. "Why should we go downtown???!! It's so farrrrrr, lets just stay in Maadi." It is a haven for expats, with many embassies allocating family housing in the suburb. Even its history is indicative of its "expat friendly" environment, having been one of the areas the British colonisers moved into - Old Maadi's streets are actually laid out in the shape of the Union Jack. This of course is a bone of contention for "downtowners" who come to Maadi, and claim our streets are the hardest to navigate with all the medans (roundabouts) and small alleyways. Maadi'ites will defend our turf, and fire back that downtown is impossible to get around in due to all of the one-way streets, and Maadi is exceptionally easy to get around.
Anyhow, to get back to my point. I now work downtown. And I can now honestly say how sheltered us "Maadi'ites" are. We take for granted the extra liberty granted you as a foreigner living in an expat haven. Shops and businesses here are catered towards the foreigners, rarely will you find businesses here that do not speak English. We are also granted more leeway in abiding by Egyptian customs, where having parties in your apartment is not necessarily frowned upon by your neighbours or landlord.
*Enter downtown here*
Downtown Cairo, is a world in it of itself. The streets are crowded, there is minimal green surrounding you - a fact that many living in Maadi take for granted - the bountiful number of trees that line the streets. The air is heavy with pollution, the traffic almost nonnegotiable. Driving downtown is a sport itself, dodging horse carts, donkey carts, vegetable stands, fruit vendors, tissue boys, microbusses racing from one end of the city to another at breakneck speeds, all combined with an exceptionally densely populated area.
The view of Cairo you see from Maadi, is not really Cairo. But to understand this, one must actually step outside of our comfort bubble, and this does not mean a trek into the Wadi Digla with the Hashers, or a trip to the Golf Course in Katameya ;). The intensity of downtown Cairo may prove too much for many, but the excitement and high energy that you feel upon crossing
into this turf, is unrivaled. I will be sure to update you on my stories from downtown, as perhaps now, I will truly be able to say I have seen the 'real' Cairo, and not the sugarcoated bubble that Maadi has become for so many. :D
Sunday, October 4, 2009
What a Week!! III
So I last left off on Ras Shitan. Let me reiterate, that the escape it provides from everyday life is so spiritually and mentally fulfilling, I recommend everyone visits there.
Moving back to civilization, after a few hiccups in planning, we head to Dahab. I had never been to Dahab before, and was unsure what to expect. I'd heard stories that it was similar to Sharm, so naturally I had the image of a mini-Ibiza in my mind, precisely the reason I do not like visiting Sharm. Dahab however, resembles Sharm only in scenery and structural architecture.
It is, a divers haven (Now I'm not a diver, so I was limited in my ability to see Dahab from this perspective - but as a snorkeler I can still comment ;) hehe). Stretching along miles of shoreline, Dahab boasts sea-views, and unbelievably gorgeous beaches. White sand, red sand, rocky beaches, you name it, you can find it here. The two main beaches we visited were the Lagoon, and Blue Hole. The lagoon in itself is a site to behold, a small peninsula of beach surrounded by aquamarine water, with 2-3 meters of shallow water, and then a drop-off. The contrasts that the dramatic drop in depth offers is truly astounding. Even as a snorkeler, you can experience the underwater world in its natural element, without venturing too far out (which is always one of my fears). Water sports are abound in Dahab, where para-sailing and windsurfing, as well as surf-boarding can be seen everywhere. I fulfilled one of my life dreams at the Lagoon, being granted the ability to ride the most beautiful Arabian mare right along the water front. Beach riding is truly an indescribable experience, and for 15 Egyptian pounds, you can't go wrong. Of course, I used the cheap price as an excuse to ride more than once ;).
Our first night out in Dahab opened our eyes to the night-life offered. Unlike Hurghada and Sharm, Dahab does not thrive on clubs, and instead boasts a variety of sit-down pubs, and bars with small dance floors. This of course combined with the plethora of restaurants, serving anything from sea-food to Chinese and Thai. After a satisfying meal, we started our night at a small bar "Yalla," which offered mixed cocktails for 35 LE...a steal for anyone familiar with Cairo pricing. As typical Caireans however, we questioned what exactly 35 LE entailed, and were told that the cocktails were made from Egyptian liquor (which, for anyone that hasn't tried or heard of it, is essentially Egyptian moonshine - pray you wake up with your vision lol). Our dismay obviously showed on our face, as our waitress promptly informed us that they also offered "imported" liquor, and that the price stayed the same. Naturally we decided to stay and try it out, and to our great amusement found out that the "imported" liquor, is not in fact imported. ID Vodka...made in Egypt, licensed out of Germany. So at least you won't go blind, but it is certainly not imported hehe, and, generally leaves you with a vicious hangover. Anyhow...moving on. :p
Day two in Dahab, we all agreed to head to the Blue Hole. Famous as being one of the top ten diving spots in the world, it is literally a hole in the coral reef, with depths upwards of 20 meters. Our original plan was to head to Blue Hole, snorkel, then make the 7 km hike to Abu Ghaloum along the beach front. As is the case in Egypt though, our plans changed, and we ended up going straight to Abu Ghaloum.
The start of our trek to Abu Ghaloum. The Blue Hole is behind us.
It is a 7 km trek along the water's edge, with precarious cliffs to climb, narrow paths to follow, and blazing sun overhead. It offers panoramic views of Dahab and the Sinai, and there was a lovely breeze along the way I have to say. There is the option to ride camels, but we all decided to rough it (Ras Shitan influence maybe?) and walk. Sadly for me, I failed to take my delicate Irish skin into consideration (lol) and ended up quite toasty and resembling a lobster by the end of the 7 km. Our destination, Abu Ghaloum, is a small Bedouin camp in the middle of nowhere (literally...there's no road leading to this "village" - we clearly didn't have enough of the remoteness in Ras Shitan :D ). We spent a few hours on the beach front huts, eating traditional Bedouin food and drinking tea. I will however, say that the prices we were charged were extortionate. 25 LE a head, for rice, a small salad, and one fish to split between 6 of us, as well as 10 LE a person for tea. Overall, a bill of 175 LE, for a meal that could have been purchased for 50 LE in Dahab. You live, you learn, the Bedouin's are really so remote, that they can charge what they want. :p
So the voyage back from the camp, the return 7 km, was looming over our heads. The two drivers agreed to take camels back, rather than wear themselves out, we didn't want them falling asleep on the road back to Cairo! :p Me however, in all my lobster glory, managed to get a case of sun-stroke. Spending the two hours at the Bedouin camp asleep and drinking copious amounts of water, I decided also to take a camel back. Now, for those unfamiliar, I have a very verbalised dislike of camels. I don't like the grunting sounds they make, I don't like the way they look at me, I HATE riding them, and just in general, I will avoid riding them. (Although interesting FYI that i learnt while on this trip - Camels see us as ten times our normal size - it's one of the things that stops them from attacking us - that was a little fact that kept me giggling for hours..."not the nasty scary human thing! get that monster away from me!!!!!! ahh if only the camels knew).
Our camel ride...Mine looks crazy already :-o
Anyhow. I decide to ride a camel, and did what I thought was the smart thing, and chose the smaller camel. Very bad idea Suz. I had one of the youngest camels, so not only was it at the lower end of the pecking 
order, my friend was riding an older camel, that saw fit to remind my camel of this frequently. I think it bit my camel's butt at least 5 times, each time resulting in my camel flying forward and me hanging on for dear life. Just to egg my camel on, my friends decided to up the excitement level. As I'm praying to stay on this crazy camel, I hear from behind Moby running up, flapping his arms, promptly followed by my camel pulling a horse-racing bolt forward, running along the beach. It's hard enough to sit the walk, I thought I was going to break my neck flying off of this camel! Now this, was along the beach front, where there were no rocks creating obstacles for my camel. The precarious cliffs though, on a camel, were a "crap your pants" moment, where all you could do was mumble under your breath trust your camel, trust your camel ... thankfully, I was not the only one mumbling this lol.
The ride did give us a great opportunity to ride along the water again, and the views and scenery really were spectacular. We all managed a short snorkeling experience in the Blue Hole when we returned from our very long hike, I do wish that we had some more time there however. Dahab is definitely on my list of places to go back to!
Moving back to civilization, after a few hiccups in planning, we head to Dahab. I had never been to Dahab before, and was unsure what to expect. I'd heard stories that it was similar to Sharm, so naturally I had the image of a mini-Ibiza in my mind, precisely the reason I do not like visiting Sharm. Dahab however, resembles Sharm only in scenery and structural architecture.
It is, a divers haven (Now I'm not a diver, so I was limited in my ability to see Dahab from this perspective - but as a snorkeler I can still comment ;) hehe). Stretching along miles of shoreline, Dahab boasts sea-views, and unbelievably gorgeous beaches. White sand, red sand, rocky beaches, you name it, you can find it here. The two main beaches we visited were the Lagoon, and Blue Hole. The lagoon in itself is a site to behold, a small peninsula of beach surrounded by aquamarine water, with 2-3 meters of shallow water, and then a drop-off. The contrasts that the dramatic drop in depth offers is truly astounding. Even as a snorkeler, you can experience the underwater world in its natural element, without venturing too far out (which is always one of my fears). Water sports are abound in Dahab, where para-sailing and windsurfing, as well as surf-boarding can be seen everywhere. I fulfilled one of my life dreams at the Lagoon, being granted the ability to ride the most beautiful Arabian mare right along the water front. Beach riding is truly an indescribable experience, and for 15 Egyptian pounds, you can't go wrong. Of course, I used the cheap price as an excuse to ride more than once ;).
Our first night out in Dahab opened our eyes to the night-life offered. Unlike Hurghada and Sharm, Dahab does not thrive on clubs, and instead boasts a variety of sit-down pubs, and bars with small dance floors. This of course combined with the plethora of restaurants, serving anything from sea-food to Chinese and Thai. After a satisfying meal, we started our night at a small bar "Yalla," which offered mixed cocktails for 35 LE...a steal for anyone familiar with Cairo pricing. As typical Caireans however, we questioned what exactly 35 LE entailed, and were told that the cocktails were made from Egyptian liquor (which, for anyone that hasn't tried or heard of it, is essentially Egyptian moonshine - pray you wake up with your vision lol). Our dismay obviously showed on our face, as our waitress promptly informed us that they also offered "imported" liquor, and that the price stayed the same. Naturally we decided to stay and try it out, and to our great amusement found out that the "imported" liquor, is not in fact imported. ID Vodka...made in Egypt, licensed out of Germany. So at least you won't go blind, but it is certainly not imported hehe, and, generally leaves you with a vicious hangover. Anyhow...moving on. :p
Day two in Dahab, we all agreed to head to the Blue Hole. Famous as being one of the top ten diving spots in the world, it is literally a hole in the coral reef, with depths upwards of 20 meters. Our original plan was to head to Blue Hole, snorkel, then make the 7 km hike to Abu Ghaloum along the beach front. As is the case in Egypt though, our plans changed, and we ended up going straight to Abu Ghaloum.
The start of our trek to Abu Ghaloum. The Blue Hole is behind us.
So the voyage back from the camp, the return 7 km, was looming over our heads. The two drivers agreed to take camels back, rather than wear themselves out, we didn't want them falling asleep on the road back to Cairo! :p Me however, in all my lobster glory, managed to get a case of sun-stroke. Spending the two hours at the Bedouin camp asleep and drinking copious amounts of water, I decided also to take a camel back. Now, for those unfamiliar, I have a very verbalised dislike of camels. I don't like the grunting sounds they make, I don't like the way they look at me, I HATE riding them, and just in general, I will avoid riding them. (Although interesting FYI that i learnt while on this trip - Camels see us as ten times our normal size - it's one of the things that stops them from attacking us - that was a little fact that kept me giggling for hours..."not the nasty scary human thing! get that monster away from me!!!!!! ahh if only the camels knew).
Our camel ride...Mine looks crazy already :-o
order, my friend was riding an older camel, that saw fit to remind my camel of this frequently. I think it bit my camel's butt at least 5 times, each time resulting in my camel flying forward and me hanging on for dear life. Just to egg my camel on, my friends decided to up the excitement level. As I'm praying to stay on this crazy camel, I hear from behind Moby running up, flapping his arms, promptly followed by my camel pulling a horse-racing bolt forward, running along the beach. It's hard enough to sit the walk, I thought I was going to break my neck flying off of this camel! Now this, was along the beach front, where there were no rocks creating obstacles for my camel. The precarious cliffs though, on a camel, were a "crap your pants" moment, where all you could do was mumble under your breath trust your camel, trust your camel ... thankfully, I was not the only one mumbling this lol.The ride did give us a great opportunity to ride along the water again, and the views and scenery really were spectacular. We all managed a short snorkeling experience in the Blue Hole when we returned from our very long hike, I do wish that we had some more time there however. Dahab is definitely on my list of places to go back to!
Wednesday, September 30, 2009
What a week!! II
So my week long excursion through the desert of Egypt began near Nuweiba. Ras Shitan to be precise, in a small camp run by local Sinai Bedouin. What makes this camp u
nique, is that it has yet to be touched by the over-commercialized tourist oriented world that lies just a few kilometres down the road. Just a hop, skip and a jump away from the border-resort town of Taba, our little camping haven was absolutely beautiful, and perfectly peaceful. It provides the ideal reprieve for anyone looking to clear their mind.
We arrived early in the morning, having battled the roads throughout the night. Check points however, were made quite easy considering the size of the German Shepard that we brought
with us...who really looks nasty, but couldn't hurt a fly. Of course the guards at each check point were too mesmerized by the size of the teeth and the bark to notice much else... I digress... Anyhow, pulling into our camping grounds, I'm struck by the simplicity of everything. Our huts were not much more than wooden reeds strung together, with more reeds forming a simple roof over the top. (Thank God it doesn't rain in Egypt...I can't imagine what they would do hahaha – quiiiiiiick! Our huts are floating away!!!!!!!!). There is no electricity in any of the camping huts; electricity instead is limited to the main hut, where you can sit and listen to live music until 1-2 am (when the owners shut those lights off too), and order food from the main hut's restaurant, offering traditional Bedouin styled meals as well as Egyptian staples.
Our first night was marked by the tabla, a traditional drum, singing, camp-fires and a great deal of food and tea. Vigorous games of Scrabble ensued, resulting in quite the Scrabble rivalry. Endless entertainment need I say. Once the lights in the main hut have been extinguished, the night sky is astounding. You truly forget how awe-inspiring the star filled sky can really be when you're limited to a speckling of 10 of the brightest night starts in Cairo's skies. With minimal light pollution in Ras Shitan, you can truly admire the heavens, and next time I'm definitely bringing a telescope.
Loads of food...
The days are spent relaxing by the water, reading a good book, drinking more tea (spot a pattern here? lol), and sleeping. The complete isolation from the world outside is compensated for by the friendly atmosphere within the camp itself, where mingling and chatting reign in the main hut. It was truly an amazing experience, but after three days of “roughing” it on the beach, I was ready for a real shower. As let me tell you, as “earthy” as I may try to be, there's certain things that I cannot do. And showering next to a hole in the floor toilet...is one of those things. Can anybody really feel clean after that?!!?!?
That would be my only gripe about our entire camping experience. However – if you venture out to camp on the beach – remember to bring your own bed sheets lol. And whatever
you do...unless you want a good hour long work out, don't try and park your car next to the huts :-p. Thank God for the Bedouin expertise with desert driving, we were too remote for a tow-truck, I can't imagine what we would have done without them – and of course the power of manly brawn. But, we got the car out, and got a few great snapshots along the way too! (By we of course – I mean they – while the girls stood by and observed hehe).
nique, is that it has yet to be touched by the over-commercialized tourist oriented world that lies just a few kilometres down the road. Just a hop, skip and a jump away from the border-resort town of Taba, our little camping haven was absolutely beautiful, and perfectly peaceful. It provides the ideal reprieve for anyone looking to clear their mind.We arrived early in the morning, having battled the roads throughout the night. Check points however, were made quite easy considering the size of the German Shepard that we brought
with us...who really looks nasty, but couldn't hurt a fly. Of course the guards at each check point were too mesmerized by the size of the teeth and the bark to notice much else... I digress... Anyhow, pulling into our camping grounds, I'm struck by the simplicity of everything. Our huts were not much more than wooden reeds strung together, with more reeds forming a simple roof over the top. (Thank God it doesn't rain in Egypt...I can't imagine what they would do hahaha – quiiiiiiick! Our huts are floating away!!!!!!!!). There is no electricity in any of the camping huts; electricity instead is limited to the main hut, where you can sit and listen to live music until 1-2 am (when the owners shut those lights off too), and order food from the main hut's restaurant, offering traditional Bedouin styled meals as well as Egyptian staples.Our first night was marked by the tabla, a traditional drum, singing, camp-fires and a great deal of food and tea. Vigorous games of Scrabble ensued, resulting in quite the Scrabble rivalry. Endless entertainment need I say. Once the lights in the main hut have been extinguished, the night sky is astounding. You truly forget how awe-inspiring the star filled sky can really be when you're limited to a speckling of 10 of the brightest night starts in Cairo's skies. With minimal light pollution in Ras Shitan, you can truly admire the heavens, and next time I'm definitely bringing a telescope.
Loads of food...The days are spent relaxing by the water, reading a good book, drinking more tea (spot a pattern here? lol), and sleeping. The complete isolation from the world outside is compensated for by the friendly atmosphere within the camp itself, where mingling and chatting reign in the main hut. It was truly an amazing experience, but after three days of “roughing” it on the beach, I was ready for a real shower. As let me tell you, as “earthy” as I may try to be, there's certain things that I cannot do. And showering next to a hole in the floor toilet...is one of those things. Can anybody really feel clean after that?!!?!?
That would be my only gripe about our entire camping experience. However – if you venture out to camp on the beach – remember to bring your own bed sheets lol. And whatever
you do...unless you want a good hour long work out, don't try and park your car next to the huts :-p. Thank God for the Bedouin expertise with desert driving, we were too remote for a tow-truck, I can't imagine what we would have done without them – and of course the power of manly brawn. But, we got the car out, and got a few great snapshots along the way too! (By we of course – I mean they – while the girls stood by and observed hehe).
Tuesday, September 29, 2009
What a week!!
So it's been a little while since I've updated, mostly because I've been jetsetting around Egypt. I have decided to split this into three postings, rather than bombard you with one long rant ;).
Eid al-Fitr (a three day holiday to celebrate the end of Ramadan) was last week. As is customary, Caireans fled the city in droves. Not me though, I spent the first two days of Eid in Cairo. And it's incredible how different the city feels when empty. Running from one end of Maadi to the next can take upwards of 20 minutes (if not longer) during peak traffic times, yet I was whisked from my house to Road 9 in under 10 minutes. Most store fronts are empty, having closed for the holiday. Vendors are not flooding the streets as they usually do, and it finally allows you the time to sit and truly appreciate the beauty of Cairo for what it is, without the distraction of noise, pollution, and traffic bombarding your every sense.
After two days of quiet Cairo, I was ready to get out and about. Our timing was perfect, not only did we get to enjoy the quiet of Cairo, but we left late enough to avoid the crowds and rush in the resort areas of Egypt - thereby also avoiding traffic. Our choice of destination? Nuweiba, near the border of Egypt and Israel. An area that stretches along the beach front in the mountainous Sinai Peninsula. Standing on the shores of Egypt, to your left you can see Israel and Jordan, in front of you lies Saudi Arabia, separated by a small stretch of water that's maybe 4 km wide. It's a phenomenal site to see, and one of the more peaceful areas I have ever been too.
The Sinai Peninsula has a reputation of being extremely dangerous to travel through. Our trip thankfully, was hallmarked by no more than Bedouin encampments and lone camels striding along the road. We were actually forced at one point to come to a complete stop as our path was blocked by a procession of camels crossing. Only in Egypt...only in Egypt. "STOP the car! Don't hit the wild camel!!!"
No joke, THIS was our roadblock
For anybody that has never entered into the desert before, the Sinai can be a breathtaking experience. The sand stretches for miles, to be met by towering mountains that separate desert from sea. You can't help but marvel at the Bedouin's who have made this rough terrain home, and know the desert inside and out. We met some of the nicest Bedouins at our camping grounds near Nuweiba, who were more than happy to share with you their famous Bedouin tea (really, I don't know what is different about it, other than the fact that it's doused in sugar hehe), their traditional Bedouin jewelry (of course I had to get some), and tell you stories about their life and their family living, eating, and breathing the desert. It is truly and unforgettable experience, and combine it with the peace and serenity of camping near Nuweiba, and you can't go wrong!!!
Eid al-Fitr (a three day holiday to celebrate the end of Ramadan) was last week. As is customary, Caireans fled the city in droves. Not me though, I spent the first two days of Eid in Cairo. And it's incredible how different the city feels when empty. Running from one end of Maadi to the next can take upwards of 20 minutes (if not longer) during peak traffic times, yet I was whisked from my house to Road 9 in under 10 minutes. Most store fronts are empty, having closed for the holiday. Vendors are not flooding the streets as they usually do, and it finally allows you the time to sit and truly appreciate the beauty of Cairo for what it is, without the distraction of noise, pollution, and traffic bombarding your every sense.
After two days of quiet Cairo, I was ready to get out and about. Our timing was perfect, not only did we get to enjoy the quiet of Cairo, but we left late enough to avoid the crowds and rush in the resort areas of Egypt - thereby also avoiding traffic. Our choice of destination? Nuweiba, near the border of Egypt and Israel. An area that stretches along the beach front in the mountainous Sinai Peninsula. Standing on the shores of Egypt, to your left you can see Israel and Jordan, in front of you lies Saudi Arabia, separated by a small stretch of water that's maybe 4 km wide. It's a phenomenal site to see, and one of the more peaceful areas I have ever been too.
The Sinai Peninsula has a reputation of being extremely dangerous to travel through. Our trip thankfully, was hallmarked by no more than Bedouin encampments and lone camels striding along the road. We were actually forced at one point to come to a complete stop as our path was blocked by a procession of camels crossing. Only in Egypt...only in Egypt. "STOP the car! Don't hit the wild camel!!!"
No joke, THIS was our roadblock
Thursday, September 17, 2009
A taste of Egypt
Ramadan is coming to an end, and the Eid feasting holiday is about to begin. But to experience the end of Ramadan to its fullest, I've been a busy little bee over the past few days. From sunset falukas on the nile, to Khan el-Khalili at night, to Sufi dancing, it's been an amazingly hectic week, to be topped off by a delicious dinner tonight at the famous Abu Sid restaurant.
The Khan el Khalili (a bazaar in Cairo popular with tourists, where you can find almost any knick knack from Egypt you could possibly ever want) is an experience even when it's not Ramadan. Walking through the tight alleyways bursting over with shops and stands selling everything from necklaces, rings, wallets, food, juice, among others, you're constantly met with cries of "Please! let me show you my shop!" Should you choose to enter the shops, prepare yourself for bartering, and any attempts possible to sell their products. "You look like a Spice Girl! you are so beautiful, you must buy zis scarf!" For you my friend, i'll give you a special price. It's a high energy atmosphere at the best of times, but during Ramadan there's just that little bit of extra flavour added.
During the day in Ramadan, the Khan is pretty much limited to tourists and a spattering of locals. Come night time however, the place explodes into colour and life. Everywhere you look there are fanous lit (traditional laterns for Ramadan), glittering lights are strung everywhere, vendors walk around trying to sell anything imaginable. I found hours of entertainment with a spinning whirling top, that when turned on would flash colours, pull the bottom string and send it flying into the air. Needless to say, I was not the only one playing with this...i'll call it whirling helicopter thingie...and the open area in the front of the Khan was turned into a duck and dive zone, with all these "thingies" flying around. On more than one occassion my friends and I were forced to rush over to someone, humbly ask for our "thingie" back, and apologize profusely for having "beaned" them in the head. lol.
Moving further into the Khan, my friends and I took refuge in a small sheisha shop. As the shops began to close around 1 am, chairs materialised out of nowhere, and our small quaint "quiet" shop, turned into a human traffic jam corner with everybody scrambling to find a place to eat their Sa7our (final meal before the fast starts again, usually eaten around 3 am). Fol, Tameya, Beef, Kofta, Schawerma, smells wafted in from every direction, excitement levels rose, and more vendors appeared selling bits and bobs of anything you could hope to find at an amusement park. It was with a full belly, and satisfied smile that I walked out of the Khan. And it is an experience that I would recommend to anyone.
Two nights later, it was off to Sufi dancing. Held in the Beit al-Ghoreya near the entrance to the Khan el-Khalili twice weekly, it was an unforgettable experience. My friend Sunje and I braved the crowded streets, and began the hunt for the entrance into al-Ghoreya. We obviously looked slighlty discomboblulated, as within 10 minutes, an extremely kind older lady came over to us. I couldn't have asked for a better example of Egyptian hospitality. "Are you looking for the Sufi dancing?" Why yes, we are in fact! "You must ask! Come with me! I shall show you the way." Sunje and I were in for a treat. She was there with her sister, granddaughters, cousins, aunts, essentially the entire family. They had managed to reserve four rows right in front of the stage, you couldn't have asked for better seating. The fact that it is a free show requires that to actually get a seat, you should be at least 30 minutes early. Sunje and I in true Egyptian style, were there 10 minutes prior to showtime. Had we not run into this woman, we would have ended up sitting on the cold stone floor (course however, I don't think we would have been complaining once the show started).
Sufi Musicians in Traditional Garb
The architecture upon walking into the Beit al-Ghoreya is absolutely striking. Tall high vaulted ceilings are surrounded by stone walls and adornments that could have been plucked out of the
Middle Ages. And this is just the breathtaking building. Once the show had started, Sunje and I were left speechless. The dancers enter the stage, playing solo's on the variety of instruments that they play. My favourite has always been the tambourine man, and this show did not disappoint. His fingers moved in a flurry of symbols, and his eyes captivated the audience, leaving you spellbound. Once the actual dancers entered the stage, I could not stop smiling. Not only were they all evidently having a blast, the Sufi dancer in the middle danced and whirled for no less than 20 minutes, spinning and flying around in a trace-like state of colours, drums and music. Should you ever be given the opportunity to see this show, don't miss it!
Whirling Darawish!
Lets hope dinner tonight proves to be as eventful and exciting, of course, with my group of friends this is essentially guaranteed! Good eating and good entertainment!
*Edit* Abu Sid is pretty good, the prices are a little high but the food is ok. Not the best Egyptian food, but the location and the ambiance is very enjoyable.
The Khan el Khalili (a bazaar in Cairo popular with tourists, where you can find almost any knick knack from Egypt you could possibly ever want) is an experience even when it's not Ramadan. Walking through the tight alleyways bursting over with shops and stands selling everything from necklaces, rings, wallets, food, juice, among others, you're constantly met with cries of "Please! let me show you my shop!" Should you choose to enter the shops, prepare yourself for bartering, and any attempts possible to sell their products. "You look like a Spice Girl! you are so beautiful, you must buy zis scarf!" For you my friend, i'll give you a special price. It's a high energy atmosphere at the best of times, but during Ramadan there's just that little bit of extra flavour added.
During the day in Ramadan, the Khan is pretty much limited to tourists and a spattering of locals. Come night time however, the place explodes into colour and life. Everywhere you look there are fanous lit (traditional laterns for Ramadan), glittering lights are strung everywhere, vendors walk around trying to sell anything imaginable. I found hours of entertainment with a spinning whirling top, that when turned on would flash colours, pull the bottom string and send it flying into the air. Needless to say, I was not the only one playing with this...i'll call it whirling helicopter thingie...and the open area in the front of the Khan was turned into a duck and dive zone, with all these "thingies" flying around. On more than one occassion my friends and I were forced to rush over to someone, humbly ask for our "thingie" back, and apologize profusely for having "beaned" them in the head. lol.
Moving further into the Khan, my friends and I took refuge in a small sheisha shop. As the shops began to close around 1 am, chairs materialised out of nowhere, and our small quaint "quiet" shop, turned into a human traffic jam corner with everybody scrambling to find a place to eat their Sa7our (final meal before the fast starts again, usually eaten around 3 am). Fol, Tameya, Beef, Kofta, Schawerma, smells wafted in from every direction, excitement levels rose, and more vendors appeared selling bits and bobs of anything you could hope to find at an amusement park. It was with a full belly, and satisfied smile that I walked out of the Khan. And it is an experience that I would recommend to anyone.
Two nights later, it was off to Sufi dancing. Held in the Beit al-Ghoreya near the entrance to the Khan el-Khalili twice weekly, it was an unforgettable experience. My friend Sunje and I braved the crowded streets, and began the hunt for the entrance into al-Ghoreya. We obviously looked slighlty discomboblulated, as within 10 minutes, an extremely kind older lady came over to us. I couldn't have asked for a better example of Egyptian hospitality. "Are you looking for the Sufi dancing?" Why yes, we are in fact! "You must ask! Come with me! I shall show you the way." Sunje and I were in for a treat. She was there with her sister, granddaughters, cousins, aunts, essentially the entire family. They had managed to reserve four rows right in front of the stage, you couldn't have asked for better seating. The fact that it is a free show requires that to actually get a seat, you should be at least 30 minutes early. Sunje and I in true Egyptian style, were there 10 minutes prior to showtime. Had we not run into this woman, we would have ended up sitting on the cold stone floor (course however, I don't think we would have been complaining once the show started).
Sufi Musicians in Traditional Garb
The architecture upon walking into the Beit al-Ghoreya is absolutely striking. Tall high vaulted ceilings are surrounded by stone walls and adornments that could have been plucked out of the
Middle Ages. And this is just the breathtaking building. Once the show had started, Sunje and I were left speechless. The dancers enter the stage, playing solo's on the variety of instruments that they play. My favourite has always been the tambourine man, and this show did not disappoint. His fingers moved in a flurry of symbols, and his eyes captivated the audience, leaving you spellbound. Once the actual dancers entered the stage, I could not stop smiling. Not only were they all evidently having a blast, the Sufi dancer in the middle danced and whirled for no less than 20 minutes, spinning and flying around in a trace-like state of colours, drums and music. Should you ever be given the opportunity to see this show, don't miss it!
Whirling Darawish!*Edit* Abu Sid is pretty good, the prices are a little high but the food is ok. Not the best Egyptian food, but the location and the ambiance is very enjoyable.
Monday, September 7, 2009
Interactive Journalism...
The World Wide Web has become synonymous with research and a source of information. It has impacted the spread of knowledge, and expanded and increased global communication. The Internet has equally impacted Journalism, and has revolutionized how people read and are exposed to media events from around the world.
One of the most impressive aspects of the Internet is the cross cultural information highway that it has created. Individuals from around the world can meet in one local median to discuss and exchange ideas. In comparison to newspapers, the Internet is not restricted by printing overhead costs. Unlike many print publications that are suffering due to the current economic crisis, many online news outlets are watching their business expand and grow. Undoubtedly one of the more impressive impacts that the Internet has had on journalism is the voice that readers have now been given.
Online blogging, social networking sites, interactive news-forums have all given users a means with which they can be heard. Readers are given a greater opportunity to impact the news that they want to read. Global communication channels have opened up to smaller societies and cultures throughout the world, allowing greater access to what may have once been deemed obscure news. Journalists themselves have commented on this change in Journalism, as seen in a report published by the Online News Association and the Pew Research Center’s Project for Excellence in Journalism . “A solid majority of those [Journalists] surveyed (57%) say the Internet is “changing the fundamental values of journalism.” The biggest changes, the respondents said, were a loosening of standards (45%), more outside voices (31%) and an increased emphasis on speed (25%).”
While users now have a greater say in what they want to see reported, has it affected the integrity of Journalism? The need to be the first to break a story will push many to quick, aloof writing, and often times this leads to mis-reporting, or just downright stupid mistakes that are allowed to slide through in the “heat of the moment” (check out the Iraq has vanished blog – even the bigger news outlets are not immune to this). It also seems that with the increasing number of users who are logging into news sites on a daily basis, we have created a culture of “enlightened,” or at least those who consider themselves such. I laugh out loud at some of the comments that people leave on blogs, or have your says, where blatant stupidity has also accessed this information superhighway. Sure, Internet research has facilitated the access to information, but this really does not mean that you should advertise the fact that you still know nothing. :p But hey, what can I say, I’m just as much of an Internet junkie, and I’m sure that I’ve had my moments in blogs… “suz….really, what were you thinking?” hehe. And this, is my thought of the day.
Me working hard!
One of the most impressive aspects of the Internet is the cross cultural information highway that it has created. Individuals from around the world can meet in one local median to discuss and exchange ideas. In comparison to newspapers, the Internet is not restricted by printing overhead costs. Unlike many print publications that are suffering due to the current economic crisis, many online news outlets are watching their business expand and grow. Undoubtedly one of the more impressive impacts that the Internet has had on journalism is the voice that readers have now been given.
Online blogging, social networking sites, interactive news-forums have all given users a means with which they can be heard. Readers are given a greater opportunity to impact the news that they want to read. Global communication channels have opened up to smaller societies and cultures throughout the world, allowing greater access to what may have once been deemed obscure news. Journalists themselves have commented on this change in Journalism, as seen in a report published by the Online News Association and the Pew Research Center’s Project for Excellence in Journalism . “A solid majority of those [Journalists] surveyed (57%) say the Internet is “changing the fundamental values of journalism.” The biggest changes, the respondents said, were a loosening of standards (45%), more outside voices (31%) and an increased emphasis on speed (25%).”
While users now have a greater say in what they want to see reported, has it affected the integrity of Journalism? The need to be the first to break a story will push many to quick, aloof writing, and often times this leads to mis-reporting, or just downright stupid mistakes that are allowed to slide through in the “heat of the moment” (check out the Iraq has vanished blog – even the bigger news outlets are not immune to this). It also seems that with the increasing number of users who are logging into news sites on a daily basis, we have created a culture of “enlightened,” or at least those who consider themselves such. I laugh out loud at some of the comments that people leave on blogs, or have your says, where blatant stupidity has also accessed this information superhighway. Sure, Internet research has facilitated the access to information, but this really does not mean that you should advertise the fact that you still know nothing. :p But hey, what can I say, I’m just as much of an Internet junkie, and I’m sure that I’ve had my moments in blogs… “suz….really, what were you thinking?” hehe. And this, is my thought of the day.
Me working hard!
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