I love Cairo
I admit. I love this city. You have to get beyond what's on the surface, get to know it, and overlook all the insanity to love it.
If you want to live in Cairo, the only way to do it is by loving it. And you have to believe in God. Your life is hanging by a thread with every step you take, even inside your house. You don't know when it will crumble and fall apart. Yet people live till they're 80, and some are healthy as a 30 year old. They cling to life here and would never emigrate. You have to believe in God here, let go, He owns your life.
What do you wanna do here. Have sex in the street, sure, in a public bus, sure. Any adventure is doable here.
But really, this is were I was born, this is were I was raised, this is were I have friends from when I was 5 years old. These are the streets were I can never feel lost. Everyday you bump into people you know that you might not have seen in years (you even bump into bloggers that you don't know how they look like). Cairo is part of me, and I am shaped by her, the good and the bad in me. I get annoyed for being searched by security in a public place two days after a bomb exploded in the heart of Cairo, "how can you search me in my home?"!
Cairo is not the city of the conquerer, nor a victorious city. Yet it hasn't been defeated, and most likely will never be.
Living in a perfect city ruined me, made me doubt my love. I always loved Cairo, could always find that mysterious thing about it that kept me going. That other perfect city ruined me. But why do I want Cairo to be perfect?! I should treat her like a partner, know how to handle her, take her as she is, not try to change her, and love her for who she is (everyone says they can, but no one does apparently). I ain't never gonna have a perfect partner. Just accept it and look for the goods in her. She's got plenty.
No its not the human contact (like someone here said before), this is the worst part about her. Cairo is not an old city, she's just had too many experiences, with mean men. So she won't embrace you easily, has to trust you first before giving in.
Take a peak at her beauty, by driving around on a Friday morning, by looking at her from up top on the 18th floor of Semiramis, feel old Cairo without getting into it from the Azhar Park.
But don't just peak from outside. You have to get invovled in the city to love it, cultural activities (any language, and any art), food, even demonstrations. Find those unique romantic places. Some adventure will do you good, and how do you know you're sane, if you don't go insane every once and a while.
You just need to know when to take a break.
--
If anyone is wondering, I'm still feeling bad (not as bad though), and I left work early because I was a bit sick. So this post could be all hallucinations.
One thing I learnt. When depressed, blog like there's no tomorrow.
35 comments:
Ya habiby. Ya 2albay ya kataket. Eih elhalawa dih?
altough, i am wondering, where exactly in cairo can u have sex on the street or ona public bus? Cause, u know, that info may come in handy someday!
You have to love it to know. You don't love it enough.
SM,
lol
I had the same thought...
I think the bus is the air-conditioned bus...
i don't know of a place where u can have sex in public, but i know of places where u can't hold hands in public...
Mohamed, I agree that loving Cairo means appreciating it. Every single time I drive on 6th of October bridge above the Nile, very late at night simply takes my heart away. I feel inner comfort and huge satisfaction- even passion when I'm driving across the city when it is empty including on Friday mornings; or walking to zeinab khatoun at al-azhar after iftar in ramadan; drinking hot chocolate/coffee in cilantro zamalek while looking at the street view outside while contemplating the dynamic that moves it; enjoying the warm winter sun; loving alexandria... i'll stop because the list is endless..
You can't be hallucinating.
Great post, although I too am skeptical about the sex in public claim. I'm amazed by how well you - and Hellme and Sandmonkey - write in English. I'll be able to write that well in Arabic after 87 more years of study.
Guys (SandMonkey and Mohammed), is this all that caught your eyes from the post, sex on the streets!
Mohammed, I didn't say a public place, I said a 'street', and a public bus (which u know what i mean, it is the air-conditioned one).
But again guys, there are many forms of sex!
I loved how you talked about the
'she'. Very beautiful. Sensitive. And it does reveal a glimpse of your sadness on some level.
You also do express how women (and probably everyone) wants to deeply be with his/her partner. Thanks!
Why think of it as hallucinations?! I don’t think it is.
I liked that post very much.. for the first time I know why I love Cairo, you said what I’ve always felt, but I was never able to describe it in words.
Nice blog ..that's why I love Damascus
hehe..
so what does this say about us mohamed?
sex on the street being the only thing that caught our eyes :P
It says that guys are guys I guess.
Damn, a year in Egypt, and I never saw anywhere you could have sex in the street! Guess you have to be a native ;-)
I always thought the prettiest view in Cairo was driving north bound on the Corniche, and looking west at the Pyramids. There’d always be a lot of feluccas sailing about and massive palm/date trees along the Nile--made you feel like you'd gone back in time. 'Course you didn't dare look long or you'd smash into a donkey cart/bus/car etc. Driving in Cairo--NOT for the faint of Heart!!!
Later
Tater
Bloody hell. They just won't let it go, will they :)
Pack of rabid blood hounds that lot!
The guy is romanticising a city for pete's sake...give him a friggen break ;)
Take it easy Mo...any more of this and I'll start worrying about you. Ghayar el sanf ya basha.
Hehehe.. lol, thanks Hellme. I'm starting to worry about myself too. We can thank Haal for that (not really her fault, everything happens at once).
Tater, yes you have to be a native. If you're not, you can just do it in your rented apartment. Why the hassle.
The reactions this post illicted brings us back to the mars and venus thing. Seriously, men's minds seem set on a way track huh!
I'm not generalising or male bashing here. Mohamed is talking about CAIRO and 97%of the responses are on about the weirdest thing he said (being a man himself).
Hey Mo,
I love this topic. My favorite spots in Cairo is a small restaurant off the Haram street close enough to see some green land and the Pyramids.
The river nile view from Le Meridien Hotel is the most Scenic. Feluka on the nile is the best thing that ever happened to me.
There is something mysterious and exotic about Khan El-Khalili.
The guy that sells fire hot susage in the graveyard LOL is great too!
There is no place like home I guess.
T.
mohamed; I wouldn't say van/bc is perfect, but to each their own i guess.. Then again maybe none is, and -as you say- one has to learn to love and accept despite the imperfections.. cheers
Finally.. someone figured my perfect city!
As a tourist, walking along Zamalek towards Hard Rock Cafe during break fast in Ramahdan was a very pleasant experience. People breaking fast on the street benches would generously invite us to join them. Of course, it was extremely quiet at that time. Cairo is truly an amazing city.
Your post reminds of Kazem Al sahir's song , the one in which he speaks about Baghdad as a beautiful woman ;). I'm always teary eyed after that one. My favourite place in Cairo is a small restaurant on a side street near Misr liltayaran main branch ( I think) where they sell the best gambari I have ever tested. Oh it's a mat3am sha3bi thingy with 2 tables and about 10 chairs but boy was it great...beats any 5 star restaurants.
"AL Kahera" It is ...
Cairo is just the western nackname ...
My favorite spot is when you pause
for few seconds of silence atop "Burj Al Kahera" (Cairo Tower) when it's near empty & a bit windy some how you see it all and you feel it all... the feeling goes beyond the city ... It's "MISR" (Egypt)for all what it could mean & what it stood & could stand for...
A lot of other goodies of course...top 3 are:
- sailing the faluka in the Nile near Maadi.
- Hobbing the Cairo contrasts of old & new. Try that in the same night, ie do AL Hussein & then do the Hard Rock or some thing.
- To an extent the tolerrance of the city where almost evry thing is possiable & doable...
I'm not sure about sex in the bus but I could sweare I've seen the closest thing to it in a public park (long time ago)and it was passionate enough to turn our heads in disbelieve!
Been looking for other blogs on Egypt and must say that yours is good. I lived in Vancouver for a number of years and it is very close to a perfect city but I couldn't trade Cairo for anywhere. I love the way that the bridges of Cairo turn into parks in the summer with the guys renting chairs and selling termis. I have to admit to having abandoned the Mother of the World for her countryside, but as long as I can take a breath I do enjoy my forays into her insanity.
The only MAIN reason why Cairo seems to 'suck' over the past few years is because it is highly populated. It's like, haven't you guys ever heard of contraception? ...I guess that's a hint why Egyptians seem to have strong sex appeal...lol
Cairo sucks monkey balls....Georgia's hospitality city my ass......in fact damn the whole state of Georgia
I love the Cairo too beause I can have sex without viagraonline in the street and in a public bus, I want to go to this place again next year.
hi all, i've most of the posts and to my relieve its a fun place to go to...my friend talked me into visiting egypt this june but now i'm glad i agreed to come.so guys and girls help me out here give me some suggestions on places to see ..where to go and where not to go as there's been voilence recently in cairo and in nearby cities i'm not sure if thing are back to normal for tourists...
Cairo is among the best the nation offers for its visitors who come by flights to Egypt, the city is a sandy haven one can explore during the holidays. The pyramids and the Sphinx are simply a must watch.
Cairo is the best country. I will surely visit this as I am planning my Umrah Packages 2019 UK. So soon after my Umrah, I will visit this beautiful place and explore its culture.
Cairo is such a lovely place where visitors loves to stay for a long time. The beauty if the city is like living in paradise. Book middle east holiday package cover this place too.
Cairo is such a beautiful to visit and I really want to visit it. I am presently planning my Umrah with Islamic travel UK as I have heard good thinks about it and then I would look forward to other foreign tours.
indeed a great article.
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That is a prodigious list. South Africa has so many stunning and wonderful sights.
Dab Rig
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Absolutely adore this tribute to Cairo! Captures the city's magic and vibrancy perfectly. Reading this feels like discovering the perfect cheap Umrah Packages for cultural exploration!
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