Cairo

Al Azhar Mosque

I have just returned from a brief trip to Cairo … the land of the pharaohs, of ancient domes and minarets, beautiful buildings and the mighty Nile that courses through the land; such a pity about the pollution, the grime of centuries of unchecked dirt that clings to the intricate carvings of not only the ancient Azhar Mosque, but to all that surrounds it. It is a pity because to see these remarkable buildings in their original magnificent splendour, is surely a treat for Egyptians as well as the visitor. Let's hope a way can be found to preserve the architectural heritage of Cairo, before the elements of Mother Nature get the better of us!

And then I realized how clean Amman is, and that traffic jams are the same the world over – defined only by the way they are dealt with. The Egyptians, like the Chinese and Indians, take it all in their stride, topped off with a smile and a gentle honk of the horn. It was nice to get involved in some hustle and bustle in the old quarter of Cairo, to engage in a bit of bartering and to feel the weight of centuries of tradition breathing down your neck, as we sipped mint tea in an old coffee shop in the Khan al Khalili, where the only thing that has changed over the centuries has been the chairs!

'Through the looking glass' in
the old coffee shop in the
Khan al Khalili

The same lamps hang from the ceiling, the same mirrors on the wall … a sense of the passage of time that creates the soul you can identify with the city.

Now that is something our town planners could learn from the Egyptians! J