Three into Cairo

Airplane ride in the Persian Gulf Coast, specifically the sails of the hotel and in the sea of Palm trees in the bookshops in the left window, Emirates Airlines flight to Dubai did last urban promotion display, plunging into the depths of the Arabian Peninsula Canghuang of desert.

December 27, a Jewish Sabbath morning, is a Sun dazzle of the morning, not too far away, and I rushed on the sky, just have a formation of Israel military planes of death.

Away from the things of the Middle East, across the Sinai Peninsula, crossed the Red Sea, into the continent soon, Cairo suddenly from the desolate in ground breaking out.

The entire city is like a large-type printing plate, countless earthy housing varies but orderly ease, you can clearly see the urban edge that endless sand bars. Different from those in the same complex of East Asian city, there is no link to horizon glittering tin roofs, only wearing a city of the Nile was the point of inspiration.

Air, Cairo is a Matt frosted city; now, the first is I spent nine-night city.

Entered Cairo-like or don't like?

"Do you like Cairo?" and from the airport into town of 356 Sweeper, began to someone asking me.

I rarely able to reject the request with expectations, knowing that everyone is approximate and hope to get my request, reply, but I never loose on this issue too, at best is to describe the incredible India were ambiguous and use.

Cairo gives the first impression is chaos, regardless of transport, building and urban rhythms, or even the entire history of the city.

Unlike many other legends full of charm, has a history of Egypt, Cairo is almost at the approach of the ancient city of Memphis and Heliopolis places spontaneous formation of large village, this town is unordered fate from the doomed born very early. The purpose of the Cairo exist only to provide for the ordinary person must be all of survival, has always been a secular and town, so there seems to be a good reason to continue chaotically, urban edge of Giza, museums in all sorts of treasures from the origin and temperament, and who is not in the city.

Over the years various forces of Cairo is continuously conquering, then conquer, so you can see the Malay g area of gardens and half River between residents of socialist characteristics JISA community just across the River, mosques and churches to open door to door, wrapped in black robes women hearts and pray to God, the gate of the Islamic district of shop openly for the sale of a statue of Jesus's crucifixion, just playing explicit temptation of the street you MTV to see the many suddenly fell to pray.

When I'm in old Cairo district medieval streets, leaning on the wall of the Christian Church at the opposite side of the mosque to pray, Muslims boss-to drink this beer, I feel real estate have a Halo, a thousand years, half of all civilization on Earth have left a mark on here, but the final show in front of me is a city of contradictions and harmonious.

So there is no simple like and don't like, I feel also secular Cairo, also contradictions and harmonious.

Don't like everywhere without personality Midan (square) are one of the preceding one and Midan * 5 let me keep the lost chaos Street, but like every corner of the wedge-shaped building and every building upstairs every curious balcony;

Don't like those crowded market of dust, but enjoy reading-a tea tray and head full basket cake boy haven quickly walk through in the meantime;

Not like those who do not have a traffic light cut off traffic to put me in, but like to pick up my thumb and those stuck to my trouser leg brake driver rowdy;

Don't like the black and white rags taxi, but likes to tell exactly which of the two is in Italy's Fiat 1600, which is the Soviet fortress of Rada.

Don't like each morning I awoke the agony of prayer, but like to see them a few times a day, wailing like looked at those countless and omnipresent minaret until neck acid;

Don't like each of the hotel are high is located in the top level of the building, but like a closed the ashtray take me back to the hotel old elevator doors;

Don't like to eat a roadside stall the car great cakes are dipped in soy sauce, but like fishing for a sell pickle at Mosaic bean cake master side to side salivating lust pleasure; I am stupid

Don't like MSN who suddenly jump out from right to left, but of Arabic characters like posting of postcard with real Arabic dated;

Don't like bright surface hilarious but lack real nightlife, but like hunted countless streets finally discover family semi-open wine premises of excitement;

Not like those who eventually put passion comes down to the business man, but I like more just rushed you smiled strange faces and purely to and you talk to young people;

Don't like always found myself buying more expensive than others, but like every owner doesn't allow subtle sense of disguised;

Don't like full music deafening decoration gaudy unparalleled cruise of the River, but prefer to sit beside the wall piers on eavesdropping lovers whispered.

Live in vanilla square nearby Meramees hostel, every morning until 5 will be the next mosque prayer waking, moaning in the window from near and far to blend, I even five days at this time of day, are standing on the balcony at the city, don't know exactly what is in front of Cairo, just as no one can have it clear this city exactly how many people lived.

Dyadic Cairo – pick up some Miss

The second went to Cairo, Asia and Africa have been in a back and forth between, traveled on Egypt and the Sinai, farewell to exquisite Alexander, to enter through the day, the capital of the Western desert.

The train had just entered the confusion persists in Cairo, jump out of an old friend again. Out of the station was magically know every street, footsteps will perceive direction, from Rameses Turgoman bus station, railway station and find the way back to the victory square walk-no longer lost, no one has to recognize the 6 October Avenue and 26 July Avenue, where cross, no longer need to stop-General statue-SHARP Billboard such order to find the straight into Vanilla square path.

Whenever someone on the side of the hotel, I would say "I'm not the first time here, you know, here I am familiar with," the statement said, it was so little pride.

Have left there will be missed, fortunately this time, I also had a chance to pick up those missing.

So the second encounter Cairo, street soliciting a few second, the traffic is no longer an airless, in the usual place to buy things know how much money is precisely to the square in front of the mosque on saw the kid kite, take to the new Yellow Cab, and finally is the alarm clock in the morning instead prayed Waked me sound.

Three into Cairo – finally fell under the "ceiling"

Returning from the desert is the third time I went to Cairo, this time in order to eventually leave.

I put all of the last day for the city, wandering aimlessly, carrying food through the streets, tired and those who face lonely people sit on the roadside as tea stalls, take off I left not much time.

Meramees's downstairs and the street, is the spread of coffee Zico brothers, my daily visit results: black tea from the 4-pound dropped 2 pounds, that concluded Zico each buddy's name, do not say hello to direct borrowing their toilets, most crucially, the drift mint leaves, plus three spoonfuls of sugar in tea, I already skilled at playing with "suck" (Sheesha-Arab hookah), I knew the smell of tobacco to Apple, know when to start cover child to blot out the ashes of the carbon block with a red light, know how it can spit out the thick smoke.

In one month, I've fallen in love with "suck".

In the stalls of last night, I finally bought a baby girl name selling towels, but received the money, the woman did not like centergate peers that smuggle goods to you, which is called the more holding children woman, plundered all change after I also delaying spread, I prefer to believe somewhere they are aware of it.

When Cairo hasn't started the noise of the day, morning Street cool and quiet.

The boy next door Kazaz restaurant is made me blowing-first "today what flavor it", he saw the street three waltzing people face at sea, I used to ask to help? they say could not find a hotel, the hotel named Meramees. I told them the Cairo is a confusion of the city, but just Meramees is just before eyes.

Also on the Emirates flight, all as to when the hero, the difference is who adhere to the "bulk not to suck down" taste.

The aircraft was in cloud, boring looking camera.

Was in the Saladin on me calculated to be shot at a distance of pyramids, which blurred the whole city, then look at the pyramids or the Pharaoh pyramid, fuzzy city has been left in my memory. Open a video, is in the coffee is spread on Zico, I picked up the camera overhead 360-degree rotating inside the captured, according to the will of the people sit back later and the usual place, but on my screen, so they are always smiling and waving to me.

(Saladin on Cairo)

(Sitting on the Nile side wall and eavesdropping on candid camera Pier)

(Cairo, harmony)

(The screen after the tea Brewer)

(Zico's coffee stalls)