Here are just a few options of places where you can get something to satisfy your taste buds!

• Crave  -  This restaurant has more than one location, but I actually like this one best.  It serves “Italian”/International cuisine, which really means that everyone will like their food.  That is, unless you’re Italian and order a pizza (since I’m sure that no pizza anywhere will be like pizza in Italy).    Try the shrimp konafa here because it’s not something common in Egypt yet, but it’s really good!

• Navona  -  This pizzeria takes its name from the Piazza in Rome.  While I haven’t personally eaten there, I’ve heard good things about it, and it always seems crowded.  Besides pizzas, you’ll definitely find pastas and main courses as well.

• Fino Bakery  -  This specialty bakery in Degla is a little slice of carb heaven!  Not only do they have typical pastries (croissants, cookies, donuts), but they also have 13 different types of breads, and even offer gluten free products if ordered in advance, making it a great place to pick up the week’s bakeries.

• Along these lines is Munch N Bagel.  Offering Egypt’s only real bagels, the shop has another location in Zamalek.  While it is a bit pricey (for their sandwiches), the bagels themselves are good and you can pick up a few (most bagels sans toppings are 5 LE each), and make your own sandwiches at home.

• Probably the best dessert in the area is served at Stavolta.  On the same street as Navone and TeePee (from the last post), Stavolta serves authentic Italian gelato.  With more than 30 flavors to choose from ranging from chocolate and vanilla to gooseberry or stracciatella, you’ll try something new every time you visit.  Each scoop is about 10 LE , and you can get a waffle cone or cup.  They also serve ice cream pops!

Stavolta storefront

While there are tons of other places, these are just the very few I have experience with.  There are still loads of Asian restaurants (Chinese, Japanese, Sushi, Mongolian, etc) for you to try…just be open to walking around and discovering them on your own!

In 1-year time I am about to witness my third elections this year. To be more precise, even in three different countries. Around this time last year I had elections in my home country The Netherlands. A half year later I saw fierce competition in the elections in Thailand. Now there will be elections in June in Egypt. When I look back at the elections, all were crucial elections, stressed heavily by the media and emphasized by political parties and society. But perhaps all elections are crucial. The Dutch elections had to be held because the cabinet Balkende IV dissolved in 2010. The elections mainly became crucial because of the focus on the financial crisis and the inevitable cutbacks. A little flavour of extreme right wing and you have good national television content. There is large diversity in political parties and viewpoints in the Netherlands and the outcome had also to be waited by the Dutch.

Elections in Thailand dealt however with only 2 parties. In fact, there are many more but the main stride was between the Democrats (yellow-shirts) and the People’s Party (red-shirts). The elections were enforced by heavy riots and occupations in the centre of Bangkok between red and yellow back in 2010.

In run-up to the elections Ms. Yingluck Shinawatra led the People’s Party. She is the younger sister of the former president Mr. Thaksin, who was expelled out of the country and could not come back until then. The democrats however heavily promoted with the message: “Vote NO!”  There were posters included with pictures of animals, like a monkey or a bull pictured like a parliament candidate. According to the Democrats or Royalists the elections were corrupted and therefore called people not to vote. In July 2011 however the elections were held and the red-shirts won the elections with almost 50 %. By now the Pheu- Thai Party is in power and Mr. Thaksin is allowed back in the country.

In Egypt there will be the first free elections of the country. After the revolution in the 1950’s there came a new political system, but never one with free choice of the president. The power remained in the same political top. These coming elections are really important for Egypt and the level is really high and there will be a lot of pressure on the new president. Key point in the elections is rights, from now for everyone and equal for everyone. Some aspects of this and the Mubarak period is something of which everyone distances itself.

After the fall of Mubarak a lot of previous expelled people were able to get back in the country. Among them a lot of brothers of the Muslim Brotherhood, they are now amongst the favourites to rule the country. Unique of Egypt is that the country also has parties that want to obtain religion in the constitution. Different then a Christian party as for example in the Netherlands, these parties will use the religion as guideline and in the constitution. There is a lot of speculation about the new president of Egypt and there is a superfluous offer of new and independent parties and candidates. A lot of citizens do not know what or whom they will vote, but the discussion is vividly and present. This will change in 2 months and there is a great chance the discussion will get more heated.

Interesting of course is that in Egypt great decisions and steps are inevitable to be taken, at least, that is what it looks like. That is why this election is maybe the one most important of the three.

Me, I am genuine excited in the elections and the new road that will unfold for Egypt. Hopefully towards a more stable path for the country and its people. Anyway, I will return in September to my home country and guess… I have to elect again, this time for my own government, which again dissolved. Crucial…

Situated just outside Maadi, south Cairo, the valley is a little hidden gem of Cairo. With its reputation as one of the closest nature escapes of the city, you will not be alone there, but still have the possibility to actually feel the breeze of the desert.

We all meet at the second entrance to Maadi on the Corniche. We are a good group of 4 4X4 cars and decide to go down through the wadi to get the real feel of being away from the city. The wadi is organized with ticket booth for the entrance (5 L.E per person and 10 L.E per car) and other than that, it’s pretty much up to you what you want to do with your time there. Some have it as their favorite running track, where others use it to bring out their children for some fresh air. Then there are people like me, bringing out 13 of my best friends, and enjoying a BBQ, in this nearly perfect time of the year in Egypt. With stable 25 – 28 degrees, it’s a pleasure to soak up the always present sun.

Day in Wadi Degla

After 20 minutes the cars are unloaded and the BBQ is already warming up. We are using the waiting time (for the BBQ) to explore the nearby hills and surroundings, before the smell of shrimp and burgers and fill the empty valley.

We are having a great time in the late afternoon sun, with drinks and good company, before we have to pack up the cars, and make the half hour trip back to the entrance point. Everyone is shaking hands and reassuring that we should definitely do this again. Cairo has a lot to offer, cultural and entertainment wise, but sometimes the best afternoon is the one you spend in nature and with good people.

In case you are entering the wadi without 4×4′s, it’s still very possible to have a great outdoor day, since the nature starts immediately when you have entered the wadi. It’s only a short walk till you get past the people, and you can soak up the formations of rocks and tranquility, you most likely will appreciate after some days in Cairo.

Everyone will know how to direct you to Maadi, and will definitely make your Cairo trip feel different and have you leave with a refreshing feeling.

A great way to spend the afternoon in Degla is by doing some shopping, having a nice meal, and topping it off with some ice cream and a nice walk.  This week, we’ll talk about the shopping aspect:

Let’s start off with the shopping.  Degla has quite a few shops, from chain jewelry stores to pet shops.  Anything you need can easily be found in this part of town.  One of the hidden treasures, though, is a little shop called TeePee Home Accessories.  The place is below street level, but there’s a clear sign to let you know it’s there.  In fact, I discovered it by the sign, and not the store itself.  When you walk into the shop, you’ll find lots of traditional pieces like bracelets and charms with small hands or eyes believed to ward off evil.  There are also many pieces carved of wood like typical African masks and animals, as well as housewares such as wooden kitchen spoons carved with shapes of animals like zebras and elephants at the end.

The hidden gem, TeePee.

Besides these items, you’ll find beautiful hand woven scarves, purses, and curtains in a room to the back, with a modern classic feel to them.  One of my favorite pieces that I saw was light fixture (one of many) that was made of small hanging colored jars big enough for tea-lights with colored blown glass hanging down from it.  The piece is quite beautifully done and is unique.

Other items in the shop include customizable coasters (about 20 LE ≈ $3 each), and beautiful customizable jewelry boxes decorated in stunning Arabic calligraphy with words such as “mother” and “sister” and can be customized with a specific name or message ( about 170 LE ≈ $30 each).

All in all, the prices are quite reasonable, and the items are very impressive and fashionable!  This is a great place to do some of your gift shopping!

This mix gives prospect to a diversified nightlife and that is also what men can find. Dining, clubbing, live music or sitting down in a cafe with sheesha and your friends, you can find it all in Cairo

Laying on the Nile River are more expensive night places, offering dinners and foreign cuisines. Most of these are aimed at high-class Egyptians and foreigners. Some include “El Morocco” and “Fusion” offering Moroccan and Japanese food respectively. Deeper into Zamalek Area can be found other clubs offering more nightly entertainment, such as L’Aubergine and After Eight. Together with the Cairo Jazz Club and hotel disco’s (Harry’s Pub in the Marriot Hotel, Jackie’s Joint in the Hilton. These are the places with dj’s or live music, food and (alcoholic) drinks. Cairo Opera House also in Zamalek is offering larger events in music, dance, opera and even film festivals.

However, Haram street is also a lively street at night mainly accessible for locals, with traditional music and Egyptian customs of spending the night. Dancing in club Africana (in Haram street, greater Giza) makes you feel like you are in the heart of Africa. Music is an eclectic mix of R&B, Reggeaton, Koduro and Hiphop.
I visited some of these places and some things are very clear when going out.

First: you will go out in a Muslim country and drinking alcohol is not common, although in most nightplaces this is available.

Second: prices are relatively high and an entrance fee or minimum charge is common. Ranging from 40 LE to 200 LE to get in. This usually includes 1 or 2 welcome drinks. A beer will cost 20 up to 50 LE, cocktails a little higher, starting around $8, – dollars average.  The local spirits if available can save you a lot of money. Please watch out for “cheaters” as one club could not bring us food and open our drinks fast enough to present the bill 5 minutes later noting more then $200,-. This ended in a very long and unpleasant night and we eventually paid 250 LE for 5 drinks. Do not hesitate to refuse “impossible” offers, client should be king, and make use of your position.

Third: no (wo)men only. Come in couples, as it is not common to come as a group of men and hunt on female singles. Some clubs require guests to come in couples, otherwise they are politely refused, this of course ads up to the higher class experience.

Fourth: If girls or men are openly dancing or hanging with you, guess that it can be a hint for more. Real Egyptians are not very common in these kinds of situations. But everything has its price and being white can already trigger people to get money out of you.

Five: don’t expect anyone to show up before 12’o clock. The party starts around 1-2 am and after 3 am it is most crowded and vibrant.

Do not forget there are many foreigners also travelling to Sharm el-Sheikh and Hurghada. These places are less ‘Egyptian’ and offer more entertainment aimed at Western cultures. Other places then these (like Alexandria or other cities) hardly have night places and there ‘partying’ is not common. When I have extended my reviews about nice restaurants or cafes, I will be sure to put them up. If other tips or recommendations be sure to let us know in the comments, I can pay them a visit in this weekend (or the next of course)

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I am meeting my Danish colleagues with 2 elderly gentlemen with Autism. Today’s trip is heading for the pyramids and to ride camels. The two brave gentlemen had a great wish. To see the pyramids, followed by a camel ride. This wish finally came true, and the whole group is now in Cairo, ready for an exiting week.

After a short drive towards Giza, we enter the pyramids complex. Tourism is still quite low due to the 2011 events in Egypt, although people are now, slowly but surely, coming back to the Giza pyramids. We decided to be there when the ticket office opens, to beat the crowds and we have most of the complex to our selves, when we start the tour of the 3 great pyramids. Slowly but surely, the buses approach and before we are done absorbing the views, there are quite a lot of tourists among us.

Next on the list, is the camel ride. This takes place above the pyramids, on a nearby plateau, which have open views to the Saqqara pyramids further south. It’s very big smiles, we all get from the very satisfied gentlemen, that finally have done the camel ride, with the pyramids in the background.

The trip will be in their memory for a long long time.

The service we got all through the whole trip, was very satisfying. The staff at the pyramids, was very helpful and friendly and I hope that more people, that’s not the usual “Lonely Planet” reader, will grab the opportunity to come explore this great Country!

As the title refers I will talk about culture hidden in the streets. You may take this literally, obvious in the every day life.
This morning when I walked down my street to work, I could only think of the time I had left to arrive and to check mirrors if my hair was not too much out-of-bed (just this one morning I skipped the shower).
When I am visiting new places, usually I don’t even have time to do this. Then my mind is amazed with new smells, sights and sounds.

So how can you discover more then what you actually experience and see?
The discovery is in the larger picture, you cannot see it because it is bigger and all around you. Currently, I live in Nasr City; Nasr is the Arabic word for victory. Founded in the 1950’s and now the largest district of Cairo. It doesn’t seem that special, but there is more.
In 1952 there was the Egyptian Revolution. This revolution shifted the power from a monarchy to republic. The kings descending from Mohamed Ali became substitute for a new leader: the President. The constitution was changed and in 1956, Gamal Abdel Nasser became the first elected president by the people of Egypt. He would be in office about 15 years and I believe he would not give up his power easily. In these years many things would happen that had great effect on Egypt.

By becoming a republic, the Egyptians abandoned the British and French presence and also broke the link with the descendants of Mohamed Ali (King Faruk as last King).

Abdel Nasr would nationalize the Suez-canal, go in war with Israel and strive for more cooperation within the Arab League. Not to forget that Nasr city in Cairo is the largest and one of the better organized neighbourhoods.
Some of the events that took place still have their after-effects.

The revolution of 2011 is of course the most obvious example of replacing the old Presidential system. The youngsters on the street still feel anger towards the loss of Israel in 1967. Not to forget that the Arab League currently operates as a full-scale organization concerned with safety, economics and politics. More like the development that Nasser insisted. Nasr City is also one of the busiest areas and has a high rate of shopping malls.

Before I came in Nasr City, I knew about Abdel Nasser, but already forgot the stories surrounding him. My last address was the Pra Ram 9 in Bangkok, named after the king of Thailand. The associations for me with the street are similar with Abdel Nasr.

By walking in my street everyday, I come to know one story at the time: from developments to monuments to wars and life stories. Abdel Nasr was one of the country’s most influential persons, did many great things and will a long time be remembered. Yes, culture lays hidden in the streets, so feel free to walk and talk around and who knows what is hidden.

 
Anything you want to mention us? Please leave a comment or connect with us on Twitter @Martenmike & @Touregyptnet

Mirrors? Check!

Windows? Down! And we’re off…

Off to Cairo, the largest populated city in Africa and the Middle East. This large amount of people obviously requires an extended transport system. And as every system has its rules, so does traffic in Egypt. Quite different rules if compared to other countries. But let us mention a few to give you an impression of what’s it like to participate in daily traffic.

traffic in cairo

The setup of the roads

People drive on the right side of the road. There are lanes in most cases, but these are hardly used. The most right lane is used to stop, pick people up and to park your car.

The most left lane can direct you to U-turns (to switch driving directions) and also deals with cars incoming from the other U-turn. In between, every car finds it’s own way.

There are (almost) no traffic lights and crossroads are the place where you make up for not having to wait at the traffic light. Traffic floats from crossroad to crossroad, on straight roads average speed is 60-70 km/h, while near junctions and u-turns, this is about 10 km/h. Usually before a new junction there is a road bump; cat eyes surround the road bumps. So if you see or feel cat eye obstacles, SLOW DOWN for the road bump and look for the direction you’re heading for.

The driving attitude

To move from A to B, you have to do this yourself. So every spot that you can take, every car that you can pass, left or right, everything that will make your travel faster, do it!

There are several key signals to understand when driving in Egypt.

Honking the horn is a necessity as well as commonality. It still is used as warning signal meaning: “Watch out, here I come” or “Move it”. From Vespa to Transport Truck, every one will let you know when they are coming close to you.

Headlights are also very important. When the headlights are turned off, there is no problem. Crossing, passing or driving past each other,

Headlights on full beam mean “you wait, I go first”. This is used for crossing pedestrians, inserting cars and when passing. Especially when inserting or with crossing the roads. Do not think headlights are a signal to do cross.

Then, when your mother is calling to ask you for dinner, go ahead: Answer the phone. And yes, also the third time. Do not forget to put your ringtone on a high volume, so that you can hear your calls.

As last, most drivers wear a seatbelt, since it is obligatory by law. However you might also often see is that no one in the car is wearing a seatbelt, value according to the capabilities of your driver or the traffic if it is necessary to wear one.

It is Alive!

What do the following terms have in common: a donkey, horse, cat, dog, rock, rat, garbage, blown car and a street seller. What they have in common is that you can expect them at any time and any place in Cairo. On the road, yes.

Next to these participants there are microbuses slinging back and forth, dropping and picking up people from the (side of the) road. As well as vacant taxis honking to every one looking for a ride and people crossing the street at every point. So when driving, always expect something to pop up in front of you.

Play music as loud as possible

This seems very straightforward, and it is. Emphasize on your favourite Amr Diab song or one of the current Arabic hits. Roll your windows down and get as many people in your car as possible, do not forget to keep clapping on the rhytm. That is how you drive in Cairo.
Insider insight: during the call for prayer, please remember to mute your music. It is considered impolite to disturb the call for prayer. With Egyptians in your car it might give you a subtle image boost.

Mercedes vs. Microbus

Ranging from Microbus to brand new Mercedes, most cars do not get away from Cairo without actual evidence: scratches and dents. Your car represents your attitude of driving, the more damaged your ride is, the more tough you drive. This can give you an impression of what to think about the driver.
We will take an example of a new Mercedes and a Microbus.

The new Mercedes is fast, well streamlined, safe and very dynamic. The Microbus is ponderous, unreliable and unsafe; seasoned with crashes and scratches. The Mercedes is designed for comfort and durability, on top also relatively expensive. One Microbus ride will cost you 1.50 LE.

The look of the Microbus is one to watch out for: the scratches are like scars in the battlefield, the neon lights signalling the colours of danger of poison, the Arabic music playing reminds to a national anthem and the back trunk is open spreading fear to pass.

To ride every day to your work, the choice is yours.

Our verdict: Microbus wins.

So far our guide about the culture of driving in Cairo, make sure you check the mentioned points before visiting. Do you have any additions or experiences to share with us? Please leave a comment or connect with us through the available Social Media.

Nighttime celebrations in Talaat Harb Square, immediately following the resignation of President Mubarak. Hundreds of thousands celebrated their victory in the fight for democracy.

Ok, this post is going to be a bit more serious  than my previous posts, because there is something I think is very important to address.  That topic is safety in Egypt.

While I am not defending or supporting any of the events that have taken place recently, because I really believe the violence is not the answer, I also want to shed a light on what it feels like to live here, as a foreigner, and how I feel about safety here.

These days, there’s been a ton of media coverage of Egypt, beginning with the relatively incident-free Parliamentary elections, to the tragedy that took place at the football stadium.  It’s no secret that things have been changing in Egypt over the last year or so, and events haven’t always been 100% peaceful.

What I do want to say about safety during these events is that, as much as the media has focused on these occurrences, it doesn’t mean that the whole country is a hopeless case, or overrun with random violence.  The ongoing protests in Cairo take place in Tahrir Square.  For those following the worldwide Occupy movement, the Tahrir protests are much like them in that it’s quite “contained”.  By contained I mean that the events are only taking place within the square, as opposed to the whole city.  Sure, there’s been violence there, but hasn’t there also been violence at the Occupy Cleveland, Oakland, New York, and Rome protests, as well as many others.  Do a Google search and you’ll find dozens of results relating to violence at these protests.  Has that made you cancel your trip to NYC or Rome?  Probably not.  Do you know why?  Because you’ve got the awareness that these protests are localized to a specific place and not, let’s say, Broadway or Times Square as well.  It’s much the same here in Egypt, with one major exception – while protests are in a specific location, pickpocketing and petty crimes are still rampant in these other destinations, while they are not in Egypt.

In this respect, Egypt is actually safer than most other places.

In fact, last summer I went to Italy on vacation, and I wore a money belt underneath my clothes at all times.  I kept my passport and cash in it, leaving only some change readily accessible in my pockets.  There was a very real danger of being robbed in some places (2 weeks before my trip an American tourist died in Naples during a botched robbery) but I still went.  The only thing I could do was be aware of my surroundings, and be careful not to walk in an unlit area at night.

When I lived in New Jersey and Boston, in my home country, I had to be very careful where I walked and when, because crime rates were so high.  Every other day on the news there were horrible stories about crime.

In comparison, when I moved here, I felt much safer.  Sure, I couldn’t always wear the same things I wore back home, but I never felt like at any time I could be held up at knife/gun point.

That’s not to say that you can walk around at all hours of the day and night without a care in the world.  You should still be cautious, especially around crowds, and you should still always be aware of your surroundings.  But overall, the threat is far less severe in Egypt.

The football game…Honestly, I don’t know what to say about such a tragedy!  When it comes down to it, what happened at the game was wrong and should never have happened.  Whoever was responsible was wrong to behave that way, and it’s sad that so many people were killed and injured.  It was senseless and scary.

But let’s also look at it from another point of view.  How many sporting matches do you think take place every year?  Hundreds?  Thousands?  Probably.  Also, there are a minimum of 2-3 matches per season between  the Ahly and Zamalek clubs (kind of like the Red Sox & Yankees with regards to rivalry), and things can get pretty heated, but nothing like this has ever happened.
It’s absolutely fair to say that while what happened in Port Said is tragic, it is by no means exemplary of daily life here in Egypt.

Same with the kidnapping of the 2 American tourists in the Southern Sinai Peninsula.  It’s not good and shouldn’t happen, but how many kidnappings have you ever heard of where a kidnapping has taken place and the “hostages” enjoyed the time with their captors, were held for less than a day, and were treated with respect and care, with not so much as a scratch on them?  It almost never happens, right?  Same with kidnappings in general.

What I want to say is basically this:  Yes, things have been unstable, and yes, some negative things have happened.  But they’re very isolated occurrences that the average tourist seeing the sights would be nowhere near, and would not be affected by.

So the next time you feel a sense of panic about potentially visiting the country with what’s going on…take a deep breath and think again.  Realize that the country is huge, and that what you’re seeing on the news doesn’t really affect the safety of the 10 million tourists or the rest of the 80 million locals living here who stay away from the protests and large crowds.  Really, it’s still a very safe to visit and live!

Cinderella's Glass Slipper

Seriously? The Disney classic I’d known and loved my entire life wasn’t, in fact, originally Disney? Say it ain’t so! How can this be?  I’d never even heard of anything like this before, and I’ve lived in Egypt for 4 years now!

I decided to do some research to see what I  could come up with…and it turns out it’s true! I bet most people had no idea of this! Here’s what I learned about the Egyptian Cinderella, through the Greek historian Strabo’s accounts.

Cinderella’s name was actually Rhodopis, meaning “rosy cheeked.”  She was actually Greek, not Egyptian, but was kidnapped by pirates and sold as a slave to a nice old man in Ancient Egypt, who kept her as a servant girl.  Because she was beautiful, he other servant girls made fun of her and gave her extra chores to do.  Rhodopis could sing and dance, and sometimes after work she would sing and dance for her animal friends (unlike the Disney story where her friends were some mice, a dog, and some birds, Rhodopis’s friends were birds, a monkey, and a hippo!). One time, after napping under a nearby fig tree, the old man woke up to find Rhodopis dancing and was very pleased.  Since she was barefoot, he bought her a pair of rose-gilded slippers to wear.

Soon, it was heard that the Pharaoh was holding court in nearby Memphis and everyone was invited.  Of course Rhodopis wanted to go and was very excited about all the dancing and food.  But much like the Disney classic, the other servant girls gave her so many chores that she couldn’t go.  As she stayed behind, she washed clothes in the Nile, and sang a sad song.  The hippo got sick of the sad song and jumped back in the water, splashing water on Rhodopis’s slipper.

She put it in the sun to dry off, when Horus swooped down in the form of a falcon and carried off the slipper.  He flew over to the Pharaoh and dropped the slipper into his lap.  When the Pharaoh saw the beautiful slipper, he proclaimed that he would marry the owner of the slipper because he took it as a sign from Horus.

Much like the classic Disney movie, he searched all over for the owner of the slipper, even sailing the Nile looking for the girl.  He found Rhodopis, and they were married!
What do you think? Pretty close to the Disney classic, huh?  Pretty cool, I think!

What other cultures do you know of that have a similar story?