 Today, it was time to deliver another story and I set about
to explore and write about Zamalek's many antique shops.
Yesterday had been a bust, as far as writing; one of those
days that just did not pan out. Of course, I am here
gathering new material on antiquities and travel, but much
of the antiquity information will have to wait for a
detailed analysis once I return home. I explored the streets
of Cairo yesterday looking for new restaurants, shops and
interesting corners to write about but, not due to the lack
of them but to my own bad luck, I came up empty. I visited a
restaurant I didn't like, a very nice, upscale coffee house
that would not let me take pictures, and a few other places
that looked promising, but turned out to be not very
impressive. Of course, this is what being a travel writer is
all about. Today, I continue to tell people about the three
star Hotel Longchamps, for example, but I spent two
weeks staying at different three star hotels each night
before finding it, and could not recommend any of the others
to my readers.
One of the colorful and imaginative headboards at RugArt
 Today, I set out on foot to explore the antiquity shops
of Zamalek, for which this section of
Cairo is well known.
Today is Friday and in Egypt, the first day of the weekend,
so there was some question whether all of the shops might be
open, though they were. The sky was overcast, threatening a
somewhat rare shower, so it was a pleasant day for a stroll.
Antiquity shops are numerous in Zamalek, and I did
discovered some very nice ones. I suppose I walked most of
the length of Zamalek, looking for back street shops,
but most are easily located along 26th of July street. They
mostly specialize in French antiques from the turn of the
20th century and there are some rather nice pieces scattered
about. But that will not be the topic of this report, for
along the way I fell in love. It wasn't a beautiful woman
who caught my attention so don't worry Joanie. It was a
shop, not of antiques but of carpets.
 As I've grown older I've notice that I still fall in love
at first sight, not very frequently, and alas, not with
women, but every so often with an object. Last time, it was
with a BMW Z3. I was not even looking for a car when I saw
this model, but within days it was sitting in my driveway.
That was almost seven years ago, but today it happened
again. Strolling along on the western
Nile side of Zamalek, near 26th of July, I happened upon
RugArt. The carpets that caught my attention in the tasteful
storefront windows where only a hint of the wonder world I
found inside.
Of course, carpets are a big business in the Middle East,
sought after in the west, but frankly I have never been much
of a fan of oriental carpets, which are usually a bit busy
for my taste. However, these carpets were definitely not
oriental in design. Some where square or rectangular, but
others were freestyle designs. They come in a variety of
material, including pure virgin wool, silk or cotton and are
all hand made.
 Sometimes with whirling colors and at other
times mimicking nature, these carpets are bright, fanciful,
original, imaginative creations unlike any I personally have
ever seen. However, not only are many of the designs very
colorful and lively, but the details are strikingly
rendered. Some have sophisticated designs and would
undoubtedly become the showpiece of any home, or office for
that matter, as works of art. Other carpets are designed as headboards for
beds, and there are even custom made beds to match. At this
point I could only imagine what the price of such artistic
flair might be, having priced handmade wool carpets many
times in Egypt. I was indeed shocked to find that most were
not even remotely as expensive as their oriental
counterparts, and in fact, all were most reasonable.
Hanging on the wall or laying on the floor, this piece would be a showcase unto itself
For the younger set, there were butterflies, fish and teddy bears,
oh my. As I wondered about the store, undoubtedly some of
those fish and butterflies could have easily flown into my 
gapping mouth. Many of these wall hanging carpets are well
within the budget of most tourists and can easily be
transported home, while the larger carpets would require
some additional fee to the airline.
As it turns out, this style of carpet is the brainchild
of an Egyptian surgeon named Dr. Nabeel Aeed, who invented a
process for weaving many of their free style designs. While
the store has a collection of ready made carpets for sell,
they will also produce custom work, and if one is lucky
enough to live in Cairo, they even offer a design service to
match a custom made carpet to one's home decor.
 The store itself is modern and the carpets are well
displayed. I had no problems at all communicating with the
manager, who's father had been an Egyptian diplomat in the
US, and who had attended high school in Virginia. In fact,
all of the personnel were warm, friendly and very helpful. I
have spent considerable time visiting shops throughout Egypt
over the past ten years, and I really do not usually rave
about any specific stores But this one just went to
the top of my list as perhaps the most interesting merchant
in Egypt. Wonderful and unique designs, friendly staff and
great prices make it a must visit for Egyptians and tourists
alike.
By the way, this will not be the last word on RugArt.
Regrettably, the photography I do in Egypt is well suited to
many applications, but not to these carpets. However, I
obtained additional information and pictures that will have
to be scanned once I am back home. Hence, I will almost
certainly follow this article up with a pictorial, and don't
be surprised to soon find these carpets in the Virtual Khan
el-Khalili. They are exactly the type of unique items I came
to Egypt in search of this trip.
Bed Art, including the bed
Other Live from the Longchamps Stories
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