Your Egypt

alark

Hey all,

I've lived in Canada most of my life, spent 3 months in Cairo...and now that I'm back (call it reverse culture shock or whatever), I actually feel homesick for Cairo!

Things I love, and absolutely miss about Cairo:

The earthy feel of the city. Vancouver is all glass and steele. But when you walk around Cairo...and you see the cityscape...it has this brown earthy feel to it. I love that.

Walking down the Corniche el Nil and being |...| this close to the Nile.

Cook Door (bring it over to North America pleeeeeeaaaase! Subway sandwiches do not cut it!)

The price of everything...I was in a little shopping bubble when I was there!

Egyptian cuisine...oh my Om Ali, and fu'ul, ta'amiya, kobda, einab mahshi...the 100s of flavours of rice...and tahina...yummy

Smoking a shisha and being sick after 4 or 5 puffs...but it was all great fun!

The weather...and the weather...and the weather. For 3 months, I only saw 2 days where it rained! And every morning I woke up and had to open every window and balcony door to get the sun inside -- who cared about the dust!

Being able to take a taxi for less money then it costs to take public transit here...I'm serious! And I complained so much when they took a pound extra. :roll: What was I thinking?

Those little motorscooters that you see all over the road, delivering food from different restaurants. McD's definitely has no delivery service in Canada :cry:

Being able to go up to someone, ask for help in English, and even if they don't understand you...they would do the best they could to help you out.

Hearing arabic spoken everywhere.

Hearing the azhan 5 times a day...and i actually didn't mind how you would hear 7 go off but it seems some later or earlier than others. It was cool...like a symphony.

Riding a horse in the desert at midnight.

The crowded streets...the energy of the city...not just for work...but people actually take time to enjoy life.

Being invited to a friends place...and being fed until you could burst...ah, I love the hospitality.

Okay...that's just a few things. Soon, I'll get back into the swing of things...but honestly...I would trade all this rain, fog, and cold weather for Cairo and a Cook Door fajita chicken sandwich...any day!

Monica · Joined: 10 Mar 2004 Posts: 4933 Location: Egypt

Alark...you ROCK!!!

I miss so many things too...and especially the sounds of Cairo in the early early morning...

the way food is cooked, I love it

the people and their hospitality.. how they go out of their way to please their friends

the generosity of my friends towards me

the special attention I get from everyone from the doorman, to familty and friends

the beautiful view of the Nile

the soap operas..he he he mosalsalate...

and more to come...
but MOSTLy...

I miss FRESH MANGO juice!!!

alark · Posted: Mon Dec 20, 2004 7:56 pm Post subject:

Oh all, right, I do have a tiny confession. When I was in Cairo there were 3 things I was dying for:

- Wishing my friends back home could be with me to experience what I was experiencing.

- Peking duck..and all that tasty fatty goodness.

- Starbucks hot chocolate and ginger cookie.

I know...strange huh?

Monica · Joined: 10 Mar 2004 Posts: 4933 Location: Egypt

I am sure that a starbuck will open at one point.. about the peking duck did you try Egyptian Duck???
your friends I guess it depends on their financial situation for the enxt time..are you going back again??
I also miss the Sphinx and the pyramids actually when in Canada..and also the DUST he he..that is weird I know!!
alark wrote: Oh all, right, I do have a tiny confession. When I was in Cairo there were 3 things I was dying for:

- Wishing my friends back home could be with me to experience what I was experiencing.

- Peking duck..and all that tasty fatty goodness.

- Starbucks hot chocolate and ginger cookie.

I know...strange huh?

alark · Posted: Mon Dec 20, 2004 8:11 pm Post subject:

Egyptian duck! :shock: Honestly, I ate out so much, and saw food I'd never seen before...that I may have. But I was sorta busy eating everything in sight :oops:

Do I plan to go back to Egypt again? Of course, hands down, no argument there. And I actually think going a second time, I'll have an even better time, because I'll be more prepared.

But for now, I'm happily looking forward to some of my friends coming next year inshallah to Canada for a visit...so this time I can be the hostess with the mostess :wink:

Ach...and Starbucks in Egypt???? As much as I craved it when I was there...I'd actually rather not see one open in Cairo, cause there's already some great cafe's in Cairo like Cilantro which is just as excellent.