The Africa Cup of Nations

Egypt won the Africa Cup of Nations last night. Caught the game at a nearby café. The enterprising café had put up chairs on the pavement adjoining the café and set up a television outside and squeezed in 70 people in a place meant for 30…. but it gets the adrenalin really going watching a sporting event in a social setting and with a big crowd. I was cheering along with my Egyptian friends for the Egypt team, pumping my arms at a great save by the Egyptian goalkeeper, throwing up my arms in despair when the Egyptian team failed to capitalize on a “golden chance”, feeling outraged when the Cameroon team members were roughing up the Egyptian players- and I thought to myself here I was watching a tournament that I had never heard of till I came to Cairo, and cheering a team that I knew nothing of …..but it did belong to my “resident” country and I have some good friends here and have had some good times here….

The celebrations after Egypt’s win were stupendous (can’t think of a more apt word here) –this is the second consecutive time that Egypt has won the championships-this time in a foreign land! Stayed up late into the night –the celebrations on my street were deafening and entertaining. Here are some images to give you an idea of the scale and the kind of celebrations -Cairene style!