This article of mine was published in Daily News Egypt.

Refugee films that hit homeBy Sankalita Shome / Special to Daily News EgyptFirst Published: June 16, 2009

The huge number of Sri Lankans who have been uprooted due to the crackdown on the Tigers of Tamil Eelam (LTTE) by the government has made headlines recently. So has the plight of the Pakistani refugees streaming out of the Swat valley. In today’s strife-torn world, displacement and migration are becoming an integral part of our global existence — one conflict replaced by another and one set of refugees by another.

Against this backdrop, the Cairo Refugee Film Festival, in commemoration of World Refugee Day, comes as a breath of fresh air. “In Cairo, celebrations of World Refugee Day on June 20 have always been low-key and muted,” said Sara Sadek, community outreach coordinator with the Center for Migration and Refugee Studies at the American University of Cairo and on the organizing committee of the festival.

“No one can deny the reach of films,” said Mai Choucri, coordinator with Tadamon -Egyptian Refugee Multicultural Council and one of the festival organizers. “Films can bridge barriers and evoke strong emotions.”

The festival, which kicked off Monday, has many firsts to its credit — mainly being the first organized film festival associated with refugees. It is also the first time that such a diverse group of individuals consisting of humanitarians, lawyers, members of civil society and academicians, come together to showcase the lives and resilience of refugees through the medium of film. “There were teething problems, especially with funding and obtaining the right kind of films to screen at the festival,” said Choucri, “since we did not have a track record to fall back upon.”

Screening for the first time in Egypt is “SlingShot Hip Hop,” the most eagerly awaited film of the festival, which focuses on Palestinian hip hop bands and portrays the use of art as a form of resistance. “We had to walk the thin line between art and entertainment, fact and fiction, while deciding on the films to grace the festival,” said Sadek. “The films had to be an accurate account of the circumstances, at the same time engrossing enough to hold the attention of the viewers.”

The festival seeks to bring within its ambit the wide ranging nationalities of refugees and to move away from the stereotypical image associated with them. “Monkey Dance” is a narrative about Cambodian refugees in America who try to cling to their traditions and culture. At the same time, their children, born in America, struggle to balance their parents’ expectations and their own dreams.

“Berlari” (Running) is a poignant narrative about the Burmese community that has fled from military rule in Burma and is now living in Malaysia. “Iraqis in Egypt” is closer to home and chronicles the lives of Iraqi families living in exile in Cairo.

Unlike previous years, where only the academia and practitioners in the field were involved, this year’s celebrations have been brought into the public sphere, in a bid to inculcate empathy towards the refugee communities in Egypt. “The choice of the venue, Rawabet Theater in downtown Cairo has been with a view to make the festival accessible and to take away its intimidating ‘meant for academia’ label,” Sadek said.

Two art-based workshops were conducted over the last couple weeks complementing the festival. These workshops brought together Somali, Sudanese, Iraqi, Palestinian and Egyptian youth to encourage their creativity and give free rein to their imagination. According to Choucri, “the festival provides a platform to show how youth think and a chance to display their work before a larger audience.” At the photography workshop, participants were encouraged to photograph snippets from their daily lives they found inspiring. These photographs will be displayed at the venue of the festival. The outcome of the filmmaking workshop — two-minute portraits of the fellow participants — will also be screened on Friday, June 19.

For all those who believe in “cinema for a cause” and even for those who don’t, there are plenty of reasons to head to the Cairo Refugee Film Festival. The five-day festival will culminate on June 20 with a performance by Kanaan from the Palestinian Rappers’ trio as well as that of a band playing African and reggae music.

For more details, visit http://www.cairorefugeefilmfestival.blogspot.com/

Lifestyle Cafes in Cairo

Staying indoors is going to be just what grandma ordered in the coming months to escape the soaring mercury. And what better time than this to take advantage of the thriving café culture in Cairo? Cafes or coffeshops are the ideal places to feel the pulse of the city or to take a reprieve. From the ubiquitous small ahwas (Arabic for coffee and coffee houses) to international chains, Cairo has it all. Yet, in the midst of this abundance, some cafes have managed to carve out a niche for themselves. Here is my pick of the best.

The Al Fishawi Café, set in the heart of the medieval marketplace Khan el Khalili, transports you back to the time when the area was a busy caravanserai. Tea is served in chipped ceramic teapots on brass tabletops. Wooden furniture, mirrored walls and the stuffed crocodile all lend a certain ambience to the place. You will not get anything to eat here but you can enjoy sheesha with shay na’na (mint tea) or karkade (hibiscus juice) or even sample sahlab (brew of hot milk, sugar, rosewater and pistachios). A great place for people-watching, the best time to visit is in the evenings when the tourists have left and the locals have taken over. Literary buffs have an added incentive to visit - the Nobel laureate Naguib Mahfouz is said to have frequented the place.

Café Alain Le Notre has branches all over Cairo but the one in Al-Azhar Park scores on account of some great views from its terrace seating. After walking around the park, cool down with their delicious ice creams, while watching the sun set over the city of Cairo- the outline of the pyramids visible in the distance. One of the better views in Cairo.

If you cannot think of just lounging at a café and doing nothing, then the Ceramic Café in Mohandisseen is the place for you. Choose your piece from the large number of available earthenware shapes like cats, elephants, flower vases, toy cars, candle holders, figurines soap dishes and paint it to create a unique and individualistic piece. The café staff will put your “masterpiece” in a kiln and the glazed pottery will be ready to take home after five days. The perfect gift for a loved one or the pride of your mantelpiece! Ceramic Café has a second location in Heliopolis and the third will soon be opening in Maadi. The earthenware range from LE 30 to LE 150. A café outing that the children would definitely enjoy too.

If pottery is not your style, the Art Café in Maadi provides opportunity to indulge in a number of art and craft activities, including painting and decorating wooden boxes. Located in a quiet and leafy lane in Maadi, the café has a pleasant outdoor seating as well and provides the perfect setting and equipment to let your creative juices to flow.

Reminiscent of the downtown Cairo’s glamorous past is the legendary Café Groppi. Started by a Swiss national, Café Groppi is located at Talaat Harb Square and was the city’s original patisserie. Though its menu offerings may have lost their appeal, their chocolate displays are mouth watering. The aristocratic architecture of the place makes it easy to imagine its glorious past- when it was a watering hole for the well heeled Cairene society.

Across the street from Café Groppi is Café Riche, which commemorated its 100th anniversary last year and was once the intellectual hub of Cairo. A look at its portrait gallery reveals the famous personalities that patronized the café like Naguib Mahfouz and Om Kolthoum. Little wonder then that the Naguib Mahfouz novel “Karnak café” is set in Café Riche and its characters are inspired from the interesting people that the author met here. Their caramel custard is one of the best and if that is not incentive enough to visit the place, then the high odds of bumping into some well-known personalities and ensuing interesting conversations definitely will take your footfalls towards the café.

To have a cup of coffee while reading the latest bestseller or sipping tea while giving yourself up to a Jane Austen heroine’s pre-occupation with courtship and marriage is stuff that simple pleasures in life are made of. The Al Kotob Khan bookstore on the Lasilky road in Maadi has a small place to do just that. Bookshelves lined with books provide a natural enclosure for a coffee shop space and the place has an inspiring literary buzz. If you are having difficulty picking up a book for your bedside reading or for your coffee table, you can take your time to browse through the wide selection of books that the Diwan bookstore has on display at their “in-house” café in the Zamalek branch.

The Nile River is the most coveted view in Cairo. Café Greco recently opened at Sequoia in Zamalek. Its location is just one more reason to cheer, besides its great coffee, of course. From your vantage point at the Café Greco outlet in Sequoia, you can enjoy snippets from life on the River Nile-houseboats, water taxis that transport people to their destinations along the Nile, the slight breeze creating ripples and the stillness afterwards.

Speaking of houseboats, staying in Cairo, you have probably been on a boat at least once. For the café experience, the Trianon café on the Nile Dragon boat is a good choice. Apart from the fabulous location, the presentation of their food is feast for the eyes. Salads in bread baskets and soups in bread bowls!

Having a cup of coffee while enjoying a bird’s eye view of the Cairo city is what the coffeshop at the Cairo Tower offers you. The minarets, skyscrapers and billboards vying for a piece of the Cairene sky!

A few others that merit a mention are the 3Al Ahwa café in Dokki for its mouthwatering feteers, Coffee Bean and Tea Leaf Co in Zamalek for some of the best pastries. Segafredo in Zamalek is a good place to enjoy a hearty breakfast and is open very early.

This summer in Cairo, wake up and smell the coffee!

After the Hiatus

Have been woefully behind in psting on this blog. The last few months have been crazily busy with working as a legal advisor with the Resettlement Legal Aid Project at St Andrews Refugee Services, being one of the principal organisors of the first Refugee Film Festival and freelancing for a daily in Egypr. Also, i had been busy with blogging on the site for the cairo refugee film festival. Though the festival is over, you can visit the blog at http://www.cairorefugeefilmfestival.blogspot.com.

Now that the festival is over, and am relatively free, should be more regular in contributing on the blog.

Being a Tourist in Egypt

The hassles of being a tourist in Egypt are many. It all starts with the differential pricing for entry into the famous monuments and the other tourist spots. As foreigners, even as resident expats, we pay nearly quadruple the amount that the locals pay as entrance fees. Maybe, this is justified, given the argument that Egypt being a poor country, most of the locals would be unable to visit these monuments, if they had to pay the higher entrance fees. However, the harassment by the touts at the tourist sites, harassment by shop owners and stall owners is unprecedented and legendary. And you need to be made of sterner stuff to withstand this hassle, without getting your blood pressure up.

Particularly bad are the touts that surround you and your car as soon as you come within sight of the Giza pyramids. If nothing else works, they just jump on the bonnet of your car to stake their claim on you…as their client! If this is not enough to make you feel like turning tail and running away, their persistent demands to purchase souvenirs, to get onto a camel or a horse surely cannot be borne by the faint hearted.

Added to all this, if you happen to be a light-skinned, blue-eyed, blond tourist, then your woes are doubled. When my friend who fitted the above description was visiting me in Cairo, she was met with requests for touching her hair, posing with her for pictures, and also some audacious marriage proposals. All the prices were quoted in dollars or euros-a LE 5 item will be quoted as USD 5 or Euro 5.

The Khan-el-Khalili vendors welcomed you with the comment “You want help in spending your money?” As if we are totally daft and have no clue as to what to do with our money. But the most original line came from this vendor. My friend requested a shop owner to help choose good pieces as gifts to take back home. She said ”you must help me….you know what will be a pretty piece”. The shopkeeper said “you are pretty!” A potential candidate for writing the dialogues for the next Bollywood blockbuster!

If you are eating at a road side eatery at the “Khan”, you will have to ward off people selling everything from scarves to the evil eye. Even sitting at the historic Fishawi café is fraught with vendors offering you a wallet at every sip of your shay bil “na’na (mint tea) and every puff of your sheesha! A firm “La Shukran” (no, thank you) is effective in most cases, except the most persistent.

However, despite all the hassle, the memories that you carry back with you are that of the endearing warmth of the people here, the majesty and beauty of the Islamic, Pharonic and the Coptic monuments. And of course, you must have heard of the saying that once you have drunk from the Nile, you will return again to Cairo.

Going Green in Egypt

This article of mine was published in Daily News (Egypt) on April 17, 2009

Relocating to Cairo recently, with its high levels of air pollution, spurred me to scout for environmentally-friendly products that could easily be incorporated into one’s lifestyle. And I was pleasantly surprised by the plethora of products and ideas that are available to evaluate our carbon-conscious options.

The “Zebaleen” women of Moqattam have perfected the art of recycling as they transform scraps donated by textile houses into rugs, bed spreads and quilts using patchwork and weaving techniques.

As part of a unique “learn and earn” program initiated by the Association for the Protection of the Environment (APE), their creations of cushion covers and wall hangings can make even the most mundane of interiors look interesting.

Working with their bright aprons and oven mitts in the kitchen makes a much pleasurable experience. Color-coordinating bags with my outfits is possible with the lovely selections made from left-over cloth, available at the shop on the APE premises in Moqattam. And the prices do not even burn a hole in my pocket. You can also find reusable bags for a trip to the grocers’, eliminating the need to use plastic bags.

I had almost decided against printing visiting cards — the thought of the number of trees that would have to be felled for my “calling card” deterred me. But then the recycled paper made as part of yet another project under the APE umbrella solved the dilemma. Vividly colored and beautifully patterned, their recycled paper makes for a unique option.

Though e-cards are easier, I prefer the old-fashioned way of receiving and gifting cards. I particularly like the idea of giving embroidered gift cards made of recycled paper as it will not only make the process of gifting more environmentally-friendly, but also be something out of the ordinary.

Using handmade paper stationery like envelopes, files, notepads and diaries can be the first step to reducing your carbon footprint at work. Instead of using wrapping paper for gifts, their gift bags made of recycled paper can be used time and again.

Organic foods are also the need of the hour amid rising concerns of the ill effects on health resulting from the consumption of food that is grown using pesticides. “The farmers in Siwa oasis have traditionally not used any chemical fertilizers and we offer them incentives to continue farming using organic methods,” said Heba Abdella, Siwa Initiative project director with the Environment Quality Initiative. Olives and palm groves flourish in the fertile Siwa oasis and under the Siwa Initiative, the farmers are trained in harvesting and picking techniques to ensure the highest quality products.

Apart from olive oil, green and black pickled olives, olive jam and semi-dried dates, a number of agri-culinary products like date syrup, sycamore jam and extra virgin olive oil are also produced and marketed under “Siwa Organics.” I have found their flavored olive oil dressings extremely handy to whip up appealing salads.

Fortunately, now I will not have to stock on herbal soaps and cosmetics from back home since I have discovered the homegrown Egyptian brand of Nefertari. “All Nefertari products are made using 100 percent natural ingredients which do not include any chemicals, artificial fragrances or colors and are considered to be 100 percent environmentally friendly,” said Dr Mona Erian, who launched the company in 1998 by creating a pure olive oil soap.

Since then, shampoos, bath and body care products have been added to Nefertari’s stable of products. Their milk bath is styled on Cleopatra’s famed use of goat milk for bathing. Attractive packaging using 100 percent natural material makes these products more endearing. Especially beautiful are the handmade baskets and containers identical to those used by the Pharoah Queens.

My quest to go green has received an impetus from a number of organizations and associations that are active in the realm of environmental protection in Egypt. Local groups like Tree Lovers’ Association of Maadi and Keep Egypt Clean advocate some practical ideas that can contribute towards a cleaner environment and help in reducing our carbon footprints. For example, starting a worm compost system under the sink can produce the richest of fertilizers that can be then be used in a rooftop garden. A simple cardboard box with compartments can be used to sort the garbage.
With greater awareness and countless number of products and ideas, healthy living is within our grasp in Egypt. Taking a step in this direction, I am going to request my bank to send me only e-statements and discontinue hard copies and also switch to online banking to pay my bills.

Siwa Organics shop: 17 Ahmed Hishmat Rd., Zamalek,

Cairo Nefertari shop: For more information, call (012) 313 5256

APE shop, Mokattam: For directions, call (02) 2341 2723

You can read it on http://www.thedailynewsegypt.com/article.aspx?ArticleID=21163

Circus in Cairo

It has been a long while since I have been to a circus. The word “circus” conjures up memories from childhood of swinging acrobats, tigers, lions and of course clowns.

The National Circus at Agouza has all this and more. The tickets priced at LE 50, 30 and 20 are reasonable and worth the amount. If you are buying the LE 50 tickets, then you will get a ringside view of the fun, but the LE 30 seats are good too and probably best to enjoy the proceedings.

As usual, the circus starts with a clown act and then in come the acrobats, jugglers and magicians. The magic show is particularly good. Though most of it is something that has been seen before, but watching it “live” is awe inspiring anyways. The best magic act for me was when the magician poured water into the folds of the newspaper, then opened it and voila, there was no water. Immediately, his assistant brought over a glass to him and this time when he tilted the newspaper, water flowed into the glass. Magic? Of course! The act that got the loudest ovation was when he took three strips of cloth and turned it into the Egyptian flag!.

The acrobats truly dazzle with their “balancing” act. A man lying on his back with his legs 90 degrees and balancing a ladder on his feet-so far so good!. Then a woman comes and gets onto the ladder and climbs right to the top rung and performs a number of acrobatic acts at the top. All the while, the man is balancing the ladder and the woman; while the woman is balancing herself and performing the acts at such a height.

The finale was with six lions and three tigers. They were a delight to watch. A particularly lazy and recalcitrant lion was the butt of the ringmaster’s whip on a number of occasions – this had us wincing and would surely raise the hackles of the animal rights activists. Nevertheless, it is indeed a wonder to watch such ferocious animals all docile and at such close quarters.

Definitely, a recommended outing for the whole family! And just to sweeten the deal, you can also get yourself photographed with a small cub! (who has probably been sedated)

P.S. I had forgotten to take my camera, not expecting much. Just for this, I will make a return trip to the circus

Cape Town in 48 Hours

Also published on http://desicritics.org/

If there is heaven on earth, it is this, it is this, it is this, said the Mughal Emperor Jehangir for Kashmir in India. But I am sure that if he would have seen Cape Town, he would have said the same.

En route to a desert adventure trip in Namibia, I had only 48 hours to spare. Cape Town is located on the southwestern tip of the African continent and I could not pass up the chance to stand at the historic Cape of Good Hope, the same spot that Vasco de Gama rounded on his way to Asia. So I decided to go for it!

The Table Mountain is the focal point for the locals and is visible from almost anywhere in Cape Town. A visit to this famous landmark, right at the beginning, helped me get my bearings. Though there are many hiking trails to the top, I took the cable car, which rotates 360 degrees and affords some fantastic views on the ascent. Reaching the peak of a mountain cannot get easier than this. The top of the mountain is so flat that you can keep walking for two hours without falling off the summit. There is also a restaurant for refreshments. Such luxury at 1067 m above sea level! On a clear day, the views from the Table Mountain are unrivalled. But alas!, on that day, the clouds and the mist had spilled over, shrouding the mountain in its “tablecloth”. However, I did manage to capture some beautiful pictures at Bloubergstrand, where the Table Mountain can be viewed flanked by Devil’s Peak on the left and the Lion’s Head on the right.

The legendary Cape of Good Hope is popularly perceived as the colliding point of the cold Benguela Current of the Atlantic Ocean and the warm Agulhas Current of the Indian Ocean. Standing at the most southwestern point of the African continent, amid the rugged landscape, looking over the foaming waters that stretch as far as the Antarctic, I felt as if I was living a piece of history when the courageous early explorers navigated the “fairest cape in the whole circumference of the Earth”. Mother Nature has been particularly benevolent in bestowing this region with a rich variety of flora and fauna, many of which are endemic (ocurring naturally nowhere else on earth). No wonder the Cape peninsula is home to the smallest of the six floral zones of the world.

The Indian Ocean on the eastern seaboard of the Cape peninsula is warmer, the shallow waters extending quite far and therefore best for swimming. A short drive across this narrow finger of land is the Atlantic Ocean on the western seaboard, which is some degrees cooler than the Indian Ocean. The beaches on the Atlantic side enjoy longer daylight hours and offer spectacular sunsets. Also known as Cape Town’s “Riviera”, these beaches are frequented by the fashionable set and stretch from the Victoria and Alfred Waterfront to the Hout Bay.

Still a working harbour, the V & A waterfront boasts many world-class five star hotels and is the more upmarket option for staying. It is the perfect spot to hang out when you are in the mood to “paint the town red”, with opportunities galore for shopping and entertainment. The Belthazar restaurant offers a complete dining experience, with the juiciest steaks and the finest wines. The amphitheatre here showcases some extremely talented street performances, giving a glimpse of African music and dance. I loved the Victorian style architecture of the buildings in the harbor and spent some time observing harbor activity.

A more economical and ‘heart of the city” option is Longstreet and the adjoining Greenmarket Square. It is only a 10 minute drive from the V & A waterfront, though there are many pubs and restaurants in the vicinity too.

The cobbled Greenmarket Square hosts a daily market, where beautiful curios from all over Africa can be bought at bargain prices. Numerous cafes line the square, offering respite from the frenetic pace and an opportunity to quietly observe the craft on display at the Square. This gives time to decide on that perfect “dinner conversation- inducing” adornment for your house. The part of Cape Town nestled between the Table Mountain and the harbour is aptly called the City Bowl and is best explored on foot. Armed with a guidebook, it took me a couple of hours to visit St Georges Mall, the City Hall and the District Six Museum.

At the end of 48 hours, Cape Town had completely wooed me and I vowed to return for whale watching at Hermanus, tour the spectacular vineyards, do the Garden Route…..

Clowns Without Borders at the Townhouse Gallery

How difficult is to make people, especially children laugh? Very difficult!…As I discovered at the performance of “Clowns without Borders” at the Townhouse Factory in downtown. But the talented performers of the French Clowns Without Borders made it all seem so easy!

This group of more than 400 clowns, comedians, musicians, dancers and acrobats have made it their mission to bring a smile to the lips and cheer to the heart of the displaced and the depressed. Their associations can be found in the US, South Africa, Germany, France, Spain, Canada, Belgium, Ireland and Sweden. They corroborate with local NGOs to organize performances in shanty towns, refugee camps, detention centres and orphanages. The props that they use are from daily life-brooms, saucepan, dusters, cooking pot etc. But their nimble fingers manage to coax beautiful music out of even a plastic bucket! Wearing only the simplest of clothes and a “clown” nose, they are a big draw with children. At Saturday’s performance the children seated on all the four sides got equal attention from them. Their ability to emote and their antics can bring a smile to even the most hardened

The venue for the performance, The Townhouse Factory is one of the three buildings located at the junction of two lanes in downtown that form part of the Townhouse Gallery. The main building is three-storeys high and houses exhibition halls, a library and studios. The adjoining building, which is the rear part of an erstwhile paper factory, is called the Townhouse Factory and is used for staging performances. There are two shops adjoining the Townhouse Factory at which you can buy some of the contemporary art displayed at the Townhouse Gallery. Recycled souvenirs can also be found here-laminated photographs to be used as wall hanging, used bottles beautifully painted etc.

The Townhouse Gallery is situated in a “working area” in downtown with car mechanics, sign painters, carpenters and coffee shops occupying the surrounding space. Probably the best example of bringing art to the community and integrating community into art

"When in Rome, do as the Romans do"

Had a very interesting experience that last week, which re-enforced the fact “When in Rome, do as the Romans do”. We were trying to locate a street in Garden City by the name of “Mohammed Ali Jinnah”. Now, I was familiar with this name as being that of the first President of the then newly created state of Pakistan. But my chauffeur totally disregarded the “Jinnah” in the name when he asked for directions the first couple of times. Obviously, he thought that the “Jinnah” in the name was a mistake in my understanding, and I actually meant “Mohammed Ali Pasha” of Egypt

When he met with no success, on my prodding, he asked for the street by its complete name of “Mohammed Ali Jinnah”. But everyone he asked said “marafsh” (I don’t know), while shaking their heads. When after much driving around, we finally did stumble onto the desired street and my chauffeur read the street name written in Arabic, he said "oh you mean Mohammed Ali Genah!”, pronouncing the “J” in “Jinnah” as a “G”. I had completely forgorgotten that the Egyptians pronounce the “J” as “G” –so the name “Jamal” becomes ‘Gamal”, and “Jinnah” becomes “Ginnah”.

Now only, if I would have remembered this small detail, I could have spared myself the trouble and saved on some precious time.

Counterfeit Money

I have been frequenting the branch of Al Shabrawy on the 26th of July street in downtown for a couple of weeks now. Imagine my shock when one day, the cashier approached my friend and me and told us that the 20 pound note that we had our bill with the previous day was a counterfeit.!

My friend was pretty calm about it and just took the counterfeit note and gave him another 20 pound note. I later learnt that she had had such experiences earlier and the LE 20 pound note is particularly susceptible to being a counterfeit. This had me worried and in my quest to know how to recognize a counterfeit note, I tumbled upon this great site that details what one should look for to scertain that one has a “real” note. The site is http://www.moiegypt.gov.eg/english/Departments+Sites/PublicFunds/SecurityFeatures/LE20/

It details clearly the security features that one needs to look into a LE 5, LE 10, LE 20, LE 50, LE 100 and a LE 200 note.

The nest time you exchange money, you might want to look out for these features.

COSMOPOLITAN CAIRO

It has been little more than a year now that I have been in Cairo and the quality of this city that has impressed me the most is it being a cosmopolitan city. What is so impressive about being like many other cities across the world? The fact that Cairo is a city in what we call “Middle East” and an Islamic nation too makes it a challenging task for this city to retain its cosmopolitan flavour

The church, the mosque and the synagogue form part of the skyline of Cairo. The Eid celebrations are stupendous, no doubt, but the city also gears up for Christmas and New Year. Fir trees adorn the sidewalks, Christmas ornaments do brisk sales and Santa Claus caps and stockings are on every child’s wish-list in Cairo. Come March and the city will also celebrate the Pharonic festival of Sham-el-Nessim.

Italian, Indian, Mexican, Korean, Thai, Chinese-all kinds of cuisines can be enjoyed in Cairo in addition to the Egyptian cuisine. If you are a movie buff, Cairo affords you opportunities galore to see some brilliant films from all over the world. At the Cairo International Film Festival held annually, films from countries such as France, Spain, India, China, Japan, Tunisia, Turkey, Lebanon etc are screened. You want to get a peek into the Columbian society without traveling there? You had your chance in Cairo when four Columbian films with English subtitles were screened at the Columbian film festival held a fortnight back Opera, ballet, jazz music, blues, reggae, hip-hop form part of the cultural scene in Cairo. Night clubs are packed on week-ends. At the same time, the tannura dance performances and traditional music also see a full house.

Learning to belly dance in Cairo?-the expected thing!. Learning foxtrot, jive, salsa?-possible in cosmopolitan Cairo. Again whatever language you want to learn, Cairo is your destination with classes being conducted for Italian, French, English etc. You are feeling homesick?-you can bond with other members from your country through the various clubs operating here. Again, these clubs welcome members from all countries. In addition to the locals, Cairo boasts of a very large and vibrant expat community that gives Cairo its flavour as a world capital. The latest in designer wear and global trends can be found and bought here.

I am not writing here about the differential rates charged to foreigners at the tourist sites, the rip-offs by the taxi drivers, the inflated prices demanded by the “Khan” vendors, the higher rates charged by the hotels, maids etc to expats etc…This post is about all good things:-)

Baksheesh, please

According to a survey conducted by Expedia, an online travel company, Indians ranked as the "second worst tourists" in the world. One of the reasons for this dismal ranking is the fact that they got average scores on their "generosity" or to put it simply due to their lower propensity to tip. However, one year of stay in Cairo, Egypt can change this forever. As I have discovered!

During the initial months of my stay in Cairo, I had this in-built inertia against tipping-why should I pay for a service that I did not ask for and did not want? Why should I tip a person who is just doing his job? But soon the “tipping culture” gets to you and you start understanding the nuances.

My first brush with tipping was when on landing at the Cairo international airport, I visited the washroom and came face to face with a lady holding a toilet roll in her hand and handing me a swathe of tissue. I thought to myself-what a great way to ensure that there is no wastage of tissue and to encourage conservation!!. And then I saw the other ladies who had used the washroom tip the woman. The woman then looked expectantly at me-since I had only large denomination notes with me, I mumbled a thanks and left the washroom.

"Baksheesh", as tips are known in Cairo is a way of life here. At the supermarket, the person who puts the groceries inside bags, then insists on carrying it out to your car needs to be tipped. The person who opens your car door for you-whether you want such kind of service or not has long ceased to have any relevance-is not being chivalrous

While going out for dinner, the "baksheeshing "begins when you are parking your car. A man will suddenly materialize and insist on guiding you on how to turn your wheels to park your car-it is a different matter that he may never have driven a car in his life! Of course, you need to tip him. The person who guides you to your table expects a tip. You need to leave a tip on the bill amount, even if they have already added service charge. When you are walking towards your car, suddenly a man darts in front of you and takes a swipe at your windshield with a cloth-his idea of cleaning it. Your windshield is, of course, absolutely clean and you did not ask for it but you need to give him baksheesh. Decide to fill up on gas? Keep a pound ready to tip the guy who is filling up your tank-never mind that he is just doing his job

Of course, all this baksheesh business can sometimes get very uncomfortable. Like the time we ate at the Egyptian Pancake House in the Khan. Our cheque had just been brought to the table when one of the waiters came over and asked if we had liked our food. What care and courtesy! We assured him that we had enjoyed the food but he kept waiting while we sorted out the money for the cheque. We then realized that he was hanging around to ensure that we left a baksheesh.

At other times, it can get unpleasant too. While leaving from a pub, we handed LE 5 to the person “in charge” of the parking on that street. He took the money and then demanded LE 20! He held onto the car window and let go of it only after we firmly refused to pay anymore. On another occasion, outside the Boulaq market, our driver handed over LE 1 to the man who had helped him find parking. But the man got into an argument and demanded more money saying that the place where our car had been parked was his!!! (when did the authorities of Cairo hand over this tract of land to him?). Finally, the matter was settled at LE 7. Whew!

Sometimes, it is plain funny. The liftman who took us up the Cairo tower, kept telling us “welcome” and repeated again and again that he loved India and of course, loved Amitabh Bachchan. He completely ignored the other Egyptians in the lift and we were quite amused to being singled out for attention. We, of course, had to give him baksheesh! Another time, when I had gone to see off my friend traveling to Paris, we entered the wrong terminal. We were looking around trying to determine the correct terminal when a man in overalls (probably the maintenance staff at the airport) approached us. On hearing that we were there for the Air France flight, he pointed to the adjacent terminal and insisted on leading us there. My first thought was that people are so helpful and polite here...but I soon realised the folly of these thoughts. Even after we had thanked him, the man kept standing around and then it dawned on me that he was expecting a tip!

Soon you learn to judge situations. In some cases, the amount that a person gets through baksheesh are his only earnings, thus justifying tipping. Sometimes, the employers deliberately underpay the employees, hoping that they will make up in tips. This moves you to give baksheesh. Of course, in certain cases, culture overrides the necessity angle and compels you to tip. Therefore, it is important to use your judgment. Good service and need of the person should win over coercion.

P.S. Don’t leave your house without your mobile, house keys, wallet etc. In Cairo, they add…Don’t leave your house without sufficient change!