Weather in Cairo

The weather in Cairo is so unpredictable. Ten days back, I was sure that summer was almost upon us….it had become really warm. Going out in the afternoon-even with the air-conditioning on-was quite a chore. The temperature was close to 37 degrees centigrade. And to top it, we had been having power cuts, almost 7-8 times in a day, albeit for a few minutes at a time.

And now since the past week , it has been quite pleasant, no need for airconditioners anymore and the evenings are chilly. In fact, yesterday, when we visited Saqquara and Dahsur, a strong wind even blew away our caps. Also, this evening, we took the Nile Pharaoh cruise and regretted not having dressed warmly….we were literally shivering. But I love it this way-the weather is just perfect for outdoor visitsJ

February to April are the months when the “Khamsiin” blows-khamsiin is a wind that blows the dust into every nook and cranny of your house-if it is not already there! There have been a couple of minor “khamsiins” but I have yet to experience a full fledged one when the skies will turn leaden and when you look out, it will seem as if you are looking through a sea of sand. Whew! The cleaning of the house will have to be undertaken on a war footing then!

By the way, I understand that this wind is known as "khamsiin" because it supposedly blows for fifty days and khamsiin means fifty in Arabic.

TRIP TO THE WHITE DESERT

What is your worst nightmare? Your car has a flat tyre in the middle of the desert? What would seem like a mirage in the desert? Your friend comes along in a fully equipped car to give you a lift. Sounds like a movie script? This is exactly what me and my friends went through on our trip to the White Desert over the week-end. Our mini-van had a flat tyre, when we just an hour away from Bawiti, where we would change into a 4x4 vehicle. Our driver had called for help and we were waiting, when a van came along which had enough spare space to accommodate the eight of us! A friend of mine was in the vehicle and had stopped when she saw me waiting outside our van!

Despite the somewhat disastrous start, I would recommend the circuit from the Bahariyya oasis to Farfara as a great week-end getaway from Cairo-the vastness of the landscape and the natural formations make you and your problems seem so insignificant. Too poetic? Let us get onto hard facts.

WHEN TO GO-The peak season is from October to March. April onwards, it becomes too hot during the day, though the nights will still be cooler. October, November and March seem the better time to go-December, January and February will be too cold.

THE CIRCUIT
Day 1-Departure from Cairo at 7.00 a.m. After lunch at the “El-Hegaz Oasis” in Bawiti, head out to the Crystal Mountain. The rock formations here are largely made of crystal. A huge rock made entirely of quartz crystal is easily recognizable by the large hole through its middle. If you are keen on trekking, there is a mountain here that you can try-I found the climb a little tough since there is no clear path. A piece of advice-while descending, try to dig in your feet as much as possible in the sand; this way you will skid for a shorter distance. Always descend sideways and in a zigzag manner-these are the “pearls of wisdom” that I garnered from my husband and friends on this trip!:-)

Next stop-En route to the White Desert, take your time exploring a place with canyons that has cliff like monoliths. Our driver called it the “warda” or “flower-like” formations. The place has an eerie feeling, but is also beautiful. These formations throw long shadows and you can spend some time “being one with nature” at this spot

Before reaching the camp-site, on the other side of the road, the wind-eroded rocks, resembling “mushrooms” provide great and interesting photo opportunities.

Camp at the Sahra al-Beida- a stunningly beautiful landscape with rock formations jutting out of the sand. The wind has eroded the rocks into different shapes and many times you have the feeling that you are looking at a woman’s face, a sphinx, or a horse standing on its hind legs etc.

If you are lucky enough to be out in the White Desert on a full moon night, you can enjoy looking over the desert in the night. - By night, the White desert looks as if it is covered with a layer of snow.

Nocturnal visits by the desert fox is a definite possibility and hence for the faint hearted, it is advisable to completely zip up the tent. We saw a couple of “baby foxes” near our vehicles-I have been told that they are harmless, though. Enjoy being away from all the noise and pollution- the silence here is “deafening” and your voice carries a long way.

Day 2-Last stop on our itinerary-the Back Desert or Sahra Suda, so called because of the black powder that covers the ground. Climb the Gebel az-Zuqaq for some great views across the Black Desert. The way to the top is easily marked, while coming down it can get a bit slippery because of the loose rocks and stones.

This is the itinerary for spending lovely two days in the desert. However, depending on your inclination and time availability, you can extend your trip. But even if you are only slightly adventurous, hardly interested in trekking and reluctant to face any kind of uncertainties, this is still an experience not to be missed. If you have parents visiting you, I would recommend taking them on this trip-I took mine along. Initially, I was apprehensive that this trip may be a little “rough” for them but they enjoyed themselves thoroughly and found it to be a great experience. We also had a six month old baby in our group and she seemed to have enjoyed it too!

But to ensure that everything goes smoothly and you face no setbacks, here are a few things to keep in mind for preparing for the trip:-

• Make sure that the operator who is providing you the transportation is reliable and has a good infrastructure in place. Ask him the question-“If the vehicle were to break down in the middle of the road, what back-up plan he has in place?” Believe me; this is very important-as we discovered the hard way!!
• Do your research; determine the places you want to visit and ascertain from the operator that he will be covering all of them.
• Some things that you must carry for a night out in the desert-flashlight, mosquito repellant, a light sweater. The tour operator will provide you with heavy blankets, mattresses and tents.
• Wear long sleeved T-shirts to keep them out of the sun during the day and to keep out the cold during the night. Sneakers and sun glasses are a must.
• Carry some light snacks for in-between snacking. Small tetra packs of fruit juices are handy since you tend to feel thirsty very often.
• Make sure that your camera battery is fully charged and has enough memory -believe me, you will want to click every rock formation.
• And the cardinal rule-Don’t leave your house without sunblock!
  

Parking in Cairo

When we received my mom at the airport, her first remark on being escorted to our car was “has your car been banged up? Why are there so many dents and scratches on your car?” And we had to explain to her how difficult it would be to find a “scratch-free” car in Cairo due to the peculiarities of “road etiquette” here. She was convinced about this that same night, when we were returning home from dinner. Our chauffeur turned the car into a lane and then immediately braked and started backing out-the reason being that another car was coming in from the other end and there was space for only one car to pass through!. No, he had not entered into a “one-way” lane. It had been converted into a “one-way” lane due to the cars that were parked on both sides of the lane. And while observing these parked cars, my mom realized that indeed there was not a car to be found that did not have chipped paint, a bent fender, or scratched body.

Here in Cairo, double parking is the norm and not the exception. And don’t be surprised if you find the cars “triple” parked too, leaving only a single lane for the moving cars, on what was probably a three- lane road! What happens to the poor guy who has parked on the kerb, when he wants to move out his car? Not to worry-Cairo and Cairenes have a solution for that too! A person who double parks or triple parks, just leaves his car in “neutral”-so when his / her car is blocking another car, it is just “nudged” backwards or forwards (as the case may be), out of the way and then “nudged” back into its spot! So convenient! No need to waste time searching for a parking spot and everyone is happy! But not the best for the car necessarily! Because all this “nudging’ and “pushing” is bound to leave a scratch on the car.

The Cairenes have a special fascination for their cars and will not scrap an old car even if they don’t use it anymore. They would rather just cover up the car and let it occupy precious space on the streets (and thereby multiply the parking problem!) than let it go. I don’t know the reason for this- maybe it is some kind of status symbol to have many cars, even if some are ready to be scrapped! Also, such cars, if used, can only be a menace on the roads and also contribute to the pollution.

The high-rises, apartments and office blocks are made with little or no provision for parking, compounding the problem. I can only imagine the residents of such high-rises or the people working there, circling the block, striving to find a place to park their car.

I am not driving in Cairo but my husband does on occasions and he has this interesting experience to share. The lane leading to his office is narrow to begin with; the cars parked on both sides making it even narrower-so that even if yours is the only car in that lane, it requires some skillful driving to get through without “kissing” the cars on either side. So what hubby does is –when he reaches that lane, he stops for a moment, ascertains that there is no other car in that lane (actually he makes sure that there is not even a remote possibility of another car coming in from the other end :-))and then quickly drives down the lane and breathes easy only when he has reached the other end. Reversing the car in such close confines would be quite a task!

In fact, the parking problem in Cairo is so acute that some people ingeniously make a living out of it. Near major shopping areas, offices and restaurants, don’t be surprised if as you slow down looking for a parking spot, a man materializes and offers to guide you into a parking space and look over your car till you return in exchange for a “tip”.

Full on Fuul

Over the last two days, I have had some really interesting and tasty vegetarian Egyptian food. Of course, I have had the ubiquitous fuul and ta'miya countless number of times. Jordan, Lebanon, Syria, Egypt, Yemen all claim fuul and ta'miya to be “their” food; the preparation differs from country to country though.

Fuul is fava beans or broad beans that are boiled and then mashed with garlic, lemon, chilli powder and olive oil. At the Mohammed Ahmed outlet in Alexandria, you can choose from fuul with hummus, fuul Alexandria or fuul with fried eggs. The last one is my personal favourite and makes an extremely satisfying meal. Also the place has one of the crispiest ta'miya but beware!-You will not be able to stop once you have had one!. For the uninitiated ta'miya is boiled and deep fried fava beans patties. In Lebanon, it is referred to as felafel and chick peas are used instead of fava beans.

Hummus is chick peas blended with tahina, lemon juice and garlic and tastes absolutely divine; especially when it has generous amounts of olive oil drizzled on it. We had a completely different version of the hummus from a street side vendor at the Suez Canal. He prepared it by pouring boiling water over the boiled chick peas and then stirred in chili powder, lemon juice and tomatoes. He was very generous with the chilli powder, thinking that we are IndiansJ. It is guaranteed to thoroughly cleanse your system!

After having crossed to the east bank of the Suez canal at Qantara, we came across an eatery by the name of Nanoos. It is a very unassuming place but has the best baba ghanoug in Egypt!. The place is your equivalent to an Indian dhaba, the bread served here is soft and is just plonked on the tableJ. Just avoid the last bread and you should be fine. Also, the place serves a dish called “atts”-have googled but have not been able to come up with anything on it. It is like lentil soup with spaghetti thrown in and lightly spiced. I was told that Nanoos gets it just right-. I loved it and had two bowls of it. Here I have written the name as it is pronounced; will update you on this dish if am able to get any further information.

And the icing on the cake is that all the above are vegetarian!

Ramses Wissa Wassef Art Centre

Last Saturday, we spent a very “artistic” time at the Ramses Wissa Wassef Art Centre.

The Wissa Wassef Art centre on the Saqquara-Harrania highway is a centre for weaving, batik and ceramics. It is a place where creativity is given a free rein and individuality and uniqueness encouraged. The weavers here do not work from any pattern or design – the design is “in their head” and therefore no two tapestries at the centre can be the same. A welcome diversion from the prevalent norm of mass production and imitation.

The centre was started in 1951 by Ramses Wissa Wassef, an architect and designer as an “experiment in creativity” with around 12 children weavers. To read more about Ramses Wissa Wassef, follow the link http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ramses_Wissa_Wassef

On our visit to the centre, we were able to watch the weavers at work-it was a joy watching them weave magic with their nimble fingers. Depending on the intricacies of the design and the size, a tapestry can take upto one month to finish. In fact, a tapestry on display had taken a year to complete; it was not up for sale though. Only passion for the craft and abundant patience can lead to such beautiful pieces of art. The weavers are paid daily while they are working on a tapestry and a lumpsum when they have finished a piece. Their earnings are not contingent on their piece being sold; also they are freed from the hassle of “marketing” their craft since the centre takes care of this aspect. The Wissa Wassef centre regularly participates in overseas exhibitions and fairs and has participated in more than 120 exhibitions to date.

The pottery and ceramics division was added by Susan Wissa Wassef, daughter of Ramses Wissa Wassef and all the pieces on sale at the centre are designed by her. Some of the shapes are really interesting and the pieces utilitarian. We picked up a couple of pottery pieces and will definitely be returning to buy a tapestry. The tapestries and the pottery on sale at the centre are by no means easy on the pocket. But once you have actually seen the weavers and potters at work, it is easier to appreciate the high prices. Beautiful cusion covers and tablecloths in batik work are also available at the centre.

In case you are planning to visit the centre, it might be a good idea to call ahead and ensure that the weavers and the potters will be at work when you get there. You can get more information from the center’s website http://www.wissa-wassef-arts.com/intro.htm

Pampering in Cairo

Yesterday was “pampering” day. On my agenda - pedicure, manicure and waxing. Was not very sure what to expect-women all over the world have the same beauty needs but the techniques and the results differ from country to country.

Once, while in Saudi Arabia, I went to a local parlour (since my Indian beautician friend was away in India) for “waxing”. In India, to remove body hair, we use hot wax (a mixture of paraffin or beeswax), which is applied to the skin, a strip of cloth placed over it and quickly stripped off, yanking out the hair in the process. It is painful! I expected the same here; but imagine my horror when the girl at the parlour came towards me, holding a wax look-alike in the palm of her hand! This was no hot wax (since she was holding it so comfortably between her fingers) and where were the cloth strips? Was I going to be subjected to more pain than before? I demanded an explanation as to what was going on-she explained to me that it was “hallawa” and extremely good for the skin; she demonstrated how it would work- since then I have become a fan of the “hallawa” way.

“Halawa” literally means “sweet” and can be eaten too! Seriously! It is a mix of equal parts of water and sugar boiled together until caramelized. Add a few drops of lemon juice and its ready. It is cooled to room temperature, then applied to the skin and pulled against the direction of hair growth and voila! No hair and your skin feels soft and smooth. Good for the skin too-since it does not burn the skin like the wax which has to be applied hot and can also be washed away easily from clothes etc since the mix is water soluble. And to top it all, it tastes yummy too! I did hands and legs and it set me back by LE 45 (INR 315).

The pedicure and manicure here was a disappointment - they just put my feet and hands in hot water, scrubbed perfunctorily, cut nails, filed them in a weird square shape and rounded of with nail polish. Hey what’s this? What about the massage? Without the massage, I would feel that the whole point of getting a “parlour” pedicure is defeated. My friends in India will agree, I am sure!

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!

Street Savvy in Cairo

I chose to walk to my Arabic class today-I have been in Cairo for close to three months now and have not really walked anywhere- walking to and fro from the car to my destination does not count. Having made the momentous decision, I observed the road from my apartment (yes, my apartment overlooks the busy Gameat al-Dowal al-Arabiya street) and decided the spot from where I would cross the road-a number of people were using this spot to cross to the other side; and also it looked to be the shortest distance to the other end.

So, on my maiden walk on the streets of Cairo, I stood at this spot, hoping for a break in the traffic or for the approaching cars to slow down and allow me to go through. When neither of these things happened and I was still waiting, at the end of five minutes I decided to “go” for it- took a deep breath, tightened the shoulder strap of my bag (thank God, I had worn sensible walking shoes that day!) and dived into the oncoming traffic. For a second, I just froze, I thought that I would be mowed down under a car; but then my “Mumbai training” took over and I forged ahead confidently, without hesitating or looking back and lo! and behold! I was “home”. I told myself I had done this before on the streets of Mumbai and I could do it again!

Though I had made it safely to the other side, my woes had not yet ended; I found it difficult to walk on the side of the road with the cars whizzing to within an inch of me –so I thought I would get onto the pavement-is it not the safe and sensible thing to do? Pavements are meant for pedestrian traffic after all! But not in Cairo –I found it impossible to get onto the pavement; the cars were parked so close to each other and so close to the kerb that I could not find enough space to squeeze through and I did not want to go through the embarrassing situation of having to wriggle my way through two cars-What if I got stuck? And even if I did manage to find my way through the maze of cars and to the pavement, getting off would again be a problem….the cars are parked on the keb, then “double parked” and even “triple parked”!

Walking to the class was an education on "street etiquette" in Cairo. I finally made it to the class-hurray! I am now “Cairo street savvy”

Book Fair-Nasr City

Had been quite excited about attending the international book fair at the Cairo Fair Grounds in Nasr City-but could not make it till today. And it being a Saturday and a school holiday, the place was swarming with people; it was tough getting to the shelves to have a “dekho”. For Arabic readers, the exhibition is a boon, but there is a good range of English titles too.

For books in English, enter through the gate 11 and make your way towards the Atelier Pavilion- here you will find books on just about everything-from agriculture to zoology. All the books are being sold at 10% discount, a higher rate of discount being offered on some. Next to the Atalier Pavilion is the Naguib Mahfouz Pavilion which is hosting the American University of Cairo -here the discounts are great-ranging from a minimum of 20% on all books to as high as 75% on certain books. Might be a good idea to make a list of books which you have coveted for some time (especially the dictionary and the encyclopedia types) and purchase them at this time of the year. Books on Egyptian history, the Pharaohs, Tutankhamen are plenty and available at bargain prices.

A word on the organization of the book fair-There are no signboards or banners put up to serve as a guide-had to ask for directions a number of times before reaching the area where the English titles were being exhibited. For expatriates, who can’t read Arabic and can speak only shuya shuya! (a little), navigating the huge grounds is extremely frustrating!

On a separate note, I recently finished reading “The Yacoubian Building” by Alaa AL Aswany, published in 2002. I, of course read the translated version; I do believe sometimes the sub-text is lost in translation-but I am glad that I read the book, nevertheless.

The book takes a look at the Egyptian society in the 1990’s. The protagonists are residents of the “Yacoubian Building”-the “real” Yacoubian Building exists to-date on Suleiman Basha Street in Cairo. Having lived in Cairo for the last three months, I was better able to relate to the places, events and circumstances as described in the book. The characters are well-etched and representative of the Egyptian society. The author has very skillfully narrated the turmoil, the change and the identity crisis that the country was going through at that time. He has done so by giving the readers a peek into the daily lives of the residents of the Yacoubian building, each with different ideologies, attitudes, circumstances and financial conditions-sometimes the characters seem so real that I felt as if I had met the person in Cairo. What I really liked about the book was the narrative-it is so gripping and “flows” so well that I managed to finish the book in one sitting!

Definitely worth reading, especially if you are staying in Egypt for some time.

Celebrations-Egyptian style!

Here are some ways in which you can celebrate your country’s win in the semi- final of a prestigious football event:-

Wrap yourself in your country’s flag and sprint across the busiest road of the city.
Ride your bicycle on one wheel, and if you are feeling really happy, you can go round in circles on the bicylce
Play football with cola cans on the streets of the city.
Cruise down the road in your luxury car, sitting on the bonnet or better still on the roof.
Hang out of the sun-roof of your car, waving the flag. Or, if your car does not have a sun-roof, you can hang out of the windows.
Form a human chain and weave your way in and out of the traffic.
Climb onto the roof of the parked cars and play the “tabla” while your friends dance below; to make it more interesting you can move from car to car-all is forgiven in the “happy times”
Show stunts on your motorcycle-with one leg stretched out and the other on the pillion, drive your bike in a circle
Move around in a circle to the beat of the drums
Firecrackers are passé –shake your deodorant cans, press the nozzle and put a cigarette lighter to the spray, watching it flare up. (this is definitely risky)
When you have celebrated enough on one side of the busy street, shift the action to the other side.
Make it impossible for the cars to pass through and turn the busy road into a playground.
If you are driving on the road where celebrations are in full swing, stop your car, get down and start dancing; soon others will join you and you can be at the centre of all the celebrations for some time.
Importantly, don’t let the decibel level down, not even for a nanosecond and not even a notch…keep celebrating into the wee hours of the morning.

The above is a sample of the ways that the Cairenes celebrated the Egyptian football team’s win in the semi-finals of the Africa cup of Nations on Thursday, on the busy Gameat al-Dowal al-Arabiya.