Living Cairo

It is very dificult to describe Cairo in words as it is a combination of sights, sounds and smells. Leaving the family to rest I decided to venture to Khan al Khalili - one of the biggest bazaares in the middle east. I tentatively stepped out into the chaotic yet somehow still in control streets of Cairo. Your senses are first bombarded with the honking of horns - used not in an aggressive manner but a "honk" - I am here or a "beep beep" coming through. The traffic is endless and it seems the population of 20 million are all on the road at the same time.

Getting a taxi is easy as the cabs descend on any tourist like flies to a fresh dog turd. The difficulty is negotiating a fair price which is generally proportional to the condition of the car. I atleast got one that had a front windscreen and breaks...(although I dont think they were ever used). Hurtling in to the traffic we join the living breathing beast 5 lanes of cars streaming down a 2 lane road. A 12 seater bus with 32 people hanging from the windows pulls out in front of us. We pass a donkey pulling a cart full of fruit. Shit - watch out for the car driving the wrong way. The taxi driver leans over and says - "Cairo - there are no rules in Cairo".

But it is not the cars that you need to avoid but the pedestrians. There are no crossings so people cross everywhere. Just like the game of 'frogger' people dart between the streams of traffic - many not even looking at the oncoming traffic. But in some miracelous way there is no urgency at it seems that it is accepted that the car will swerve....well most times anyway.

Ariving at the market 7 lives shorter you enter another world of brass cooking items, spices, food as well as the usual kitch tourist trinkets. As you walk down the narrow alleys there is the constant calling of the shop keepers, the whistled of barrow men pushing through the crowds and islamic chants booming from the loundspeakers.

An amazing city and again surprisingly very friendly. Looking forward to exploring more.