ST201902

“February is spring in Cairo – bright, clear, with

plenty of sunshine and there are lots of f lowers”

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shafts of rising light, and the sunsets are beautifully

saffron-coloured every single day.

What’s the nature like?

Around the city it’s mainly planted, carefully cultivated

gardens. However, you can move from the green Gezira

Island to the arid areas around Tagamma in less than

an hour. Palm trees, rushes, and silk f loss are common

in Tagamma with plenty of prickly pear trees.

Tell us about the colours of your city.

Cairo comes in various shades of fawn. Islamic Cairo is

a gorgeous shade of honey gold. The Zamalek old

mansions wear a sophisticated shade of greyish yellow,

while in El-Qadima (the Old City) you’ll find the

burnished copper filigree grills and soft golden

sandstone mosques. The Nile and the Egyptian skies

create a gorgeous palette of blues. The river islands,

beds of rushes and palms are lush green.

And the people?

There are some ‘quintessentially Cairo’ people that

become part of your daily life when you live here. The

boab or caretaker of each Cairo building is one such

familiar figure, resplendent in their f lowing traditional

galabeyas. They live in one room next to the front door

and take care of the residents as well as the building.

Then there’s the karkade seller who sells hibiscus juice

from samovars – utterly delicious in the heat. The

acrobatic bread sellers on bicycles are unique, too.

Every day hundreds of these brave souls weave in and

out of Cairo traffic, balancing huge pallets of freshly

baked baladi f latbreads on their heads.

Where are your favourite places to meet with friends?

The lovely Manial Palace is one of my favourite places

to hang out. This gorgeous fortified estate sits on

Manial Island on the Nile. And Khan-el-Khalili market

is a brilliant place to shop, eat, and people-watch.

Where’s your favourite outdoor space?

The Saqarra Country Club. It’s an old-fashioned gated

community that lies on the fringe of the desert. You

can hike all over the desert from there, admire the lush

thin strip of Nile valley from the sand dunes, go horse

riding in the date groves and explore the pyramids.

Tell us about eating in Cairo.

Street food is huge and busy Egyptians love to stuff just

about anything inside traditional bread called aish

baladi, from French fries to falafel. You’ll also see lots

of succulent koftas, savoury pies called hawawshi and