Finally, the day to leave Cairo dawned. When I went over the itinerary I had planned for Egypt, I had missed out on a very important visit. It was to the Grand Egyptian Museum (GEM). When I was in Cairo on the 1st to 3rd November, GEM was closed to visitors due to certain high-profile guests of the State. When I checked for tickets last evening the quota was up and this morning, I didn't have the time! So, together with Memphis, Saqqara and the Bent Pyramids, GEM will have to wait for the next Egyptian visit.
Since I had an hour before getting ready to leave for the airport, I took a short walk from the hotel to the Abdeen Garden and Palace. Unfortunately, both were closed and they were due to open only at 10 am. I didn't have that much time. Apparently, the Abdeen Gardens were recently renovated with a new food court added and so also authentic gates. The Abdeen Palace was built over the residence of one of the military commanders in the late 18th and early 19th century and names after him. Today it serves as a museum and accommodation for visiting dignitaries.
Cairo airport must surely be one of the most chaotic airports in the world, at least what I have seen of it. There is a scanner check of all baggage at the entrance to the departure hall. After that there is another scanner to go through prior to entering the check in counter area. Once the check-in is done one enters the Passport control area. Fortunately, the check-in and immigration were quick. At the gate there is another baggage check. The multiple baggage checks are a hassle because of the luggage people travel with.
The Air Arabia flight to Sharjah was on time and so is the one from there to Ahmedabad. I had ample time on the flight to reflect on the past few days in ‘The Land of The Gift Of The Nile’ and sum up my impressions of the country aka Misr, its people and its peculiarities.
1. In Arabic, Egypt is called Misr (pronounced Masr) and is the country’s official name. The origin is considered Semitic and is thought to mean ‘land’, ‘frontier’, ‘fortress’ or ‘country’. The English name of the country originated from what the Greeks called the country, Aigyptos. In Latin, it became Aegyptos, which morphed to Egypt in English.
2. Careem and Uber are the two most popular ride hailing apps in Egypt. Despite being told that Uber rides are not available from the arrivals in Cairo international airport, I brazened and challenged what was repeatedly told to me by brokers/salespersons who want their taxis to be used at more than double the rate. It took me a while to get the ride at the Uber rate. This continued to be my experience everyday in Cairo. Uber mentions one rate and the driver demands a multiple of it.
3. It is better to hail a scooter to navigate the traffic in Cairo if you want to keep to some kind of schedule. The riders are daredevils and the manner in which they accelerate and decelerate can be quite unsettling if you are not used to it. The first two rides had me wondering if I would fall off some place. But, with experience gained in balancing on the pillion I grew in confidence with every ride. Helmets are not mandated and that increases the risk if one gets thrown off. Anyway, I survived and each scooter ride saved me time and money
4. The other thing with Uber in Egypt is that they are unbelievably cheap. I kept comparing the rates to what I pay in India. The rates are almost a third in Egypt for the distance travelled. This possibly is the result of cheap fuel price in Egypt. Gasoline is 21 EGP (about INR 40) in Cairo and 19.25 EGP (about INR 36) elsewhere in the country.
5. A welcome thing with the Uber experience in Cairo is that the drivers never bargained for a higher rate in case they had to take long detours due to road closures or diversions, which was not uncommon. Not once did the driver crib that he had not signed off for the extra distance and use that to ask for a few more EGP. Speaks volumes of the character of the country and its people. A contract, once entered into, does not treat the customer unfairly.
6. Driving in Egypt, especially in Cairo, calls for a different set of skills, gargantuan patience and oodles of luck. Initially, I had planned to rent a car in Cairo. I was dissuaded by two Egyptian colleagues in my company. Besides, I found that the rental companies capped the daily usage limit to 150 km. Beyond the limit, the per km rate is close to Euro 1, which, I thought, was completely insane. In the end, I found that the advice given by my colleagues was spot on. In addition to the traffic jams and crazy driving, parking is another major issue in the capital city and tourist attractions.
7. Possibly an offshoot of the above is the almost complete absence of new cars or cars without dents and scratches in Cairo. Most of them are so weather-beaten and rammed in that it gave the impression that no one invests in new cars. How people survive a day without a scratch on their vehicles is indeed the best lesson in the art of survival.
8. Woe begone a person involved in an accident. Then it's all sound and fury. I was witness to a minor incident in Luxor, on the East Bank. The traffic at a busy roundabout came to a complete standstill, while the concerned parties kept shouting at each other to determine who was in the wrong. The party who produced a higher decibel level seemed to carry the day. There was neither a traffic warden nor traffic police to sort out matters and dissipate the situation. Reminded me of home.
9. Unlike what I experienced in Jordan, seperated from Egypt by the Red Sea, the police presence was minimal. The museums and palaces are well guarded, though. Considering the traffic chaos in downtown Cairo, especially, better supervised traffic regulation could ease the situation.
10. The lack of proper public parking results in almost entire roads being consumed leaving just enough space for one lane of traffic to crawl. Even in downtown Cairo the roads are wide, often times three lanes each way. But, the roads are swallowed up by cars parked for long hours, often for the whole day.
11. My initial reaction to the size and scale of buildings in Cairo was an astounding WOW. Massive colonial buildings with ornate architecture with designs. However, in downtown Cairo, these buildings had definitely seen better times. Many of them were run down and the neighborhoods were dirty and unkempt.
12. Despite the crowds and packed street markets I did not find a single act of wanton littering. There weren't many bins or garbage collections units, but people didn't make the place dirty or unclean. Streets are cleaned regularly and shop owners and restaurants keep their premises clean.
13. Food is cheap, especially street food. Of course, swanky ones cost a pile. The Egyptian cuisine is healthy with flavorful blend of Middle Eastern, African, and Mediterranean influences, with dishes featuring grains, legumes, and poultry. Kebabs, falafel, shawarma, etc were my staple during the days in Egypt.
14. Stella is Egyptian beer. It was founded by Belgian entrepreneurs in Alexandria in 1897 and has a long history of reflecting Egypt's cultural and social changes. The beer is cheap with alcohol percentage ranging from 4.5 to 10%.
15. The people are extremely friendly and respectful. A couple of them mentioned Shah Rukh Khan, when they came to know I am an Indian. The reach of our films is far beyond our geographical boundaries and its influence is immense the world over. A couple of them told me that I looked like an Egyptian - I started dreaming that I looked like Omar Sharief!
No comments:
Post a Comment