Landing in Cairo, at night, had a few surprises. First of all, it was stinking hot and a nice change from drizzly, cold Tunis. Secondly, the traffic is absolutely nuts. Cars in Egypt don't believe in traffic lanes. People drive all over the road, swerving, zig-zagging and coming within inches of each other all the time. Painted centre-lines mean little; my taxi driver liked to keep the line squarely under the centre of his beaten up old car. The most moronic thing, however, is that drivers don't use their headlights at night. They only flash their lights at on-coming cars or when some obstacle is in the way, such as a pedestrian or a tanker truck. The other neat trait is honking: cars constantly honk - to warn others or simply for fun. The noise is unbelievable.
Many travellers have a love-hate relationship with the city. For some, it is a bustling metropolis with a wonderful street life, night time shopping, outdoor cafes and great markets. There is an old Islamic and an old Coptic Christian quarter which ooze with character. For others, it is a loud, smoggy, densely populated hell-hole. The two major attractions are the Egyptian museum, filled with all things Pharaonic, and the Pyramids, located in the suburb of Giza. It must be one of the most visited cities in the world.
To me, the worst part was trying to cross any street in the city. Many avenues have 2, 3, or 4 lanes in one direction and the only way to get to the other side is to dodge the cars and pray that they stop if you get caught in front of one. The best solution is to shadow a local who is crossing nearby and use him or her as a human shield. You feel like a dork, shadowing a women and her three kids, but then, at least you're alive at the end of the day.
Egypt seems more traditional than Tunisia. The majority of women wear hejabs and some wear full black burqas. Surprisingly, there is very little English spoken and it can be a struggle to communicate. There is also an extensive expectation here of backsheesh where you give a tip for any service rendered - simple stuff, like someone opening a door, getting the elevator or giving you directions. It is endless and the request is not so subtle. Egypt has had over 150 years of tourism and it shows: travellers are incessantly pestered for their money - by shop owners, taxi-drivers, tour operators and the like.
On the streets, I was constantly approached by men who wanted to help me find my way, who invariably had a cousin or brother living in Canada and, more importantly, had a cousin or brother with a perfume shop or painted papyrus supply. Constant shouts of "which country?", "what's your name?" and "hello, my friend" drive you batty. One night, there was also one old man with rotten teeth and good English who wanted to take me home. Not so pretty.
