Cairo
My first stop in Egypt was Cairo. Cairo is a frenetic, boarding on crazy huge sprawling mass of people. It's very challenging to navigate even on foot. In addition, it's loud and dirty. But it has a endearing quality to it. It's a unique experience. I'm not a city person but I found a certain charm in its character.
The meat market was a chance discovery as I was wandering down the street heading
towards Islamic Cairo from downtown. Visually it was a treat though unrefrigerated meats sitting out everywhere made me
cringe a little.
The Christian cemetery in Coptic Cairo is one of the most peaceful spots I found in
the city. I found the Arabic writing on the crosses particularly striking. Arabic is so closely associated with Islam that I often
forget there are Arabic speaking Christians as well.
These black Fiat taxis are almost iconic to Cairo. It seems like half the cars
on the street are these taxis. For the visitor, they are a primary means of transport. One of the things I learned early on is
to always negotiate the fare before getting in. These taxis are unmetered and taxi drivers will try to charge tourists well over
the going rate if you don't agree on a price first.
The very modern caps in the middle of this very old market place caught my eye