November 2009 Cairo Egypt

Cairo is such a unique place in all the world and it was a thrill to at long-last check it off my list of travel goals.  A city with more than 25,000,000 people, Cairo is burstling with energy.  The ancient is juxtaposed against the modern.  The old world pyramids of Giza transport us back to a different time (and then the lazer shows that happen nightly in front of the pyramids bring us crashing back to the modern day).

One rumor I can confirm with certanty is the use of car horns.  As one cabbie put it "Here we can drive a car that has no lights, no radio, no seats, but we would never drive a car without a horn".  There are few street lights, cars not pedisterians have the right of way, and as a result the honking of a horn is the most dominent and frequent sound throughout the expanses of the city.  You hear honks of anger, honks of hello, honks of "watch out or I'll run you over", and honks that seem to be made just as a matter of muscle memory habit like blinking an eye.  The pyramids seem to stand in patient persistance in the noise and commotion all around them.

The food in Egypt is a melting pot of Middle Eastern flavors.  There are approximately 23 dialects of Arabic spoken in the Middle East.  It is hard for an Egyptian to understand the Arabic of a Saudi national.  This creates an interesting dimension for the traveler seeking to go deep into the culture and understanding of the region.  Sadly, many Americans see an Asian and think they are Japanese or Chinese and don't think much further.  The cultures of Asia are as rich and dierse as can be found anywhere in the world and they can't be lumped together in such a way.  Similarly, the Middle Eastern Arab nations and cultures have their own uniquenesses of culture, tradition, heritage and beliefs.

While Egypt is on the continent of Africa, it is an important part of the Middle East.  Egypt is not representatie of the entire Middle Eastern experience.  Countries such as the United Arab Emirates, Bahrain, the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia, Jordan, Lebanon, Kuwait and Qatar are all starkly different in many important ways.  A similarity they share is the unique Arab Hospitality that has been passed down for thousands of years by the Bedouin tribes that roamed the Middle East.  Arab Hospitality is about lavish generosity.  There are many stories of families selling their most important and prized possessions to pay the costs of hosting a guest.  In Bedouin tradition, even enemies were given refuge and were hosted graciously.

There are many misconceptions of the Middle East.  There are also many story-lines that are currently going unnoticed.  For instance, while China is leading the world in growth in manufacturing and India is leading in outsourcing, few know that the Middle East is the fastest growing hospitality market in the world.  More posts on that coming soon.

Hope you enjoy the slideshow!

Aaron Allen

Middle East Restaurant Consultant Aaron Allen