It's all about expectations
Expectations really are everything. Well, not really, but they count for a hell of a lot in life. I can't count the number of times I heard people talking about how dirty Cairo is. I heard it from Egyptians as well as others. People painted a pretty stark picture--one that the city couldn't possibly live up to, especially considering that last month I was in Sudan, where it's hard not to think about E.Coli and hepatitis, among other unpleasant things.
Anyhow, Cairo isn't a place where I'd eat my food off the floor, but it wasn't as bad as I was expecting. In fact, the first morning I was here the early haze/smog/fog burned off by 8am and I had clear skies when taking pictures of the pyramids.
Yes, Cairo is dirty, and full of people and cars--and the competition between the two in the streets can be exciting. I've been enjoying honing my "running of the bulls" skills by crossing the streets here. It's even more fun at night when half the cars don't have their lights on.
Just an aside, Egypt is a country where conservative Islam is on the rise, yet right now on my hotel TV is a show called "Midnight Hot" and it is currently showing a lingerie fashion show that isn't leaving much to the imagination....sorry, was I just typing something...? What?
Right, so Cairo is huge by the way. Kind of reminds me of a cross between Shanghai and...well, perhaps Khartoum in one sense, or maybe Bahrain. It is massive and sprawling like Shanghai, with some glitzy and developed areas, but it also has plenty of older, grimey streets and neighborhoods. Haven't made it to old Cairo and the traditional markets yet, so we'll see what that all looks like.
Still, it's a pretty hopping city, and Sakara King Beer is a treat.
