Cairo is a place of many exotic splendors, some quite unexpected!
When my office told me I had to go to Cairo at the end of the week to meet with new clients, I was concerned. Weren’t flights to Cairo halted for the time being? Wasn’t the political situation unsafe? Less than a month ago, Cairo was up in flames. The entire region was in turmoil, but apparently my boss didn’t care. The next morning I was informed my flight had been booked.
Landing in Cairo International Airport, however, I felt somewhat reassured as people were moving about as though there was nothing unusual at all. A cab took me straight to the Sofitel El Gezirah on El Thawra Council Street. It was quite early, six am and being driven through the city the remnants of the recent upheaval were visible in the shape of shrapnel, shattered glass and demolished buildings.
Inside the Sofitel, however, it felt great, luxurious even. The Egyptians are renowned for their hospitality and when the hotel manager personally welcomed me with a bouquet of flowers, it felt, well, sort of like I was on vacation. He was very eager to explain to me that while there may be a random shot, a loud bullhorn, a crowd or two that Cairo is at peace. That Cairo is celebrating the most peacful overthrow of a leader in the history of the Middle East.
I was booked in the Superior Room and all I could think of was the Nile, I so wanted a view on the Nile. So the first thing I did was throw open the curtains. And there it was, The Nile, a pearly sheet of ink, staring back at me. Somewhere in the distance I heard a shot ring out, welcome to the new Egypt, I thought. I am witnessing history.
I couldn’t wait to sample the local teas, so I decided to try the Window on the Nile tea lounge in the hotel. While sitting and sipping, my cell rang out. It was Ahmet, our liaison officer in the country. The Egyptian accent takes a while to get accustomed to. So it took me some time before I could discern what he was saying: he was inviting me to his cousin’s wedding. But what about all that work that we needed to complete before Monday? I could hear his bell-like laugh at the other end of the wire: tomorrow was Sunday; he reminded me, and a holiday. No office – he pronounced the word as offees – would be open.
It all started with the car parade in which the bridegroom, dressed in a traditional black suit sat in a limousine decked out in exotic Egyptian flowers and ribbons of almost every color imaginable. At the wedding venue, not far from the hotel, we were greeted by a lively gaggle of belly dancers, musicians, and drummers. Ahmet said it was part of the ceremony called ‘Zaffa’. I found myself joining in, even trying to mimic the dancers’ convoluted steps and gestures! A Kosha sherbet was passed around to all the guests, which was rather delicious.
The festivities lasted well past midnight. I was sorry to leave but will definitely come back to catch a Cairo flights again.
Author Bio: Angelina Christy is a travel author who has written many articles that keeps on guiding the travelers throughout the world. Angelina herself is an avid traveler who has travelled more than 22 countries. She also talks about travel options like Cairo flights that explain how tourists can minimize the cost of their travel fares.
Images by geekeasy
