Bearings Cairo, one of the largest cities in the world, is located at the crossroads of three continents: Africa, Asia and Europe. With its historic buildings, ancient artifacts, lively markets and bustling streets, it is a worthy capital to Egypt, home to one of the earliest civilizations the world has known.

Cairo is referred to as Al-Kahire, the capital of Misr (Egypt), and is a historians’, as well as a geographist’s delight. The Blue Nile, the longest river in the world, runs through the heart of Cairo and has been instrumental in the growth and development of this civilization. The Nile has witnessed the rise and fall of scores of empires and was also the river that safely brought the basket of baby Moses at the Pharaohs door.

Roughly, about one third of Egypt lives in Cairo. It is also the commercial, political, spiritual and cultural hub of Egypt, if not the entire Middle East. Egypt has a 20% Christian population and has a strong multi-cultural, multi-religious ethos. Cairo is home to one of the oldest synagogues in the world, located in the heavily guarded Jewish quarter. The past, and the present.

The fact that history and geography are inextricably linked in Egypt shows even in the business world. Many companies have related names, like Pharco, Pharaonia, El Nile and El Misr . There is an industrial city called the 6th of October City. Pharaonic symbols are common everywhere, although in modern day Egypt, they appear to have a more decorative than reverential value.

From the road: While traveling from Cairo to Alexandria, a historical city which is now an important industrial center and port, we go through the highway, either side of which offers views of the landscape. The rich output of the fertile Nile delta is visible in abundance: oranges grapes, strawberries, cotton, rice, banana ! Also visible is a lot of husk burning, a cause of smog and low visibility. Pollen induced asthma is also high in the outskirts of Cairo, one of the key causes for high sales of anti asthmatic medicines!

The India link Egyptian roads never cease to inspire the feeling of déjà vu in an Indian. Hero Cycles, LML Vespas, Bajaj Chetaks, Ashok Leyland trucks and busues, Tata Indica Cars, Maruti 800s all jostle for space on Cairo roads with the Fords and the Fiats of the world. The noisy, bustling, chaotic scenes on the roads often culminate in unruly traffic jams, sometimes even at 2 AM. Wrong side driving, honking, overtaking, donkey cart induced interruptions are all par for the course. The smoky, smoggy roads will belie the fact that petrol is amongst the most expensive here in the Middle East, primarily because Egypt has very little of oil resources. The déjà vu feeling continues even on trains: people on coach roofs and vestibules are common. The Cairo Metro, however, is amazingly efficient and is a great getaway from the sheer madness of Cairo roads.

Egypt has had a deep, longstanding and affectionate bond with Bollywood. And no prizes for guessing the Shahenshah of Egyptian hearts. Next to Mr Bachchan in the popularity charts is Mithun Chakraborty and many Taxis/Tongas flaunt postcard size pictures of them. Bachchan CDs are freely available, even at roadside corner shops. Cinema halls also frequently screen classic flicks like Zanjeer and Namak Halal.

The city that never sleeps Cairo is a city that rarely sleeps. Shops and commercial establishments often remain open till 1 AM, and even women shop regularly at this hour. During festive seasons, this extends to all night long. Always, there are places to go, food to eat, things to buy and the Nile to gaze at. The Khan al Khaleeli bazaar is very similar to the Charminar, but a lot bigger. The only one, of the 7W o t W No mention of Egypt can pass without reference to the Pyramids, unarguably, one of the greatest works of architecture, EVER. The only surviving of the 7W of the W, they attract millions of visitors annually and are iconic symbols of one of the most evolved and complex civilizations, dating back to ~ 4500 years ago. The Sphinx is a half-human half-lion structure, standing in majestic style a few meters from the Great Pyramid of Khufu (Cheops). Also called the Great Sphinx of Giza, it is one of the largest single-stone statues on Earth, and is believed to have been built by ancient Egyptians in the 3rd millennium BC. The Pyramids at Giza are visible from many rooftops in the city, and even where they are not, their influence is unmistakable. ‘Tis all about money, honey Egypt flourished as a great centre for trade, and not without reason. The business acumen and skills are legendary, and entrepreneurships is never at a premium with Egyptians. This manifests itself in the thousands of shops, hawker establishments, trading companies, travel agents and millions of sharp Cairiens who dot its highly competitive landscape and work towards extracting maximum value for their products. Negotiation skills are a must-have attribute to survive. I had this interesting experience at a trasitional papyrus (paper shop) in Downtown Cairo, where the smart shopkeeper had sold a few sets of a painting to a group of American tourists at $ 20 apiece. Trying my luck at the most outrageous of bids, I succeed in getting two for $1.

Style and substance: Often called the Paris of the middle east, Cairo lives to its adage with panache. For all the dusty, noisy atmosphere on its streets, Cairiens have a great sense of, and taste for, style. The cultural scene is also very active and vibrant. Women have made a fashion statement out of the Hijab, with all kinds of colourful and matching accessories to go along. Many men still wear the long, traditional coat, made of highly comfortable Egyptian cotton. The Egyptian Museum at Cairo has some staggering display of antiquities, including Tutankhamen’s (the king who tragically died at a very young age) treasures. Nefertiti is also well represented here. However, the best Egyptian museum for Egyptologists is the British Museum in London. The joke in Egypt often doing the rounds is that had it been possible, the Brits would have carried the pyramids along and put them in a London museum.

Sign-off: Cairo’s people embody their city’s spirit of continuity and change. Hardworking, bustling with energy, they lend vibrancy to the air. They also very much live in the moment, thereby painting the landscape of Cairo life in myriad, colorful hues and lending to the city a vitality and effervescence that is uniquely Egyptian!