Her exhausted, bare feet step on the carpet with ceremonial reverence as she leaves her plastic sandals at the doorstep. The house floor is not paved, but the straw carpet keeps the living room immaculate. Three large sofas frame the room, but there is no table at the center. In fact, there is not a...
Forty-five kilometres away from Egypt’s chaotic capital, across the palm-tree-framed highway that leads to the satellite city of 6th of October, there is a bustling neighbourhood that breathes the scents of Syria. At the heart of it stands Alaa Eddin Street, a pedestrian road brimming with Syrian cafés, mahshi restaurants and boza stores, where the...
One autumn Friday morning, I dove into Egypt’s urban legends joining a newly inaugurated walking tour of downtown Cairo set in place by a development company called Al Ismaleya. From Art-Deco icons to historical cinemas, we set off to discover the stories woven by the area’s stimulating streets. We are standing at the foot of a building set...
Hidden at the heart of the Sahara desert in Egypt, rare fossils of ancient whales uncover the history of Wadi Al-Hitan, a remote valley located 150 kilometers southwest of Cairo. Also known as the Valley of Whales, the site offers a unique opportunity to embark on a journey through the history of evolution. The valley is located within the boundaries...
Home to the busiest square in Africa and the world’s most beautiful doors, Marrakesh is an old realm where fantasy and reality never find a divide. The medievalmedina, with its red fortified walls and tiny alleys, houses a community of snake charmers, fortune-tellers, and herbal-potion masters that bring Arabian legends to life. We spent a whole day...
It’s a hot late-summer Friday and Cairo’s historic market, Khan el-Khalili, feels like a peaceful haven among the noisy urban hustle. The souq, built in 1382 by Emir Djaharks el-Khalili in the heart of the city, is surrounded by some of the most exquisite examples of Islamic architecture: 13th century madrasas (schools), ancient mosques, and Ottoman-era buildings draw...
