Hibiscus

The Hibiscus flower (called "karkaday" by the Egyptians) is not only gorgeous, all over the place in Egypt, but also made into a fabulous drink which can be served both hot and cold. Drinking it hot is a great natural remedy for lowering your blood pressure. The drink is prepared with quite a bit of sugar, and it is really refreshing in both summer (cold) and winter (hot). The hot version is interestingly a bit like German gluhwein, minus the wine.

Hibiscus comes also in other variations of color, such as pink, white and even blue, but the most common variety here in Egypt is red.

Egyptian Rappers

Love rap. Love Egypt. together = fabulousness.

A nice list of top 10 Egyptian Rappers

Gorgeous Gazebos

On your rooftop, your patio, at restaurants looking over the Cairo skyline, and at vacation resorts --- Egypt has some of the most lovely and romantic gazebos out there.

Room with a View

Egypt has a lot of apartment buildings. With so many people and such a difficult terrain, I guess it just makes sense - build UP. One of the nice corollaries of this rationale however, is: balconies. Yay. It is wonderful to sit on balconies, no matter where you are. Here in Egypt, with its divine weather, especially in evenings, with skies clear of clouds and studded with stars, gentle warm wind to lull you to sleep, sitting out on balconies is just fabulous.

source: ultimatereviews.co.uk

“We know that we come from the winds, and that we shall return to them; that all life is perhaps a knot, a tangle, a blemish in the eternal smoothness. But why should this make us unhappy? Let us rather love one another, and work and rejoice”
(E. M. Forster, Room with a View, 2.45).

Zakat (Charity)

Zakat is one of the five pillars of Islam and is considered an act of worship. The word in Arabic means alms, and literally "that which purifies" or multiplies / grows. The idea behind zakat is essentially redistribution of wealth, or what could be considered as one of the world's oldest social welfare systems. Every year Muslims give Zakat (a percentage of their salary) to help improve the lives of the most needy, and the month of Ramadan is a special time of year for acts of selflessness and giving to the poor.

Source: follow-islam.com

Cairo 360 has a nice listing of valuable charities in Egypt for donating to in 2011, and you can also check out The Charity Hub and Kherna. Cilantro Central also features great information on active NGOs in Egypt and places to donate.

Farasha (Folk Fabric for Celebrations)

During Ramadan, and other important festivities such as weddings, you will find these beautiful sheets of fabric with traditional traditional patterns all over them. Entire tents are constructed from these, housing everything from stands selling Ramadan delights, to entire wedding parties. Brightly colored, they are reminiscent of the bright colors of the Sufi dancers in Egypt and the brightly colored homes in the countryside.

Abu Treika

Abu Treika is one of Egyptian football's best players. In 2006 he was nominated for the CAF African Footballer of the Year award, and in 2008 he came second for African Footballer of the year, for his great role in helping Egypt win the African Cup of Nations in 2008 by scoring the winning goal. The ladies in my office are all smitten by him, and the men all seem to have respect for him. This was further emphasized in the 2008 African Cup when he appealed to strong local sentiment after scoring a goal over Sudan, he removed his shirt to reveal the statement "sympathize with Gaza". Apparently Abu Treika is not only an athlete, but he's also a thinker too - a graduate of Philosophy (wow, I am impressed!) and is a proud father of two twins! Here is a nice summary of Abu Treika's career.

Source: Al Ahram

This article by Gabriele Marcotti in the Sunday Times has a fantastic review on Treika, describes him as "possibly the greatest footballer in the history of the world with a bachelor's diploma in philosophy hanging on the wall of his sitting room" and  "arguably the best footballer on Earth not plying his trade in Europe or South America", remaining loyal to Egypt and refusing to move abroad just to advance his career.

Treika is apparently also involved a lot in leading a number of community and charity projects.

Field of Dreams

Egypt is a country, where everyone dreams - not of becoming the next David Beckham - but of becoming the next Abu Treika. You'll find football (soccer) being played in all corners of the country. And they have reasons to believe in themselves - they have won the African Cup of Nations more than any other country - seven times.

An impromptu match down a small side street in Mohandessin, Cairo

Almond Milk (yummy vegan alternative to rice and soy milk)

For people who are lactose intolerant, vegan, or just enjoy a nice sweet drink, then smooth and creamy Almond milk will tantalize your taste buds. This healthy alternative to milk and other milk replacements (like soy and rice) is a great source of protein and is just plain delicious. Visit the Alf Hana blog for a recipe on how to make almond milk.

The Swiss Club

Nestled in the busy streets and towering buildings of Mohandessin, the Swiss club is a surprisingly calm sanctuary of lush greenery, quaint but attractive old-ish buildings (in Egypt, "old" goes pretty deep), a nice play area for children, a German bookstore (also featuring some books in English, Arabic, and French) and a nice restaurant and sitting area. A great retreat for those wishing an escape from the urban landscape, a feeling of being withdrawn into the countryside as you are surrounded by centuries old trees, open green spaces, and quiet.

Contrasts

Old and young, rich and poor, new and really really not new, you name the contrast and you will find it in Egypt, side by side, existing somewhat harmoniously right up against one another.

Garlic

Garlic, is a staple of the Egyptian diet. It figures prominently many famous Egyptian dishes, from moloheya to those spicy eggplant appetizers. They even have an entire fast food chain called "Tom & Basil" (Garlic and Onion). Mmmmm.

Immense faith things will all work out

Every time a car comes by in
the next lane, those in this position shout this out and try to duck inside the crowded bus

Taraweeah Prayers during Ramadan

The Taraweeah prayers are held nightly during Ramadan, during which time the congregation attempts to read the Quran in its entirety by the end of the holy month.
Taraweeah prayers often run very long. You stand, in the usual prayer format, row by row, shoulder to shoulder, praying side by side and speaking to God in unison. You feel not only great strength and warmness of community, but also the prayer itself has a strongly meditative effect, after long hours of prayer your mind becomes focused, rhythmic, awakened and in touch with the unity and presence of your human neighbors beside you, the earth below, and the heavens above.

Waking up (or staying up) to pray the Fajr prayer

There is something so beautiful about the time of early morning of the Fajr prayer, which is right before the sun begins to softly reveal itself to the world in white radiance melting over the horizon. This early hour is so calm, and the adhan resonates particularly softly through the gentle air.




Outside of Ramadan it is mostly a very quiet time, you have this satisfactory feeling of experiencing the world when everyone else is still nestled in slumber, being alone with your thoughts or with God. Indeed, it is said that the morning angels gather to listen intently to the prayers offered during this time. And truly, it is a great time for reading, learning, and planning one's day.

During Ramadan in Egypt, you will find a lot of activity at this time still, either from people still finding their way home from sohour (the meal eaten before beginning the fast) or from those walking to pray together in the mosques. The night takes on a special feeling of activity and vitality, something mysterious and magical afoot when people are moving about in the wee hours of the morning.

- Posted using BlogPress from my iPhone

Rockin' dinner tables

In Egypt, there seems to be a trend among restaurants to have on the outdoor patios large wooden rocking chairs for the whole family to eat dinner on. A fun way to keep kids interested in sitting down at the dinner table. Nice romantic dinner or drinks for a new couple. Just fabulous way of making great use of Egypt's year-round wonderful outdoor weather.

Qatayef

Qatayef (pronouned in Egypt like aht-ei-f) is a crescent-shaped dessert specialty eaten during Ramadan. A yummy fried batter stuffed with cheese or a mixture of nuts, then coated in honey-syrup. It is a delicious treat to feast on after breaking one's fast. There are other more savory versions also, not coated with sugar, stuffed with white cheese mixtures or minced meat (something like a thick perogie, minus the potatoes and sour cream).

Qatayef, just waiting to be eaten, yum!

The nut mixture that is stuffed into the Qatayef

Art tables for kids

A nice feature at a lot of cafe and restaurant areas are art tables set up for your kids to do nice activities and paint pictures they can take home with them (sometimes on stickers, sometimes on large posters, sometimes on clay sculptures, etc etc) with bright colors and sparkles.

This table is set up during Ramadan in the cafe area in Al Rehab
The company running it is called Artoon and is based in Heliopolis.
where they provide art classes and music lessons.

Tangled

Birthday, fish and Jasmine

Dates

Dates are eaten all year in Egypt, however during Ramadan they take on special significance as they are used to break one's fast. Muslims believe that dates have special health benefits, this stems from the Quran. In one of the "Chapters" (Suras) of the Quran called Maryam (the Virgin Mary), there is a description of Mary experiencing the pangs of giving birth to Jesus. A voice calls out to her, "Do not grieve! Your Lord has placed a small stream at your feet. Shake the trunk of the palm towards you and fresh, ripe dates will drop down onto you. Eat and drink and delight your eyes…" (Qur'an, 19:23-26)

The health benefits of eating dates while pregnant have been proposed in other places as well, however the benefits of eating dates extend beyond pregnant women, reputed as a good way to lose weight, a laxative, good for the nervous system and fighting melancholy and stress, good for lowering cholesterol, a great source of dietary fibers and antioxidants, rich in iron, potassium and minerals like calcium, copper and magnesium, chock full of vitamins, and fabulously delicious to boot. (They make for really healthy ingredients in cookies and desserts, avoiding excessive use of sugars in cooking)

Travel to Egypt During Ramadan

Ramadan is a great time to come to Egypt. This video is oriented towards tourists from the Arab world, however it shows a glimpse into how special a time it can be to be in Egypt for all tourists. In 2011 Egypt needs your support.