Beautiful Fountains

The below pictures are taken from Al Azhar Park and are all recent, however Egypt has many historic fountains dating back centuries. You can learn more about the history of such fountains when you are visiting Egypt by a trip to Cairo's Islamic Museum.

For another fabulous modern version of fountains in Egypt - check out Chocolate Mania Egypt for chocolate fountains. Yum.

Eid Prayer

The Eid prayer is one of the most beautiful prayers in Islam. It begins at sunrise of the morning of the first day of Eid.

The people gather nearby the mosques, but prayer is held outside in nature, under the wakening sunshine and over the grass (in Egypt, large carpets with festive design are lain down over the ground to keep people dry from the morning dew as they pray and to keep clean). 

Before the actual prayer, the people chant prayer together (sort of like one massive outdoors choir), with different people taking turns at the microphone which leads the crowd, voices ringing in unison across the landscape. Children run about through the crowds of people. 

Everyone is dressed in their finest clothes or beautiful prayer gowns, as the prayer goes on you can hear the laughter of children and the calls of awakening birds around you, while the people stand shoulder to shoulder with one another, giving greeting and sweet tidings for the year ahead. 

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.

Outdoor Lawn Movies

I have never seen a drive-in here in Egypt, but what there are tons of all over the place, at nearly every club, are large movie screens and plastic lawn chairs where everyone sits out at tables or in chairs and watches movies together - outdoors in evenings - year round, in Egypt's fabulous weather.

Palm Trees

 

Gorgeous. Love them. Palm trees always make me feel like I'm on vacation, even when I'm not.

Al Azhar Park

Al Azhar Park was a project by the Aga Khan foundation, a fabulous undertaking, a gorgeous reclaimed green space in Cairo. Beautiful proximity to the Citadel, Khan el Khalili and the heart of Cairo - from Al Azhar park you have a stunning view of Cairo, and on a clear day you can even see the pyramids. Great restaurants and cafes, children's playgrounds, beautiful gardens filled with fresh herbs, summer plays and music concerts, and even statues made of out of the recycled waste from the previous dump that was in the location. Fa-bu-lous.

A felucca ride on the Nile at sunset

Sunset while sailing on the Nile in the heart of Cairo

By far, my favorite thing in Egypt. 

A felucca is a traditional small sailboat used in Egypt and the Mediterranean. 

There is something quite fabulous about being in the midst of a great metropolis like Cairo, surrounded by the frenetic cacophony of lights, sights, and sounds - from the unremitting song of car horns to those of wedding singers, from the lights of the Cairo tower to the neon lights of mosques and billboards...

And in the midst of all this hubbub, you find this incredible space of absolute calm.

Warm winds kiss your face and subtle waves rock you smoothly along the water. Golden sunshine turns to rosy and gently melts away in ripples against the horizon. 

This wooden vessel is a cocoon for lovers, families, fishermen, tourists, friends, a great place to have a picnic lunch, or to steal a midnight kiss, to have amazing discussions, or just plain to relax, chill out, and enjoy peace.