Fabulous Stuffed Eggplant

Fabulous eggplant features prominently in a lot of Egyptian meals. These lovely hors d'oeuvres are made from these small thin plum eggplants sliced down the middle, stewed in vinegar (somehow - don't ask me details of the mysterious art of cooking) and stuffed with pungent garlic, hot green pepper, olive oil maybe tomatoes as well and some other mystery spices the chef who made this particular plate magically added.
Bon appetit!

Termis (Lupinis)

Just love eating these little salty guys. In Egypt they call these legumes Termis. I've read about them elsewhere as being called Lupinis. And have found some scientific papers referring to them as Lupinus Termis.

Whatever you want to call them. I love them. The first time I ate them was not in Egypt actually, but in Jordan, but they are as popular here in Egypt as they were there. Fabulous. High in protein (see my post on veganism in Middle East) and high in calcium and phosphorus. Overall, a great healthy snack food.

A man sitting under a wide umbrella in front of a mosque,
selling cups of Termis (with lemon) and peanuts

Selling paper tubes of Termis in front of another mosque

Belly Dance

When people think about belly dance - usually a sequined open bellied seductress comes to mind. While these do abound at weddings and hotels, there are also more traditional fully clothed versions of belly dancers too, in a variety of amazing colorful folkloric fabulous costumes. Egyptian dance is playful, creative, can tell a (humorous/love) story, and can feature everything from traditional dance of men fighting with sticks to ladies balancing large brass (and lit) candelabras on their heads.

Sufi Dancers

The Sufi Dancers in Egypt offer a colourful spinning alternative to their Turkish dervish counterparts. In Egypt, the whirling dancers have developed a full entertainment out of their dance which can include everything from nursing a pretend cloth baby (truly, was interesting to see how feminine a form the dance - which is only done by men - takes) to balancing objects. Fabulously impressive.

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.

El Sawy Culture Wheel

El Sawy Culture Wheel is at the heart of Egyptian arts and music. It's melody rings not just of guitars but of the pulse of the people (the name of the center comes from a novel "El Sakia" the water wheel. Indeed, the place is like a reflection in water of the Egyptian soul). Concerts, yoga lessons, drumming sessions, dance classes, children's art classes, science fairs, are a few of the events held in the location. Previously an abandoned disused area that was literally a dump, the organization's founder cleaned up the area and transformed the urban landscape into a thriving cultural hotspot and hub. Love you culturewheel.

http://culturewheel.com/

http://www.soundofsakia.com/radio/AudioPlayer.php

Nahdet el Mahrousa (The Renaissance of Egypt)

Nahdet el Mahrousa is a truly fabulous NGO that is making a huge difference here in Egypt. Nahdet el Mahrousa serves the Egyptian community through incubating projects and helping Egyptian youth to think creatively and build their civic society. The organization provides capacity building, institutional and management support and loans to help grow projects that serve the society, as well as launches salons and lecture series to stimulate ideas, discussions and partnerships. The organization additionally has a green arm that works on sustainability issues linked to development.

Check them out here:http://www.nahdetmasr.org