Culturegram - Egypt
Cairo, the Jewel of the Orient, the City of the Thousand Minarets, and the Melting Pot of Ancient and Modern Egyptian Civilizations
Egypt is wondrous country with a history of many thousands of years -- even the ancient Greeks and Romans were awed by Egypt. Cairo, the capital, is a striking mixture of old and new: Businesspeople in suits sit at sidewalk coffee shops with country people in traditional robes, and minarets and domes share the skyline with high-rise office buildings and hotel towers. Traditional music competes with jazz, karaoke, and rock. The clamorous present is ever present, growing in the heart of the glamorous past.
GENERAL INFORMATION
Capital City: Cairo
Population: around 78 million people in Egypt
Language Description: Arabic. The majority of the population also speak a variety of languages, the most common of which are: English, French and German.
Telephone Codes: 20, country code; 2, Cairo city code
Religion: Islam and Christianity
Time Zone: 2 hours ahead of Greenwich Mean Time (+2 GMT).
Climate: There are basically two seasons in Egypt: a relatively cold season that lasts November-March and a hot season April-October. In July/August, the weather could be very hot, reaching as high as 40degrees celcius.
Official Holiday: Friday, and the most common weekend holiday is Friday and Saturday.
Political Status: For many years Egypt was a kingdom, and in 1952 it became a republic.
The Arts
Literature, music, and art are as important today as they were in ancient Egypt. Egypt has produced many great writers, of whom Naguib Mahfouz is one of the most famous. Mahfouz, was awarded the Nobel Prize for literature in 1988 - the first Arab writer to be so honoured.
Tourism
Cairo is full of wonders, and has got some of the richest sights in the whole world -- The pyramids and Sphinx at Giza; the Citadel; the exotic Khan el-Khalili bazaar; the Egyptian museum downtown; the Ibn Tulun Mosque; and the Mosque of Sultan Hassan to mention just a few.
Shopping
Cairo is also a great place to shop for traditional items because of its spectacular medieval marketplace, the Khan al-Khalili, where you can find all sorts of interesting souvenirs (papyrus, silver, beads, pyramid treasure boxes, cartouches, and other collectibles that capture the beauty and history of Egypt). There is also a wide variety of shopping for modern items in the many shopping malls that have recently sprung up all over Cairo.
Transportation
The main method transportation in Cairo is cars, whether private cars or Taxis. As tourists, expect to be charged more from the taxi drivers than Egyptians so do haggle with them and try to lower the price as much as you think is appropraite. Cairo also has Metro (underground) and they can take you to most major areas in Cairo safely and inexpensively. Avoid buses inside Cairo.
People
Egyptians are very friendly, sociable, kind, warm and helpful. If you ask someone for help, 10 will appear to assist you voluntarily. Like the country, the people are a mix of traditional and modern. Cairo Teens are mostly modern, and up-to-date to the latest Western technologies and culture, especially music. Almost all of Egyptian teens speak English, and many master a second language, be it French or German.
Egypt in general is a very safe country. Cairo is alive day and night. Streets are packed with people and cars almost 24 hours a day. You can easily and safely go shopping to the supermarket or stay out touring the city until very late at night.
The majority of Egyptians are conservative by nature, and still preserve their inherited norms and habits, and although Cairo is a modern cosmopolitan, it is largely a male-dominated society. Fore example:
- Family ties are very strong. Youth stay with their parents as long as it takes; they do not leave the family home except to study abroad, work abroad or get married.
- Moslem Egyptians mostly do not drink alcohol.
- Religion plays a major role in many Egyptian’s lives, consequently many Egyptian females wear veils covering their hair; moslems generally pray 5 times a day, and attend Friday prayers at the Mosque (muslems)or go to Church on Sunday (Christians); most Egyptian moslems fast(no food or drink from sunrise to sunset) during the holy month of Ramadan.
- Public displays of affection between men and women or boys and girls are unacceptable. Both for tourists and Egyptians, it is frowned upon for example for a couple to be kissing or even flirting in the street.
Clothing
Cairo is quite hot in June, July & August. Casual simple cotton pants and shirts or t-shits, as well as hats are advisable. There are many public clubs and swimming pools and many households have their private swimming pools. So your swim suits are a must.
Men and women are expected to dress modestly. For women and girls miniskirts, shorts and sleeveless shirts are not suitable for walking down the streets of Cairo. Many women are veiled and have their hair covered, and many are not. Those who are not veiled are required to cover their hair before entering mosques. Tourists, especially women and girls, are advised not to wear shorts or sleeveless shirts while walking in the streets.
Food
The Egyptian kitchen is known for its delicious oriental dishes and salads, and Egyptians love to eat aplenty. There is a wide variety of Egyptian cuisine, such as Kofta (ground meatballs), Kebab (grilled meat), Mulukhia (green soup), Tahina (tahini) Salad, Hamam Mahshi (stuffed pigeon), Baba Ghannoug (tahini and eggplant), Mixed Green Salad, Stuffed Grape Leaves, Foul and Falafel (cooked and fried beans), and Kusheri (rice and lentils mix). There is also French cuisine, Italian, Chinese as well as international fast food chains. Use of bottled water is highly recommended. Also, because of the difference in cooking methods and ingredients, occasionally these meals might not be agreeable to some people, but that differs from person to person.
Things to consider
- Egypt is a touristic country and Egyptians love tourists. To get the biggest smile ever and the best treatment, you can always use a few Arabic words if you know any. TIP TIP: Ahlan = Hello / Shoukran = thank you !
- Drink lots and lots and lots of water at any outing. Wear your hats to avoid the scorshing sun.
- Expect to see lots of tourist police in touristic areas. This is a precaution taken by the government to ensure that tourists are not hassled or taken advantage of. If you ever feel that you are being cheated, ask help from those police.
Well, that’s about it! We hope your stay in Egypt will be a great experience and one to remember for a long time!