I have successfully been in Egypt for two full days now and with the passing time I am growing to love Cairo more and more. It is overwhelming and somehow comfortable at the same time. While cars hurtle through the streets with the seeming desire to flatten anything that is stupid enough to be in their paths of trajectory, it is also possible to see wooden carts pulled by donkeys ebbing slowly through the masses of people that line the road. I think it is this melange between traditional and modern that, in part, makes the city so compelling for me.
And yet, it is a place in which I am constantly foreign. I've never before been so utterly aware of my American-ness. Although I have never once sensed a feeling of hostility, I am constantly looked at. Today as I rode in the womens car of the metro (I didn't really feel the desire to be potentially harassed in the mixed car) the stares were quite blantant--not disturbing or rude in the slightest, but nevertheless present.
Subscribe to:
Post Comments (Atom)
I'm glad you are alive and enjoying your stay. Hope you are taking lots of pictures!
ReplyDeleteStewart is telling everyone you are bringing him two handfuls of sand.
I'm glad to read you are alive and having a wonderful experience!
ReplyDeleteStewart is telling people that you are bringing him two handfuls of sand. love mom!
This comment has been removed by the author.
ReplyDeletewait! now _I_ want sand gifties too! :) (reminds me of the movie Happenstance [le battement d'ailes d'un papillon] which I think you might quite like actually) you sound great - now I'm going to have to add Egypt to my list of places to go before I die (well OK it was already there but I'll put a star next to it now!) so so so cool - your impressions are fascinating.
ReplyDeletei wish a fox would do that to me
ReplyDelete