There
is no way you can 
gradually
get used to Egypt and its population. The whole country overwhelms you when
you land in Cairo. There is an endless stream of people and cars in movement.
It is noisy and crowded and you get annoyed because people persistently
ask you for baksheesh, the compulsory fee for self-imposed duties
that people offer you. The City of Cairo, Mother of the Earth, never sleeps.Cairo
is an open door between the East, West and the South. This vibrant city
with its life-loving people is truly a place where the worlds meet. But
your first feeling is one of confusion. Signs, signals and symbols have
a different meaning from what you are accustomed to. You don't understand
patterns and you don't understand the language. It would be an insult to
use the left hand when you eat. Our western way of planning every detail
has scarcely any parallel here. The Egyptian says: Bukkra insha-Allah
-- tomorrow, if God is willing.
First published: Monday 20th May, 1996.
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