Watching the images on the news these past few days, it’s hard to believe it’s been barely two years since I strolled down Cairo’s gargantuan main city plaza, Midan Tahrir. Back then, it was the middle of Eid-al-Adha, a Muslim holiday akin to our Thanksgiving or Christmas. The streets were alive with revelers, as were brightly-lit party boats cruising the Nile. But still, touring the city and its historic sights for a few days, I couldn’t help but notice the frustration that lay beneath:
It’s a splendid evening, my last in the city, as I ascend Cairo Tower. It’s a 1960s Nasser-era construct built to showcase the nation’s prowess, something of an Islamic Space Needle. The white concrete weave of the exterior is eye-catching, but somebody didn’t do their
homework on capacity control: a single tiny elevator is the only means of access, which means long lines on both ascent and descent. The views at the top are superb and sweeping: Cairo has precious little in the way of skyscrapers; the few it does have are mostly luxury hotels huddled around the Nile.
I stare out at the monstrous city, a liquid expanse of lights stretching to the horizon, and ponder the paradox: on the one hand, the cafes, street life, and urban chemistry make it one of the most exciting places on Earth — in many respects, it could be London, Paris or New York with a cultural and climatic twist. And yet… it’s hobbled, a great beast weakened by time and circumstance. Economically the country has been stagnant for decades, with many residents complaining that resurgent religious extremism threatens to de-cosmopolitanize the city. I hope not. It feels as if Cairo is just lying in wait for Egypt to rise again, so it may once more take its place as one of the great centers of the world.My heart goes out to the people of Egypt, and hope that this uprising leads them in the direction of other post-revolutionary lands I visited that have good things to show for it: Latvia and the Czech Republic come to mind.
As a little show of support for it all, I’m attaching the full text of my Egypt chapter from Wander the Rainbow, “Riddle of the Sphinx”. Hopefully all this turmoil will ultimately make it possible for more of you to visit this fascinating land, and see its people enjoy happier times.
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