Cairo Traffic
Although such a huge city is hardly captured in one word, loud is certainly one that applies at more or less all times of the day to most parts of Cairo. In the yards of many appartment houses it’s the buzzing of air-conditioners, in many other places it’s mainly the traffic. The occasional signs with a crossed out horn seem like an ironic illustration. Although on the whole, the traffic is not quite as loud and chaotic as I remember it from my last visit (maybe I just got used to it), the Northern European visitor will encounter many strange and demanding situations, such as crossing a street. I am surprised to see traffic lights that actually include pedestrians and (probably due to the additional presence of police men) have an effect. Usually one crosses the always busy streets more or less lane by lane (many streets have about three lanes for each direction), holding up one hand to slow an approaching car is also an option, but the main task is to spot a gap in the stream of cars and then walk fast, ready to stop after each lane if necessary. I learned some of this two years ago, but the main street near my language school is a bit too much, four to five lanes of fast cars, I wonder how I will ever make it and if I do, how will I get back? I stand there for several minutes, then an Egyptian woman takes me by the hand and we cross together. (A useful trick in any case, if the street is difficult, watch the locals and free-ride with them.)
Even without having to cross streets can be a challenge. Even Many Egyptians hardly ever use the sidewalk (if there is one), especially in residential areas. And I wonder if there is some unwritten rule against walking on the sidewalk or if they are just not used to it, as quite often there really is none. Thus I usually walk next to the parked cars, which at least saves me from being dripped upon by the air-conditioners hanging somewhere high above. The traffic moves at an arm’s (or finger’s) distance from me, and I soon learn how to actively ignore the taxis on the hunt for the next customer.
Taking a taxi is another thing one should learn soon after arriving in Cairo as it is a very convenient way to reach your destination quite fast and it is not very expensive. The white cabs have a taximeter (check if it works!), so the foreigner doesn’t even need to discuss unreasonable prices in Arabic. However, when taking a taxi one should not only know the address, but also some landmark near one’s destination as taxi drivers in this huge city do not know each and every street. As taxis make up a large proportion of the traffic, drivers can also ask colleagues driving in the neighboring lane for directions if both they and their passenger are lost.
New in my picture of Cairo are the many motorcycles. Usually they hold one or two (mostly young) men, but their capacities are much bigger. Occasionally I see three guys on one bike, the most exotic sight so far were two middle aged men and a goat. And I got quite used to the motorcycle functioning as the family car: A woman – often fully veiled – sitting side-saddle behind the man, a child between them, a baby on her lap. Needless to say no one ever wears helmets – except for the McDonald’s delivery drivers.
Although I do hear of many road accidents I admire the drivers here and would certainly not consider driving myself. At most times and places the somewhat chaotic traffic actually moves, often enough at considerable speed. Probably an example of swarm intelligence… Complaints on the traffic are also collectively shared and it is one of the many things blamed on the former regime that nothing was done to adjust Cairo’s traffic systems to the exploding population figures. A third Metro line is under construction, the two existing lines cover only a fraction of the city, but the modern trains go very frequently and at one Egyptian Pound you can hardly go any cheaper, especially for longer distances. Checking the Metro map one also finds another trace of the revolution. Some downtown stops are named after presidents, Sadat being the crossing point of the two lines. The one that used to be called Mubarak was renamed Ash-Shohaada – The Martyrs – in memory of those who were killed in the revolution that led to Mubarak’s resignation. In some places the maps bearing the old name were replaced, in others the former dictator’s name is blackened or scratched out.
Buses are the means of public transportation that cover most of the city. They also offer an especially good view on the traffic and many more things to be discovered along the streets and a ride costs only 1 to 2 pounds (13 to 25 Euro cents – the latter for example for my one hour 15km ride to school).
Morning rush hour
As there are no schedules or (complete) lists of lines or their destinations at the bus stops, one has to be prepared. Knowing which buses go from where to the chosen destination one patiently waits at the stop for a bus with the right number to show up. Unless people want to get off it only stops when flagged down, so it is important to know the Arabic numbers to recognize the right bus. Once on the bus one has to know when to go up to the front to tell the driver that one wants to get off at the next stop. On the first ride I usually ask someone and then memorize the landmarks right before the stop. A bit more hectic and even cheaper are the microbuses that don’t even have numbers but young conductors shouting out the destination, especially as a woman on my own, but also because of the intensified difficulties of bus riding I usually avoid them.
I don’t know how I would get along on the bus or anywhere if it wasn’t for many extremely helpful Egyptians. If need be people literally go out of their way, for example on some occasions when I was lost although I did know the most important facts to find my way, but the bus wouldn’t turn up or I hadn’t realized that there are several stops at a square. More than once someone I asked for directions or alternative bus numbers would accompany me for a good part of my way that was not necessarily theirs.
Clubs
Cairo also is very full. Not necessarily crowded, but there are not many “gaps” between streets, houses, squares etc. Some people use the green patches in the middle of the main streets and the roundabouts as their park substitute. Everyone who can afford it, however, belongs to a club. These well-tended and guarded compounds often hold sports courts, some lawns and palm trees, areas to sit and order drinks and snacks from the cafeteria, and sometimes even swimming pools or indoor sport facilities. The one my host family belongs to is just around the corner and I spend many evenings there with my host mother and her friends. Children run around playing, teenagers meet their friends or attend sports practice, planes descending to Cairo Airport glide through the hazy dusk.
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