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The Secret in Coffee cups
Coffeeshops have a long and strong tradition in Cairo. There is the famous coffeeshops as Fishawy in Khan El Khalili which most tour operators will show you.
All areas got their coffeeshops, very much as pubs are found around in England. Then you got coffeeshops where people with special interests and alike are meeting, as the coffeeshop where extras in film, television and theaters hangs out hoping to get a new job.
The coffeeshop for extras are not showing up in any way, but has a long history in fulfilling its very special purpose.
We are not stopping up there as we want to show you in this virtual tour one of the true secrets of Cairo. Even few who was born and raised in Cairo know the secret, and it's not generated toward tourists. In fact, don't flash around with a camera if we take you there one day, the guests are regulars and they and the coffeeshop want to preserve their place and unique atmosphere.
Enter one of the many market street with vegetables and fruits in downtown Cairo. If its the right street you will find a narrow back alley one normally never would have entered as its filled with empty boxes and rubbish. It do keep most people away, but those who still enter it will find a coffeeshop that's so surreal that Salvodor Dali would have turned in his egg had he seen it.
All over it has large and small paintings from roof to floor, framed with gold painted plaster frames which most of all looks like they belong to a dried wedding cake. Even the outside of the coffeeshop if filled with these paintings and gold-cake-frames.
Traditionally a coffeeshop is a man's world, but this more than hundred years old coffeeshops have seen the changes. The waiter say that "oh today all kind of girls come here and smoke the shicha (water pipe)".
Our female company who is six years of age still think the cola is the best choice while we choose the strong turkish coffee and tea with peppermint.
Guests come in all flavours, age and numbers. If they happen to come alone, the surroundings make sure they are never really left alone.
Some few visitors to Cairo happens to stumble into the narrow alley and find the coffeeshop by chance. Other is friends and guests of EgyptMyWay, still most first time visitor just got to sit down and look around while trying to grasp the reality here at Sun Coffeeshop.
Nearly all paintings on the wall are different styles and motifs, from pharaonic, old Cairo to whats easily can be called "bad taste". Still nothing is bad taste, it's a collage of colours, motifs and size so no painting can be viewed alone.
Here old friends meet for their daily talk, some play chess or backgammon while others again sits here reading their newspaper.
The two largest paintings are found on the endwalls and you will see them here by entering the picture above. One is showing a streetscene from Old Cairo and the other three women.
We have promised the waiters and regulars not to publish the address of the coffeeshop, but we do hope this small virtual visit give a glimpse of what is hidden outside the mainroad of tourism. If you come with us in Cairo, do let us know if you want us to invite you on a tea of coffee at this amazing coffeeshop.
specialist in groups
and special interest tours
www.egyptmyway.com/contactforms.html
MyWay Travel a.s.
www.egyptmyway.com
Tel. Egypt: +2 012 7739149
Tel. Norway: +47 45661608
Epost: post@egyptmyway.com
Org. number: NO 987 180 633
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Text & photo, Arnvid Aakre
www.egyptmyway.com
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