All posts in Travel + Leisure

MASR – THE PEOPLE

By | January 12, 2011 | Egypt, Politics, Travel + Leisure | 1 Comment

Egypt: Partly submerged palms above Nile dam, Upper Egypt. Lantern Slide Collection, Brooklyn Museum.

By Islam El Shazly

The people of Egypt are for the most part gentle emotional people, they have been deprived of their right to participate in the way this great country is being governed. From the time of Mohammed Ali Pasha, through the British occupation then the calamity that was the Coup d’état of 1952 and its disastrous after-effects, the people have not been able or allowed to voice their concerns about their country. Read more…

JOURNEY TO UPPER EGYPT

By | January 8, 2011 | Egypt, Travel + Leisure, Travel Chronicles | 1 Comment

By Dean Chartier

This is my first effort in writing about my travels here in Egypt, I’m kind of starting in the middle of the trip, odd I know, why not start at the beginning? Well my journey to up the Nile was a pretty amazing trip for me, even though it was kind of touristy. I was able to peel most of the tourism away and have a good look at life in that part of Egypt. I will not speak much of visits to the temples and other historic sites, I’m sure you can find that information elsewhere, and for me it was kind of secondary anyways. This was my first trip to a Muslim country since I became Muslim and my trip up the Nile allowed me to get away from most of the western influence I have seen in Cairo and Alexandria. I will write more about those experiences a little later.

Fishermen in Alexandria.

Another reason this was a special experience for me is that being from Canada, I don’t get to hear the call to prayer from a Masjid, or have the luxury of having a Masjid within an easy walk of wherever I am. Read more…

AL-MU’IZZ STREET – CAIRO’S GRAND STREET

By | December 18, 2010 | Egypt, History, Travel + Leisure, Walking Tours | 1 Comment

A long time ago in Cairo, with the pyramids in the distance, farm lands and the aqueduct. From the book "The Grand Street".

By Islam El shazly

The Grand Street of Historic Islamic Cairo, the heart of the once capital of the Fatimid Empire; as old as Cairo, it saw its fair share of kings and vagabonds. Walking through it amidst the ancient villas and the architectural marvels left behind by four dynasties, is like being transported into the world of the Prince of Persia – without all of the sand demons.

Taking a turn into one of the little alleys that spring out throughout the length of the street on a quiet day, stop for a moment and close your eyes, you can almost feel the ghosts of all the people who walked through here over the ages. There are shadows here. The time of the Fatimid also gave rise to their cousins, the Assassins. They lurked in the shadows. Read more…

HAJJ AND EID AL-ADHA 1431/2010

By | November 16, 2010 | History, Pax Islamica, Travel + Leisure | 3 Comments

Mecca During Hajj, National Geographic magazine, January, 1966.

by Islam El-Shazly

It’s 6:15 AM on the 10th of Dhul-Hijja, 1431, 16 November, 2010. Outside the words: Allah Akbar, Allah Akbar, Allah Akbar, La Ilaha Illa Allah; Allah Akbar, Allah Akbar wa Lillah Al-Hamd (الله أكبر الله أكبر الله أكبر لا إله إلا الله. الله أكبر الله أكبر و لله الحمد) – is all I can hear. Every mosque everywhere in the world is echoing the same call that has been heard on the same day for the last 1431 years.

Today is Eid Al-Adha, the day of sacrifice. Yesterday was the Day of ‘Arafah. More than 3 million Muslims stood on Mount ‘Arafat, from 181 countries. It is the most important day in Hajj. Read more…

TURKISH COFFEE: DELIGHT TO THE SENSES

By | October 22, 2010 | Food + Beverages, Travel + Leisure | Comments Off on TURKISH COFFEE: DELIGHT TO THE SENSES

Turkish Coffee. By ağEl, Flickr.

by M. Butcher

Coffee has long history in the world, from humble beginnings in a story about a goat herder who noticed his goats got excited after eating the coffee berries to the widespread cafés and coffee shops all over the world. Coffee is believed to have been brought to Istanbul in 1555 by two Syrian traders, although others claim that it arrived much earlier than that, around 1517.  Coffee has come a long way since then, we find different types and ways to brew it different parts of the world. The Turkish have a particular way to make coffee and it has been adopted and modified into many cultures in the Arab world and aboard. Read more…

HOW MAY I HELP YOU?

By | October 19, 2010 | Retail + Shopping, Travel + Leisure | 2 Comments

Please ding for assisstnce. By Will Stein www.sxc.hu.

by Islam El-Shazly

Last year, Monocle’s April 2009 issue (issue 22, volume 3) was all about service and retail. They asked a very important question – actually two of them. Are you being served? If not, why not?

Monocle had conducted a global survey on the state of retail; it was about “the smartest shopkeepers, best buyers, happiest consumers and sharpest ideas on the street, in the aisles and online.”

But that was not the best thing about the issue. The best, in my opinion, was on the cover itself. Read more…

WHAT’S IN MY BAG? TRAVEL WITH KIDS

By | October 6, 2010 | Travel + Leisure | Comments Off on WHAT’S IN MY BAG? TRAVEL WITH KIDS

A travel tote loaded up with toys and activities from Travelkiddy. www.travelkiddy.com

by M. Butcher

When travelling with kids, we always end up carry extra things, and somehow we always forget to bring something that we needed or would have found useful if we had only remembered. I can’t count the number of times I forgot that extra change of clothes or wanted the pad of paper and a pencil that I had let on my desk! I generally use a backpack for all the stuff but sometimes I use a small tote bag and everything fits, whatever it ends up in, make sure you can lift it yourself and carry it for long periods of time if need be.

Here is my list of things that are essential when going out with kids, whether it is to the mall, out for coffee/dinner, on a road trip or on a plane. It can be modified to suit any situation and saves a lot of aggravation. Read more…

RAMADAN 1431

By | August 15, 2010 | History, Pax Islamica, Travel + Leisure | 2 Comments

Ramadan Kareem. By Mohamed Youssef.

by Islam El Shazly

Surah Al Baqarah (the Cow) 02: 183 O you who believe! Observing the fast is prescribed for you as it was prescribed for those before you, that you may become pious.

Ramadan is the 9th month of the Islamic calendar; the traditional definition of the month is abstaining from eating, drinking, smoking and sexual activity during the day (from dawn), and breaking the fast each sunset. Muslims are encouraged to read/recite the entire Quran as much as possible and contemplate on its meaning, to give freely to those in need, and strengthen their ties to Allah through more voluntary prayer than regular. The goal of the fast is to teach humility, patience and sacrifice, and to ask forgiveness, practice self-restraint, and pray for guidance in the future. Read more…

PAX ISLAMICA

By | July 14, 2010 | History, Pax Islamica, Travel + Leisure | Comments Off on PAX ISLAMICA
Camel Caravan

The caravan passes. A Camel Caravan from Somalia, photographed on the beach in Kenya. © alles-schlumpf

by Islam El Shazly

For as far back as the human memory can travel in time, there has always been explorers and exploration. Had there been no curiosity about what lay behind the walls of the village or the entrance to a cave, civilisations would have never emerged and we would not be where we are.

Curiosity might have killed the cat, but it did wonders for the children of Adam.

The world knows of Christopher Columbus, Magellan, Cook, and da Gama, but there are lots more, just look at the Wikipedia page for Explorers and you will realize just how many there has been throughout the ages. Read more…

TOP 10 DESSERTS IN EGYPT

By | June 17, 2010 | Egypt, Food + Beverages, Travel + Leisure | 18 Comments
Honey.

Honey, you are so sweet. By blentley on Flickr.

by Islam El Shazly

Egypt shares some desserts with the Levant, but they are a bit different when it comes to taste.

All the ingredients in the desserts are natural and include a lot of sugar; you will find that Egyptians like their sugar. These desserts are not like anything you have tried before, unless you have visited Egypt and decided to try them.

Below is a list of just a few of the most brilliant desserts you can find in Egypt, and believe me there is a lot more different kinds of desserts available: French, Danish, Italian, etc., and even more different kinds of Egyptian desserts but I think this list is enough to get you started.

Warning! Major calories here; but the taste is worth each one of them. Read more…