Egypt The Beauty of Downtown Cairo
Downtown Cairo is a lively district steeped in history, beautiful architecture, and modern cafés. It is home to Tahrir Square, a central location in Egypt's recent history, and the Egyptian Museum, which houses treasures from antiquity. The bustling streets are full of stores and street vendors, making the city a vibrant cultural center.
Photography Tips
The best time to take photos in the city center is on Friday or Saturday, which is the weekend in Egypt. Friday is the best day because many people sleep late on this day and are in their homes until around noon to go to prayer. If you come at sunrise, you will have a few hours of silence and the streets of normally noisy and crowded Cairo to yourself, sharing them with only a few other people. It's worth getting up early just for this feeling and experience.
You have to know that photographing in Egypt, especially in the cities, is not that easy. Often, you will find police and military. Please, never photograph them! It is forbidden! Also, be careful which building you photograph. Sometimes, it is a bank or a government building. I put the camera in a bag while walking in the streets and put it out when I saw something interesting, took a picture, and put the camera directly back. Normally, when they see that you are a tourist, it shouldn't be a problem, and they will not do anything, it is only for your information. The more inconspicuous, the better. And it depends also where you are. At the pyramids or other typical tourist places, you will have fewer problems than at "Tahrir Square," one of the most sensitive places in Cairo.
You have to know that photographing in Egypt, especially in the cities, is not that easy. Often, you will find police and military. Please, never photograph them! It is forbidden! Also, be careful which building you photograph. Sometimes, it is a bank or a government building. I put the camera in a bag while walking in the streets and put it out when I saw something interesting, took a picture, and put the camera directly back. Normally, when they see that you are a tourist, it shouldn't be a problem, and they will not do anything, it is only for your information. The more inconspicuous, the better. And it depends also where you are. At the pyramids or other typical tourist places, you will have fewer problems than at "Tahrir Square," one of the most sensitive places in Cairo.
Travel Information
In general, taking an Uber is the easiest option. Also, the metro system in Cairo is the best in Africa and worth taking. Three lines exist, line four will open soon. Cairo is huge; not every part is already connected through a metro station. But famous parts like Heliopolis, Zamalek, Maadi, and some parts of Gizeh are connected with the city center. I took the metro to "Nasser," from here you can walk and discover the beautiful old part of Cairo on foot. "Attaba," "Orabi," and "Sadat" are also good options to start.
How you use the metro: 1. Buy a ticket. The tickets are cheap (12 stations = 0,22$) In the underground stations, there are ticket offices. You say the name of the station (or better, show the person the written Arabic name; the probability that you pronounce the name in Arabic right is not that high), 2. Go through the ticket gate and just follow the signs to the line you want.
It is important to know that you have to leave the train at the station which you told about at the ticket office. You can leave one station before, but not one station later. If you do, you will not be able to leave the station and will have to take the metro one stop back.
How you use the metro: 1. Buy a ticket. The tickets are cheap (12 stations = 0,22$) In the underground stations, there are ticket offices. You say the name of the station (or better, show the person the written Arabic name; the probability that you pronounce the name in Arabic right is not that high), 2. Go through the ticket gate and just follow the signs to the line you want.
It is important to know that you have to leave the train at the station which you told about at the ticket office. You can leave one station before, but not one station later. If you do, you will not be able to leave the station and will have to take the metro one stop back.
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