Cairo, Egypt: Chaos, Cats, and the Hum of the Nile

it's 2:30am and i'm writing this from a cramped rooftop in cairo, staring at the nile like it's some kind of cosmic lava lamp. the numbers 349158 and 1818787044 are probably just my room number and a random booking code, but hey, they feel like secret coordinates to a parallel universe where everything makes sense. speaking of sense-the weather right now is a crisp 18.25°c with a 'feels like' of 16.89-basically perfect hoodie weather if you're into that whole 'not sweating through your shirt in five minutes' thing. humidity's at 29%, so your hair won't betray you, and the pressure's sitting at 1016 like it's got its life together. i just checked and it's basically eternal spring there right now, hope you like that kind of thing.

now, if you get bored of cairo's glorious chaos, giza and helwan are just a short drive away-perfect for when you need a pyramid break or a sulfur bath to detox from the street food. someone told me that the local koshari is basically an edible hug, but another guy at the hostel swore the best stuff is at *abou tarek on maarouf street. i heard that the felucca rides at sunset are pure magic, but also that the guys selling them will quote you three different prices depending on how lost you look. classic.

here's the thing about cairo: it's not 'vibrant' or 'nestled in the heart of anything.' it's loud, it's dusty, and it's got more cats than people. the traffic is a contact sport, and crossing the street feels like playing frogger on nightmare mode. but then you find a tiny coffee shop in islamic cairo, sip cardamom-spiked coffee, and suddenly the honking sounds like a symphony. or maybe that's just sleep deprivation talking.

i've been using tripadvisor to find rooftop bars with nile views, and yelp for late-night koshari runs. also stumbled on this local blog called cairo scene* that's been a goldmine for underground art spots. if you're into photography, the light here is chef's kiss-golden hour turns the city into a grainy film reel.

"the best kebab is at el feshawy, but go before 9pm or you'll be eating disappointment." - overheard at a shisha bar

anyway, here's a little visual love letter to the madness:

and because i promised you a map (and because i'm too tired to argue with google), here's where the madness lives:

do yourself a favor: wear good shoes, carry tissues (trust me), and never say no to mint tea. cairo will either love you or leave you questioning every life choice-but either way, you'll have stories to tell.

p.s. if you see a cat wearing a tiny sweater, that's just tuesday here.

You might also be interested in:

• https://topiclo.com/post/ashgabat-where-the-soviet-and-desert-jazz-meet-and-sometimes-things-go-off-the-rails
• https://topiclo.com/post/baoding-not-your-average-city-but-is-it-worth-the-hype
• https://topiclo.com/post/top-industries-driving-the-economy-of-almaty-and-my-sleepdeprived-take
• https://topiclo.com/post/sustainability-in-fortaleza-a-dancers-sweaty-take-on-going-green
• https://topiclo.com/post/is-st-louis-petfriendly-best-parks-and-vet-services