Sunset looking across the Nile from near Tahrir Square
Over the last few years Tahrir Square has become the most famous area of Cairo. It is not a formal square like
Lý Thái Tổ
in Hà Nội, or Russell Square in London, but more an evolving area with the old
Egyptian Museum
(now replaced by a new building on the west of the city) on one side, and the massive Modernist Mogamma Building at the far corner. Much of the area is rather unplanned, but its delight is the adjacent Nile.
A few hundred metres from Tahrir Square is Talaat Square, a circus showing French flavour and dignity in its fine buildings - sensations rather lacking in its more famous neighbour
The Mogamma Building completed in 1949, in the south east corner of Tahrir Square, replaced the British barracks that had been demolished at the order of King Farouk
The main facade of the enthralling Egypt Museum -
the next page is on this museum
Tahrir Square is largely open and 'informal'. With its tube station and spacious streets it belies Cairo's chronic transport problems
The Presidential palace, with its peaceful palmed assembly area, sits a short walk from Tahrir Square
The shade provided in front of the presidential palace offers a place to linger - and maybe phone
In contrast to the tranquility of the palms, neighbouring streets have these poignant blast protection walls
Lanes seem endless in length and multitude
Considering the network of narrow lanes, which make up much of Cairo, there are some surprisingly large cars
Along the banks of the Nile, just south of Tahrir Square, gardens squeeze in between the road and river, contrasting with the hotels rising along the banks beyond
Gardens along the Nile banks with vegetables and flowers
David at the Hilton - one of numerous hotels in the area
The river is gently busy with small craft, many offering trips lasting from an hour to days
Riverscape - looking downstream to the north
A tea seller under '6th October Bridge' has seats arranged along the waterside...
...and aross the river are ranged these huge pleasure boats now providing venues for music and eating
Sunset, the Nile and phones...
The '6th October Bridge' marks the date of the outbreak of the Yom Kippur War in 1973, and is part of a 20 kilometre overhead road that cuts through Cairo's centre
...and the men disembark - to get some tea
A police boat comes over the river...
This picture needs an apology for its technical poverty, but shows an irresistible juxtaposition of Cairo's history and its biggest problem
At the left of the railings an enveloped, but un-veiled woman discreetly phones, up to the right a group of men conspicuously talk, overhead the six lane road thunders
- Cairo
The Nile at sunset, framed by part of unfinished public works - again Cairo
The next page
is about the Egypt Museum where some of its store of 120,000 treasures are on display, and from which the page will bring you a rather miserly handful - extraordinary nonetheless.
The last page was about a veterinary clinic held on the south-west side of Cairo
A page about a gathering place in the centre of Hà Nội - Lý Thái Tổ Square
Another Middle Eastern palace is featured in the page on Isfahan
