Thank you, Edward! I feel like I’m organizing a virtual tour every time I write one of these. I’m having fun constructing images to bring the reader along with me.
Dear Samantha, Reading your dispatches are a delight. I am curious as to how Egypt is changing. My (Jewish) cousin had a very positive experience there before the Arab Spring, as he wrote in a blog. In 2009, I observed desperate people on a slow boil. From news reports and what you write, it seems things are better now. I posted my experiences and would be interested in your comments. Best, Jim Buie. https://jimbuie.substack.com/p/egypt-appears-to-be-coming-back
Hi Jim—thanks so much for reading! (And thank you so much for linking to me in your post!)
In terms of whether things in Egypt have gotten better since 2009, I think you could look at that question from two distinct angles: quality of life and political stability.
As far as political stability goes, people are frustrated by out-of-control inflation and rising food prices, much as they were before the Arab Spring. But I think Sisi keeps closer tabs on everyone than Mubarak did, and I’m not sure there is much appetite for regime change among Egyptians because of the experiences of 2011-2013. Those are just my impressions, of course. Everyone feared instability knowing that Russia’s invasion of Ukraine would drive up food prices, but so far, little has come of it.
Quality of life, I think, is a different story. I know a few expats who were in Cairo 15-ish years ago, and they constantly say that things have changed for the worse. I can’t say for certain what they mean because I wasn’t there, but I think a big part of it is that the city has become a more difficult place to live. Per my back-of-the-envelope calculation, Cairo’s population has grown by about 50% in 15 years, and few infrastructure improvements have been made to accommodate that staggering growth. Traffic and pollution have gotten considerably worse. There’s a constant cycle of informal settlements erupting, neighborhoods being bulldozed to make way for new highways, and the rich fleeing the city for new construction in the suburbs. There's a lot of nostalgia for the Cairo of a decade ago (or two decades, or five).
I hope that somewhat answers your question! Happy to discuss further if you have more.
:) thanks, Jolene! And you are so welcome! I am LOVING Prior--it's rare to find a travel magazine that feels both artistic and unpretentious, but they manage to thread that needle!
Dear Samantha, I'm glad things are more stable in Egypt. And there is still the grand ancient history to explore. We found the region fascinating to explore, and far safer than the impressions we got from the news. Be sure to get to Petra in Jordan. It's magnificent!
I saw a documentary at the Abu Dhabi Film Festival in 2014 called "Cairo Drive," by Egyptian/ American filmmaker Sherief Elkatsha. It used automobile traffic as a metaphor for why Cairo, and Egypt, have trouble functioning. Back then the metro area was 20 million. I suppose it's 21 million now.
The intimate splendor of being inside these pages, reading and tagging along. All these wonderful images in the writing and the photos, the people.
Thank you, Edward! I feel like I’m organizing a virtual tour every time I write one of these. I’m having fun constructing images to bring the reader along with me.
Dear Samantha, Reading your dispatches are a delight. I am curious as to how Egypt is changing. My (Jewish) cousin had a very positive experience there before the Arab Spring, as he wrote in a blog. In 2009, I observed desperate people on a slow boil. From news reports and what you write, it seems things are better now. I posted my experiences and would be interested in your comments. Best, Jim Buie. https://jimbuie.substack.com/p/egypt-appears-to-be-coming-back
Hi Jim—thanks so much for reading! (And thank you so much for linking to me in your post!)
In terms of whether things in Egypt have gotten better since 2009, I think you could look at that question from two distinct angles: quality of life and political stability.
As far as political stability goes, people are frustrated by out-of-control inflation and rising food prices, much as they were before the Arab Spring. But I think Sisi keeps closer tabs on everyone than Mubarak did, and I’m not sure there is much appetite for regime change among Egyptians because of the experiences of 2011-2013. Those are just my impressions, of course. Everyone feared instability knowing that Russia’s invasion of Ukraine would drive up food prices, but so far, little has come of it.
Quality of life, I think, is a different story. I know a few expats who were in Cairo 15-ish years ago, and they constantly say that things have changed for the worse. I can’t say for certain what they mean because I wasn’t there, but I think a big part of it is that the city has become a more difficult place to live. Per my back-of-the-envelope calculation, Cairo’s population has grown by about 50% in 15 years, and few infrastructure improvements have been made to accommodate that staggering growth. Traffic and pollution have gotten considerably worse. There’s a constant cycle of informal settlements erupting, neighborhoods being bulldozed to make way for new highways, and the rich fleeing the city for new construction in the suburbs. There's a lot of nostalgia for the Cairo of a decade ago (or two decades, or five).
I hope that somewhat answers your question! Happy to discuss further if you have more.
Great about the new format AND new subscribers, Sam! Loved hearing about the hotel and Luxor. And thank you for the shout-out! 😃
:) thanks, Jolene! And you are so welcome! I am LOVING Prior--it's rare to find a travel magazine that feels both artistic and unpretentious, but they manage to thread that needle!
Congrats on growing your subscribers/readers list Samantha 👏 keep going 💪 the new format sounds really nice!
thank you, Sinù :) I suppose time will tell whether the new format works, but for now it feels right!
Looking forward to the new updated format :)
:) Hope all is well with you, Stephanie!
Congratulations on all your new readers! Impressive and well deserved. Thought provoking on the remnants of colonialism.
:) thanks, Vicki! Obviously modern Egypt is very different from colonial Egypt, but attitudes have changed less than one would hope.
Excellent food for thought. And thank you so much for linking to my essay!
Thanks, Rachel! And of course! I thought it was so interesting to get a behind-the-scenes look at your process.
Dear Samantha, I'm glad things are more stable in Egypt. And there is still the grand ancient history to explore. We found the region fascinating to explore, and far safer than the impressions we got from the news. Be sure to get to Petra in Jordan. It's magnificent!
I saw a documentary at the Abu Dhabi Film Festival in 2014 called "Cairo Drive," by Egyptian/ American filmmaker Sherief Elkatsha. It used automobile traffic as a metaphor for why Cairo, and Egypt, have trouble functioning. Back then the metro area was 20 million. I suppose it's 21 million now.
“Taxis, buses, donkey carts, and swarms of people, all jockeying to move through the obstacle course that is their daily lives. Sitting at a cultural intersection, Cairo is a city unlike any other, where different faiths, races, and social classes all share a few clogged arteries of tarmac.” The movie is available online. https://www.google.com/search?q=cairo+drive&rlz=1C1AWFC_enUS823US823&oq=cairo+drive&aqs=chrome.0.0i355i512j46i512j0i512j46i175i199i512j0i512j0i457i512j0i22i30l2j0i15i22i30j0i22i30.2763j0j7&sourceid=chrome&ie=UTF-8#wptab=si:AC1wQDATgy5ZbDDHhxxw-ZpjJZFyg54AUphzCXpEjNNbjp23GE7jIrRBDXBN5bWr_H2v7iPr5tlukTJLGumKsw2WcvG6JUMk1HCj2OHeV9UMJC2iah8p69kr0O06noyKQn0s_yMVf44C