Cairo Egypt: The fifteenth largest city in the World's Tourism spot.

Cairo Egypt is the Capital of Egypt, located in the cross road of Asia and Africa, one of Islamic Centre Cities in Islamic world. It is the fifteenth largest city in the world and the largest city in the Middle East and Africa.

The population in Cairo is approximately 18 million citizen, other 2 millions are swelling every day with commuters and thousands of migrant workers either from Nile Delta or from Upper Egypt that gives the City a reason for no sleep. People are from the early morning starting from 06.00 in the morning and may be until 03.00 AM. Shops are obliged to close at midnight.

Cairo is always called as “Masr “ for the Egyptian People, the name is representing Egypt’s name in Arabic, which means, for the upper Egyptians and Delta People the Capital “ Cairo “ represent the whole Country itself. Cairo is also a city of contrast, the old and the new side by side in some places, in other places; you feel that Cairo is the city of Paradox.

About traffic in Cairo, Egypt:

See the Traffic in Cairo, before deciding to drive there, or to rent a Car. It is hectic, challenging. Cairo subway which is known as the metro is excellent for getting around and to mix with local People. The local buses on the other hand are not for a visitor, you will see them, always full and overloaded with passengers that no other free space inside them to ride. Your best bet would be to rent a chauffeur driven car, Rates are too reasonable, only concentrate better on a magazine in your hand to read, or a phone call, as in the time you will look out from the Car’s window, you will see Traffic in 3 D
In some places, it is fascinating walking Areas, but be aware of crossing the streets it will need some courage. You only need to stay close to the locals, cross when they cross, do not stop when keep going started.

Another pleasant thing, take a river taxi or a small transportation ferry boat, they leave from exact docks in the City, and you can ask your hotel Reception or friends where are the nearest docks to you to board the Ferry from. It is better not to deal with Street taxis, the City has now City Cab companies, which could be arranged through out the Front Desk of your Hotel, they are Air Conditioned, Clean and safer, they only cost more, but they are well worth it.

Cairo History:

Although Cairo is a very younger City than Alexandria, but the whole city is a living breathing museum, reflecting the ancient influence of mixed cultures Pharaohnic, Nubian, Persian, Greek and Roman, Turkish influence.

Cairo was Founded 2500 years after Memphis, the first capital of unified Egypt (lower and upper Egypt) Babylon was the name of Egyptian Capital by the Roman invaders but After Amro Ebn El Aas has conquered Egypt as a Muslim Army leader, he built a new city “ Al Fostat “ which means the city of tents. And that was in the year of 641. Al Fostat was a sophisticated metropolis in the time when Europe was still in the Dark Ages. When the Fatimid’s first came to Egypt In 968 they called it the city Al Qahira, which means the victorious, but by the Europeans found the name difficult for them as Al Qahira, so they started to call it Cairo, as it is easier for them to pronounce.

It remained a medieval city at heart for 900 years until the Army Head Soldier Mohammed Ali came on a mission to Egypt, but he liked the Idea of separating Egypt from the Sultanate of Othman, and started to rule and began the modernization of Cairo building a copy of the Blue Mosque in Istanbul in Cairo named as the Alabaster Mosque located in Saladin’s Fort or Citadel built by him and completed by his brother The Fair King or “El Adel".