tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5816704701124094194.post8980496967143692407..comments2023-12-21T15:39:17.104+04:00Comments on Felix Arabia: Observations from CairoAnonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06900579707071216105noreply@blogger.comBlogger18125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5816704701124094194.post-58444420384368313132012-02-01T05:30:49.328+04:002012-02-01T05:30:49.328+04:00Of all the material written about Egypt, past and ...Of all the material written about Egypt, past and present, I personally have not come across a more accurate depiction of the Egyptian society.<br /><br />Every paragraph deals with a different aspect of Egypt, with rare insight and depth.<br /><br />The author has captured the very essence of the people of Egypt and the picture is not a pretty one.<br /><br />It’s worth reading again and again, at least if you’re interested enough in the topic.<br /><br />Don’t want to sound grandiloquent, but I am filled with admiration for the gentleman who happens to be an Egyptian who‘s intent is not to bad-mouth his country but feels that only through a realistic and accurate description of the real ailments of this nation, it may be able to come to grips with the solutions, although he offers none.<br /><br />Maybe because there is none!Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5816704701124094194.post-86552357112598561522012-01-30T03:10:32.105+04:002012-01-30T03:10:32.105+04:00As an Egyptian familiar with the places Sultan men...As an Egyptian familiar with the places Sultan mentions, I fully concur with his analysis. There was a brief period during and immediately after the first days of the revolution when the nation seemed to care about the filth surrounding it. Streets were cleaned, garbage was disposed off carefully and people seemed to maintain levels of hygiene that suggested an expectation of some better future. I fear those days are gone for now. I also agree with the criticism of the capital's culinary offerings. Friends who are professional chefs have also complained that Cairo is the hardest place to cater large dinners due to the poor quality or absence of ingredients.Dredloxxnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5816704701124094194.post-57597317109806910822012-01-30T01:27:03.886+04:002012-01-30T01:27:03.886+04:00Gosh it sounds like an absolutely horrible place. ...Gosh it sounds like an absolutely horrible place. Who would want to live there? <br /><br />Actually me. I've lived in Egypt for nine years (five in Cairo and four in Alexandria)and loved every minute of it. Some of what the writer says is, of course, true but he reminds me of the author of a book I once read on beautiful Nepal who concentrated on dead dogs and filth. Whoever wrote this has a negative world view. <br /><br />What I love about Egypt is the organized chaos. It's a place to be in touch with real people. It's exciting, unpredictable and never boring. <br /><br />The poster says there are no good restaurants. This is nonsense. Obviously he or she isn't aware of them. Restaurants such as Abu Seid in Zamalek, Tabouleh in Garden City, and Kala in the Four Seasons San Stefano, Alex are as good as anywhere in the world (to name but a few) There are also great Italian-style coffee shops serving excellent cappucino, latte, milk shakes and snacks like fajitas or mozzarella sticks. There are also numerous first class malls and supermarkets, including Carrefour, all over the country that sell imported foodstuffs as well as fruit and vet that are locally off season. <br /><br />As for the old rent law this is set to change allowing protected rents to increase year upon year. <br /><br />Unlike, cities in the US and Canada, Cairo has an old soul. It may be scarred, a bit rough around the edges but it reminds me of a fine wine in an old dusty bottle. <br /><br />As for the Egyptian people, they are mostly warm, hospitable, generous and whatever hardships they face, they come through with the help of their unique sense of humour.<br /><br />God bless them! I wish them all the luck in the years ahead.Linda S. Heardnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5816704701124094194.post-47015736764940858092012-01-28T05:06:12.648+04:002012-01-28T05:06:12.648+04:00This description sounds more like from the novel C...This description sounds more like from the novel Crime And Punishment. And no surprise here... it is all about the human condition pre-revolution, when the hopes of the masses are about sudden victory and virtuous change. But all revolutions take time: the important thing about the Egyptian revolution is that, just like the Russian, French and Iranian ones, this is still an urban phenomenon.<br /><br />The felaheen still are largely unconcerned, just as in Doctor Zhivago. But things can change very rapidly as elections are finished and real discussion about reforms starts in earnest. At least the masses all over have voted in earnest for those parties who were historically oppressed but nevertheless did not tire of sacrifices and social service, unlike those who have the voices in the West.Athar Miannoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5816704701124094194.post-23202466889561683152012-01-16T16:28:21.675+04:002012-01-16T16:28:21.675+04:00As most commentators say, most of this has nothing...As most commentators say, most of this has nothing to do with anything post-revolution, and is far from peculiar to Egypt or Cairo. Most of the rest has to do with the unsurprising fact that services have deteriorated. This doesn't mean the revolution is 'cosmetic'. It has more to do with the revolution being unfinished. (Does the author really not notice that revolution *is* dysfunction in a society?) Even a successful revolution wouldn't have prettied up daily life in this time-frame: the expectation reminds me of how virtually everyone said that the revolt in Libya had become a 'stalemate'. Time to re-acquire a normal adult attention-span.<br /><br />As for rent controls, the problem isn't the whole idea of them; it's that the controls didn't get revised in accordance with current currency and economic conditions. No policy, capitalist or socialist, is going to do very well if unrevised for half a century.Michael Neumannhttp://members.tripod.com/~mneumann/mnisrael.htmnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5816704701124094194.post-65298194779668215222012-01-16T15:42:14.919+04:002012-01-16T15:42:14.919+04:00Written with a typical neocolonial mindset. I have...Written with a typical neocolonial mindset. I have lived in the west through the entirety of my life, and what I saw and experienced their is by no means better than whats happening in Egypt or most middle eastern countries. <br /><br />I agree with Anonymous no.6<br />""Having lived in the US for some time, I completely understand where this colonialist description of Egyptian reality comes from.""<br /><br />The writer is basically comparing Egypt to the lavish life of consumerism, free sex and drunkenness he experiences in the states. <br /><br />He does not see the other side. All he does in the west is to keep feeding his base desires and only object when his meal is interrupted. He does not look beneath him and see that the grass he is standing on is bare.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5816704701124094194.post-78127729410041733472012-01-16T14:12:50.899+04:002012-01-16T14:12:50.899+04:00I am sad for them...I am sad for them...Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5816704701124094194.post-89530292392010495342012-01-16T02:14:18.848+04:002012-01-16T02:14:18.848+04:00i am talking only worshiping sex as new mode of e...i am talking only worshiping sex as new mode of enlightenment,,not making business,,it is slur to indulge in prostitution,degrading humanbody just for money,,one should respect ,know body and respect it,,majority of greed comes out of lust which accumulate when some one is made to think like slaveAnonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5816704701124094194.post-72342682239998827712012-01-16T02:09:34.339+04:002012-01-16T02:09:34.339+04:00the whole world problem is basically no understan...the whole world problem is basically no understanding the energy of sex, if we understand sexual energy and channelise into constructive work, it can stimulate whole world with creativity and leave lot of human energy unutilised in some constructive work, make this filthy world more humane,peaceful and logical to live, majority of socalled religious nation are full of hypocrate who do in dark,but openly denouce publically,, we need to at least learn,educate even spiritually respect body respecting it in nudity,in harmony with nature,relaxing,shedding off greedy virus,poisonous toxin which enter in our body thorough thought,anger,vicious environmentAnonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5816704701124094194.post-46933867574886766162012-01-15T19:57:01.361+04:002012-01-15T19:57:01.361+04:00Having lived in the US for some time, I completely...Having lived in the US for some time, I completely understand where this colonialist description of Egyptian reality comes from. <br /><br />All what you described is generally true, is however but a tiny sample of a rich society. Compare your "insight" for example the hordes of young horny capitalist enslaved Americans hovering around the club area in any metropolitan American city, looking for no higher meaning than to consume. Consume materials, pleasure, fornication opportunities. Tribes of monotonic thinking unproductive hogs in an exploitative deprecating machine. The celebrity fans, the Gap-sporting ignorance-embracing socially isolated millions who have no real friends, no real family and no minimum sense of purpose. Now look at how millions of Egyptians find meaning to life and to their existence, despite the harsh circumstances. <br /><br />This is just a tiny example. You basically failed to fathom the real social structure of the Egyptian society. I am sure numerous warm individuals have welcomed you to their home, to their lives, not understanding how your culturally inept personality is silently judging them. <br /><br />I am not at all offended by what you have described, and I sincerely believe it is our duty to create a physical environment that matches our general warmth and kindness. I am just sick and tired of white people, in the cultural not racial sense, continue to not understand shit because of how fucking desperately shallow they are.<br /><br />Humble yourself. Oh and you might like this:)<br /><br />www.stuffwhitepeoplelike.comAnonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5816704701124094194.post-72049107768636224362012-01-15T19:43:09.283+04:002012-01-15T19:43:09.283+04:00i've lived in Cairo for two years and stayed i...i've lived in Cairo for two years and stayed in cairo during the revolution. Everything stated here is what i have felt and seen! the whole lot!sandra93https://www.blogger.com/profile/06412257337982802613noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5816704701124094194.post-74764275506730793222012-01-15T17:45:48.240+04:002012-01-15T17:45:48.240+04:00This is how i exactly described my own story about...This is how i exactly described my own story about mé and my country being an Indian , mind blowing that this could be such a common problem exist throughout the developing countries and the most ugly politicians and bureacrats take advantage of itinstead of making it better however eventually this is gonna effect every one even those who are involve in corrupt practices because of the surrounding they have created themselves ..Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5816704701124094194.post-28216483608940289472012-01-15T13:58:27.317+04:002012-01-15T13:58:27.317+04:00While everything that was stated in this blog coul...While everything that was stated in this blog could be true of Cairo,and can ofcourse apply to many 3rd world countries,why do i have the feeling that the writer was somewhat grim in his description. Therearemore bright sides to the story that what he's trying to tell us. However I agree to the fact that social change is the new challenge to bring the Arab world out of its deep sleep.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5816704701124094194.post-3338688432888031292012-01-15T10:56:56.805+04:002012-01-15T10:56:56.805+04:00Why is he/she writing anonymously? Nothing said he...Why is he/she writing anonymously? Nothing said here is any modicum of a revelation.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5816704701124094194.post-23369313896556307102012-01-15T10:46:38.744+04:002012-01-15T10:46:38.744+04:00This is the result of socialist/communist rule.This is the result of socialist/communist rule.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5816704701124094194.post-81071441365453636082012-01-15T09:52:57.697+04:002012-01-15T09:52:57.697+04:00Not so different from any Arab CapitalNot so different from any Arab CapitalAnonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5816704701124094194.post-49725730240748423952012-01-15T09:50:15.519+04:002012-01-15T09:50:15.519+04:00Basically he summarized everything that I have not...Basically he summarized everything that I have noticed in Egypt in my entire life! It is the truth that no one wants to admit so we can start the fixing process.Just-An-Egyptianhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/02002707262549055818noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5816704701124094194.post-41374945188858127732012-01-15T07:53:03.182+04:002012-01-15T07:53:03.182+04:00I also feel like observations also applies to an(y...I also feel like observations also applies to an(y!) Indian City, as someone said on Twitter..<br />Pity of Most Third world countries, ruled by Religious Fundamentalists or the Corrupts..hm.evotshttps://www.blogger.com/profile/16656926424557292418noreply@blogger.com