MAP 1 (Click to enlarge)
On 16th March, my colleague, Mahmoud was so kind that he drove me to the computer mall. His friend gave me a good discount and I might buy the laptop from there after I get ADSL at my apartment.
After leaving the mall, I told Mahmoud I want to wonder around the area for awhile and ask him to go home first.
I can be very adventurous if I have a good map with me. I went to Beijing few years ago all by myself, and I toured the city including the Great Wall in a week by walking (lots of walking!!), taking public buses and train. I even boarded a motorcycle taxi which failed to produce his "business permit" when stopped by police.
My favourite mode of exploring and commuting around a new city it is still "walking". I like the close interactions with the surrounding and the people when I walk. I like to stop to see what I want to see whenever I like, I like to explore into the local shops.....it is very fun and satisfying when I do it that way.
So I decided to walk all the way back to my apartment at Maadi. Despite the crazy evening winds strong enough to blow my trousers away if I don't zip up. Well, it did blow away a cigarettes, and a few chairs.
BB, are you ready for my adventure? Get Set, deep breath...relax...and GOOOOOOOOOOO!!
Start Point "A" - Nice evening sun and beautiful "fire" tree.
Look at MAP 1 and you can find me next to the main road called Misr-Helwan. How I get my bearing/Start Point Position? I found the name plate of the road on a wall next to a rubbish dumping ground and I knew I was between the Nile River and Misr-Helwan.
Getting your bearing in Maadi is tough, all the buildings have the same colour and structure. The road names are mostly in Arabic and even if it's in English, it's erratic. To find a road sign is like looking for oasis in the desert. You have to basically look at every corner, every wall and if you are lucky, you can find one with faded prints. You can also try to ask for direction, but make sure you pronounce the road name in Arabic fashion, no the ABC fashion. But there's no guarantee that the Egyptian will point you to the right direction though.
Point B : Mighty Egyptian sun coming from the Nile river direction.
The tall building in Point B is the Sofitel Hotel at the Nile River bank. It's impossible to stare at the sun in Egypt. It make me feel thatI can almost touch the sun if I am 1 foot taller..hehe
I took a left turn along the Misr-Helwan road, into Road 159 and Midan al-lttihad. Midan in Egypt simply means square. It can be a big traffic round-about, or just a small green pasture area where by all the roads junction unites there.
I crossed the overhead bridge above the metro rail (MAP 1-Section C1-Point B1). Pedestrian and motorcyles are sharing the bridge and I believe donkeys use it too. I planned to take road 72 and connect to the long Road 77.
After too many small alleys and too many road site "cigarettes and drinks" stalls and de-javu alley, I managed to "guess" my way into Road 12 (couldn't find any road sign) and reached the main Road - Ahmed Zaki Street. I was at point C now.
Point C: Position confirmed....I found the sign plate!
I coundn't find any sign to enter into road 77. But I re-positioned myself with the sighting of the big Maadi Sporting & Yacht Club.
A friendly Egyptian working at fruit juice stall waved at me and borrowed my lighther before I went in to Road 77.
Point D: Road 77 and the sport lights from Maadi Sporting Club on the right.
Road 77 is quite unique. It's long and it's was cluttered with shophouses, very old shophouses.
I proceed and reached Point E. I couldn't make up my mind where I should continue when I reached this junction. I couldn't find any sign leading to the smaller section of Road 77. Few buidings were torn down at this area and I believed they torn down the road sign 0n the wall as well.
Point E: The lively and busy junction.
Some how, I was "attracted" into Point F direction. A very lively street with bright lights and huge crowd. But the street is so small that I doubt it is Road 77 that I was looking for. (Which in fact, is the correct direction!)
Point E: Crowdy and colourful 77th street..hmm..sounds like popular fashion brand in Singapore
I nearly bought a door lock at one of the shops there. But I decided to save a few pounds and few ounces of sweat. I will get my company contractor to do it.
The locals are very comfortable with my presence although I look strange like a Chinese guy with Ang Moh's hair colour. My collegue once told me : "Vincent, your hair is artificial. I want also!". See? They are clever and they like to look handsome like me too..hehe.
After spending around 20 minutes in this "small alley" that seems leading to no where, I decided to U-turn and try other route.
...and I was happy when I see the rail road at point G, at that moment I thought I was on the correct Raod 77.
I was wrong, but I was lucky also. Because it lead me to a distinguished landmark later.
Point G: The rail road I was looking for, but at the wrong junction!
So I crossed this unguarded, no barrier rail road (while watching left and right just to make sure I don't get run over by a train), and walked happily towards point H.
I stopped for awhile at point H and realised that I was not on Road 77. I was not panic at all. I looked around and saw 2 giant white mushrooms not far away: big satelite dish! I know this place!
Point H: Opposite the road is the satelite station...can't see the satelite from the photo
I also spotted 2 policeman "lurking" at a dark corner in their small hut. The streets in Cairo are always dim. I will advice anyone who want to go out at night to have a pair of sneakers/sport shoes on. Watch out for pot holes...broken glasses and of course...sand! If you wear a slipper to go out...alibaba God bless you.
So I asked the policeman for the direction of Point I, and they point me 3 different directions...except the sky! Okay, nevermind, this time I clever, I ask them :"Mohmein?". Mohmein is a very popular place in Maadi...so I get my direction right.
I reached Point I and confirmed my location with this sign board:
Point I: The "EL-NSSR" road....printed wrongly lah...should be EL-NASR road.
I knew exactly where I was by now and I knew my way home. I decided to reward myself with CHINESE food at PEKING restaurant at Point J.
Point J: The PEKING restaurant
My dinner
I ordered Heineken beer (YEAHHHH!!...finally I tasted beer in this alcohol deprieved country), Peking roasted duck and hot&sour soup. The soup was good but not the duck. The famous "Quan De" roasted duck in Beijing is still the best! yummy yum-mymy!. I paid a grand total of 91LE for my meal. My most expensive meal by far. But I was happy :p !
After my meal, I made my victorious way home (Point K), fully satisfied mentally and stomach-ishly.
Point K: Home "not-so-sweet-without-my-wife" home.
This is where I stay. The apartment at ground level (more like a dungeon level) sells furniture and also an electrical shop at first level (As in the picture).
Total time taken: 2hrs. (Including 30minutes at PEKING)
-VINcE
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