Eat kebda, Sogo2, Foul, Ta3meya, Batates & Betengan sandwiches from a street vendor -men 3ala 3arabeya
You can have a stomachache afterwards, but it’s ok, it only means that you need to eat more of these and you’ll be perfectly good.
Photo by Ed Yourdon
Falafel with Fries sandwich by Alan Teo
Eat Batata Mashweya on a cold winter night in Cairo or Dora Mashwi specially on Alexandria’s corniche
Grilled sweet potatoes are easily made at home, however those grilled in this traditional oven are out of this world. Very soft, and smell so good.
Couldn’t find a photo of 3arabeyet batata at night sorry, photo by Hossam
Eat Baladi bread
Once we get hold on German & French pastry we all admit they are the best, however baladi bread cannot be compared!
Baladi Bread by Ed Yourdon
Drinking/Eating Homos elsham or Sahlab on a cold night
Exactly what you need on a cold night, specially that we Egyptians don’t use heating.
Sahlab by Alpha
Ride a taxi & argue with the driver over the fare and to put the A/C on
An Egyptian taxi driver will tell you all sorts of made up stories, or real stories about his childhood, his experience in life, or even cursing the country, the traffic and drivers. They don’t put the A/C automatically and you always have to argue about the fare.
Photo by Rutger
Drive a car
You cannot miss this one, Egyptian driving is crazy, totally out of control.
It’s totally insane by Asim Bharwani
Cross the street
It’s a challenge, that’s not suitable for the faint-hearted, traffic lights are non-existent. The driver challenges the pedestrian if s/he will be able to cross without getting hit, and the pedestrian is like “if you think about hitting me, you’re doomed”. Egyptians cross highways, ring roads, they fear nothing and are unstoppable.
This photo is not in Egypt, but is more or less the same by Michael Coghian
See someone hitching such a ride
Photo by Vagabondblogger
Eat gebna beida (white cheese) with batikh (watermelon)
Such a delight specially when coming back home from a long day spent near the sea.
Photo by Kirti Poddar
Eat at Kebdet Elbrens -now sadly closed
It’s Elbrens not Elprince, and absolutely the best Egyptian food restaurant in town, a very traditional one.
This photo is not at Kebdet Elbrens by Ronald Woan
Attend Eidul Fitr prayer, eat kahk and have breakfast with family & friends afterwards
Whether you’re muslim or not, it’s an amazing atmosphere, people finish the prayer then head back home to have breakfast with the family, or go out to have breakfast with friends then go home to continue eating with the family.
Eidul Fitr prayer by Sandip Debnath
Attend the slaughtering during Eidul Adha and eating Fattah and fresh la7ma & kebdah
Photo by Clint Rutkas
Haggle when buying from street vendors, souvenir shops and souqs
Photo by Spyros Petrogiannis
Drink Sobia, 2assab, & Fakhfakhina juices
In the Egyptian version of 2assab juice we don’t add lemon slices as shown in the photo by Matthew Hine
Ask someone for directions & getting even more lost
First s/he asks “howa 2alak fen”, next thing you’ll most probably be given wrong ones.
Photo by Brian Talbot
Fight with someone who ignores the queue
Photo by Xiaojun Deng
See a car that is loaded with an illogical weight
I wonder how on earth this car is still able to move!!!
Photo by Ahram Online
Sit on an Ahwa Baladi
It has to be an ahwa baladi, not just a random cafe that serves shisha, and preferably if a football game is on, even better if it’s the derby (Ahly vs. Zamalek)
Photo by Peter Morgan
Have any additions? Please write them in the comments below!
Love it. Done almost all… Except sit at the ahwa shop… Can i take the pic for my collections?
Thank you!
Sure, it’s from flickr anyway
U didn’t try the Ahwa? ! It’s the easiest on the list!
Great article well done
Haha Interesting !
It’s an amazing article.
Here’s Egypt
Thank you Haleem
great effort great work good luck
Thanks @Ahmed Rasheed 😀
You’ll never win over the argue with the taxi driver.
😀 @Shuhaida
love it!……………..
thank you 😀
Hhhhh lol it’s impossible that you will win the battle with the taxi driver ! 😀 his common quote ” The Spare parts’ price is rising up every day ” 😀 lol
@Amro Hahaha, true!
As if he is the only one who would be suffering from any price increase 😀
that is perfect and very interesting 😀
but what about ”el sobo3” 😀 you didn’t mention it 😀
it’s a party for the new born baby
and you can eat ”7omos” and drink ”moghat” 😀
Oooooops! I missed this one BIG TIME!
7omos? not melabes, chocolates, and drink moghat?
Thanks Salma
also melabs , chocolates, cocosi , and candles for kids 😀
Couscous kaman!!!
First time to know that…
Thanks @Salma for the info
what about eating the termes (lupin) while walking on the nile ? sobia or karkadeh (hibiscus) ?
you’re absolutely right, however I have neveeeeeeer had termes from a street vendor, although 100% Egyptian I always have my concerns about hygiene when it comes to termes, hehehe @Hatem
Sobia, Karkadeh and 7omos el sham (a.k.a 7alabessa)…mmm, my bad
Thanks @Hatem
What great souvenirs these pictures and comments have revived in me. Egypt is the most wonderful place to live in …………………………… especially for foreigners !
How flattering @Andre, thank you
Being away from my beloved Egypt, these pictures have touched a special nerve. Thanks for sharing them with us. GREAT job. I also read all the comments. I’d like to THANK all of you for your beautiful, appropriate and civilized comments.
Thank you very much Ibrahim, I am glad that this was touching in a way or another 😀
Our readers are nothing but civilized and intellectual people, we are lucky to have them
Thank you for the great work; Good job ;well done ; I would like to add some stuff were missing if u don’t mind Assem “Koshary ” ; “Molokhiya” ; “Om Ali” ; “Kofta” ; “Konafah :Basboosa” ;”Torshy” ; “Baklava” ; “Besarah” ; “Hamam Mahshy” ;”SEMEET WE GEBNA” …..ALSO “FETTEER MESHALTET” ; “GEBNA WE ASSAL” ; “ASSAL WE TEHEENA” …………..So instead of the 18 ways it will be 33 oe may be it could reach to a 100 ha ha ha
Thank you for your great effort.
yours
Omda
thanks Emad, and for the suggestions, honestly if we start talking about food the list is ENDLESSSSSSSSSS 😀
I was born in this blessed country ,sadly I had to leave at the age of 16 but I have not tasted anything tastier since ,than molokheya ,foul medames,falafel maa tahina,red zagloul dates or soudani and leb of my youth!It is truly a blessed country and the Egyptians the most hospitable and friendly people on this earth…!
Thanks Aris, you should come visit soon 😀