Community Times April 2018 Issue

Since 1996

April 2018

IN TUNE WITH THE COMMUNITY SINCE 1996

Special Wedding Issue HISTORY OF BRIDAL HEADDRESSES BEFORE THE VOWS: THE BRIDAL GENIE

AMERICO LOZANO CONVEYS EGYPT’S BEAUTY

It’s Wedding Season!

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CONTENTS APRIL 2018 TOWN TALK 04

BUSINESS

24

Talk of the Town News

38

CULTURE 08

ART Artist Americo Lozano Conveys the Beauty of Egypt

10

BOOKS Top Timeless Romance Novels

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EVENTS Events You Do Not Want to Miss

14

FILM April Movie Releases

16

STAGE Salem Nafsak: A Play with a Message of Hope

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DESTINATIONS SPECIAL FEATURES BRIDAL ESSENTIALS 46

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Bridal Headdresses Throughout History

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Before the Vows: The Bridal Genie

24

Wedding Dress Trends of 2018

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How to Prepare your Skin for your Wedding

28

Honeymoon Destinations in Egypt

COMMUNITY COVER

30 32 34

REAL PEOPLE Swimmer Wafaa Sabry Overcomes Disability

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TRAVEL Exploring China: A Trip to the East

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CUISINE 46

Quick and Tasty Spring Recipes for Newlyweds

EDUCATION Al Basaysa: An Ideal Model of a Village to be Examined

50

The Tree Trunk: A Retreat in the Heart of Heliopolis

GREEN COMMUNITY A Call to Finance Nut Trees

54

Fine Indian Dining at Indira

MIND, BODY & SOUL

2

An Interview with the Ambassador of Mexico

Ultimate Frisbee: A New Era of Sport

SOCIETY 56

Social Events and Gatherings

Publisher Live Colors, Nicosia Managing Partner Najla Riad Associate Partners Ahmed Samy Mohamed Maher

EDITORIAL DEPARTMENT Editor-in-Chief Moguib Roshdy Acting Editor Najla Riad Assistant Editor Rawan Abdel Latif

WRITERS Ahmed Kafafi, Dr. Peter Duckett, Katharina Froehlich, Laila Yasser, Noha Kandil, Rana Kamaly, Soha Khater, Yasmine Mabrouk and Zeinab Abul Gheit

ART DEPARTMENT

EDITOR’S NOTE “Wedding bells are ringing” – May and June are the most popular months for weddings, and on that basis, we lined up a few articles pertaining to that.

We have dedicated the Special Features section to Bridal Essentials, where you can find the different wedding trends for this year. We also present you with “Before the Vows”, a company that offers customized bridal and bridesmaids’ products. One of the features relates to the history of bridal headwear and how it has evolved over the years. Ideas of honeymoon destinations in Egypt are also featured. !is year marks the 60th anniversary of the bilateral relations between Egypt and Mexico, and on that basis, we interviewed His Excellency the Mexican Ambassador about the plans and events to be held throughout the year to celebrate this occasion. !e agenda will be diverse, mentioning everything from economic initiatives to cultural exchanges. !is will include an exhibition to be held by the renowned Colombian artist, Americo Lozano, in the gardens of the Mexican Ambassador’s residence, who has made Egypt his second home, as well as other Mexican artistic shows.

Art Director Khadiga El Badan

Senior Graphic Designer Marina Raafat

SALES DEPARTMENT Sales Director Rania Halim

PRODUCTION MANAGER Enas Adly

ADMINISTRATION DEPARTMENT Distribution Manager Rana Ezzat Salem Salem

Office Manager Magda Adib

FINANCIAL CONSULTANTS Hazem Abdel Tawab Ahmed Abbas

Office Clerk Mohamed Adel Office Custodian Ismail Othman Distribution Al Ahram, Next Media Mohandessin, Zamalek, Heliopolis, Maadi, Nasr City,

Last but not least, we are introducing two new food outlets: !e Tree Trunk, a multipurpose venue, and Indira restaurant, with its unique Indian cuisine.

New Cairo, 6 October City, Sheikh Zayed City

Prepress & Printing: Sahara Printing Company

Wishing you an enjoyable read with this month’s special features and a happy spring month.

!e Editor editor@live-colors.com

Address: 48 Abdel Moneim Hafez Street, Midan El Sabaa’ Emarat, Heliopolis, Cairo, Egypt Tel/Fax: (+202) 2290 8127 - 2415 8762 Mobile: 0100 005 2322 - 0100 005 2323 E-mail: editor@live-colors.com Website: published by LC Live Colors Nicosia, Cyprus

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TOWNTALK

Designer Anne Marie K launches clothing line named after Pharaonic Queen Tiyia Renowned Egyptian designer Anne Marie K has announced a new collaboration with two leading Egyptian fashion retailers to launch her own fashion line, Tiyi. She is partnering with Egypt’s retail mogul Baraka Group to open two new stores by FW 2018 and five stores during 2019 in Egypt.

The stores will be opened in two prime locations: Cairo Festival City and Mall of Arabia. The prominent garment-exporting Bishara for Fashion is offering the designer the opportunity to use its facilities.

The brand is named after Pharaonic Queen Tiyi, who now stands on a colossal statue in the Egyptian museum of equal height to her husband.

The FIFA World Cup Trophy plane

by Coca-Cola embraces the land of civilization to revive the national team’s achievement The FIFA World Cup Trophy Tour by Coca-Cola arrived at the Cairo International Airport on a private plane, carrying a delegation from the Fédération Internationale de Football Association (FIFA) for a two-day visit as part of its global tour crossing six continents, stopping in 91 cities and 51 countries.

The event is held under the auspices of the Egyptian Ministry of Youth and Sports and aims to give Egyptian football fans a chance to witness the trophy, the biggest prize in the world of football tournaments, and to celebrate Egypt's qualification for the World Cup after a 28-year absence from the international football scene.

The trophy will be transported to the presidential palace, where President Al-Sisi will receive the trophy and the accompanying delegation from Coca-Cola officials, followed by a grand ceremony in Cairo, attended by former French football star Christian Karembeu and famous Egyptian sports icons.

Sheraton Cairo celebrates the earth by switching lights off for Earth Hour Sheraton Cairo Hotel joined the annual Earth Hour event, which encourages individuals, communities and businesses worldwide to turn off non-essential lights for one hour on a specific day, which was held this year on the 24th of March.

Elite Mansion set to take place April 23 & 24

As part of its commitment to the local community, Sheraton Cairo performed a wide range of activities by shutting down the façade’s lighting, which is one of the hotel’s unique features, dimming the lights in all public places and replacing some of them with candles as a symbolic act of solidarity for the planet.

Elite Mansion, the exclusive home expo event for luxury home design, will be held in April in Cairo featuring furniture, interior, exterior designers and architects, home automation, entertainment, electricity, lighting and security technologies, high-end finishing and building materials as well as outdoor and landscape designers.

Guests received a small plant pot in their rooms along with a note to encourage them to switch off the lights during Earth Hour.

This is an excellent opportunity for visitors to find, design, finish, furnish and automate their dream home.

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InterContinental Hotels Group Citystars receives Egyptian Chamber of Human Resources Award For the second consecutive year, InterContinental Hotels Group Citystars has received the best employer award for the year 2018 by the Egyptian Chamber of Human Resources Management during the Chamber’s fourth annual Misr HRians conference.

Nasser Fadly, Area Director of Human Resources for InterContinental Hotels Group, Africa has been recognized as 2018 Human Resources leader, which is a prestigious HR excellence award based on voting.

The award has many nominees across all HR leaders in various companies and organizations. The voting and judging panel consisted of top HR directors from a diverse collection of organizations representing a range of sectors with years of executive experience.

JW Marriott Cairo receives Energy Efficieny Award In a ceremony held by the American Chamber of Commerce, the Ministry of Electricity and the UNDP awarded JW Marriott Cairo with the “Energy Efficiency Award” in light of acknowledging the entities for energy efficiency and renewable energy.

The award was granted to Mr. Magdy Naguib, Multi-Property General Manager of JW Marriott and Renaissance Cairo Mirage City Hotels, who expressed his utmost contentment and appreciation for winning such a prestigious award.

He is also proud of the hotel and its associates as they strive to always provide world-class services while following energy efficiency procedures while exceeding guest comfort and satisfaction.

Nancy Emad Vernissage at Semiramis InterContinental Cairo As part of the hotel’s commitment to promoting the arts as well as Egyptian culture and heritage, the Semiramis InterContinental Cairo hosted a vernissage displaying the artworks of young Egyptian artist, Nancy Emad.

The exhibition featured paintings depicting colourful expressionistic creations inspired by mythology and mysticism and was inaugurated by Sameh Sobhy, General Manager of Semiramis InterContinental Cairo, along with the artist herself.

The event was held at the lobby of the Semiramis InterContinental Cairo and guests were able to walk through the exhibition while enjoying the artists’ description of her work.

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TOWNTALK

Celebrate Sham El Nessim at Hilton Zamalek Enjoy a flavorful Sham El Nessim brunch in a festive buffet spread, while interacting and singing with duet singers and the DJ. You can also spoil your family by booking one of the luxurious suites up to four persons, or just pick one of the comfort rooms including a breakfast buffet.

For reservations please call +202 27370055

Celebrate Sham El Nessim at Renaissance Cairo Mirage City Hotel Renaissance Cairo Mirage City Hotel is an ideal getaway to unwind during Easter and Sham El Nessim. A special Easterthemed international Sunday lunch buffet will be offered at Citron. Guests will enjoy a live band complemented by creative activities for younger guests at Sol Pool Bar. Celebrate the holiday with colourful and delicious Easter treats from En Passant. Alternatively, take home one of En Passant’s beautifully crafted Easter cakes, created by a talented cake artist.

If you are looking for a vibrant nightlife experience, head to Vintage Bar & Lounge and enjoy a fabulous party with a belly dancer and live entertainment.

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Sham El Nessim by the Nile at Semiramis InterContinental Cairo This Sham El Nessim, relax, unwind and indulge in scrumptious food at the Semiramis InterContinental Cairo. Enjoy the fresh air and live entertainment at the Palm Garden. If you prefer indoors, Night & Day is located on the lobby level.

Starting 12 pm, enjoy a special Sham El Nessim brunch and sing along to Onsy & Natalie’s epic tunes while your children enjoy an array of activities including a puppet show, a magic show, egg colouring and everything in between.

Why not relax the day before and start your day with a healthy breakfast before brunch? Enjoy a special Sham El Nessim package that includes a delicious breakfast followed by a mouthwatering brunch.

For inquiries and reservations please call 02 27988188

InterContinental, Holiday Inn and Staybridge Suites Cairo Citystars Easter Activities These hotels are in tune with the festive spirit that brings families, friends and colleagues together for the celebrations, during which children create coloured eggs and hunt for chocolate bunnies.

From noon until 5 pm, Al Khal, Pool Bar and The Lounge will feature live music, a belly dancer, a special Sham El Nessim buffet with traditional delicacies, plus a children’s buffet at InterContinental Citystars.

Fayruz will be a children’s venue, where they can enjoy their exclusive kids’ buffet, followed by an afternoon of fun and games with face painting as well.

At Holiday Inn Cairo Citystars, the celebrations continue with authentic treats spicing up the sumptuous buffet spread at Windows from 12:30 pm until 11 pm.

Sham El Nessim Specials at JW Marriott Cairo Grab your kids and head over to The Beach, Cairo’s dynamic water park, with sandy shores and a wave pool, featuring a beach side buffet, a barbeque cooking station and a selection of traditional Egyptian favorites.

Younger guests will be provided with fun activities at the Kids Club. For guests that are looking to relax and unwind, head to the outdoor pool or enjoy ultimate tranquility at the award winning Mandara Spa.

In addition, the Pool Garden is the place to be when you are bringing the “young ones” for a fun-filled day. From noon until 6 pm, there is a BBQ buffet with a DJ and kids’ games.

Delight your taste buds with the unique and diverse breakfast or lunch set menus on the breathtaking lake at Plateau.

Alternatively, choose to enjoy the Easter Sunday lunch celebration with festive food offerings, in a wonderful Easter inspired buffet at Mirage Café.

Staybridge Suites sees plenty of fun for kids starting after breakfast and includes painting, play dough and drawing with an Easter theme, among other activities.

Starting March 25 to April 9, find an entire collection of your favorite Easter treats, such as chocolate eggs, bunnies and colored Easter eggs as La Patisserie.

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CULTURE Art

PHOTO BY EMAD ABD EL HADY

ARTIST AMERICO LOZANO CONVEYS THE BEAUTY OF EGYPT

By Dr. Peter Duckett

While Americo Lozano most assuredly lives in the 21st Century, his art reminds us to retain all that represents the very best of Egypt.

PHOTO BY EMAD ABD EL HADY

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PHOTO BY KARINA PAVA

PHOTO BY EMAD ABD EL HADY

PHOTO BY EMAD ABD EL HADY

Lozano will be presenting his inspirational pieces at an exhibition organized by the Mexican Embassy in Cairo, which will be held on the 11th of April at the gardens of the ambassador’s residence. !e subjects of Lozano’s paintings focus on village life in close-knit communities where simple pleasures abound. !e narratives depict everything from villagers meandering with livestock, men smoking shisha in a kahwa, vendors selling vegetables in a souq, solitary individuals walking down a cool alleyway sheltered from the brutal sun, villagers furtively eyeing others enviously or lustfully, or laborers simply resting on a dikka in the shade.

River life is portrayed in an array of ways that convey the fluvial rhythms of a day, whether in feluccas with sun bleached sails billowing on a blustery day or boats returning to the river banks as a flaming sun sets in the west. If you have witnessed these transformative moments, you can feel them instantaneously brought to life again.

PHOTO BY EMAD ABD EL HADY

Sunflowers, lilies, and pomegranates are present in their richest bountiful forms, reminding us of the country’s restorative beauty, abundant agricultural heritage and the lasting significance of every speck of soil and drop of water that nurtures life along the Nile.

Egypt’s majestic architectural history appears in all of its glory and forms, ranging from the iconic and powerful Pyramids to summoning minarets, embracing domes, harmonious mosque interiors, modest village homes and intimate secluded alleys.

Each evokes a feeling of the familiarity of Egypt as a community.

Lozano works in a medium that he values greatly for the potential transcendent power that it holds. He works with oil paints, mixing pigment and oils in thin successive layers until the images gain depth, which would be impossible to achieve with other mediums. He also values the idea of taking time to create, to ponder, to experiment, to think backward and build forward, and to be disciplined.

He works with traditional tools ranging from fingertips, to brushes, to cloths, to paper, to straight edges and to needles. He takes time to consider which tool or combination of tools will result in the desired effect. Together, all of these aspects of Lozano’s work reveal that he cherishes the very best of Egypt; that which is represented by nature and life in villages, fields and on the Nile.

Lozano is one of Egypt’s greatest preservationists. !rough his every work, he preserves the best that this country has to offer and reminds us of its enduring value.

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CULTURE Books

Top Timeless Romance Novels For decades, romance novelists have been creating stories that know no age, and that have made a name for themselves in the midst of all the best sellers we have today. Whether weaving in historical events or comedy side plots, the books we mention below have a special place on our shelves.

Pride and Prejudice

By Jane Austen

Memoirs of a Geisha

By Arthur Golden

Beautiful Disaster

By Jamie McGuire

!is novel tells the story of an independent Elizabeth Bennett, one of five sisters who must marry rich, as she confounds the arrogant, wealthy Mr. Darcy. What ensues is one of the most delightful and engrossingly readable courtships known to literature, written by a precocious Austen when she was just 21 years old.

A literary sensation, this novel presents the true confessions of one of Japan's most celebrated geisha.

Abby Abernathy is a good girl and believes she has enough distance from the darkness of her past, but when she arrives at college with her best friend, her path to a new beginning is quickly challenged by Travis Maddox.

Humorous and profound, this witty comedy of manners dips and turns through plots to reach a satisfying finale.

In Memoirs of a Geisha, we enter a world where appearances are paramount; where a girl's virginity is auctioned to the highest bidder; where women are trained to beguile the most powerful men; and where love is scorned as illusion. It is a unique and triumphant work of fiction - at once romantic, erotic, suspenseful - and completely unforgettable.

Lean, cut and covered in tattoos, Travis is exactly what Abby needs — and wants — to avoid.. Intrigued by Abby’s resistance to his appeal, Travis tricks her into his daily life with a simple bet: if he loses, he must remain abstinent for a month, but if Abby loses, she must live in Travis’ apartment.

The Thorn Birds

By Colleen McCullough Powered by the dreams and struggles of three generations, “!e !orn Birds” is the epic saga of a family rooted in Australia. !e story revolves around Meggie Cleary, who can never possess the man she desperately adores, and Ralph de Bricassart, who rises from parish priest to the inner circles of the Vatican, but whose passion for Meggie will follow him all the days of his life.

Outlander

By Diana Gabaldon In 1945, Claire Randall, a former combat nurse, is back from the war and reunited with her husband on a second honeymoon when she walks through a standing stone in one of the ancient circles that dot the British Isles. Suddenly she is a Sassenach — an “outlander” — in a Scotland torn by war in 1743.

Hurled back in time by forces she can’t understand, Claire is catapulted into the intrigues of lairds and spies that may threaten her life, and shatter her heart. For here, James Fraser, a gallant young Scots warrior, shows her a love so absolute that Claire becomes a woman torn between fidelity and desire — and between two vastly different men in two irreconcilable lives.

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CULTURE Events

EVENTS NOT TO BE MISSED

LA BAYADÈRE BALLET

Cairo Opera House – Main Hall 2 to 4 May

OPERA AIDA

Cairo Opera House – Main Hall 17 to 20 April !e famous Opera Aida, a four-act performance by Giuseppe Verdi about love and war that was set in Egypt, will be performed by the Cairo Opera Company, Orchestra, Ballet and Choir at the Opera House.

Time: 8 pm

La Bayadère is a four-act ballet by French choreographer Marius Petipa and was first performed in 1877 in Russia to the music of Ludwig Minkus. !is piece, which tells the story of the love between an Indian temple dancer and a warrior, will be presented by the Cairo Opera Ballet Company and Orchestra.

LIVE FROM THE METROPOLITAN OPERA – CENDRILLON

Cairo Opera House – Small Hall 28 April “Cendrillon” is a four-act opera by Jules Massenet to a French libretto that was first performed in 1899 in Paris. !e piece is based on the 1698 version of the fairytale “Cinderella”.

Time: 7 pm

Time: 8 pm

ART EXHIBITIONS LIVE FROM THE METROPOLITAN OPERA – LUISA MILLER Cairo Opera House – Small Hall 14 April

!is three-act opera by Giuseppe Verdi to an Italian libretto was first performed in 1849 in Naples, and is based on the play by a German dramatist called “Intrigue and Love”. !e opera is a tragedy that tells the story of a bond between a father and his daughter, and how they fight the hostility of the world.

Time: 6:30 pm

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Zamalek Art Gallery 1 to 23 April

"Macrophobia" by artist Kamal El Fiky - Sculptures Venue I "!e Road" by Adel Moustafa – Paintings Venue II 11 Brazil Street, Zamalek

Daily from 10:30 am until 9:00pm except Fridays

MAHMOUD EL ESSEILY’S AND ABU’S EASTER CONCERT La Jolie Marina El Sokhna 9 April

To celebrate Easter and the great weather, singers Mahmoud El Esseily and Abu are coming together for the first time to perform their hit music at the beach destination Ein El Sokhna.

Tickets available at Ticketsmarche

CINEMANIA YEHIA KHALIL CONCERT

Cairo Opera House – Small Hall 12 April Yehia Khalil is one of the most respected and talked about drummers, bandleaders, creative producers and jazz musicians who is a phenomenon in the music scene today.

Time: 8 pm Alexandria Opera House – Small Hall 13 April

The Marquee Cairo Festival City Mall 13 April !e event presents Hollywood’s most iconic soundtracks, making us reminisce on major cinema and music milestones, which will be performed by the talented Hana Ghoneim, Hany Mustafa, Karim Saad, Maged Mekkawy, Nada Ayoub, Nesma Mahgoub, Shady Ahmed and Sukanya Ghosh.

Tickets available at Ticketsmarche

POP THE BUBBLE -

Student Photography Projects from the Department of Journalism & Mass Communication AUC New Campus 22 April to 15 May !is exhibition brings together selected works by current and past students from the Journalism and Mass Communication Department who have made remarkable photography projects.

Each student has been drawn into the compulsion to make images either as a street encounter or the studio portrait. !e camera can be a passport to experience hidden places or the realization of the self-image in the staged image. !rough the camera lens, the viewer is invited to enter into this visual interplay between maker and subject. !e opening reception will be on the 22nd of April at 1 pm.

RED BULL MUSIC FEL SHARE3 OMAR KHAIRAT CONCERT

Cairo Festival City Mall – City Center Alexandria 27 April

Legendary soloist Omar Khairat will entertain the crowd with his piano masterpieces.

One of Egypt’s most popular street music festival returns, presenting its audience with the performances of nine local artists.

Time: 8 pm

Tickets available at Ticketsmarche

Cairo Opera House – Main Hall 24 and 25 April

Participating photographers are: Maryam ElBayady, Nadine Fayed, Hana Gamal, Mariam Ismail, Kanzy Mahmoud and Engy Moheb. !e Photographic Gallery (Abdul Latif Jameel Hall, Plaza Level)

Gallery hours are Sunday through !ursday, 10 am to 5 pm

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CULTURE Films

A QUIET PLACE Release Date: 5 April Genre: Drama, !riller Director: John Krasinski Cast: John Krasinski, Emily Blunt, Millicent Simmonds Synopsis: A family of four must navigate their lives in silence after mysterious creatures that hunt by sound threaten their survival. If they hear you, they hunt you.

I KILL GIANTS Release Date: 5 April Genre: Fantasy, !riller Director: Anders Walter Cast: Zoe Saldana, Madison Wolfe, Imogen Poots Synopsis: Young Barbara escapes the realities of life by retreating into a fantasy world to fight evil giants. With some help from a new friend and a school counselor, Barbara soon learns to face her fears and battle the giants that are a threat to her.

RAMPAGE (3D) Release Date: 18 April Genre: Fantasy, Science Fiction Director: Brad Peyton Cast: Dwayne Johnson, Joe Manganiello, Naemie Harris Synopsis: Primatologist Davis Okoye shares an unshakable bond with George, an extraordinarily intelligent, silverback gorilla that has been in his care since birth. When a rogue genetic experiment goes wrong, it causes George, a wolf and a reptile to grow to a monstrous size. As the mutated beasts embark on a path of destruction, Okoye teams up with a discredited genetic engineer and the military to secure an antidote and prevent a global catastrophe.

LOOKING GLASS Release Date: 18 April Genre: !riller Director: Tim Hunter Cast: Nicholas Cage, Robin Tunney, Marc Blucas Synopsis: After losing their daughter to a tragic accident, shattered couple Ray and Maggie purchase a motel in the middle of nowhere in the hopes of starting a new life. However, Ray begins to notice strange activities, and starts to piece together the history of a bizarre murder associated with the motel.

Poking around in a basement, Ray discovers a crawl space, which leads to a two-way mirror into one of the rooms. As he becomes obsessed with the unusual activities that happen beyond the looking glass, his marriage, sanity and his very life are threatened.

AVENGERS: INFINITY WAR (3D) Release Date: 25 April Genre: Fantasy, Science Fiction Directors: Anthony Russo, Joe Russo Cast: Robert Downey Jr., Chris Pratt, Chris Evans, Chris Hemsworth Synopsis: Iron Man, !or, the Hulk and the rest of the Avengers unite to battle their most powerful enemy yet - the evil !anos. On a mission to collect all six Infinity Stones, !anos plans to use the artifacts to inflict his twisted will on reality. !e fate of the planet and existence itself has never been more uncertain as everything the Avengers have fought for has led up to this moment.

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I FEEL PRETTY Release Date: 25 April Genre: Comedy Directors: Marc Silverstein, Abby Kohn Cast: Amy Schumer, Emily Ratajkowski, Michelle Williams Synopsis: An ordinary woman who struggles with feelings of insecurity and inadequacy on a daily basis wakes from a fall believing she is suddenly the most beautiful and capable woman on the planet. With this newfound confidence, she is empowered to live her life fearlessly and flawlessly, but what will happen when she realizes her appearance never changed?

CULTURE Stage

SALEM NAFSAK:

A PLAY WITH A MESSAGE OF HOPE Written by Soha Khater Photos Courtesy of !e Artistic Creativity Center

U

nder the auspices of the Cultural Development Fund (CDF), !e Artistic Creativity Center at the Cairo Opera House presented “Salem Nafsak” – a theatrical performance showcasing the current social challenges facing the Egyptian community in a dramatic, musical, comical and sarcastic setting, whilst conveying a message of hope.

!e play is directed by Dr. Khaled Galal, Chairman of the center’s Central Administration and Head of the Cultural Production Center at the Egyptian Ministry of Culture, as well as Ola Fahmy. !e performance has been running for more than 100 days so far due to its continuous success. It was attended by a number of significant figures, while on March 5, the performers along with Dr. Khaled Galal hosted a distinctive performance that was attended by His Excellency President Abdel Fattah El Sisi, His Excellency Saudi Crown Prince Mohamed Bin Salman and the Minister of Culture, Dr. Inas Abdel Dayem.

The Artistic Creativity Center !e Artistic Creativity Center was inaugurated in 2002, while the “Studio” was formed in 2003 as a learning center that supports amateurs and provides them with all the necessary training under the guidance of specialized experts in different fields that vary between acting, music, directing and theatre management, aiming to develop a fully certified artist.

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!e studio has successfully graduated three certified groups of actors and singers, whom are not only gifted, but are fully equipped with the professional experience, allowing them to explore the artistic community field and embark on a bright career path, according to Dr. Khaled. !e studio receives thousands of applications, which are all subject to a rigorous screening process, and potential candidates attend interviews and practical exams conducted by professionals. Only exceptional candidates are selected as finalists to begin their two years of intense training.

Amateurs “Salem Nafsak” is the product of the third group of young amateurs, who completed a series of workshops at the center. !e play is performed by a group of 27 amateurs, who were selected given their exceptional talent in various artistic aspects. !e amateurs are from diverse educational and professional backgrounds. !ey have all known about the studio whether through their network of friends, attending one of the previous shows, or by mere coincidence.

Most of them have decided to drastically change their career path and attend the studio to take a professional and certified step. !ere is a lively team spirit amongst all of them, which is very enriching and raises their sense of belongingness and enthusiasm.

“Salem Nafsak” !is non-stop two-hour performance is a mélange of very enriching scenes that captivate the interest of the audience, sarcastically denoting the social changes and challenges currently affecting the Egyptian community, whilst sending an alerting message for the need to overcome these challenges in order to preserve the Egyptian identity and sense of belongingness to the community. !e performers are dressed by fashion stylist Marwa Ouda, one of the earlier graduates of the studio. !e premier scene kicks off with a state of emergency in a highly advanced city due to the existence of a strange creature that is loaded with viruses and will harmfully affect the beloved area. !ey should immediately get rid of this dangerous creature, however, the head of the scientists’ team, who is responsible for protecting the city, is against the idea and has positive hopes that a better future is awaiting. She was given a

limited period of time to conduct the research needed on this creature, and identify what destructive ideas it has in mind.

All the ideas were presented in separate comic and sarcastic scenes showcasing the challenges facing the community, which range from sexual harassment, terrorism, illiteracy, parents rebellion, unmarried women’s status, member trading, excessive use of social media and its negative effects on family relations, lack of magnanimity, thefts, in addition to a scene envisioning a corrupt future in case that the creature remained in their city. !e final scene presents the last resort, where the head of the scientists sacrificed her life to save humanity, emphasizing that nothing is impossible and there is always hope - even if it is minimal - to preserve the Egyptian land, identity and culture regardless of all negativities. !e show takes you into various stages of sorrow and grief – but with an emerging state of hope – all amalgamated with laughs and tears.

To follow their news, updates and upcoming schedule - check the Cultural Development Fund’s website: www.cdf.gov.eg

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SPECIAL FEATURE

Bridal Headdresses

Throughout History Bridal EssEntials

By Noha Kandil

Virginia Graham, the iconic American sixties TV host once said, "A woman is not really dressed unless she is wearing a hat." She was referring to our daily attire, so you can only imagine how essential it is to choose the right headdress for your bridal look.

We believe that the key to understanding the present, and developing more accurate assumptions about the future, is knowing something’s past. !at is why we dug deeper into the history of wedding headdresses over the years, hoping it would inspire brides-to-be, in addition to giving them an in-depth idea about how veils/headpieces became an indispensible part of any bridal look.

Origin of Various Bridal Headdresses Bridal Veil: !ere are many stories surrounding the classical bridal veil. During the ancient Roman times, the bride had to wear a heavy-material red veil called “Flammeum” to keep the evil spirits away from her. Later on, when arranged marriages became common, brides wore veils to prevent the grooms from seeing their faces, and avoid the possibility of them backing out of the marriage. Moreover, the bridal veil was often worn as a reflection of the bride's social status, and its length and material would vary based on how wealthy or royal the bride was.

Bridal Crown: According to sources, the bridal Back then, the most common crown was that made of Verbena, which is a flowery plant found in various colors like white, pink and blue.

Each bride would choose her own mix of Verbena for her crown.

During the Victorian age, and following Queen Victoria's footsteps, brides became more open to choosing whichever flower that reflected their personalities. For instance, if you want to show how much of an optimistic and vibrant person you are, then you should go with Daisies; if creativity is your favorite personal attribute, you should go with Iris, and so on.

The Evolution of Headdresses in the 20th Century

Bridal Tiara: A tiara is typically a half-crown as it crown does not fully circle the head. !e history of tiaras dates back to the ancient Greek and Roman eras, when it was a symbol for honoring Gods and was only associated with high status and royalty. However, it was not until the beginning of the 19th Century, specifically in Europe, that brides started wearing it as a statement piece with more emphasis on the design, with crystals and pearls commonly used as ornaments.

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!e Edwardian era witnessed the most elaborate headdress of the century, with the iconic “Merry Widow Hat” taking over the fashion scene. Women took the hat as a staple for their daily life as well as in their weddings. Brides commonly wore cartwheel hats and decorated them with feathers and flowers.

1910S: !e rise of a flowery elaborate headdress continued throughout the 1910s. Brides then commonly wore wide sailor hats ornamented with their own selection of flowers. For more formal weddings, the brides opted for long veils attached to the head by a bandeau (headband) made of lace or tulle.

1920S: !is is the flapper rebellious era.

Some brides wore beaded head caps or lace cloche hats, covering the signature bob haircut. Others wanted to show off their finger curls with a bandeau ornamented with crystals, pearls and feathers attached to it. Also, the use of flowers as ornaments continued throughout the twenties, during which the bride would wear a flowery brow band with a long lace veil attached to it.

1950S: !e fifties took us back to the simple up-dos leaving the volume-filled rolls behind, and the attention was back on the bridal headdress instead of the hairdo.

Birdcage veils were the statement bridal headdresses for this period of time, in addition to the skullcap veils.

1930S: !e elaborate bridal headdress did not continue during the 1930's due to the shortage in fabric after World War I. During this era, many brides opted for simplicity with a short sheer veil with few pearls sewed to it. Other brides would wear a classy pin or a bridal comb to give their signature lobs an edge.

1960S: !e hippie sixties brought back the flower headdress to the bridal fashion scene. Bridal flower crowns were big back then; even without crowns, some brides would go with a braided up-do and tuck flowers into it. Veils were still an option of course, where the most common look was the bouffant short veil attached to a pillbox hat.

1970S:

1940S: !e forties witnessed an elevation in bridal hairdos. !e finger curls were transformed to elongated victory rolls; volume was very in during this time. Another thing that made the decade special was that there were two types of weddings: what was known as the wartime wedding and the traditional white wedding.

Because of the occurrence of World War II, brides did not have the time or the resources to dress up, so they would typically wear a suit with a tiny fedora hat. !e more fortunate brides got to experience the traditional white wedding with all its glamour, and during this period, brides tended to show off their roll ups and attached a long lace veil to the backside of their hair.

Brides opted for a more naturaltexture hairdo during the seventies. !ere wasn't really a new headpiece trend that was introduced during this period, and brides’ headdresses varied from flowery crowns to short lace veils, similar to the styles of the prior years.

1980S AND 1990S: !ese decades mark the introduction of the classic wedding looks that we now know. !e long veils were back, and brides' preferences were greatly influenced by the television pop culture.

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FEATURE FEATURE SPECIAL

Bridal EssEntials

Now iN Egypt Now, 18 years into the 21st Century, there isn't really a rule or a staple that brides follow. Even though the traditional semilong veil that is pinned on the hair with a tiara is the most common look, brides are becoming more open to taking risks and deviate from the norm. Vintage is becoming the new trend, and fortunately, brides are left with decades filled with trends to pick from. Others could easily set their own trends nowadays, especially with the number of local designers on the rise, allowing brides to turn their visions into reality.

A perfect example for that is the new “Wa Hekaya� headwear brand, founded by the Egyptian fashion blogger/ influencer Farah Emara. Wa Hekaya offers ready-made headpieces, and allows brides to customize their own as well, helping them to write their own story.

Wa Hekaya found that tricky balance between the past and the present, where its designs serve as an ideal representation for brides' preferences these days. It shows how brides draw inspiration from last century's trends, while boldly adding their own individual touch to it. Such promising brands leave us hopeful about what we will be leaving behind to the 22nd Century brides.

Photos Credits: www.Businessinsider.com www.Fashion-era.com www.Prettycleverfilms.com www.Bridalguide.com www.weddingideasmag.com

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Bridal EssEntials

SPECIAL FEATURE

Before the Vows:

The Bridal Genie

By Noha Kandil

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By Yossra Goueli

T

he wedding season has arrived and along with it, comes every bride's dream for the perfect day. For that to happen, many local businesses compete to deliver a fairytale wedding, among them is “Before !e Vows” - an all-round service offering customized bridal and bridesmaids' products.

In addition to the distinctive name, “Before the Vows” stands out in terms of the variety of products it customizes, whether you are looking for an elegant Katb Kitab handkerchief or unique bath slippers. In this interview, we will learn more about the wedding startup.

Tell us about your background We are three partners - Yasmine, a GUC graduate with a bachelor's degree in Business Informatics, Neemat, an AUC graduate with a specialization in Political Science, and Nesma, who also studied at AUC but with a degree in Marketing.

Even though none of us studied anything related to the wedding industry, it was a passion the three of us shared as best friends, so it only made sense to start a small venture in this field.

What is the story behind "Before the Vows"? How did it all start?

It started when we planned our weddings and the weddings of our friends. We would struggle to buy bachelorette accessories or find things that resembled our favorite Pinterest boards, and so, we started our hunt for suppliers to make a business out of it. After all, making someone’s dream come true is the ideal occupation.

What is the range of We have a wide range of products and we always like a new challenge. For now, we have bachelorette accessories such as caps, tiaras, skirts, t-shirts, signs and customized beach towels, to name a few. We also have gifts for the bride and the bridesmaids, such as satin robes, slippers, bathrobes and t-shirts, as well as customized makeup bags, hangers and pillowcases.

Finally, we have alternative guest-books that are designed based on the bride’s preference and the wedding theme. Our two best sellers are the bridal set (satin robe + bridal slipper) and the Katb Kitab handkerchiefs.

How do you ensure the highest quality and timely delivery when you deal with various third parties to create the customized orders?

We do not like to rush orders because we must take our time in quality control.

Also, all of our products are sent to be dry-cleaned and ironed before delivery.

We also go through trials and errors before we launch most of our products, and so we have tested many suppliers.

We do not opt for the cheaper supplier as much as we opt for the best quality.

Do you give recommendations to customers based on what you think might work best, or do you just take their requests?

It is our job to give recommendations based on our experience. After all, we have seen a lot and it would be unfair to a bride if we do not relay our thoughts.

For instance, if a bride wants to change the color of the embroidery on a Katb Kitab handkerchief to a darker color, we tell her that it will look odd and that it would take away from the elegance of the handkerchief. For the wedding favors and guest-books, we always match them with the theme and the personalities of the bride and groom after a long conversation with them.

Have you ever faced a "Bridezilla"? Can you tell us more about the most memorable one?

Yes, we have faced some, but we love all our brides and we totally understand that the preparations can get out of control.

We remember a specific incident when a bride ordered something and kept making alterations to the design for days, and so when she sent additional comments, we told her that we will work on it and send her the final design the

next day. She snapped and then started accusing us of not caring about her order and threatened to cancel. We tried to explain that the designers were busy with other orders that are due sooner, and she asked to cancel her order. !irty minutes later, she sent us this long apology message explaining that she is very stressed and that she understands, asking us to go ahead with the design as is with no further alterations.

We really understand that planning a wedding is not a simple task and it can get overwhelming, and so we always try to contain their stress.

What is the most memorable order you have received?

We consider each order to be unique in its own way and we always love a new challenge. If a bride wants something new that we have never done before, we do our best to make it happen.

It is no secret that you face many competitors in the wedding industry. What makes you stand out? !is market is huge and can definitely accommodate more than a few players.

It is good for the bride to have options, but although we might not be the cheapest option most of the times, our quality is unquestionable.

Also, we focus solely on weddings, and so we do not offer services for birthdays, corporate events, baby showers or anything else.

Is wedding/event planning a thing that you might do in the future? If not, can you share the newest project you are working on?

We are more product-centric, where our aim is to always come up with new ideas and collections for our brides to enjoy.

Summer is coming up soon, so stay tuned for our beach bachelorette collection!

Check out their products and services by visiting their social media pages: Facebook: beforethevowseg Instagram: before.thevows

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SPECIAL FEATURE

Wedding Dress Trends of 2018

Bridal EssEntials

By Laila Yasser

!roughout the years, we have witnessed the evolution of wedding gowns all over the world, going from the plainest styles to the Victorian era, reaching the symbolized white gown that we are all accustomed to. !is year, we are all in for a shock with the latest styles showcased during the Bridal Fashion Week. Many designers were highly remarked and distinguished with their notable, eye-catchy dresses. !ey managed to pave a way for new striking ideas that will change your view on dresses for quite a while, and we have it all covered for you.

NAEEM KHAN !is spring is all about simplicity but with a little edge of modernity and ostentatious designs. Regarding the fact that the wedding season will be knocking on our doors soon, we have decided to give you a little insight on the latest trends that have defied the norm. If you are yet to purchase your wedding gown and you don’t have any ideas in mind, then you came to the right place.

NAEEM KHAN

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ELIE SAAB

NAEEM KHAN

Different Color Shades: We have been adapting the white wedding gowns since queen Victoria wore it in 1840 to her own wedding. Since then, it became the traditional attire for this occasion, with its signification of purity. However, this year, some designers opted for different shades like pink, nude and even black!

So if you are up for some change, all you have to do is embrace one of these soothing colors just like Naeem Khan, Lazaro and Elie Saab did with their designs.

Capes: It may sound a little bit weird, since capes are usually reserved for superheroes and royals, but that is exactly the look designers were aiming for. !ey are breaking the tradition of wearing veils and replacing it with a cape instead. It can be long, mid or mini. All that matters is that it gives the dress a royal and aristocratic touch.

JUSTIN ALEXANDER

ZUHAIR MURAD

!is magnificent piece of work was seen as part of the Elie Saab, Zuhair Murad and Justin Alexander collections.

Detached Sleeves and Off-theShoulder: In 2017, we were all familiar with the offshoulder style, adopting it in all our clothes, whether they were dresses or shirts. During the Bridal Fashion Week, they submerged once again to dominate and run the show. Not only that, but they evolved to create a new vogue called detached sleeves, which are simple strapless dresses with bouffant or lacy sleeves to wear separately to give you the illusion of an offshoulder dress.

OLEG CASSINI

MARK ZUNINO

IDAN COHEN

Bows and Pearls:

The Gown’s Length:

For a mesmerizing, glamorous and alluring dress, we advise you to embroider it with little pearls just like Princess Diana did for her wedding.

It is also one of the tradition breaking trends! We have always been familiar with the long gowns and the enormous volume of the skirt. Nowadays? !ey have moved to mid length gowns associated with white fish nets, as well as adapted miniskirts and even shorts!

INBAL DROR

From now on you can work freely on the length of your dress. Whether it is long, short or mid, all of them are accepted and nobody would talk about it since it is the latest trend after all.

Catchy, isn’t it? It is one of the trendiest styles adapted by most designers like Mark Zunino, Oleg Cassini and the famous Elie Saab.

You can also adorn it with little bows on the sleeves or large ones on your waist.

Either way, it will make your gown captivating and eye-catchy.

NAEEM KHAN

VIKTOR AND ROLF

Dress Pants and Jumpsuits: We finally arrive to our last category, which would please many women. We are introducing you to the dress pants, meaning you no longer have to feel obligated to wear a dress! You can waltz into the aisle wearing dress pants or a jumpsuit just like your husband without any shame!

SACHIN AND BABI

MONIQUE LHUILLIER

So to all of you women who hate dresses, this is the perfect option for you that will assure your elegancy and your comfort, just like Monique Lhuillier and Francesca Miranda assured it in their collections.

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SPECIAL FEATURE

Bridal EssEntials

How to PrePare your Skin for your wedding

W

hen it comes to the big day, we all want everything to be perfect, especially when it comes to how we look. It is not just about making facial and nail appointments right before the day, it is also about how you treat your skin months in advance. We have put together a few tips on how to keep your skin healthy for the event.

Start aS Early aS poSSiblE !e sooner you start addressing the changes you need to make, the better. As soon as you set the date, take an appointment with a dermatologist to help pinpoint your skin type as well as what products will positively affect it and what products you should avoid.

Also, a dermatologist can help prescribe medication or vitamins for certain skin conditions, whether acne or uneven pigmentation.

Stress can also reflect on your skin, and so preparing in advance will lessen the chance of breakouts.

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Eat SupEr FoodS and drink plEnty oF WatEr Regardless of your skin type – whether oily, dry or combination – hydrating it with enough water and minerals will only benefit it.

Naturally hydrating food like cucumbers, watermelons and tomatoes are a great source as well.

Salt ScrubS for Dry ElbowS anD KnEES Sodium bicarbonate helps break down any dry and rough areas on your skin, helping it absorb any moisture properly.

At least once a week, take some time out of your routine to prepare a bath for yourself, buying beforehand bath salts that contain sodium bicarbonate.

If these areas are especially dry, ask for a glycolic peel during your next facial.

It is no secret that different skin types need different treatments.

When you find out your type, search for the appropriate moisturizer that caters to your needs.

For example, if your skin is oily, then avoid a product with excess moisture, but which still maintains hydration, like ones that contain hyaluronic or ferulic acid. Search for these same ingredients if your skin is dry. For skin that breaks out, look for a product that is noncomedogenic, or if it is sensitive, stay away from heavily fragranced ones.

Yes, although SPF’s are known to be included in body moisturizers, you can find lip balms with an SPF that will help protect your lips from getting chapped. Start this several months in advance, as healing dry and chapped lips takes a lot longer and is a lot more difficult than avoiding them in the first place. !is SPF lip balm will keep your lips hydrated when you are exposed to sun, wind and even cold weather.

Eating the wrong foods and over exercising can have very negative effects on your face and body very close to the important day. Salty food and carbohydrates, along with too many hours in training, can retain water and can result in a puffy face and eyes.

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BRIDAL ESSENTIALS

SPECIAL FEATURE

HONEYMOON

DESTINATIONS IN EGYPT Although most people strive to spend their honeymoons abroad; enjoying the clear waters of the Maldives, exploring !ailand or celebrating in Greece, many of them do not realize that we have many of these qualities - whether the blue sea, the history or the nightlife - right here in Egypt. !e below places are bound to make for great memories.

By Rawan Abdel Latif

RAS SUDR

For anyone who is looking for the ultimate relaxation spot by the beach, with serene views accompanied by water sports and nighttime activities, Ras Sudr can definitely be the place for you.

Ras Sudr presents this perfect balance, where in the mornings, you can spend your time relaxing by the sea and swimming, or if you are feeling more adventurous, start taking a kitesurfing course, a sport very common to the area.

At night, you can have a nice, simple dinner and spend some time lounging at the bungalows, enjoying the quietness of the night. !e only downfall can be the seasonal tides that sometimes make it hard for you to swim.

Best time to visit: May to September.

EL GOUNA

For a more “European� experience, many people would highly recommend El Gouna, especially if you are more into keeping busy with endless activities.

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When the sun is up, you can enjoy the morning by the beach, whether at Moods Beach Club where you can order some drinks or shisha before taking a swim, or Sliders Beach Club, with its large variety of water sports, cuisines, waterside bar and a sun deck, among several others. You can also rent a yacht and head into the deep waters, sunbathing, swimming and enjoying some quality time together.

For a more unique experience, you can visit Habiba Horse, a stable that takes you on day trips, where you get to try swimming on the back of a horse. !is will definitely have a place in your memory books.

As the sun starts to set, you can either fuel your adrenaline by taking a few rounds in the go carting track, or head to one of the endless dining choices in El Gouna. Whether you are looking for a casual place to have a burger and a cup of tea or coffee, or looking for that fine dining spot with a view, you will definitely never run out of options.

If you are into music and dancing, El Gouna is also known for its vibrant nightlife.

Best time to visit: It is an all-year round destination, but if you want to swim, then the best time is between March and October.

SIWA

Although it is exceptionally far from the capital, rounding off to an eight-hour drive, it is definitely worth the time for those who enjoy the outdoor life.

Not only is it filled with historical monuments like the Mountain of the Dead, the Temple of the Oracle of Amun, the town of Shali and many others that house incredible stories, but it is also known for its salt lakes and natural hot springs.

In the daytime, you can explore the sites, learn more about the city at the museum, or go on an off-roading safari. !e Siwa desert is known as the Great Sand Sea, which is every adrenalinefilled off-roaders dream. As it was previously underwater, you can still find remaining fossils that prove the presence of marine life. You can also enjoy several of the natural springs, like “Beer One”, that you will find in the middle of the desert. Shopping in the markets is also a great pastime, where there are plenty of souvenirs to choose from.

At night, you can head to several of the hot spring camps, where you can relax in the therapeutically warm water, or visit one of the famous camps to try a delicious Bedouin dinner while sitting by a campfire. Siwa is perfect for those who want to leave the noisy city life behind and enjoy the serenity it offers.

What you have to be careful about though is the heat. It is best to stay away from the city during the hot months.

Best time to visit: November to February.

MARSA ALLAM

Although it is also an eight-hour drive, Marsa Allam is a great reflection of Egypt’s diverse landscapes. Marsa Allam is famous for diving and for the Wadi El Gemal National Park, home to some of the most incredible marine and desert life.

Abu Dabab Bay is where you will find most of the luxury hotels, and you can also witness turtles, octopuses and rare fish while diving. If you are a beginner who has never tried the sport before, Marsa Allam is the perfect place to get your PADI license. Hankorab Beach is also known for its incredible location for divers, as it is home to the town’s beautiful coral reefs.

Another place you must visit is Qulaan, famous for the incredible, old Mangrove tree in the middle of the sea. It is a coastal gem that includes several small islands, all surrounded by crystal clear, perfectly blue water.

Best time to visit: It is an all-year round destination, but the best months for all the activities are March to May.

ASWAN

!is beautiful city emits a feeling that is impossible to explain. If both you and your spouse have never been there, then it will guarantee to be an experience that will stay with you forever.

Whether it is the beauty of the Nile there, the incredible greenery or the ancient history, there is something for everyone. Regarding accommodation, there are a variety of options to choose from depending on what you prefer. If you want to experience luxury, there is the Movenpick hotel that is on its own island, or the legendary Old Cataract.

If you want to witness first-hand the Aswan culture, you can stay at one of the Nubian houses like Kato Dool or Anakato. Although covering the basic of needs, its colorful exterior and warm staff will remind you of an Egypt that once was. It is also a plus that their food is very authentic and delicious. !ere are endless historical monuments that you can visit there, like the Philae Temple, the Mausoleum of the Aga Khan and Abu Simbel, which is several kilometers away, among many others.

One of the best aspects of Aswan is the fact that you can move around in a felucca, taking in the breathtaking scenes while listening to Mohamed Mounir. !e markets there are very welcoming, but make sure to bargain the prices down.

Best time to visit: November to February.

If you are more into basic living, then you can stay at an eco-lodge in Wadi El Gemal. !is valley is split into desert plains as well as marine spaces, and is home to a large variety of wildlife, from endangered species to gazelles, fish, turtles and camels. Landscapes are not the only thing it offers though. !e most famous historical site in the park is the Sakit Ruins, also known as the Romanian Temple or the Emerald Mountain.

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COMMUNITY Real People

SWIMMER WAFAA SABRY OVERCOMES DISABILITY

By Rana Kamaly

W

hile some people are defined by their disabilities, others fight and accomplish the impossible. Wafaa Sabry, a visually impaired swimmer at Gezira Sporting Club, is working to becoming the first blind water ballet participant in the Middle East and Africa.

Sabry is among the very few female professional blind swimmers in Egypt.

In many mixed competitions where she was the only female competitor, she came out first in two consecutive years (2016 and 2017) and is now a member of the National Blind team and the Stadium Team for Blind Swimmers.

!irty-one-year-old Sabry graduated from Alsun Institute, and can only see 30% with one eye wearing a thick pair of glasses, and that percentage is fading away with time. After losing most of her sight, she turned to sports as a way to better herself with the support of her father.

She is also a member of the Disabled Swimming Team, but only after negotiations because a blind swimmer would not be qualified in a team that were mostly mentally disabled. “After I won two competitions, things became easier for me at the club and they are now thinking about creating a team just for the blind,” she explains.

She started playing karate and gained a black belt, winning several medals.

However, after a serious injury, she could no longer practice. “I really loved karate and I was good at it and not being able to play anymore was very upsetting. !at’s when I decided to go to swimming,” she adds.

What motivated her more was that her nephew, who won an award for inventing the first crutches with a communication chip at the age of eight, is also on the disabled swimming team. “After I won the competition, I became a role model to him, and that pushed me to strive to be even better.”

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We talked with Sabry further to find out more about her experience and inspiration.

Why are there very few female blind swimmers?

Parents are afraid that their daughters may be prone to injuries, or even harassment. I live on my own, and I get by just fine. My independence and selfreliance came mostly after my parents passed away, but when they were around, they used to encourage me to play sports and excel.

How do you practice?

I train five times a week, practicing front crawl, breaststroke and water ballet, which is always the highlight of my day as I get to interact socially with others who are in similar situations.

Since I was a little girl, I enjoyed watching water ballet, and loved the music and the freedom that came with it. Back then, when I told my parents that I wanted to become a water ballet swimmer, they told

I never learned braille. I used to study only by listening and with the help of my parents

me I had to lose the extra weight to fit in. !en I lost my sight and thought that the dream was long gone, until recently when the water ballet coach in El Gezira reached out to me and asked if I wanted to join them.

How do you navigate the pool?

I memorize distances in the same pool that I have been using since I was a little girl, and so I know where the boundaries are. Of course the coaches also help by describing unfamiliar areas so I know what to expect. I also feel the walls so I know when to flip, or worst case scenario, I touch the wall then rotate. It is like swimming backstroke.

You did not go to a special needs school. How was your educational experience?

I never learned braille. I used to study only by listening and with the help of my parents. My dad did not want me to be in a special needs school so I do not feel isolated, but now that I am nearly fully blind, I can’t read anything.

What are some of the challenges you face?

Unfortunately very few care about the blind and people’s reactions towards us are sometimes harsh and stereotypical.

A big challenge for me is to look normal, but this usually results in people shouting at me for walking slowly or for not being able to read a sign. Of course this hurts a lot, as I hate being called stupid or be pushed around, and it is all because I don’t fit the usual stereotypical look of a blind person.

When people understand your condition, do they show appreciation for your success and independence? !e majority do not believe me when I say I live on my own, cook and do errands, let alone win medals. However, some people are very proud of my achievements and give me encouraging words.

What comes next?

My goal is to be part of a water ballet national team and compete as a synchronized swimmer even in single competitions, and hope to eventually compete internationally as well.

I wish for people to be more understanding towards my situation, and that the country would make things more accessible to us so we don’t constantly have to seek help.

I memorize distances in the same pool that I have been using since I was a little girl, and so I know where the boundaries are April 2018 | Ct

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Education

Al Basaysa: An Ideal Model of a Village

By Zeinab Abul Gheit

T

he development of rural regions is a priority for a sustainable economy. An honorable example of a significant figure in the development of such a community is Dr. Salah Arafa, a physics professor at the American University in Cairo.

In order to start a solar energy system in the village, he brought iron and wood to the workshop he established and had the village youth work on creating the framework and panels needed. !is encouraged the locals to join in on the project. Now, most of the appliances in Al Basaysa operate using solar energy, including TVs, fans and refrigerators.

Dr. Arafa, has made it his goal to turn Al Basaysa in Sharkiya Governorate into a productive, self-dependent community, raising the living standard of the locals and eradicating illiteracy and unemployment, making the village into an ideal model.

After the development of the Solar Energy Station, 2,500 volts were used in lighting seven houses in the village, a big mosque and the three-story Agricultural Society.

One of his goals was to develop the society by introducing different activities like carpentry, turnery, creating workshops and a workhouse where women train on manual work, as well as a nursery for 170 children.

INTRODUCING SOLAR ENERGY Dr. Arafa started by finding out how the village’s inhabitants could make use of solar energy. He asked the local mosque’s Imam to inform the attendants about the benefits of using solar energy to generate electricity by using a simple method of placing solar cells in front of a fan, which operated at once.

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EDUCATION Dr. Arafa asked students to teach the village illiterate reading and writing.

Responding to his call, interested university and school students were ready to volunteer, however, transportation was an impediment to reach the village. A solution was reached when Dr. Arafa suggested buying a bicycle for every student who will participate in the project. Al Basaysa inhabitants bought the bicycles and the students paid through installments.

As a result, a great number of illiterates joined in on the education courses. "A pioneer example is one woman who got her PhD from London and another is now an assistant professor in an agricultural faculty," he highlights.

DEVELOPMENT PROJECTS "Loans are provided to youth and women to help them establish small projects," says Dr. Ahmed Ibrahim, Head of the Board of Directors of the New Basaysa Development Society. "After 40 years of hard work, Al Basaysa has been transformed from a poor village to an environmentally friendly society that applies sustainable development," he adds.

In 1992, the “New Basaysa” project was implemented in a desert society in Ras Sudr as a model. After becoming convinced of the benefits of solar energy, the Bedouins sold 150 feddans at first, followed by 750, to the government.

Because of the existence of vast land, every individual was allowed to construct a house on an area of 200 square meters surrounded by another area where the home owners were able to cultivate vegetables, fruits, bred poultry and cattle.

In New and Old Basaysa, olives, palm trees and Jojoba plants were also planted. "!e price of olives increased because of the high demand in olive oil," says Mostafa Bayoumi, a landowner. A feddan produces around 750 kilograms of olives that yields 200 kilograms of oil.

ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS Appreciating Dr. Arafa's efforts, the AUC hosts over 50 non-governmental organizations during the celebration of the Annual Day of Al Basaysa held every April.

In 2009, he was granted Man of the Year Prize by the Writers’ Association. In 2014, he was chosen as a scientific consultant to Al Sharkiya Governorate.

"I have gained a lot from the agricultural projects in the New Basaysa. I was indebted by EGP ten thousand, and now I own ten feddans, a bank account and two houses," says a landowner benefitting from Dr. Arafa’s projects.

A housewife in the New Basaysa talked about the benefits from the solar energy project: "Using the solar energy heater saves me EGP 150 every month. I aspire that solar energy systems are to be used all around Egypt, which can happen when solar cells are industrialized in Egypt instead of being imported at high costs."

"!e actual profit is represented in knowing that we are able to transform our deeply rooted beliefs and ways of thinking into a new active method that suits sustainable development, which is a step towards a promising future," notes Dr. Arafa.

DR. ARAFA AND THE ENERGY BAG Introducing the solar energy technology in rural areas was not enough to satisfy Dr. Arafa’s unlimited ambitions. !e notion of making a mobile solar energy system was an essential goal. "!ere are people who move to places that do not have electricity to charge their mobiles or operate their computers," he mentions.

“Attending a conference in Austria, I launched my idea about the necessity of portable cells. To my surprise, I was gifted a portable bag created by Austrian investors,” he explains. !is bag includes unseen charging systems with cells for generating energy from the sun, as well as connection means for charging a mobile and operating the internet.

Dr. Arafa aspires for the bag to be made in Egypt to help those who need it, where solar cells can be imported from China or Japan.

"I hope that Egyptian businessmen can follow in the footsteps of the Austrian investors who implemented this invention that is now prevailing all over Europe,” he concludes.

Dr. Arafa, has made it his goal to turn Al Basaysa in Sharkiya Governorate into a productive, self-dependent community april 2018 | Ct

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Green Community

The FuTure oF AgriculTure in egypT: A Call to Finance Nut Trees

By Ahmed Kafafi

T

he availability of nut trees will help reduce the budget spent on importing them, especially seeing that we have the appropriate climate for them. Fortunately, Egypt has produced the first batch, however, considerable finance is needed to reach the kind of mass production required.

During Ramadan, everyone lines up to buy a selection of nuts, a food item that is widely used during the holy month, whether they are pistachios, walnuts, hazelnuts or cashews among others. During recent years, medical research has highlighted the importance of consuming nuts as a fiber-rich and antioxidant nutrient that helps in the treatment of diabetes, cholesterol and other health problems.

Commercial sources stress that it is widely available, but, unfortunately, this isn’t true in the case of Egypt where nuts are costlier as they are not locally produced. !eir prices had remained affordable until the flotation of the Egyptian pound. !e good news, however, is that Egypt has taken the initiative of setting up its own nut plantations. In cooperation with the Science and Technology Development Fund (STDF) that extends financial support to the plantations, the National Research Centre (NRC) is undertaking the expansion project of the nut trees in Suez, Ismailia and Sinai.

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Climate Concerns “Many have spread the myth that Egypt’s climate is not ideal for the cultivation of nut trees, but this has been going on for years to boost the interest of the importation mafias,” says Dr. Mahmoud Samy Abou Raya, an expert at the NRC’s Horticultural Crops Technology Department.

“Immemorial nut trees were grown along Egypt’s North Coast, which provided the ideal climatic conditions for the trees, but those that died were as a result of severe negligence.” He adds: “!e trees need long hours of cold climate, which is available in Egypt around the North Coast, Sinai and the Suez Canal. !erefore, many departments in the centre are working with experts to make the project a real success, including the fruit, agriculture economy, insects and nutrition sections, along with reports from the official meteorological office.”

Financial Issues “!e bad news however is that we will have to face the same problem yet again,” informs Abou Raya. “We have been notified by the STDF that it will stop financing the project and we should start looking for investors,” he continues. “!is has been an ongoing problem since we thought of the project 25 years ago. It is difficult to convince the type of investors in Egypt to engage in a project like this, where they should wait for four years for yields and another three for mass production. !e majority of them are after quick gains and could be reluctant to get committed to long-term development

plans, while the agricultural authorities have other major challenges, and so for them this is not a priority. However, I am optimistic about the many requests I have received from farmers who wish to plant nut trees in their land,” emphasizes Abou Raya.

Future Possibilities If farmers realize how lucrative this business could be, it will be handpicked, but they have to be patient about a crop with a promising future. Trees like walnuts, hazelnuts and pistachios are in need of lower temperatures provided that the water and soil are suitable for growth. Hazelnuts require from 2,000 to 3,000 hours of lower temperatures, while walnuts need 4,000 and pistachios 8,000. !e seedlings have already been produced and land for the project has been allocated around Al Tour, Wadi Tiran, Sarbioum and Galbana in Ismailia and east of Suez.

It is a kind of business that will provide work for the Bedouins who live in these neighborhoods.

“Our production is the commercial type that is popular worldwide and is in demand by exporters,” remarks Abou Raya.

Besides the climate, water and soil, the trees need basic nutrients such as nitrogen, potassium, phosphorus and other elements, in addition to organic fertilizers.

Unlike other fruits, the nuts are storable and do not easily fester.

“We plant other crops around the trees to finance the project, but those aren’t enough.

We need financers,” he concludes.

april 2018 | Ct

35

MIND, BODY & SOUL FEATURE

Ultimate Frisbee:

By Yasmine Mabrouk

A New Era of Sport

Ultimate Frisbee is a relatively new sport that was first introduced about fifty years ago in the United States, and has grown exponentially since then. It is a mix between American football and soccer, but is played with a disc.

I

brahim El Sayed, a petroleum engineer graduated from the American University in Cairo, is the founder of the Ultimate Frisbee team at the university.

He is currently completing his masters at Texas A&M, while practicing the sport. We sat with El Sayed to find out more about Ultimate Frisbee and his experience with it.

How did you learn about Ultimate Frisbee and how long have you been playing?

I grew up in the United States, and so I was familiar with the sport. In high school, I played in an Ultimate Frisbee club where we practiced twice a week. It was not until the summer of 2011, when I came to the AUC, that I discovered that it is a sport with rules, high intensity play and competitiveness.

What are some of the Ultimate Frisbee rules? !e basic rules are that you play on a field with two end zones. Each team is made up of seven players on the field .

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However, if a player has the disc, he or she can’t move, and they have ten seconds to throw it. If for any reason the disc touches the ground, it is a turnover, and the other team is given the disc.

In reality, it is a sport that is easy to pick up, but hard to put down; easy to teach but hard to master.

How and when did Ultimate Frisbee start in Egypt?

It was established in Egypt well before 2007 as a noncompetitive game between random players. However, since 2013, the sport really started to grow.

What kind of challenges did you face when you started playing?

Starting a new sport can be very difficult, especially in a country like Egypt where there is one sport that dominates the entire athleticism scene and gets all the funding and public support. !erefore, one of the biggest obstacles was teaching people that Ultimate Frisbee is a recognized sport.

You sometimes get the common reply whenever people see a disc: “!is is that game you play with a dog!” It then becomes more difficult to convince people that it is not at all as they imagined, but that it is actually a physically demanding sport that requires both skill and athleticism.

One really positive thing though is that it is really easy to pick up, therefore the biggest challenge lies in tackling this misconception.

females on the team. Different teams in Egypt have different ratios of females to males. Ultimate Frisbee is one of those unique sports that, even at world championships, can be played with all men, all women or mixed teams.

What are some of the Ultimate Frisbee federations in Egypt?

In the summer of 2015, the Egyptian Ultimate Players Association was founded to help give structure to the region and the development of the sport. It has been recognized and approved internationally at the start of 2016, and has helped in allowing an Egyptian team to represent the country at world championships. At the end of 2016, another group was founded called the Flying Disc Invasion that has been helping to spread Ultimate Frisbee in Egypt.

What sort of competitions do you attend?

Who can play the sport? Are there any female players interested?

One of the greatest things about the sport is its simplicity. Anyone at any age, gender, skill level or athleticism can start playing it.

At AUC, it started with two girls, but I think now it has been dubbed as a semi-mixed team with closer to seven or eight

Internationally, the AUC team has been a great representative, and has played in Germany, the African Championships in Kenya as well as the Middle East and Africa tournament that was hosted once in Egypt and once in Jordan. We also had players represent Egypt in the World Ultimate Club Championship in London.

How many teams are there in Egypt? !ere are about five competitive teams playing, namely AUC, GUC, Alexandria Ultimate, Septu and UFE. As I was not in Egypt for about two years, there may be more.

Whatever opportunities we get. !e AUC team has taken part in several local competitions held in Cairo.

With the Egyptian Ultimate Players Association, we have attended the Egyptian national championships. !e Flying Disc Invasion holds tournaments that are very entertaining and well organized, hosting about three a year all over Egypt. !e upcoming event will be in El Gouna.

What do you like most about this sport?

It is a very competitive sport. Being able to play a sport that has a high ceiling of growth is amazing. Another interesting aspect is that it can’t be dominated by one player, as once you catch the disc, you have to stop and rely on the your teammates. One of the greatest things about Ultimate Frisbee is that the sport, even at a world championship level, does not have referees to call fouls and violations as it is self affiliated, which is a very unique thing in the world of competitive sports. !e players call their own fouls, and that is why there has to be a high level of spirit, honesty and integrity. !is has been the centerpiece that I taught to the AUC team.

April 2018 | Ct

37

BUSINESS

CELEBRATING EGYPT’S RELATIONSHIP WITH MEXICO: An Interview with the Ambassador

T

his year marks the 60th anniversary of bilateral relations between Egypt and Mexico, a very significant relationship for the country.

On this occasion, several cultural, economic and technical cooperation exchanges between the two countries will be taking place throughout the year.

We had a talk with His Excellency Mr. José Octavio Tripp, the ambassador of Mexico to Egypt, to find out more.

Could you tell us what are the plans to celebrate the anniversary? !is anniversary is very significant to us and this is why we have organized a very ambitious program this year. !e agenda is diverse, attractive and it is a clear expression of the current intensity of the bilateral relationship between Egypt and Mexico.

We have economic initiatives, technical cooperation projects in different areas and of course cultural exchanges as one of the most relevant pillars of this agenda.

It is evident that the cultural activities have a special relevance.

In your opinion, do these activities help the rapprochement between the two cultures?

Culture activities are always important in a bilateral agenda. As a matter of fact, if you check the archives of the embassy and when you are studying the evolution of the bilateral relationship, you will see

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By Rawan Abdel Latif that culture has always been there.

Egypt is very attractive, not only for Mexico but for the world. !e Egyptian civilization, along with the Mexican – !e Mayans and the Aztecs – is very interesting, and this is why culture exchange is always relevant. A result of this interaction is that this year, we have several and diverse activities in the cultural field such as musical concerts (guitar concert at El Gomhoureya !eater and a piano recital at the Opera House) folk dances and a photo exhibition, among others, during different months of the year. !e Ministry of Culture is interested in attracting young people, and so El Gomhoureya !eater seems to be more attractive to and connected with the youth. !e idea is to also have an Egyptian maestro playing in a shared program to celebrate the friendship between both countries, but this is going to be at the Cairo Opera House.

On May 10th at the Cairo University, we will have a Mexican diplomat and writer, Enrique Berruga, presenting one of his novels, and one day earlier, he will be holding a lecture in the Arab League. We also have a photographic exhibition on the architecture expressions of the Arab World in Mexico that I hope will be very appealing as well.

In this agenda, there are activities that are not necessarily Mexican, but Latin American, for example the exhibition for the Colombian artist Americo Lozano that is sponsored by the Pacific Alliance. Could you

please tell us more about this exhibition and the Pacific Alliance?

Americo’s exhibition in April is going to be the kick-off event. !e anniversary gives us the opportunity to be innovative, and this is why the Pacific Alliance countries decided to become a partner in this initiative, taking advantage of the fact that Lozano is well-known in Egypt, but at the same time that he is an outstanding Colombian and Latin American artist. !ese were good reasons to organize something that could be very attractive for the Egyptian audience, but also for the Latin American community living in Cairo. I am sure that it is going to be a win-win because it is an opportunity to present the Pacific Alliance to the Egyptians. !e Pacific Alliance is an innovative forum and association among four Latin American countries, including Colombia, Chile, Peru, and Mexico, but nowadays there are 52 observers that want to be members of the alliance, including Egypt.

It has been a popular integration forum that increases cooperation in different areas of mutual interest that promotes a deeper economic integration among the members.

With regard to the economic field, what is the current position of the bilateral relationship between Egypt and Mexico?

In terms of investment, the path that we have been developing is dynamic and very promising. !e Mexican investment is arriving in Egypt, but it is also happening with the Egyptian companies in Mexico.

As a matter of fact, this is the first time in our bilateral history that we have companies from both countries investing in both sides. !is is the reason why we will be announcing in the following months the creation of the Mexico-Egypt Business Council that includes the initial participation of nine or ten companies from both countries, in order to attract others and to improve and promote collaboration among the different members of this council.

Cemex is the pioneer of Mexican investment in Egypt, and by far the most relevant, but also on the opposite side we have new Egyptian investments in Mexico. Additionally, I hope that we will be announcing the arrival of a new Mexican global company opening two plants in Alexandria this month.

We also have Kidzania that is specialized in children’s education and entertainment that has proven to be very successful. It is originally a Mexican trademark, and now they are present in many countries worldwide. Fortunately, Kidzania Cairo is one of the most successful initiatives in the Middle East, and this is why they are thinking about further expanding in the region. !erefore, it is necessary to present this information to show that the economic interaction is growing.

Fortunately, we have Egyptian investments in Mexico as well. PICO Energy for instance won an international call at the end of last year to work in partnership with the public petroleum company “Petróleos Mexicanos”.

As a matter of fact, they started the operational works in Mexico last week. El Sewedy Electrometers also won another international call in partnership with a Mexican company. !is is an excellent

message being sent about the bilateral relationship, and that is why Mexico is the most important Latin American investor in Egypt.

Talking about trade, this is a pending issue. Our trade is still modest, so we have to work on it to improve the interaction between both countries.

One of the benefits of investing in Egypt is that it is more accessible geographically if you are exporting to companies in Europe or Africa.

What are your thoughts about this?

Many things, but in order to be realistic, we have to improve first of all of the legal framework, which is ruling the bilateral trade. !is is something that both governments must do; we must negotiate and sign a treaty to avoid double taxation. !is is crucial for private companies, and also to agree on a Memorandum of Understanding in order to promote and protect reciprocal investments. Once we do that, I am sure that it will be natural for the business communities of both countries to start increasing their trade interactions.

!at is an interesting comment. !is is actually why a global Mexican company recently chose to open two plants in Alexandria, because this city and Egypt in general are great connection hubs to Europe and the MENA Region.

Egypt has an interesting potential in clothes, fertilizers and petrochemicals, whereas Mexico has auto parts, telecommunication devices, medicines and iron pipes. !e potential for trade is important.

!is company (Polimeros de Mexico) already has a strong presence in Europe, but they noticed that Egypt is an ideal platform to Europe, Africa and the Middle East, so the idea is to grow in the near future and to expand their operations in Africa in partnership with an Egyptian company. Polimeros de Mexico will be acquiring Egyptian products and incorporating some technology to export to Europe. It is a win-win situation because it is creating jobs in Egypt and attracting Euros to the local economy.

What is happening with NAFTA now with the United States’ current situation? Has it affected Mexico in terms of trade?

!is is why it is very significant for us – because of the message that this company is sending to other Mexican companies in order to see Egypt as a multiregional hub.

In terms of trade, what would you say are some of the top products or services that could be exported and imported between Mexico and Egypt?

After 25 years of NAFTA, it is necessary to modernize the treaty. Of course for us it is a priority to update NAFTA, because it has been useful in improving the Mexican economy, but we think that it is a winwin treaty for all its signatories. We are aware however that there are many challenges ahead in order to conclude this negotiation with the United States and Canada. We are currently in the middle of negotiations, but we are optimistic of the results.

Are there any plans to form a Mexican Chamber of Commerce?

Not immediately. !e first step is the creation of the Mexico-Egypt Business Council in order to have a specialized forum that includes both Egypt and Mexico talking business.

April 2018 | Ct

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DESTINATIONS Travel

EXPLORING CHINA:

A Trip to the Eastern Side of the World

By Katharina Froehlich

C

hina is a hidden treasure for tourists, especially for those who are interested in history. With China being one of the first ancient civilizations, there is much to indulge in.

I started preparing for my trip many months in advance, finally deciding to visit the following four cities where I spent around one week in each.

BEIJING When I got to China, Beijing was my first stop and it was also where I received my first culture shock. !e city was the opposite of anything I had ever seen before, and the most alarming thing for me was the fact that on some days, it was necessary to walk on the street with a mask to protect me from the heavily polluted air.

Nevertheless, the city offers a wide range of sights including the nearby Great Wall of China, the Forbidden City and the Summer Palace.

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A fun thing about the Badaling is that you can use a small roller coaster to get back down to the parking area after you finish sightseeing

Great Wall of China

!e Great Wall of China should be on everyone's bucket list. !e wall was built more than 2,300 years ago to protect China from its enemies and invaders from the north, and is around 8,500 kilometers long.

One of the most well-preserved entry points to the wall, called Badaling, is located around one hour away by car from Beijing. Staying a couple of nights in Beijing will easily allow you to take a day trip to visit this historical monument, as long as you head there as early as possible, since the amount of visitors can reach up to 70,000 on a busy day.

A fun thing about the Badaling is that you can use a small roller coaster to get back down to the parking area after you finish sightseeing.

Emperor's Palace: The Forbidden City

!e Forbidden City, which is located on the wellknown Tiananmen Square, is known as China's most glorious palace. It is the largest ancient palace in the world, consisting of 9,999 rooms that were used during various Chinese dynasties.

Visiting the site not only gives you the chance to see the rooms and to imagine how the 24 emperors who lived there must have led their lives, but you also get the chance to admire ancient artifacts.

April 2018 | Ct

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Travel

XI'AN Xi'an is a rather unpopular city for foreign visitors, but nevertheless offers significant sights.

It was by chance that I stumbled across Xi'an, which is located a few hundred kilometers south of Beijing. I had just read an article about the Terracotta Army published in a famous Chinese newspaper, and that is what made me decide to make the spontaneous trip.

Terracotta Warriors

!e Terracotta Army is a collection of 8,000 soldiers, 130 chariots, 520 horses and 150 cavalry horses made out of terracotta. !e warriors, which vary in size and shape according to their importance, were constructed to accompany the tomb of a Chinese emperor as an afterlife guard.

Another reason as to why they were constructed was to act as substitutes for actual human sacrifices that had been made for the burials of previous emperors.

What made this huge army of stone so interesting was the fact that the warriors, and even the tomb of the emperor itself, were forgotten for hundreds of centuries and were just rediscovered in the 1970s by farmers working in the area. Since then, the sight has been considered as one of the greatest discoveries of the 20th Century. It can easily be reached by bus or taxi from any hotel in Xi'an.

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Although visited by many tourists, you might face some difficulties travelling in the country due to the language barrier

Food Markets

!e Chinese cuisine is known to be one of the most exquisite in the whole world. While there are some dishes that are famous all over the country such as frog legs or squid on a stick, every city also has its own menu.

Beijing, for example, is known for the famous Peking roasted duck, while the most famous dishes in Shanghai include Steamed Crab and Chicken and Duck Blood Soup.

Food markets are located all over the country and there is at least one in every big city, but the culinary highlight for me was the one in Xi'an. !e food market there offers a wide variety of food, including which are dishes you would never have considered as edible before, such as deep fried spiders, duck heads, sea horses and cooked black scorpions on sticks.

My favorite dish was the Dim Sum, a plate of Chinese dumplings filled with vegetables or meat.

If you want to impress the locals and maybe even get a free meal, try to practice eating with chopsticks before your trip.

CHENGDU Chengdu is the capital of the Province Sichuan. What enters my mind when I think about Chengdu are pandas, spicy food, the famous opera and the best nightlife in China. !e city is popular for visitors and locals because of its charm. A favored tradition is to experience the service of a professional Chinese ear-cleaning master whose job it is to remove people's earwax.

The Nightlife Capital

Having done a lot of sightseeing and dining, it was time for dancing. For that, Chengdu was definitely the place to be. !ere are endless nightclubs and bars where karaoke is popular.

If you check on TripAdvisor, you will find many guides that offer sightseeing tours of Chengdu by night, which also gives you the chance to barhop with a group of travellers who all gather together for the event.

My favorite places included Jellyfish Bar in Jialebi and Poly Centre Club in the district by the same name.

Panda Breeding

If you are an animal lover, then you will love Chengdu. After a long night out, could you think of anything better and more relaxing to do than hanging out with pandas all day? !e city is known for the Chengdu Panda Base, a non-profit research and breeding facility for giant pandas and other rare animals. Located just ten kilometers from Downtown Chengdu, the center is easy to reach by taxi or other means of public transport.

April 2018 | Ct

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DESTINATIONS Travel Travel GUILIN Last but not least, I visited the southern city Guilin. I specifically chose to keep this small city as my last stop so I can take in the breathtaking views and to recharge before going back home. !e area around Guilin is famous for its beautiful scenery around the Li River and counts as one of China's most touristic areas. !e landscape is made of the Karst Mountains. Karst topography is a geological formation shaped by the dissolution of soluble bedrock. !e mountains look like stone trees and have a majestic vibe about them. !ere is an old literary saying in Chinese about the area, which translates to "Guilin's hills and waters are the best under heaven."

Li River and Mountain Caves

One of the highlights of my trip was the cruise on the Li River on a handmade raft. !e water winds through the valley between the mountains, offering you a very spectacular view once you are on it.

I would advise you to wear a swimming suit under your clothes since it is very likely that you will get wet. !e cruise itself lasts for a few hours, but your guide will offer you a few small breaks to carefully get your camera out or to eat fresh fish and snacks on another slightly larger raft. !e half-day boat trip was followed by a visit to one of the mountain caves. I had previously visited a few in the area, but the Moon Water Cave in Yangshuo made it to the top of my list. !e cave itself is very colorfully illuminated.

At the end of your tour, you have the chance to jump into one of the natural hot mud baths and get your dead skin taken off by the nibble fish.

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!e area around Guilin is famous for its beautiful scenery around the Li River and counts as one of China's most touristic areas

GENERAL INFORMATION Transportation

Depending on your budget and schedule, you have the choice between local and fast trains or domestic flights. During my trip, I mostly used trains since it was more convenient for me as I wanted to travel between the cities spontaneously without the hassle of finding an airport.

Another advantage was that trains easily put you in touch with other travellers or locals whose help you might need, as once you leave Beijing, almost everything is written in Chinese.

A ticket for the 20-hour train ride from Chengdu to Guilin costs around EGP 600. If you prefer flying, I would recommend taking Air China or China Eastern/Southern Airlines.

Accommodation

During my one-month trip, I mostly booked my stays through Airbnb, a website that connects travellers with locals who let them stay at their homes. !ere are also options to rent whole apartments through the page.

Starting prices start from EGP 400 for two rooms in Beijing. Some of the locals might even show you around their hometown.

If staying with strangers is not for you, there is a wide range of hotels and hostels in all of the cities. !e prices for a double room per night differ from around EGP 800 for a well-located three-star hotel to EGP 4,000 for a night at a fancy five-star hotel like Kempinski in Beijing.

Travel Preparations

Although visited by many tourists, you might face some difficulties travelling in the country due to the language barrier as English is not popular in China. Surprisingly, even in touristic places, many of the shop vendors and tour guides speak very broken English, if at all.

However, once you stay there for a while, you will get used to it.

What helped me was always carrying a small dictionary that I had bought prior to my departure. If I needed anything, I just pointed to a certain word written in Chinese letters and I would get answers using the same manner.

Additionally, I think it is very important to bring a guide book that includes a map, just in case you get lost and can't find anyone to help you out on the spot. I recommend Lonely Planet's "Best of China Guide".

Generally, the Chinese people are very friendly and helpful and will usually do their best to make your life easier. Don't be surprised if they ask to take a picture with you after it though!

April 2018 | Ct

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CUISINE

Quick and Tasty Spring Recipes for Newlyweds Grilled Potato Salad IngredIents: Potatoes Đ ĐKILOGRAMĐPOTATOES ĐSLICEDĐ INTOĐu INCHĐPIECESĐ Đ ĐTABLESPOONĐOLIVEĐOILĐ Đ ĐTEASPOONĐSALTĐ Đ uĐTEASPOONĐBLACKĐPEPPERĐ Dressing Đ ĐTABLESPOONSĐLEMONĐJUICE Đ ĐTEASPOONĐLEMONĐZESTĐ Đ ĐTABLESPOONSĐOLIVEĐOILĐ Đ ĐTABLESPOONSĐ­NELYĐGRATEDĐ 0ARMESAN ĐPLUSĐSHAVEDĐFORĐ GARNISHĐ Đ uĐCUPĐCHOPPEDĐFRESHĐBASILĐ Đ ĐTABLESPOONSĐCHOPPEDĐ PARSLEYĐ

dIrectIons: Đ &ORĐTHEĐPOTATOES ĐPREHEATĐAĐ GRILLĐPANĐOVERĐMEDIUM HIGHĐ HEAT Đ Đ 0LACEĐTHEĐPOTATOĐSLICESĐINĐAĐ LARGEĐBOWLĐANDĐTOSSĐWITHĐTHEĐ OLIVEĐOIL ĐSALTĐANDĐPEPPER Đ Đ )NĐBATCHES ĐGRILLĐTHEĐPOTATOESĐ UNTILĐCOOKEDĐTHROUGHĐANDĐ GOLDEN ĐABOUTĐ ĐMINUTESĐPERĐ SIDE Đ Đ 4RANSFERĐTOĐAĐLARGEĐSERVINGĐ BOWLĐANDĐSETĐASIDEĐTOĐCOOL Đ &ORĐTHEĐDRESSING ĐWHISKĐ TOGETHERĐINĐAĐSMALLĐBOWLĐ THEĐLEMONĐJUICE ĐLEMONĐZEST Đ OLIVEĐOILĐANDĐ0ARMESAN Đ Đ 0OURĐTHEĐDRESSINGĐOVERĐTHEĐ POTATOES ĐTHENĐADDĐTHEĐBASILĐ ANDĐPARSLEY ĐANDĐTOSSĐGENTLYĐ TOĐCOAT Đ Đ 'ARNISHĐWITHĐSHAVEDĐ 0ARMESAN ĐANDĐSERVE

Pasta with Sun-Dried Tomato Cream Sauce IngredIents: Đ ĐTEASPOONĐBASIL ĐDRIED Đ uĐTEASPOONĐGARLICĐPOWDER Đ uĐSUN DRIEDĐTOMATOES ĐCHOPPEDĐ Đ ĐCUPSĐPENNEĐPASTA ĐDRY Đ uĐTEASPOONSĐBLACKĐPEPPER Đ ĐCUPSĐSHREDDEDĐMOZZARELLAĐCHEESE Đ ĐCANĐEVAPORATEDĐMILK dIrectIons: Đ 0REPAREĐTHEĐPASTAĐACCORDINGĐTOĐPACKAGEĐ DIRECTIONS ĐADDINGĐSUN DRIEDĐTOMATOESĐTOĐ BOILINGĐPASTAĐWATERĐFORĐTHEĐLASTĐ ĐMINUTESĐOFĐ COOKINGĐTIME ĐDRAIN Đ Đ #OMBINEĐEVAPORATEDĐMILK ĐCHEESE ĐBASIL ĐGARLICĐ POWDERĐANDĐPEPPERĐINĐAĐMEDIUMĐSAUCEPAN Đ Đ #OOKĐOVERĐMEDIUM LOWĐHEAT ĐSTIRRINGĐ OCCASIONALLY ĐUNTILĐCHEESEĐISĐMELTED Đ Đ 2EMOVEĐFROMĐHEAT Đ Đ !DDĐPASTAĐANDĐSUN DRIEDĐTOMATOESĐTOĐCHEESEĐ SAUCE ĐSTIRĐUNTILĐCOMBINED

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Chinese Chicken Salad IngredIents: Đ ĐSPLITĐCHICKENĐBREASTSĐ BONE IN ĐSKIN ON Đ /LIVEĐOIL Đ 3ALTĐANDĐBLACKĐPEPPER Đ ĐREDĐBELLĐPEPPER ĐCOREDĐ ANDĐSEEDED Đ ĐGREENĐONIONSĐ WHITEĐ ANDĐGREENĐPARTS ĐSLICEDĐ DIAGONALLY Đ ĐTABLESPOONĐWHITEĐ SESAMEĐSEEDS ĐTOASTEDĐ Dressing Đ vĐCUPĐVEGETABLEĐOIL Đ uĐCUPĐAPPLEĐCIDERĐVINEGAR Đ ĐTABLESPOONSĐSOYĐSAUCE Đ vĐTABLESPOONSĐDARKĐ SESAMEĐOIL Đ vĐTABLESPOONĐHONEY Đ ĐCLOVEĐGARLIC ĐMINCED Đ vĐTEASPOONĐPEELED ĐGRATEDĐ FRESHĐGINGER Đ vĐTABLESPOONĐSESAMEĐ SEEDS ĐTOASTED Đ uĐCUPĐSMOOTHĐPEANUTĐ BUTTER Đ ĐTEASPOONSĐSALT Đ vĐTEASPOONĐBLACKĐPEPPERĐ

Mustard-Herb Crusted Salmon with Dill Sauce IngredIents: Đ ĐSALMONĐ­LLETS ĐSKINNEDĐ ABOUTĐ v INCHĐTHICK Đ uĐTEASPOONĐSALT Đ uĐTEASPOONĐBLACKĐPEPPER Đ uĐCUPĐBREADCRUMBS Đ ĐTABLESPOONĐ­NELYĐCHOPPEDĐ PARSLEY Đ ĐTABLESPOONĐCANOLAĐOIL Đ ĐTEASPOONSĐCHOPPEDĐTHYME Đ ĐTEASPOONĐ$IJONĐMUSTARD Đ ĐTABLESPOONSĐPLAINĐREDUCED FATĐYOGURT Đ ĐTEASPOONSĐCHOPPEDĐDILL Đ vĐTEASPOONSĐREDUCED FATĐMILK Đ ĐTEASPOONĐLEMONĐJUICEĐ

dIrectIons: Đ 0REHEATĐTHEĐOVENĐTOĐ # Đ 0LACEĐTHEĐCHICKENĐBREASTSĐ ONĐAĐSHEETĐPANĐANDĐRUBĐ THEĐSKINĐWITHĐOLIVEĐOIL Đ Đ 3PRINKLEĐLIBERALLYĐWITHĐSALTĐ ANDĐPEPPER Đ Đ 2OASTĐFORĐ ĐTOĐ Đ MINUTES ĐUNTILĐTHEĐCHICKENĐ ISĐJUSTĐCOOKED Đ Đ 3ETĐASIDEĐUNTILĐCOOLĐ ENOUGHĐTOĐHANDLE ĐĐ Đ 2EMOVEĐTHEĐMEATĐFROMĐ THEĐBONES ĐDISCARDĐTHEĐ SKIN ĐANDĐSHREDĐTHEĐ CHICKENĐINTOĐLARGEĐBITE SIZEDĐPIECES Đ #UTĐTHEĐPEPPERSĐINĐSTRIPS ĐĐ Đ #OMBINEĐTHEĐCUTĐCHICKENĐ ANDĐPEPPERSĐINĐAĐLARGEĐ BOWL Đ 7HISKĐTOGETHERĐALLĐOFĐ THEĐINGREDIENTSĐFORĐ THEĐDRESSINGĐANDĐPOURĐ OVERĐTHEĐCHICKENĐANDĐ VEGETABLES Đ Đ !DDĐTHEĐGREENĐPEPPERSĐ ANDĐSESAMEĐSEEDSĐANDĐ SEASONĐTOĐTASTE Đ Đ 3ERVEĐCOLDĐORĐATĐROOMĐ TEMPERATURE Đ

dIrectIons:Đ Đ 0REHEATĐOVENĐTOĐ # Đ !RRANGEĐ­SHĐONĐAĐPARCHMENTĐ PAPER LINEDĐBAKINGĐSHEET Đ Đ 3PRINKLEĐWITHĐSALTĐANDĐPEPPER Đ Đ "AKEĐFORĐ ĐMINUTESĐORĐUNTILĐ DESIREDĐDEGREEĐOFĐDONENESS ĐĐ 2EMOVEĐPANĐFROMĐOVEN ĐĐ4URNĐ ONĐBROILER Đ #OMBINEĐBREADCRUMBS ĐPARSLEY Đ OIL ĐTHYME ĐANDĐ$IJONĐINĐAĐSMALLĐ BOWL Đ Đ 3POONĐTHEĐBREADCRUMBĐMIXTUREĐ EVENLYĐOVERĐTHEĐ­SH ĐPRESSINGĐTOĐ ADHERE Đ Đ 0LACEĐPANĐINĐOVEN ĐBROILĐ ĐTOĐ ĐMINUTESĐORĐUNTILĐTOPPINGĐISĐ BROWNED Đ #OMBINEĐYOGURT ĐDILLĐANDĐMILKĐ INĐAĐSMALLĐBOWL ĐĐ3ERVEĐWITHĐ ­SH

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CUISINE Mushroom and Spring Vegetable Risotto IngredIents: Đ ĐCUPSĐWATER Đ ĐTEASPOONSĐSALT ĐPLUSĐ ĐTEASPOONSĐFORĐWATER Đ &RESHLYĐGROUNDĐBLACKĐPEPPER Đ vĐCUPĐUNSALTEDĐBUTTER Đ ĐGRAMSĐMIXEDĐMUSHROOMS ĐSLICED Đ ĐONION ĐDICED Đ vĐCUPSĐRISOTTOĐRICE Đ vĐCUPĐBALSAMICĐVINEGARĐ Đ ĐTOĐ ĐSPRIGSĐFRESHĐTHYMEĐ Đ ĐTOĐ ĐTEASPOONSĐGRATEDĐLEMONĐZEST Đ vĐCUPĐGRATEDĐ0ARMESANĐCHEESE Đ ĐCUPĐFROZENĐPEAS ĐTHAWED Đ ĐTABLESPOONSĐFRESHLYĐSQUEEZEDĐLEMONĐJUICE dIrectIons: Đ "RINGĐWATERĐTOĐAĐSIMMERĐANDĐADDĐ Đ TEASPOONSĐOFĐTHEĐSALT ĐĐ+EEPĐONĐAĐLOWĐ SIMMER Đ Đ (EATĐ ĐTABLESPOONSĐOFĐTHEĐBUTTERĐINĐAĐLARGEĐ PANĐOVERĐMEDIUM HIGHĐHEATĐANDĐADDĐ MUSHROOMS ĐĐ#OOK ĐSTIRRINGĐOCCASIONALLY Đ UNTILĐCRISPYĐANDĐBROWNED Đ Đ 3EASONĐWITHĐvĐTEASPOONĐSALTĐANDĐPEPPER ĐTOĐ TASTE ĐANDĐSETĐASIDE Đ Đ )NĐAĐLARGEĐSAUCEPAN ĐADDĐANOTHERĐ Đ TABLESPOONSĐOFĐTHEĐBUTTERĐOVERĐMEDIUM HIGHĐHEATĐANDĐLETĐITĐBROWNĐSLIGHTLY Đ Đ !DDĐTHEĐONIONĐTOĐTHEĐPOTĐANDĐCOOKĐUNTILĐ TRANSLUCENT ĐABOUTĐ ĐMINUTES Đ Đ !DDĐTHEĐRICEĐANDĐSTIRĐSOĐTHATĐITĐISĐCOATEDĐWITHĐ THEĐBUTTER ĐABOUTĐ ĐMINUTE Đ Đ 3TIRĐINĐTHEĐREMAININGĐ vĐTEASPOONSĐSALT Đ Đ !DDĐTHEĐBALSAMICĐVINEGARĐANDĐCOOK ĐSTIRRINGĐ CONSTANTLYĐWITHĐAĐWOODENĐSPOON ĐUNTILĐITĐISĐ ABSORBEDĐBYĐTHEĐRICE Đ Đ !DDĐTHEĐTHYMEĐSPRINGS Đ Đ ,ADLEĐINĐABOUTĐvĐCUPĐOFĐTHEĐSIMMERINGĐ WATERĐANDĐSTIRĐCONSTANTLY ĐUNTILĐTHEĐRICEĐ AGAINĐABSORBSĐTHEĐLIQUID ĐADJUSTINGĐTHEĐHEATĐ TOĐMAINTAINĐAĐGENTLEĐSIMMER Đ Đ #ONTINUEĐLADLINGĐINĐABOUTĐvĐCUPĐOFĐWATERĐ ATĐAĐTIME ĐSTIRRINGĐBETWEENĐADDITIONSĐANDĐ LETTINGĐTHEĐRICEĐABSORBĐTHEĐLIQUIDĐBEFOREĐ ADDINGĐMORE Đ Đ 7HENĐTHEĐRICEĐHASĐABSORBEDĐABOUTĐHALFĐTHEĐ WATERĐ ABOUTĐ ĐMINUTESĐIN ĐSTIRĐINĐLEMONĐ ZEST ĐĐ Đ #ONTINUEĐSTIRRINGĐANDĐADDINGĐWATER Đ Đ MINUTESĐMORE Đ Đ 7HENĐRICEĐISĐTENDERĐBUTĐALĐDENTE ĐAFTERĐ Đ MINUTES ĐSTOPĐADDINGĐWATER Đ Đ 6IGOROUSLYĐBEATĐINĐTHEĐREMAININGĐBUTTERĐANDĐ CHEESE Đ Đ !DDĐTHEĐMUSHROOMS ĐPEASĐANDĐLEMONĐJUICEĐ ANDĐSTIRĐJUSTĐUNTILĐHEATEDĐTHROUGH ĐĐ2EMOVEĐ FROMĐHEAT Đ

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Yogurt and Fruit Parfaits IngredIents: Đ ĐCUPSĐVANILLAĐNONFATĐ YOGURT Đ ĐCUPĐFRESHĐSTRAWBERRIESĐ Đ ĐTABLESPOONĐSUGAR Đ ĐPINTĐFRESHĐBLACKBERRIES Đ RASPBERRIESĐORĐBLUEBERRIES Đ ĐCUPĐGOODĐQUALITYĐGRANOLA dIrectIons: Đ ,AYERĐ ĐCUPĐVANILLAĐ YOGURTĐINTOĐTHEĐBOTTOMĐ EACHĐOFĐ ĐTALLĐGLASSES Đ Đ 3PRINKLEĐSUGARĐONĐ THEĐSTRAWBERRIESĐANDĐ REFRIGERATEĐFORĐHALFĐANĐ HOUR Đ Đ #OMBINEĐSTRAWBERRIESĐ WITHĐFRESHĐBERRIES Đ Đ !LTERNATEĐLAYERSĐOFĐFRUITĐ ANDĐGRANOLAĐWITHĐYOGURTĐ UNTILĐGLASSESĐAREĐ­LLEDĐTOĐ THEĐTOP Đ Đ 3ERVEĐPARFAITSĐIMMEDIATELYĐ TOĐKEEPĐGRANOLAĐCRUNCHY

CUISINE

The Tree Trunk in korba:

A Retreat in the Heart of Heliopolis

By Katharina Froehlich

T

ree Trunk is a bohemian-chic restaurant that not only offers delicious food, but also opts as an all-rounded experience.

Located on one of the busy streets in Korba, Tree Trunk is the place-to-be for laid-back food lovers who want to dine in a beach-like atmosphere. !e relatively new place had its soft opening last December, and closed again two weeks after to prepare for the final opening in January. !e venue has since become a popular spot for the Heliopolis crowd.

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Atmosphere & InterIor DecorAtIon Jennifer Osman and Sherif Soliman, who also successfully own a kitesurfing center named SOUL in Ras Sudr, started the renovation work for their restaurant back in July 2017.

During a talk with the couple, I got to know more about SOUL and how the center has been the inspiration behind the decoration of Tree Trunk.

"Our aim was to let people feel like they are not in Cairo. Both of us love the beach and the bohemian vibe, which we also have in SOUL. We wanted Tree Trunk to feel like a second home to our guests; a place they could come back to anytime and feel comfortable in," they explain. !e restaurant has a very relaxing vibe to it, which I rarely come across in Cairo. Between all the hundreds of other restaurants, which are somehow trendy and chic, Tree Trunk truly has its own charm.

All the tables are handmade out of actual tree trunks, which are visible under the glass countertops that you eat on.

In addition to this, a large part of the decoration in the restaurant is made from wood, standing true to its name.

Not only are the walls full of unique and decorative pieces, but the high ceilings have different embellishments on them. No piece resembles the other, and everything has been chosen individually or made by the owners, their team and their friends.

To name a few examples, there are oversized dream catchers and a huge painting of a blue elephant that stretches across one whole wall. Even the lamps all have different shapes and designs and the lighting is not too strong, which compliments the low-key atmosphere.

Most of the ideas came from the owners themselves and were partly inspired by photos that they saw on Pinterest. However, many of the designs were from Soliman, who is talented in product design.

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CUISINE The Menu Tree Trunk is great for breakfast lovers since it is possible to order from the “brekkie� menu until 2 pm on weekdays and 3 pm during weekends. Apart from this, there is a large variety of salads and main dishes for lunch and dinner. !e price for a morning meal ranges from EGP 45 for Nut Butter, Banana and Chia Seeds on Toast to EGP 90 for Eggs Benedict. !e daily specials include garlic and lemon infused mussels for EGP 120 and Halloumi Bites with a sweet and sour molasses dip for EGP 60. !e owners usually recommend the Chicken Teriyaki for EGP 125 and Beef Stroganoff for EGP 150.

Catering to all tastes, the restaurant offers everything from vegetarian and vegan food to junk food and fine dining.

My experience I visited Tree Trunk on a quiet Wednesday morning, where I ordered the English Breakfast, which included potato wedges, my choice of omelette or scrambled eggs, sausages and toast with jam and butter (EGP 110), while my friend had poached eggs on toast with salmon (Eggs Benedict). !e meal arrived after 15 minutes, which passed quickly because we happily spent our waiting time exploring the premises.

My dish itself was delicious, especially with the fresh mushrooms in the omelette, and the portions were definitely generous. After that, we enjoyed two very rich and flavorful cappuccinos.

We also had the chance to chat with the Egyptian chef, who had cooked in a restaurant in Italy before he joined Tree Trunk.

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Yoga Classes Tree Trunk does not only offer food, but is also popular for its yoga classes that are offered five days a week to both men and women, and are instructed by two different teachers. !e furniture from two of the rooms that are used as a seated area during the daytime is removed to make space for yoga.

On Mondays and Wednesdays, Osman teaches the classes herself, as she has been working as a Yoga instructor for three years. She completed her yoga teacher training in London, and now holds classes in both Cairo and Ras Sudr. !e classes on Sundays and Tuesdays are taught by Jennifer Hababag, a Philipina instructor who has been living in Cairo for the past couple of years.

Hababag has learned how to teach Vinyasa Yoga during her training in India, which later on gave her the chance to teach classes in various countries including Australia, Morocco and Egypt.

Every Friday, they hold a Yoga Brunch where both instructors co-teach for an hour and a half. !e event does not end after the class, but is followed by breakfast and coffee, during which the attendees have the chance to get to know each other. !e normal classes cost EGP 150 for 90 minutes, and Yoga Brunch, including all the food and drinks, is EGP 250. Discounted class passes are available upon request.

For the near future, the opening of a yoga studio on the ground floor is planned to pursue the owner's goal of spreading the message that yoga is essential in a fast-paced and noisy city like Cairo.

In a nutshell While the Tree Trunk is not only great for casual outings, I noticed that many people use it for business meetings and work lunches. It offers free Wi-Fi, which supports the idea of spending your workday there.

During the evenings and the weekend, the restaurant gets quite busy, so make sure you come on time or call before you arrive to make a reservation.

ContaCt InformatIon

Location: 9 Sawra Street, Korba, Heliopolis Telephone: +20 127 337 9797 Opening Hours: Everyday from 10 am until 12:00 am Instagram: treetrunk_korbaview Facebook: Tree Trunk Cairo Minimum Age: 21 years Visit their Facebook page for information on how to make reservations for dining and yoga.

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CUISINE

Fine indian dining at indira

F

rom that first sip of your lassie until the final spoonful of home-made kulfi ice cream, a meal at Indira is a wonderful and satisfying exploration of fine Indian dining.

No great sense of exploration is necessary to find Indira, which is located at Holiday Inn Cairo Citystars, or you could follow the fragrant aroma of spices through the Citystars Mall to its location near Gate 7 on Level 0.

Indira’s atmosphere is unquestionably Indian, but with a subtle and understated Asian influence to create a chic and contemporary feel. !ere is none of the overblown Bollywood style of décor that can lay a heavy hand on Indian restaurants. !e richness of dark wood and deep burgundy, ornamental elephants and tapestries are offset by unfussy furniture and perfectly set tables, producing a modern and upbeat atmosphere that buzzes with conversations, laughter and pure enjoyment of the occasion and the food.

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!e lassie – a yoghurt and mango drink – and the spicy chutneys with poppadoms, are complimentary while checking the menu.

Chef Vikram, who keeps a keen eye on events from the open “prep” kitchen alongside the tables, is always ready to “adjust the heat” to suit Egyptian and European tastes. As Vikram and his staff prepare all the spices in-house and update the menu monthly according to availability, quality and freshness is assured and is never compromised by the very reasonable prices.

Recommended as a starter dish is Indira’s Chicken Tikka chat and vegetable samosa with raita and tamarind dips alongside a basket of glazed naan bread.

Many more trips will be required to enjoy the Lobster Masala (lobster tail cooked with garlic, ginger, spices and herbs), Murgh Malai (chicken breast in creamy cheese sauce with spices) and the Kachumber of fresh tomatoes, onions, cucumber, herbs and lemon juice.

!e main menu is packed with incredible choices, like the classic lamb Rogan Josh, Dal Makhani and Dal Tadka veggie curries, jumbo prawns in the Jhinga Masala and the gorgeously creamy Chicken Murgh Makhani. !e beauty of Chef Vikram’s cuisine, to which he adds his special gravies and sauces, lies in the distinct and delectable flavours he brings to his dishes.

Compared with the intricacies of spices and their subtle nuances of aroma and taste, preparing rice may seem deceptively simple, but we have all endured rice that cloys and refuses to separate. !e Jhinga Biryani was perfect, as each grain seemed to tumble individually around the succulent prawns. !e Kashmiri Pulao is a work of art: Basmati rice slow-cooked with saffron, almonds, golden raisins and cashews. Rose water is added to give this distinct taste. A wonderful touch, but typical of the care and delight the chef devotes to preparing the delicious Indian cuisine at Indira.

MOHANDESSIN

MOHANDESSIN

ALEXANDRIA - LORAN

NEW CAIRO

Bouri Center - A Shopping Experience to Fall in Love With

S

ince 1976, when Bouri Center – one of Egypt’s very first retail stores opened its doors to the public, the name has always inspired feelings of nostalgia to those who frequented Port Said in the 80s and 90s in search for custom free imported goods.

From its early days, Bouri Center established a very special place in its customers’ hearts, by providing a large range of unconventional products that included small household appliances, cookware, glassware, homeware and camping equipment.

Today with 8 branches across the country, and a very convenient online store, it isn’t just a great selection of products that brings back so many customers. It's the long-standing relationships between visitors and employees. Some have even been around long enough to witness two successive generations of weddings – mother and daughter.

SO, WHAT IS ALL THE APPEAL? It’s the small things that have been long ignored in the retail industry that make shopping at Bouri Center, an experience to look forward to.

Products are displayed in a way that make them easily accessible, staff are very knowledgeable and friendly to a point of being quite delightful.

They never make you feel rushed or ignored and are always ready to offer solutions to any of your purchasing dilemmas.

The novelty of the products is also a great bonus. Cherry pitters, avocado slicers, vegetable dryers, colorful containers, sleeping bags, tents, coolers, juice extractors – the list truly is endless and regularly updated.

It’s ideal for wedding wish list ideas, housewarming gifts and almost every other occasion there is.

SOCIETY A Fusion Between Art and Music at Le Méridien Cairo Airport With the hotel’s passion towards the arts, Le Méridien Cairo Airport hosted an art exhibition in partnership with Zamalek Art Gallery last month.

The exhibition featured more than 22 distinctive art pieces representing the finest of Contemporary Egyptian Art. Guests were invited to uncover a new perspective on the contemporary art scene through an inspiring visual journey and an engaging experience, exploring artists’ talent and savoring the moment with tasty bites and sparkling aperitifs over some captivating tunes.

Al Ahly – Sabbour Celebrates the Launch of City of Odyssia The Nile Ritz-Carlton hosted a sensational gala dinner, courtesy of Al Ahly for Real Estate Development – Sabbour, celebrating the launch of the City of Odyssia and their partnership with Hill International, Gensler and JLL. The four entities are joining forces to develop Sabbour’s next generation of residential compounds.

The night kicked off with a speech from Eng. Ahmed Sabbour, Managing Director of Al Ahly for Real Estate Development, followed by a word from Gensler’s Managing Principal, Ian Mulcahey, who each expressed the significance of their collaboration and how it aspires to add value to the market.

A list of remarkable guests were present, featuring the Egyptian society’s elite, celebrities and public figures, including Leila Elwi, Jasmine Taha, Naglaa Badr and Mohamed Zidan, the famous football player. The night’s exceptional entertainment was another win for the crowd; the talented Lebanese violinist Hanine El Alam treated everyone to a lineup of glorious oriental tunes, followed by the charming international Lebanese musician and composer Guy Manoukian, who ended the night with a stage-rocking performance.

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