Community Times January Issue 2017

JAN / FEB 2017

Since 1996

In tune wIth the CommunIty for 20 years

8

Businesses turn into success stories

Japan:

Culture and modernity

inside

THE LivEs of THosE wHo darEd To movE ouT of Cairo

Sinai

Trail Hike: Escaping City Noise

Valentines Day Recipe Ideas

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Contents JAn / Feb 2017 SPOTLIGHT

Community

11

06 TOWN TALK

32 Entrepreneur

Talk of the Town News

Rim Siam, a Successful Businesswoman

08 style

A Talk with Designer Mona Siag Home Decor Trends of 2017

34 Scenes

History through Maquettes

Culture 12

36 Real People

Art: Ayda Mansour, an up and coming artist Books: Reviewing Festival of Insignificance Showing This Month: Coppelia Ballet at the Opera Romeo & Juliet Live from the Metropolitan Opera

Stories of People who Moved out of Cairo

TRAVEL 40

Mind, Body & soul 18

The Myth and Truth Behind Hypnotherapy

Japan - Land of the Rising Sun

36

17 28

OUT & ABOUT 44 CUISINE

JAN / FEB 2017

Since 1996

8

Businesses turn into success stories

Japan:

Culture and Modernity

inside

the LIves of those who DaReD to move out of CaIRo

Sinai

Trail Hike: Escaping City Noise

Valentines Day Recipe Ideas

PHOTO taken by salma el dardiry Designed by MArina Raafat

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Ct | Jan / Feb 2017

Valentine’s Recipes

FEATURES

In tune wIth the CommunIty for 20 years

22

Eight Success Stories of Young Entrepreneurs

28

An Adventure in the Sinai Trail

48 Calendar

Jan/Feb Culture Events

52 SOCIETY 40 44

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 Layal Al Rustom, Soha El Sirgany, Rehab Saad, Sama Koehn, Nour Hassan, Youssra Goueli, Enas El Masry, Zeinab Abul Gheit & Ahmed Kafafi

Editor’s Note

Art dEPArtMEnt Art director Khadiga El Badan

Dear Reader

senior Graphic designer

The beginning of a new year always comes with many resolutions that people would like to fulfill. We, at Live Colors, are also looking to bring you useful information and exciting stories in the coming issues.

This month, we have a number of enticing stories, including Enas El Masry’s adventure in Sinai where she hiked for 12 days, a first time adventure for her, as well as her article on two people who have opted to leave the city and move to a more rural, simple life.

There are so many young people who have succeeded in their own fields; Ayda Mansour, an up and coming artist, Hossam Taher, one of the founders of CairoSitters, Ayten Wahba who founded Gazef, Mohamed Auf of Train Dirty Athletics, Ahmed Hanafi, one of the first to venture into food out of truck and Hassan Adel, one of the founders of Bdiver. Community Times was the first magazine to encourage young entrepreneurs and publish their stories.

Selma Koehn wrote an exciting article on her adventures in Japan. And there is much more in this issue.

Marina Raafat

sAlEs dEPArtMEnt sales director Rania Halim sales Manager Sayed Kamel

Production MAnAGEr Enas Adly

AdMinistrAtion dEPArtMEnt distribution Manager Rana Ezzat office Manager Magda Adib legal consultant Ashraf Soliman Financial consultants Hazem Abdel Tawab Ahmed Abbas

office clerk Mahmoud Abdel Aziz

Wish you, our reader, and all of Egypt a great 2017.

office custodian: Ismail Othman distribution Al Ahram, Al Akhbar, Next Media

The Editor editor@live-colors.com

Mohandessin, Zamalek, Heliopolis, Maadi, Nasr City, New Cairo, 6 October City, Sheikh Zayed City

ctP & PrintinG by Sahara Printing Company

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: www.communitytimes.me © Copyright 2004 Community Times is a monthly publication published by LC Live Colors Nicosia, Cyprus

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Advertorial

In Cooperation With “Bashaier” Foundation Orange Egypt Launches the First Digital Network for Agricultural Marketing in Egypt

Eng. Ashraf Halim Orange Egypt Chief Commercial Officer and Mrs. Dorra Fiani President of Knowledge Economy Foundation “Bashaier” with the team work of both sides

E

mphasizing its strategy in supporting community services and the role of Orange in the field of technical and marketing mobile applications, Orange Egypt in cooperation with “Bashaier” foundation launched the first digital network for agricultural marketing in Egypt. The new network is set to serve the agriculture sector as one of the important sectors in the development of the Egyptian economy and society.

Through this cooperation Orange provided its technical potential, particularly its expertise in the field of digital applications, to supply “Bashaier” with technical solutions. Through these solutions, farmers and beneficiaries of the service are able to obtain the needed information on prices of vegetables, fruits, as well as medicinal and aromatic plants. The prices are sent periodically in the form of text messages (SMSs) classified according to the requests of each subscriber. In addition, farmers are also supplied with weather forecast and agricultural guidance text messages according to the geographical area of each subscriber.

“Bashaier” application is designed to provide an opportunity for small-scale farmers to interact directly with all parties in the agricultural marketing system to market, sell and buy their products, whether they are companies, factories, associations, universities or agriculture schools. To facilitate the service, Orange Egypt allows customers to pay their subscription either via direct debit of the balance or to add the value of the service on their monthly bill.

Orange Egypt also offers full support for subscribers in this service by dedicating the hot number 7676, allocated to respond to inquiries of all those who are registered in “Bashaier network”.

The hot number is also dedicated to all farmers’ inquiries regarding the new service, as well as registration of their crops sales’ offers.

“Orange is keen through its social responsibility, to study the needs of the community and to support these needs with modern technological solutions that serve different sectors of society, “said Eng. Ashraf Halim, Orange Egypt Chief Commercial Officer. “Through this application, which is the first of its kind in Egypt, necessary support to farmers’ projects is provided using the latest technology in a very easy and smooth manner. Orange also pledges to provide more services in the coming period supporting various segments of society in different fields,” he added.

Professor Dorra Fiani, President of Knowledge Economy Foundation “Bashaier”, said that enabling small groups of farmers to directly communicate with the markets will allow them to achieve better income and encourage them to improve their production style. This – in turn – will benefit the consumer by providing a healthy crop at a preferential price. The cooperation with Orange Egypt will contribute to the widespread of modern methods needed to support small-scale farmers to provide a good, solid market for their products.

Spotlights Towntalk Anghami Wins the 2016 Arab Social Media Influencers Award Anghami has received the Arab Social Media Influencers Award for Arts, launched under the patronage of His Highness Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum.

Around 40 social media influencers and organizations were awarded at the second edition of the Arab Social Media Influencers Summit which took place at the Dubai World Trade Centre. His Highness Sheikh Mohammed Bin Rashid Al Maktoum, vice president and prime minister of the UAE and the ruler of Dubai, awarded the winners in 20 different categories. The award’s criteria focused on connectivity, creativity and impact, for which Anghami came first in its class across the three categories. Institutions that were awarded are the ones that made a positive impact on the development and success of their communities while contributing to the progress and growth of people. p

The Nile Ritz Carlton, Cairo opens new Cosmopolitan Attraction Arkan Plaza Supports Egyptian Enterprise at ‘Ayady Masreya’ Ayady Masreya brought together some of Egypt’s top brands, some of which compete in international markets that entirely produce locally. Exhibitors from Egypt’s diverse industries including jewelry making, interior design, fashion, food and textiles, highlighted the distinctive value of Egyptian craftsmanship across all markets.

Ayady Masreya was successful because exhibitors showcased their unique concepts, which made each brand special. p

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Nox is the new gem located on top of the historical Nile Ritz Carlton Cairo.

The top-notch destination is set to become an important attractor of those who seek good music, food and company. Throughout the day, Nox combines different moods and aesthetics between a relaxing lounge, sophisticated restaurant and vibrant bar.

Each food item is carefully picked to complete a cohesive list of global delicacies. On the other hand, Nox also promises a regular parade of exquisite entertainment. Belly dancers, DJs and even international performances have already been scheduled to entertain the crowd. p

Employment Fair at InterContinental Cairo CityStars ECG Academy in coordination with Tawzef under the care of the Ministry Of Social Solidarity are holding The Engineering Employment Fair at the InterContinental Cairo City Stars on January 28 from 10 AM to 5 PM and looks to bring together Egyptian and foreign companies seeking to hire Egyptian talents.

The fair aims to support young Egyptian engineers to get better employment opportunities as well as to help companies and businesses find the excellent calibers they seek for employment. p

PEARLA›s Casual Line Debuted its Winter Collection with Modern Designs

Dubai Based XTOUCH Reinforces its Presence in Egypt XTOUCH (www.xtouchdevice.com), one of the region’s fastest growing smartphone brands, announced their media and channel launch in the Egyptian market. XTOUCH’s wide range of smartphones boasts high standards of design innovation and will be available through its authorized distributor 4Link, various retail outlets across the country as well as on online platforms.

The launch is also seen as XTOUCH’s prioritization and confidence in the Egyptian market. With a young population of 90 million, Egypt boasts one of the largest consumer markets in the Middle East and Africa (MEA) region.

XTOUCH offers a range of innovative smartphones, tablets and accessories. Some of the smartphone models immediately set to be introduced in Egypt includes the brand’s flagship, the 4G as well as other best selling models including T3, K3 and tablet in 7inch and 10inch form. p

Inspired by the distinctive moods channeled by different fashion styles, Zag Store and Amany El Cherif have joined forces infusing years of experience in the fashion market to create a line that has its own unique identity.

Some pieces have patch work and asymmetric cuts that are very nostalgic of the seventies. Main fabrics used include tweed, leather, faux fur, velvet and chiffon. The theme of the collection consists of different motifs like birds, flowers and elephants.

Zag Store is a fashion boutique that features the works of local fashion designers, international luxury brands as well as jewelry and home accessories among many other Arab and International products. p

Jan / feb 2017 | Ct

7

STYLE

A Ta l k w i t h

Mona Siag

By Layal Al Rustom

When you enter the gallery of Mona Siag, a positive vibe captures you.

From home decoration to jewelry, the space is filled with art pieces that range from classical to modern and experimental, as well as from ancient Egyptian motifs to Arabic calligraphy, Turkish and Thai Jewelry.

B

orn in Cairo, Siag is a graduate of the French School Sacré Cœur Heliopolis, and attained a degree in pharmacology from Cairo University in 1980. She resides in Cairo with her husband, children and grandchildren. Her products are displayed mainly at the Mona Siag Gallery in Heliopolis, as well as in a boutique with a smaller selection at Cairo International Airport. Customers can also place online orders through Facebook and Instagram.

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The energy that I have during my work and the energy I put into my work is what stays in it.

A friendly talk with Siag reveals the secret behind her three decades of success.

When did you begin your career and what was the inspiration behind it?

In December of 1985, I discovered a beautiful shop that designs exclusive household accessories and tableware from silver plated brass. I placed an order for my home, then I found that it would be the perfect wedding gift for my siblings and friends, and so I carried out even more orders. I then got the idea to start designing my own patterns. I worked by orders as a start, and this is how I entered the market.

The old Cairo market in Khan El Khalili was also a source of inspiration.

I would stroll through its narrow alleys, stopping at random antique shops, looking at pieces and designs and chatting with the designers, until one day I met a coppersmith and designer who was keen to teach me the know-hows.

Through several meetings with him, he taught me the steps to manually design brass models: tracing it on paper, copying it on a brass sheet and finally hand engraving the design onto the brass. Later I started working with two designers who used a different, more advanced method called “chemical etching process” that is used for more modern patterns, which is when I expanded my work to include both types of brass designs.

You are now known for your distinct collection of jewelry, which is mostly composed of silver, stones and beads with traces of gold. How did you extend your passion to women’s jewelry?

My first encounter with accessories was adding small decorative touches to the home décor objects. It was in the late 80s that I fell in love with silver jewelry by the talented artist Faten El Rouby, whom I later became close friends with and we continued to work together ever since. She encouraged me to take some of her stones and try applying them to my own designs. At first I was very hesitant because it was not a field I imagined myself working in, but this quickly changed when she started her workshop and I became a frequent visitor experimenting with my own designs.

Your gallery is composed of various silver jewelry styles: Turkish, Arabic, Thai and Indian. What would you say is your best seller?

Each line of designs has its own customer, but during the revolution, most traders were importing from Turkey as the prices were reasonable, had beautiful designs and were popular because of the Turkish soap operas at the time. Currently, people prefer Thai silver, which is white gold plated and has Zircon stones, as it does not change color.

I try to combine what’s fashionable with my own personal touch. For example, chokers necklaces are in fashion now, so I include chokers in my collection. I also lean towards classical designs, because they are always in style. We also have a collection for every occasion. For example, our Mother’s Day collection is a collaborative work between Faten El Rouby and myself. Today, one of our best selling lines is the men’s accessories. Rosaries are also a bestseller; you would be surprised to know that rosaries are a very detailed job and I learned the technique from a Saudi expert.

Can you tell us about stone energies and the noticeable positive vibe in your gallery?

My office here is full of beads and stones, each carrying its own energy.

When I hold a stone, I can tell if it is real by the intensity of its energy.

Stones are like human beings: each is unique, has its characteristics and its intensity.

The energy that I put in my work is what stays in it. As you noticed at the entrance, the large stone there is a Rose Quartz, which is known to be the stone for love energy, the stone I always work with. On the two main corners of the gallery I have the yellow Citrine and the violet Amethyst because they clear the place and bring positivity. This is a popular combination both in the desired energy they emit as well as in the harmony of their colors.

Have you studied energy healing or is it out of personal readings that you learned about it?

I both studied and read about them, and can direct you to the stone that you need for your healing. When I travel, I take courses on different subjects available relating to energy and healing. For example, after reading about “spiritual healing,” I visited Bali and learned how it is used as a means to heal, and that while healing someone else you contribute to your own healing, but you must practice and make sure not to catch the negative energy yourself.

My curiosity grew in the subject and in 1999, I started pursuing specialized courses starting with “Usui, universal energy Reiki,” later completing courses in Luxor with the famous Christine Core entitled “Angelic Reiki” and “Merkaba: golden mean of creation.” During my visit to India, I also took a course on “Ayurvedic treatments,” which is a method similar to, yet much older, than homeopathy.

Jan / feb 2017 | Ct

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STYLE If someone is encountering a certain symptom, can you help with stones?

How do you control the energy of the pieces produced by others in your workshop?

Yes, I can, but there are already professional spiritual healers and homeopaths. The place you work in must be sacred, closed and you must clear it frequently, and you must be very dedicated to the job. The stone that grounds you, if you are nervous or stressed for example, is the Hematite stone, and the genuine Amber is a healing stone for the whole body. Also, colors are significant. The stone can be unauthentic but the color is what gives you the energy, and this is why some days we have a color preference over what we wear.

To control the energy, I make sure to revise every piece being created and I approve it based on the entire outcome of the piece: the design, the length and most importantly the combination of colors and energies. It is very rare that the piece is perfect from the first attempt. We even scan each piece and examine the picture carefully, and make changes until it arrives to the harmony intended for it.

You participated this year in the “International Handicrafts Show” that took place last November. Tell us more about your experience and people’s reactions to your product.

My focus was to expose my home décor line, which is the preliminary work that I started more than three decades ago. I was very happy with the results and impressed at the quality of handmade products and at the turnout of the visitors and potential future sales. I, along with many of the exhibitors, am looking forward to another show organized by ExpoLink and El Ahram.

Because of the high quality of the finish that requires a great amount of time from the artisans, my products are considered expensive. This beautiful art and design is so rich and distinct that I wish they could be sold internationally. I have begun to work on old, unfinished brass products, and so this fair was an excellent exposure to them locally and hopefully internationally.

What distinguishes your work and enabled you to continue in the market?

Innovation is at the heart of the passion I have for work. I like changing classic designs into modern ones.

I also do custom orders where I sit with a customer to combine his or her taste with my style.

What distinguishes my work is that I continue buying and mixing stones that I bought throughout the years with new stones, making the combination distinct. p

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Home Decor Trends of 2017

1

Matte Appliances In style this year are furniture that are bold yet not distracting, as the surfaces do not shine.

Many kitchen appliances are usually expected to have a glossy finish, and so this new trend adds a surprising element giving depth to your home.

These appliances when matched with dark colors present a more elegant and modern design.

2

Pure White Also called raw white, this color scheme brings with it a cozy, unearthed atmosphere. However, people must be careful which texture they pair it with, as some may make the piece look dull and flat. To add a little edge, you could also match it with another piece of furniture with a solid color.

3

Marble Marble has made its way into all areas of the house for different uses. It can be used for kitchen counters, floor and wall coverings, desks, bathroom utilities and home accessories. This trend is commonly paired with wood or metal, and always adds a contrast of both classical and modern to the place.

4

Mixed Patterns For a more colorful, casual pop to your house, a common go-to in the New Year would be to mix together different patterns. If you prefer having a statement piece without the room seeming too busy and tiring for the eyes, place the patterned object in a neutral colored surrounding.

5

Nail-Head Details This classic trend has been customized and modernized to fit this year’s home decor designs.

This trend is being used for tables, storage chests, ottomans and lighting fixtures, and is now commonly being paired with leather. Depending on whether you want a more antique look or a more distinct, colorful look, you can either have the surrounding furniture with neutral colors or colorful patterns.

6

1

2

Navy as the New Black Navy is slowly replacing black as the go to for a modern twist as it avoids making the room feel too small, as black does sometimes, as well as matching with almost all color schemes and connecting traditional with modern for those looking for an in-between. Navy is a calming tone that adds a little mystery to the home.

7

Jewel Tones Metals, metallic and rawcut quartz are making their way into the 2017 trend, as they bring a certain softness to the room, especially when paired with silks or transparent fabrics.

3

4 6

5

8

Cork Walls For a more casual look, people are now turning to cork to add an extra edge to the place. This material not only provides a unique touch, but is also a sustainable and practical way to add a pop to home decor. It may not be as visually appealing as some of the other trends, but it defiantly brings a certain comfort along with it. p

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11

Culture Art

Behind AydA MAnsour’s “Flowers in AbstrAct” At eklego

By Soha Elsirgany

Artist Ayda Mansour is currently

displaying a collection of paintings

at Eklego Design’s Zamalek branch.

Eklego’s products range from

furniture and lighting to home

accessories that often emerge from

collaborations with local designers and artists.

M

ansour’s abstract paintings effortlessly complement Eklego’s current collection, as her dynamic depictions of flowers would easily invite themselves into modern homes.

We spoke with the artist who completed her bachelor’s degree in Fine Arts from Concordia University in Montral in 2011.

Has your upbringing in an artistic family and environment inspired you towards this profession?

To start with, my grandmother was an artist, curator of the Mahmoud Said Museum, promoter of many of the great iconic Egyptian artists and an interior designer. My uncle was a renowned photographer and my mother has always been very passionate about art and interior design.

Having grown up in such an artistic surrounding, I developed a passion for art at a young age. As a child, my grandmother would take my sister and me to every art exhibit; she took us all over the world to various museums, teaching us about all the great artists and their different techniques. In my free time, I would go to her house where I would grab a canvas and some paints and would let the colors lead the way.

Throughout my school years, I took every art elective, experimenting with diverse mediums, until I decided that painting was what I wanted to pursue.

With a brilliant mentor by my side, I learned all the basics. I constantly drew inspiration from her.

Did studying art shape your style and subjects?

Studying art was a very necessary experience as it broadened my exposure to the art world. In university, unlike in high school where you are inspired by a few classmates, you are among a thousand other students trying to succeed in the same subject. It was extremely competitive but at the same time very inspiring. I learned a lot from my colleagues and I pushed myself to experiment with the different mediums and styles, which in turn gave me a much more creative approach.

What about your technique: do you prefer using the knife instead of a brush?

With abstract paintings, I start off by painting a scene, memory or an idea in my head using a brush. My next step is to add many layers of paint using a knife or any other tool that grabs my interest. I enjoy getting my hands dirty when I paint as it removes the aspect of control and limitations on a canvas, which allows me to fully express myself.

How much time do you usually spend creating a painting and where do you usually like to paint?

It varies from painting to painting, but I tend to get lost in my paintings, making it difficult for me to keep track of time.

I prefer to paint outdoors as I’m constantly inspired by the beauty and

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colors around me. The other advantage is that it gives me the liberty to splatter paint and create a mess with the comfort that I haven’t ruined or stained anything around me. However, I also enjoy painting at home, as I draw my inspiration from all the paintings of the old iconic artists hung in the house. Having lived in Canada for eight years, the weather didn’t give me much choice.

Your first solo exhibition was in 2011 in Cairo, and was titled “The Revolution.” How would you say your artwork changed since then?

My artwork has changed tremendously since 2011, which at the time was my last year at university. My subject matter was the revolution and the work was not all abstract; I was doing a lot of figurative pieces. Nevertheless, as time passed, I have developed my approach and evolved in my technique and style, especially since living in North America opened my eyes to the trends of abstract painting.

How did the collaboration with Eklego materialize?

In March 2015, I had an exhibition in Cairo and Eklego bought three of my paintings for their projects, and a year later, they approached me for collaboration.

How did you select pieces for the exhibition, especially that they all have similar colors and match together with Eklego’s collection?

The pieces displayed are part of my new collection titled “Flowers in Abstract”. The inspiration for this collection began a few months ago when I decided to take part in the Tokyo Art Fair.

Choosing the pieces for the Eklego exhibition was not difficult, as I knew I wanted to exhibit my latest work. As for matching the colors, that is not something I usually consider, given that in each collection there is a connection between the different pieces, which brings it all together nicely.

You’ve exhibited your work in Cairo, Canada, US and, lately, in Italy and Japan during 2016. How was the experience in exhibiting in different countries.

Each place is definitely unique because each country has a very interesting culture with a different perspective on art. Having the opportunity to exhibit in several countries has broadened my exposure and has allowed me to understand various art markets that constantly inspire me to play around with my style, technique and approach.

There’s one painting that is different from the others at Eklego with a label stating that it’s from the artist’s private collection. Unlike the flowers collection, the painting is a reproduction of an iconic photograph, with smiling blue eyes of the Afghan girl who is wrapped in red cloth.

Is there a story behind this painting, and why is it displayed individually?

This painting has a very special story and was initially a commissioned painting. A collector had many different artists paint the famous Afghani girl that was photographed by Steve McCurry, published on the cover of the National Geographic magazine.

I chose this particular photograph of the girl because it captured the essence of the child. It took me over 100 hours to complete this painting, in which I became more and more attached to the girl I was painting. When I was done, I was too attached to let go so I got inspired for a future project and decided that I wanted to create a collection of ethnic children, each with their own unique story. I want to exhibit this collection in various countries, in which the proceedings would be given to a children’s charity to raise awareness of the reality of the world that we live in. p

Jan / feb 2017 | Ct

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Culture Books

The FesTival oF insigniFicance After 15 years of silence, Milan Kundera returns with a conclusion at 86: everything means nothing.

Review by Mona El Husseiny

A

t first glance, Milan Kundera’s latest book, “The Festival of Insignificance” seems like it could be a modern take on The Theatre of the Absurd. In accordance with Kundera’s previous works, the title accurately describes the content of the novel. In this case, it’s a seven-act novella that traces the lives of five friends, but is largely about the celebration of all that is effectively futile and frivolous, although perceived by most as worthy of seriousness and importance. A sentiment that is highlighted by one of the main characters, “We’ve known for a long time that it was no longer possible to overturn this world, nor reshape it, nor head off its dangerous headlong rush. There’s been only one possible resistance: to not take it seriously.”

Milan Kundera is a Czech-born French writer who went into exile in Paris after defecting from Czechoslovakia in 1975.

Known for his most famous book, “The Unbearable Lightness of Being”, Kundera has been awarded a handful of diverse awards, some of which include: the Jerusalem Prize for the Freedom of the Individual in Society, the Austrian State Prize for European Literature, the Prix Mondial Cino Del Duca and the International Herder Prize. He has been writing in French for the past 40 years and prefers to have his work classified as classic French literature. He also identifies with being a novelist rather than a political writer and has written a nonfiction book titled “The Art of the Novel”, in which he includes a collection of essays that reflect on the author’s work and literary process in addition to examining works by some of the greatest names in literature such as Rabelais, Cervantes, Sterne, Flaubert and more.

Emerging from a political background, Kundera joined the Communist Party of Czechoslovakia in his teens and was later expelled from it due to “anti-party activities,” which inspired his first novel “The Joke”. He was later admitted back to the party and participated in the Prague Spring of 1968, however, his attempts for reform were eventually crushed, leading to his move to France in 1975. Being unabashedly politically spoken in a tone that takes on intellectual mockery, his books were banned in Czechoslovakia prior to the Velvet Revolution of 1989.

We are going to live under the sign of the navel ... all of us setting our sights not on the beloved woman but on the same small hole in the middle of the belly, the hole that represents the sole meaning.

The entirety of Kundera’s work has a common overarching theme that links all his books and novels together. His books meditate on an assortment of ideas on existentialism, identity, philosophy, Eastern European culture, classical music, communism, eroticism, but most pronouncedly, on the element of humor and a refined sense of ironic wit. “The Festival of Insignificance” is more about the absurdity of the aforementioned notions and less about an added meaning to any of them. After a silent period of 15 years, the author produced a novella of a little over 100 pages that leaves the reader thirsty for more. The book follows five fictional characters living in Paris: Alain, Charles, Ramon, D’Ardelo and a man that goes by the nickname Caliban, each with a respective storyline and bursts of private musings. In such a small-sized book, Kundera managed to include an array of scattered events, flickers of existential and philosophical

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reflections and back-and-forth trips through past accounts of Stalin’s apparently misunderstood sense of humor. The book opens up with an introduction of the characters, or as Kundera calls them, the Heroes. Alain, who was abandoned by his mother as a child, develops a benign infatuation with the navel as he observes the new trend of young women’s sense of navel-revealing-fashion.

Through his recurring musings, ideas of death, birth and existence are signified by this undervalued body part, which he concludes by speculating, “We are going to live under the sign of the navel, ... all of us setting our sights not on the beloved woman but on the same small hole in the middle of the belly, the hole that represents the sole meaning.” Ramon, an intellectual and an art aficionado, is strolling through the Luxembourg Gardens after deciding against visiting a much-anticipated Chagall exhibition, due to the queue being incessantly long and the tourists too self-involved with their chatter, which he thinks would obscure the pleasure of viewing the paintings. Ramon meets D’Ardelo who delivers the prank-line of the novel, a recurring Kunderian theme, and that he is falsely dying of cancer. Charles and Caliban are two light-hearted caterers who also seem to use humor to entertain themselves at work. Caliban, an unemployed actor whose most recent role was a Pakistani, decides to take on the role while performing his job and fakes a gibberish Pakistani accent throughout an entire evening. Most of the book is set in a gathering celebrating D’Ardelo’s birthday, and secretly, the lie of his death. Historical anecdotes occupy the other portion of the novel with an appearance of Stalin in three sections of the book where he is portrayed as a bully and a clever prankster.

15 of the Bestselling Books in 2016

PR TSEO E L L

Harry Potter and the Cursed Child by J.K. Rowking, John Tiffany (Adaptation) Jack Thorne (Adaptation)

Island of Glass by Nora Roberts A Man Called Ove by Fredrik Backman

The book was originally published in French in 2013 and in English in 2015 and was received with mixed reviews, especially in comparison with Kundera’s earlier and most renowned works. A review by The New York Times concluded, “Maybe the real joke here is that, sadly, although Kundera is still the powerful and incisive writer he always was, what he has to tell us seems to have less relevance.”

On the other hand, another review by The Guardian reads, “Here’s something very appealing in the flavor and personality of this new short novel of Kundera’s, the first for almost 15 years: it’s day-lit, funny and crisply elegant, with two passages of dream violence contributing their bassnote.”

I would have to agree with the latter review, adding that although the book is brief in size, it manages to bring about a playful lightness to many heavy-weighted worldly realities. p

Tom Clancy: True Faith and Allegiance by Mark Greaney The Whistler by John Grisham Cross the Line by James Patterson The Ornatrix by Kate Howard Small Admissions by Amy Poeppel The Private Life of Mrs. Sharma by Ratika Kapur Moonglow by Michael Chabon The Loved Ones by Sonya Chung Girl Through the Glass By Sari Wilson Under the Harrow by Flynn Berry Perfect Days by Raphael Montes The Violet Hour by Katie Roiphe Jan / feb 2017 | Ct

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AS BEST OF 2016

INTERNATIONALLY RECOGNIZED

TWO AUC PRESS BOOKS

Culture Books

T OF 2016

T

wo of The American University in Cairo Press books have been internationally recognized as distinguished works of 2016. The Financial Times selected No Knives in the Kitchens of this City as one of the top three best Fiction in Translation titles of 2016, and Choice magazine highlighted Scanning the Pharaohs: CT Imaging of the New Kingdom Royal Mummies as one of its 2016 Outstanding Academic Titles. Selection criteria for the latter include “overall excellence in presentation and scholarship, importance relative to other literature in the field, distinction as a first treatment of a given subject in book or electronic form, originality or uniqueness of treatment, value to undergraduate students and importance in building undergraduate library collections.”

Written by Syrian author, screenwriter and poet Khaled Khalifa, No Knives in the Kitchens of this City was awarded the Naguib Mahfouz Medal for Literature in 2013 and was shortlisted for the International Prize for Arabic Fiction in 2014. Recently reviewed by The New York Times as having “beautiful” writing, the book traces the life of a Syrian family in Aleppo and how it descends into tragedy and ruin.

Co-authored by Zahi Hawass, Egypt’s former minister of state for antiquities, and Sahar Saleem, professor of radiology at Cairo University, Scanning the Pharaohs analyzes the cutting-edge imaging technology, including multi-detector computed tomography, DNA analysis and 3D scanning, used to examine the royal mummies of the New Kingdom. The new imaging techniques not only uncover an abundance of information about each mummy, but also provide detailed images of the remains, with the anatomy of each face discerned for a more accurate rendering of a mummy’s facial features. The book presents surprising results about the genealogy of, and familial relationships between, ancient Egyptians, as well as some unexpected medical discoveries. p

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Culture Showing this Month

“Coppélia” Ballet at the Cairo Opera House January 31 – February 3 at 8 p.m.

Main Hall

Coppélia is probably the best known and most performed comedy ballet in the world. Arthur SaintLéon and Charles Nuitter based the ballet on E.T.A. Hoffmann’s 1816 fairy tale: The Sandman. Léo Delibes wrote the music. SaintLéon choreographed the ballet.

The ballet is set in a Polish village long ago. Swanhilda and Frantz are sweethearts. Swanhilda thinks Frantz is in love with Coppélia, a strange girl in the house of a dollmaker named Dr. Coppélius.

Swanhilda discovers Coppélia is a doll. Dr. Coppélius tries to bring the doll to life using Frantz’s life force. Swanhilda saves her sweetheart’s life, and the two live happily ever after. p

Live from the Metropolitan Opera

Gounod’s “Roméo et Juliette” at the Cairo Opera House January 21 at 8 p.m.

Small Hall

When Diana Damrau and Vittorio Grigolo starred opposite each other in Manon at the Met in 2015, The New York Times said, “The temperature rises nearly to boiling every time Damrau and Grigolo are on stage together.” Now they’re back as opera’s classic lovers, in Gounod’s lush Shakespeare adaptation. Bartlett Sher’s new production has already won acclaim for its vivid 18th century milieu and stunning costumes during runs at Salzburg and La Scala. Gianandrea Noseda conducts the sumptuous score.

The libretto follows the story of Shakespeare’s play, although in the opera there is a slight shift of focus away from the word games of the original play and a greater focus on the two lovers, who are given four irresistible duets, including a brief final reunion in the tomb scene that does not appear in the play. p

Jan / feb 2017 | Ct

17

MIND, BODY & SOUL

s s e n i p p Ha e of Mind

Addressing HeAltH CAre in egypt For decades, the health care system in Egypt has been deteriorating and a succession of ministers one after the other haven’t caused any significant progress, on the contrary, matters are going from bad to worse. As per a recent survey report, 2100 patients have died due to negligence.

By Rehab Saad

is a Stat

A

lot of challenges are facing the Ministry of Health, including the tremendous effort exerted to fight Virus C. Despite this, the virus is still spreading with some 16,500 new infections every year mainly due to using unsterilized needles.

In July 2014, Egypt agreed with the WHO to access oral hepatitis C treatments that promises higher cure rates with significantly reduced costs. Hepatitis C is a major challenge, and although there are 26 specialized centers and 350,000 people cured in the last six years, there is still a lot to be accomplished.

Egypt is also working to improve training on infection control for doctors and nurses by boosting their awareness to stamp out unsafe medical practices such as reusing needles and other medical devices that should be discarded, especially in the villages and small towns. Public awareness campaigns have also been organized by the ministry to educate people to avoid injection by unsterilized syringes and needles.

Conditions in PubliC HosPitals Public hospitals, health insurance facilities and some private hospitals’ conditions have become so alarming, not only in hamlets and villages but in main cities as well.

In general, the hospitals suffer from proper hygiene. Over and above, shortage of vital equipment, medication, basic medical supplies such as cotton, bandages, thermometers, as well as untrained nursing, are some of many that the hospitals lack. If these supplies are available, they are sold at much higher prices, which are not affordable by the low-income patient.

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s invited to a retreat in El wa I Confirmed Cases of negligenCe rigued Always int ort khna ares Sodelivered A woman baby on.the threshold of one of the public I not t,were hospitals that refusedpe thatrea there at a ret doclaiming ople her, what admitting enough by beds. In another incident, due to a lack of generators, re mowhen , butdied severalim newly born babies incubators cepinted telythatacwere dia me electricity was cut off. There was also a case where, due to t I a lack hopbedtha a woinrks watos sleep ing of beds, aen lady was obliged the same with her sick tic mother against paying 30 EGP each night to the nurse. was to attend: It was a shocking experience, the public ss”. hospitals ppofine to Haone “The Pathvisiting - the Abou El Reesh Hospital. I felt depressed and downhearted at first sight as it was like a public marketplace, with noise, people and nurses screaming, dirt everywhere, and the hospital’s roof turned into a garbage dump where flammable materials were stored.

El Demerdash hospital was no better off; negligence and chaos, ill-treatment of patients and non-availability of drugs, resulting in patients obliged to buy medicine from pharmacies outside the hospital at non-affordable prices, even prescriptions are written on a piece of paper. One of the dilemmas at the hospital is the long waiting list for an operation and patients have to either wait or go to one of the costly hospitals, while some people pay the nurse to place them at the top of the list.

Doctors also treat HIV patients without gloves. “Due to lack of medical supplies, we reuse things that we shouldn’t, and sometimes we buy basic supplies like thermometers and blood pressure kits from our own pockets,” one of the doctors said.

Another doctor claimed, “I see from 200-300 patients in a 12hour shift with only one nurse responsible for 40 patients at the same time.”

Nasr City Hospital, that treats patients who have public health coverage offered through the Ministry of Health, is also a grieving situation. There is a lack of equipment and beds in the intensive care, and cardiac and kidney dialysis units have a long waiting list.

My father-in-law used to go there for treatment, having to return home then go back again the following day in the hope of getting in.

Conditions in some private hospitals El Nozha International Hospital suffers from a state of chaos and noise inside the hospital and in the outpatient clinics. During my stay there for an urgent surgery, I had an unpleasant experience from the first moment I stepped in. The nurse had no idea how to install a cannula to the extent that it caused me great pain in my arm, over and above, the nurses usually do not serve you unless they take a good tip on a daily basis.

Despite the gloomy image of health in Egypt, there is still a glimmer of hope, especially that Egypt has a huge health infrastructure which can lead to tremendous results, if the system is properly managed.

Actually, we have some bright examples, which should be our pilot cases for radical changes in medication and nursing quality at both private and public hospitals.

dr. magdy yaaCoub CardiaC Center The Cardiac Center in Aswan is an exceptional project that was launched in 2009 and is a real example of a system that provides the highest standards of care to patients, focusing on state-of-theart facilities, resources, research and scientific methods. Though it depends mainly on donations, it shows a genuine pattern of quality doctors, outstanding service, cleanliness, loyalty and devotion to work by all the staff.

Dr. Yaacoub received many grateful letters from people whom he conducted serious surgeries on when they were children and now are grown ups and enjoy a happy, healthy life. One example of the founder’s dedication to his profession is when he recently found out that there was a child in a critical condition and needed immediate surgery, but his mother could not afford the price of a train ticket to travel to Aswan. Dr. Yaacoub booked an air ticket for her to Aswan and received her himself at the airport, then took her and the child to the center to run the operation. Dr. Yaacoub’s valuable contributions will never be forgotten, as he has engraved his name in gold inside the hearts of all kids and parents.

hospital 57357 57357’s mission is to provide charitable support to Egyptian hospitals and non-profit organizations focused on cancer in the areas of patient care, scientific advancement and education. Their vision is to provide all children suffering from cancer with an

opportunity for the highest quality treatment, under the slogan, “Every Kid Deserves A Chance.” The hospital helps many poor children overcome their illness and be cured completely from cancer. Among the treatment techniques they offer is music and songs with a message of hope, and Amo Karawan and the clown character encourage patients to talk and helps them to be cheerful and optimistic. Amo adds, “My role is not only playing with the children, but to teach them patience and how to overcome their pains with a smile. I consider 57357 my home and I love to be there to receive the children at admittance and make them happy from the first moment they enter the hospital.”

Yasmine, a patient at the hospital, said: “I was depressed and felt hopeless when I first came to the hospital. My parents as well had no hope that I would be cured, yet they were always giving me hope and support. However, when I entered 57357, all my worries were gone and I started to feel better under the constant care of the doctors and nurses there. I don’t feel that I’m missing anything; I feel at home and I made a lot of friends. Now after two years, I am 90% cured and I’ll be going home soon.”

the saudi-german hospital The hospital opened in 2015 with the motto: “Leading with innovation. Serving with compassion.” I’ve been to the hospital twice, and from the moment you enter, you see that the standard of service is like a seven stars hotel. Decent Korean and Egyptian nurses provide medical services quietly, respectfully, passionately and with full commitment. They know their job and they never wait for tips in return.

Cleanliness and tranquility prevails inside the hospital and at the outpatient clinic. Everything in the clinic is well-organized. The staff at the reception desk are courteous and helpful and the doctors arrive on time, which never happens in other clinics.

One of the patients in the intensive care said, “I entered the hospital suffering from non-regular heartbeats and a team of doctors immediately handled the case efficiently and professionally. There was the most comprehensive range of state-of-art diagnostic equipment and treatment tools including the catheterization laboratory.” He added, “They admitted me in the intensive care unit to monitor my condition for 24 hours, during which I was given ultimate and constant care by the doctors and nurses who monitored my case regularly, until they were sure that my heartbeats were back to normal.”

The healthcare system in Egypt is in critical need of change. The majority of hospitals are in need of funding, quality control and staff monitoring to avoid the current state of negligence. Hope in this change is based on the fact that the government is currently working on a plan to improve the public healthcare system. p

Jan / feb 2017 | Ct

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MIND, BODY & SOUL

The Myths and Truths behind

hYpnotherapY

By Selma Köhn

S

ome people have the understanding that hypnotherapy is a form of making someone unconscious and controlling them in a way that they don’t want to, which is a fatale, incorrect perception. This kind of misconception was partly created during the black and white movies era where the mystery of hypnotism was used to create any form of suspension in the story. Furthermore, comic books and television carried on that interpretation.

Hypnotherapy is a very powerful tool to help a person overcome any issues. Rather, putting someone into a conscious hypnotic state where the person is in a deep sleep-awake state, fully aware and in control of what is happening and what is around them.

Verbal interaction with the hypnotist is not only possible, but also necessary in order to change whatever comes to the surface.

Behind every habit of action is a habit of belief. We seldom know what these beliefs are as they lie in the hidden chamber of the subconscious mind. Generally, we are in control of only 10% of our conscious brain and are actually steered by 90% of our subconscious mind. Through hypnotherapy, you find out which beliefs are behind your repeated patterns, emotional troubles, mental stress or physical pain. So during a ninety-minute session, you can be transformed into a better, healthier, happier, lighter, addiction-free person. This comes with certain conditions of course.

Wilingness to Change First and foremost, it is absolutely crucial that the person is willing to change, consciously allowing themselves to become hypnotized and deliberately able to embrace the ride. Only then can transformation start. The road to freedom, health and happiness contains some hurtful obstacles that appear while under hypnosis, however, once they are discovered and put out of the way, the release is enormous.

Not everyone is comfortable sitting in the hot seat, and even though they consciously want it, sometimes subconsciously they aren’t there yet. We all have an inner guard that literally resides in front of our subconscious mind protecting it from any outside threat; the will to change is one of them, which explains why to some people change is a rather difficult task. In a lot of cases, sickness, stress or thought patterns serve them somehow and are part of their identity, making letting go difficult. This also means that some people are more easily hypnotized than others.

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Your Mind It is all in your mind. In order to change something, you need to go into the hidden chambers first that are divided into the conscious, subconscious and unconscious, each with a different functionality.

The unconscious mind is the space where everything, which we have ever learned or experienced, is kept and, to an extent, our reality created. To gain access to the memories and beliefs that are kept there, it requires a real strong trigger. It gets easier with the subconscious mind, which reveals its stored information once you turn your awareness to it, like recalling a memory consciously.

Your conscious mind is active when you are with all your awareness in the present. Furthermore, your subconscious mind is also responsible for the functioning and maintenance of your body which is the actual steering force, and lasting changes can only happen when they are planted there. While most healing methods or therapies address the conscious mind, hypnotherapy accesses your subconscious and indirectly unconscious mind.

hYpnotherapY Dating back to ancient times where hypnotherapy was part of the traditional healing methods, it became very popular once more in the 1950s. Since that time, several different schools and types of hypnotherapy evolved globally. Now, in the medical and psychiatric community, it is increasingly becoming a complimentary treatment for a lot of issues ranging from unexplained chronic pain to psychological issues. As a shortcut to your subconscious mind, hypnotherapy alters your state of consciousness and is a systematic and effective tool to implant in your subconscious mind the new desired transformation in the form of perceptions, beliefs, emotions or behaviors. The reprogramming mainly occurs through positive suggestions tailormade for individual needs while being in a sleep-awake state, where regardless of the depth of that state, the reprogramming functions anyway.

The Four Brainwave STaTeS There are four different states: beta, alpha, theta and delta. You are in a beta state when you are awake and fully aware, and are very relaxed when you are in the alpha state, the state where hypnotherapy begins. You are in the theta state while meditating, where hypnosis is very deep. The delta state is the deep sleep, and this is the healing stage. Therefore, hypnotherapy puts you in the alpha and theta state where you are still fully aware.

Ahl Masr Burn Hospital Begins Construction

By Layal Al Rustom

how iT workS Every hypnotherapy session begins with an initial talk about the issue the client wants to improve, whether addressing depression, addiction, trauma, unexplained chronical pain, insomnia, weight loss or phobia. The hypnotist gathers some additional information about the lifestyle, medical symptoms, history and other habitual patterns of the client.

The actual hypnosis starts after the hypnotist explains what will happen in the session. While the overall structure of each session differs from one school to another and the type of hypnotherapy, some guidelines are common. First, the client is inducted and deepened into the hypnotic state, then the client transmits gradually from the conscious into the deep relaxation-like state where the breathing gets shallower, the metabolic rate drops and the muscles and nerves relax. More or less, the nervous system of the person goes to sleep yet his awareness of what is happening stays awake. Then the discovery tour takes place.

The hypnotist and the hypnotized person enter into a balancing act between monologue, dialogue and instructions. Based on the respective methodology of the hypnotist, the session unfolds differently having the same aim of helping the client to get better.

How many sessions are needed to treat one cause until it is resolved also depends on the methodology of each school and type.

Tree oF PoSiTiviTy Usually, during the session, the client already experiences change, transformation and relief in which the intensity and depth of it depends on the clients’ readiness and ability to embrace the new state. Accordingly, the brain follows suit and responds immediately. You could say that during those ninety minutes of a session, the hypnotist plants a seed of positivity in the clients’ brain while he cuts the tree of negativity from its roots in regards to the respective topic. However, the seed needs to grow and the tree to die, and so what happens after the session is almost equally important.

In order for the brain not to fire back, it is crucial that the client does his homework. This can include a recording with positive suggestions that the client receives from the hypnotherapist after the session. The client has to listen to this recording every day for at least 21 days, as it is scientifically proven that the brain needs up to 21 days to change a habit or to be reprogrammed.

This is a short process leading to a long-lasting transformation.

The process described here is based on the common, classical approach.

When hypnotherapy is done correctly, as well as in a competent and ethical manner, it becomes a fast gateway to discover and enhance the underlying causes of your issues. In fact, as a complimentary tool to classical medical treatment, it has proven to be highly effective. Being incorporated into the medical field since centuries in the US, it is gaining momentum in Europe these days.

aBouT The auThor Selma Köhn is a Rapid Transformational Therapist, Hypnotherapist, Energy Healer and Writer. She is trained by one of the UKs best therapists, Marisa Peer. In Cairo, she works with Oasis Clinics, The Counselling Unit for Psychological Development, Nun Center, The Wellness Hub and CSA and Horizon Studio. p

The groundbreaking ceremony of Ahl Masr Burn Hospital, the largest-to-be non-profit hospital in the Middle East to treat burn victims for free, took place on December 3. The hospital’s foundation was laid down, the equipment arrived and the drilling began, as the burn victims witnessed the actualization of their dreams.

Among those who attended the ceremony were Heba Elsewedy, founder and Chairwoman of Ahl Masr, the Ahl Masr team, many burn victims and a number of renowned figures from various fields including: Dr. Ghada Wally, Minister of Social Solidarity, Dr. Mostafa Matbouly, Minister of Housing who donated the land to Ahl Masr and provided facilities for infrastructure, ambassadors of Kuwait and Holland, Director Khaled Youssef, Actress Magda Zaki and many others.

The hospital is located in the first settlement in front of El Rehab Compound’s gate two. It will include 180 beds, 50 ICUs, 11 clinics, radiology units, labs and other necessary departments that will help in the treatment of burn victims. The hospital will hold the first skin and stem cell banks in Egypt, and the largest medical and social research centre for burns, adapted after the research centre in Holland.

“The problem we are facing today is that there aren’t enough beds in current hospitals to take in emergency cases of burnt victims.

They require immediate infection control which is very costly, and so unfortunately many of the victims die within the first few hours,” stated Elsewedy. She highlighted that the emergency department in the new hospital can take 16 simultaneous emergency cases, with a very high level of infection control.

Although the hospital was originally intended for burnt children only, it has been rearranged to have a capacity of 50% children, who occupy the biggest percentage of victims, and 50% adults (over 18 years).

An affiliation with the International Burns Association was made, and starting from the end of 2017, the hospital will begin recruiting doctors and nurses. The team will receive a one-year training, where experts from other countries will lead the training program and some members will receive further training abroad.

Elsewedy assured, “Our job is to prevent the burns and raise awareness.” Ahl Masr continues to visit corporations, schools and villages to implement their Prevention and Awareness Program.

Although the duration for completing the hospital depends on donations, the hospital is estimated to begin operation within 30 months. p Jan / feb 2017 | Ct

21

FEATURE

EntrEprEnEurship in Egypt:

8 succEss storiEs of 2016

By Nour Hassan and Youssra Goueli

The year 2016 was full of success stories across fields ranging from fashion to fitness, with Egyptians taking risks and making names for themselves with businesses both big and small. We spoke to some of the people behind the most buzzed about brands of the year on what the highlights were for them and what’s in store in the future.

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Orcas Formerly launched in 2013 as CairoSitters, Orcas is one of the countless start-ups that call the Greek Campus home. This business offers a unique package that includes parttime jobs for young students or employees as well as home tutoring, babysitting and language instruction services for parents.

One of its founders, Hossam Taher, explained the reason for Cairo-Sitters’ re-launch this past summer: “We chose to rebrand to Orcas mainly because we did not want clients to think that we were only located in Cairo, nor that babysitting was the only service we offer. We have a very strong team of tutors who help students enrolled in international, private and language schools from grades K-12 and for the American, British, German and French curricula.”

For those confused about the start-up’s new name, Taher clarifies the reasoning behind it: “through their behavior and social structure, orcas can be considered role models for intelligence and mentorship, also serving as a symbol of family and motherhood.”

Given the unique service it provides in a currently un-saturated market for babysitting and private tutoring, Orcas has enjoyed a lot of success in a relatively short period, particularly this year. “This year has been good to us. We started by creating a totally new team with a new global perspective and approach to our business. Later this year, we received our second investment from Kamelizer Angel Fund headed by Hanan Abdel Meguid, a true icon in the entrepreneurship scene in Egypt.” reflected Taher.

If all of that wasn’t enough, Orcas is also planning to launch a mobile application before the end of 2016, which, according to Taher, will be available in both the Apple App Store and the Android Play Store. “The app will make locating and managing tutors and collecting payment much easier for users. It’s our way of going public in Egypt’s huge market of international, private and language schools,” Taher pointed out.

Rakna Ask any car-owning Cairene what takes up most of their day, besides getting stuck in traffic, and they’ll tell you it’s finding a decent parking spot.

Luckily, Rakna has an application for that. Rakna, currently operating in Downtown exclusively, was built with the purpose of being “the Uber of parking,” but instead of ordering drivers, its users request “valets-ondemand.” Rakna started the service on March 7, parking their first car ever and eventually reaching 2,500 parked cars in 4 months.

Gazef As far as travel goes, it is undisputable that adventure travel pushes your boundaries and forces you out of your comfort zone. With all of this and a much greater vision of world exploration in mind, Ayten Wahba founded Gazef in 2013 along with three other ambitious and wanderlust driven friends. Gazef begun as a travel agency that planned perfect adventure trips around the world for individuals and their friends and family. The word “Gazef” translated from Arabic to English means to push the boundaries of your comfort zone and venture out into new and unchartered territory. The brand did what no other local Egyptian travel agency had done to that point, which was to cater to the youthful soul and tailor trips that are perfect for every personality. With the help of a closeknit circle of friends and some classic AUC buzz, Gazef took off and became a local favorite and go-to for anyone looking to get away from the hustle and bustle of Cairo. If your budget is tight and you don’t feel like hopping on and off long and tedious flights, then Gazef is still your one stop shop for local trips around Egypt as well.

Gazef is considered a success story in Egypt, mainly due to the inspiration and motto behind starting it, and that is “choose a job you love and you will never have to work a day in your life.” The Gazef founders followed this motto to motivate them in creating a working environment and company that is based on something they all love and enjoy to do, turning it into their living.

“The main challenge we faced is educating the market about the valet service and building the trust necessary for our customers to give us their cars,” says founder Ahmed Zaki. We were actually surprised by the users’ reactions; they loved our service and they kept coming back.”

Rakna is planning to launch in five more areas across Cairo in 2017; “We definitely believe that we can expand beyond Downtown and are working as hard as possible to achieve that. We are actually working to launch our service in Zamalek starting next January,” declared Zaki.

JAn / Feb 2017 | Ct

23

FEATURE Pop – Up Shop

TD Athletics Train Dirty Athletics is an exercise entity that started in El Gezira Club by the founder and certified trainer Mohamed Auf. Watching Auf train in the club exclusively to a group of ambitious and driven individuals; it was obvious that this was the beginning of something fruitful with a prosperous future. Auf then joined forces with more likeminded individuals in the hopes of turning their healthy lifestyles into their daily job.

They then went on to open their first “Box” in Zamalek on Brazil Street, strategically in front of Lychee, Imtenan and Abu Auf to name a few healthy food outlets in Egypt. Their loyal following of committed athletes began to grow and so did the number of trainers and training programs, adding yoga to the mix. Asmaa El Zohairy is one of the female trainers to have recently joined the TD family after having spear headed the Nike+ Women NTC Round 1 in Cairo.

TD recently moved to a larger “Box” in Zamalek. I personally joined their one month Ramadan Boot Camp last June and have never been whipped into shape in such a small amount of time with such inspirational athletes to guide me through each and every step. The trainers are attentive and very clearly experienced, putting together diverse and challenging routines. Workouts at Nadi El Gezira are still exclusively conducted by Auf, while the Box has a variety of selected trainers to help you turn your life around.

BRGR Truck This past summer, BRGR Truck was the talk of the town, or Sahel, to be more precise.

It has been spotted everywhere this summer from Hacienda to Capital Business Park.

Although common all over the world, the idea of an on-the-go food truck is still relatively new to Egypt but has managed to rapidly create a lot of buzz. Based on a “gastro-nomads” philosophy, according to founder Ahmed Hanafi, BRGR Truck is on a mission to make the “perfect burger”. It has already made stops in Gezira Club, Gouna, and Downtown Katameya and is set to appear in even more hotspots soon.

Despite BRGR Truck’s massive success, Hanafi still believes that Egypt is not a “food truck-friendly country” because of our highly populated streets and narrow sidewalks.

So what were the reasons behind BRGR’s success? “The most obvious factor would have to be the concept of introducing a food truck on (in my point of view) the best beach in all of the North Coast: the Haciendas. The second factor is the introduction of Egypt’s first burger slider concept, that were much smaller than anything Egyptians were used to, as well as our ‘secret sauce.’ Another important factor is our very limited menu, which is made up of two burgers and our selection of three fries options.” Hanafi also stressed the importance of location to BRGR Truck’s success.

“In 2017, we will hopefully introduce our new store concept “BRGR” in the Sheikh Zayed area. I can’t really say much about it at the moment, but I can tell you that it will visually and conceptually be different than any other restaurant in Egypt!” declared Hanafi.

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Concept stores only started popping up in Cairo about two years ago, when people finally caught on to the idea that a store does not have to sell ONLY what it produces. Actually, a store or retail shop does not have to physically produce anything at all, it can simply be a space where products are displayed for people to see, browse and buy. Pop-Up Shop opened its first branch in Downtown Mall in the 5th Settlement in Cairo. The store adopted a modern brick and mortar interior design with a bulb neon sign at the entrance as well as an indoor Cake Café collaboration.

The store displays everything from furniture, décor items, clothes, bags, shoes, and jewelry from Egyptian and Middle Eastern based designers across the board. Pop-Up Shop was started by creative minds Ghasa El Shiry, Dina Sabet and the founders of Lela Et Lali including Laila El Helaly. These ladies wanted to add something out of the box to the mainstream Katameya shopping scene.

This, in our opinion, is a success story in Cairo, mainly because of the fact that it is the first store of its kind to truly adopt the “concept store” demeanor. Local brands such as Okhtein and AFH Designs are some of the first to adopt this method. The store marks a revolutionary turn in Cairo’s retail sector, and for this reason they are definitely a business to follow.

Bdiver Adventure travel has gained hype in Egypt, with new groups seeming to pop heading to more exotic destinations and focusing on even riskier activities. Bdiver is one of the few travel agencies specializing in diving and it has seen its popularity rise in 2016, with more and more travelers joining their trips. Co-founded

by Hassan Adel, its aim was to build a community of passionate Egyptian divers, offering PADI-certified courses. Their events take place all around the Red Sea, where the Bdiver community emphasizes their environmentally conscious mission.

Hassan Adel reflects on Bdiver’s success in 2016, stressing the community element of the travel agency; “This year was great for us because our community really became stronger as friends and family. We had much more trips than previous years, going to various locations like Marsa Allam, Ras Mohamed, Abo Galoum, Dahab and Hurghada, as well as a couple of customized private trips for groups of people who wanted those. For our bi-monthly Bdiver community trips, we stressed on making sure each trip was different, so this year, we partnered up with lots of different communities like music and culture centers, up-cycling projects to create beach lounges, yoga centers, travel communities, entrepreneurs and more. Most importantly, we launched Dive in New Cairo, where we give kids and adults the chance to start their diving courses right here in New Cairo, then finishing their courses in one of the trip locations.”

“The amazing Red Sea is such a heavenly location and it’s so close, it’s awesome to escape to. Also, connecting with people underwater and learning to communicate the beautiful things you see underwater to others is fascinating,” mentioned Hassan. “We love how adventure travel is growing and Bdiver stresses so much on community and caring.”

Keeping in line with this community-centered philosophy, Bdiver makes sure to give back to the environment as well. “We stress environmental care and we support marine life. This year, we partnered with great start-ups, and we launched the Sinawi Campaign. Basically, we sold mobile covers highlighting popular adventure types in Egypt (I’m a Camper, Traveler, Kite-surfer, Diver) as well as Arabic calligraphy for Egyptian destinations (Dahab, Nuweiba, etc.) and all gains went to an NGO for Saint Katherine.”

Four Fat Ladies One of the most popular additions to the 2016 dessert scene was the Four Fat Ladies. Starting out with one branch in Yamama Center, which has been relocated to Zamalek’s Brazil Street, the brand now has stores in Korba and even Diplo.

Nira, Heba and Sherine Shumbo are the three sisters behind the brand, which started operation in 2012 out of a kitchen in an apartment where they built up a small, yet loyal, customer base relying mostly on word-of-mouth. “We wanted to create ‘the small shop around the corner’ concept and feel for our customers,” said Nira Shumbo.

Four Fat Ladies also stands out for its unique branding: “Another factor that has created more buzz around our brand is developing our identity, which was illustrated in our seasonal branch in the North Coast. The colors were bold and our four ‘fat’ ladies were in full character,” explained Shumbo.

The brand is also loyal to its American origin and style as well as its customer-centric philosophy. “We all lived in the US at some point in our lives so we are very passionate about American desserts and we really try to stay true to that concept. As three sisters individually passionate about baking, we are continuously inspired and love to come up with new product ideas and strive to keep things original, fresh and exciting. Customer feedback is very important to us as we make it a rule to personally contact customers to follow up on their experience in terms of service, product offering and any other suggestions they may have.”

Luckily for fans of Four Fat Ladies’ heavenly Nutella Cheesecake and other offerings, the brand definitely has new store openings in the pipeline. “Before the year ends, our 6th of October clients will be happy to hear that we are excited to be opening our store in Guezira Plaza, in Sheikh Zayed,” revealed Shumbo. p

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FEATURE

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Sinai Trail Hike With little distraction and plenty of mindfulness, these are some of the lessons I learned walking 12 days across Sinai.

Written and Photographed by Enas El Masry

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n our deviation from nature and our growing distance from how man was meant to live, rehabilitation centers have become a socially accepted resort to helping people get back on their feet and back in touch with their true-selves and instinct. However, scarcely does anyone seek help for excessive use of technology or spending too much time in a work cubicle, despite their undeniable negative influence on our general wellbeing.

Much of the violence we witness in our modern times spurs from people who are too afraid or too indifferent to venture out of their comfort zones and understand one another.

Hoping to quietly retreat from the ambient noise of the city, I joined 21 other hikers from Egypt and around the world on the Sinai Trail where we walked for 12 days from the Gulf of Aqaba to Mount Saint Catherine crossing over 200km.

The Sinai Trail is originally part of what used to be the most commonly walked trade and pilgrimage routes in Sinai, but now, with faster and more convenient means of transportation, most of Sinai’s routes remain abandoned.

Hoping to revive the dormant trails and open up more windows of opportunity for Sinai’s Bedouin community, the Sinai Trail team – consisting of Ben Hoffler, Musallam Abo Faraj, Nasr Mansour and Faraj Soliman – in cooperation with Walk the Masar NGO led the first organized group of hikers across the full trail, an epic journey that came to a successful end on December 10, 2016.

Although crossing the trail was a huge challenge for me in terms of the duration spent in the wilderness and the distance covered per day, I remember how I sat on top of Jebel Katherina for the first time ever, and instead of

celebrating this new achievement, all I could think of was how much I had learned from the trail; that was the real treasure.

Nature Where the Only Constant is Change Although the trail only took us across parts of Sinai, change was the constant undertone of our journey, from drastically changing weather to an ever-altering succession of rock types and terrains. Although some parts of the trail were more enjoyable than others, we appreciated all forms of nature as we passed through them, preparing ourselves for each part differently and in accordance with what was expected ahead of us.

Oftentimes, when nature is mentioned, most people think of seas, mountains or forests, but what a lot of people tend to overlook is that human nature is intrinsically part of nature, and is accordingly ever-changing.

Just like walking the trail, there will always be times along our constant waves of change that we enjoy more than others, but with acknowledgement for recurrent change and proper preparation for it – even if it’s only psychological preparation – walking through life is most likely hoped to be a lot smoother and more enjoyable.

It is, however, very dangerous when we continue to turn a blind eye to the course of nature, a moral that manifests clearly on the trail. Among the most iconic failed attempts of urbanization is an asphalt road in the heart of Sinai that is today left in havoc after being destroyed by floods and rebuilt several times.

Despite the money and effort invested in such

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FEATURE Out in the desert and in the embrace of mountains, I have seen kindness towards all that nature brings like I haven’t seen before.

projects, which was essentially meant to facilitate the lives of the locals, the inevitable laws of nature proved – as they always will – to have the upper hand. If it’s meant to befall us anyway, then we’d better work with it and not against it.

All That Goes Up Must Come Down In order to cross the trail, there were times when we walked through plain and straightforward valleys, while there were other times when we had to scramble our way through rigid paths, hike up many steep routes or trek to the summit of mountains. By the time we had reached the top of anything, we were usually out of breath with knees on the verge of failing us, but it was always worth every bit of effort invested in the climb. Nonetheless, the top was never a place to dwell on for long, for we had to move on.

While the view from the top was almost always breathtaking, we all knew that if we wanted to climb more mountains, we had to honor the descent as much as we honored the climb that brought us to the top.

Fear is as Real as you Allow it to Be Before embarking on the trail, I had two primary concerns: that I would always fall behind everyone else, and that I would be too exhausted to reach our final two summits of Jebel Musa (Mount Sinai) and Jebel Katherina. As a matter of fact, I did almost always fall behind, and even though I was fairly exhausted by the end, I still managed to reach both summits.

It wasn’t until my first emotional meltdown that I openly spoke of my restlessness about falling behind and holding

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everyone back, a matter that I was instantly assured to only be in my head. From this point on, I grew more confident of my pace and I respected what my body was capable or incapable of achieving. With that out of the way, plenty of space was cleared in my mind, allowing me to take in more beauty.

After ten days on the trail, we encountered another uphill path that I mindlessly started walking up, not paying it much attention, until it hit me halfway through that we had been walking uphill for longer than the usual, finding out that I was already halfway up Jebel Musa. At that moment, I stopped for a couple of seconds, laughed at my previous fears, and carried on hiking what I hadn’t even noticed to be a mountain.

Beyond the Land of the Strong and Independent Growing up both as a millennial and a girl, being a strong, independent woman was almost as important a goal as being virtuous or finishing my education. For many years, I have clashed with society on many scales in pursuit of those two qualities. However, unlike in the city where we take pride in hiding our vulnerability behind a veil of strength, the wilderness strips you of all pretenses, including that of being inherently strong and independent.

Throughout the 12 days, I have seen a group of strangers open up one bit at a time, sharing snippets from their personal lives as they laughed and as they cried. I have seen them offer helping hands and motivating words to make sure no one fell behind, and mostly that no one felt alone.

Surrounded with such energy, it was inevitable to always keep a vigilant eye on anyone who needed help but was too proud to ask. We had no other way but to look out for one another to make sure we all made it to the end. Our vulnerability exposed by nature created new genuine bonds, binding us together and making us stronger as individuals and as a group.

The Similarities in our Differences Much of the violence we witness in our modern times spurs from people who are too afraid or too indifferent to venture out of their comfort zones and understand one another. Far beyond our comfort zones, the Sinai Trail saw a family form in 12 days whose

members came from Jordan, New Zealand, the UK, the US, Italy, Spain and Egypt. Despite our different backgrounds, it wasn’t hard to see how we were all similar on the most basic level.

United by our goal to finish the trail and enjoy every possible moment, there was little to no cultural difference in adopting that. With no luxuries to distract us, we remained bound by the most basic human needs to survive and connect. Whereas the easiest getaway would have usually been escaping to our gadgets, the scarce portable power sources, paralleled with the common unavailability of network reception encouraged everyone to reach out past the seeming differences, even in times when people had no common language to converse in.

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FEATURE

Each night as we gathered around the fire, waiting for exhaustion to take over, I saw Bedouins recite poetry one time, narrate folk stories the other, or even break out into an episode of singing Tracy Chapman songs. I have seen an American and a Jordanian Bedouin exchange vocabulary, or clap to songs they don’t even understand and people gathering around the same fire because away from all the luxuries that set us apart, we share the same desire to stay warm on a cold desert night.

Coarse Lands and Tender Hearts According to what most of the mainstream media portrays today, the civilized cultures of the urban communities are much more evolved than many of the indigenous cultures around the world who have very little access to technology and most of its feats.

However, out in the desert and in the embrace of mountains, I have seen kindness towards all that nature brings like I haven’t seen before.

At heart, the Bedouin life is a very rough nomadic life that takes them through nature and all of its swift and grave changes.

While one may guess that it only takes someone as rigid as the mountains to survive them, our Bedouin guides proved this idea as false as it can ever be. Throughout the trail, our guides would often explain to us how to treat nature so that the scarce available resources, especially water and plants, would be fit and enough for everyone; human and wildlife. Consequently, we were constantly reminded to not dip our dirty hands in any pools of water, to watch out for insects and avoid stepping on them and to always throw the dates’ kernel in the desert in hopes of them growing into palm trees one day.

While the urban life forces people to look out for themselves, over-consuming what they don’t need just because it’s the norm, the scarcity of the desert was always a reminder to share whatever little is available, lest you find yourself in need one day and hope someone out there has something to share. p

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Unlike in the city where we take pride in hiding our vulnerability behind a veil of strength, the wilderness strips you of all pretenses, including that of being inherently strong and independent.

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Entrepreneur

Rim Siam:

A Pioneer Businesswoman Empowering Women in an

By Zeinab Abul Gheit Unconventional Vocation

Creativity, ingenuity, ambition and philanthropy are the characteristics of Egyptian Rim Siam who broke into the retail market through an unconventional line of business rarely tapped by women. Her ambition is not confined to achieve success for herself alone, but rather, to empower the Egyptian and Middle Eastern women by enhancing their marketable skills.

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fter working with her father in the ceramics and porcelain business, she realized that her passions cannot be satisfied within that line of business, so she decided to start her own firm in order to become self-dependent, economically and socially.

Rim explains that, at that time, it was not easy for a girl in a conservative society to work outside her father’s trading company or to start her own business, yet she decided to change the rules.

In the 1990s, when women were marginalized in the antique business world, she began hers. Her scope of work as a dealer was in the reproduction of antiques and old Persian carpets.

She accepted the challenges and overcame all the obstacles, criticism and doubt. Through trial and error, she learned more about running and marketing her business, emphasizing her struggles in the administrative and legal procedures in order to receive the required financing.

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Her love for antiques stems from growing up in cosmopolitan Alexandria. She explains that the melting pot of nationalities in the coastal city reflected on her taste like all Alexandrians, making her a good critique of the relic’s beauty. “Egyptian and Arab homes are characterized by antique objects, most popular of which are historic figures, brass lanterns and pots that are accentuated by the Arabesque and French style furniture,” she said.

In 2004, Rim entered the Gulf market, particulary in the reproduction of antiques. She opened a branch of the company in Rak Fitz, UAE, where she reproduced the ancient Persian carpets into unique pieces with an artistic design. She then added paintings to the damaged carpets, giving them a more artistic value. Her masterpiece collection was featured in many international newspapers and magazines.

Rim lately participated in three large exhibitions, where one of them was the turning point in her work. This happened when French Christophe D. Petyt appreciated her work and asked

her to combine her reproduced antiques with his copies of paintings in his exhibition, “L’art du Fausc Exhibition” at the prestigious Emirates Palace hotel in Abu Dhabi.

Petyt entered the Guinness Book of Records in 2000 when he assembled the largest collection of copies of old Master Paintings. He is considered to be the best art reproducer in the world. “Working with Petyt was an amazing experience that I will never forget,” Rim mentioned.

Rim believes in the importance of empowering women by enhancing their marketable skills to boost their income and the economy. In order to achieve that end, in 2008, Rim submitted the first training program for teaching Middle Eastern women sewing art and craft carpentry including upholstery and painting.

She found that there was a labor shortage in the furnituremaking business, so she was able to convince a considerable number of women to join in the project and become eventually an ‘Ousta’ or Master Carpenter. She taught them how to varnish furniture, apply resin, shellac, lacquer, wax, oiling the furniture and also upholstery, besides other work in carpentry.

She was able to convince a considerable number of women to join in the project and become eventually an ‘Ousta’ or Master Carpenter “I believe that women in businesses have enough power within them that can drive them to achieve success and fulfill their dreams.” Rim added, “Teaching women new skills is the best way to fight gender inequality and dependence on men and will give them a chance at a brighter future, especially to women who did not have the luxury of being schooled.

Believing that women make the best entrepreneurs, Rim decided to connect women through the Internet as a springboard to economic participation. Accordingly, a part of her work focused on linking Women’s Business Enterprise.

She explained, “The prevailing belief in our Arab Societies that women cannot be leaders or good decision makers is wrong.

An actual change should be made regarding these views by allowing them to be part of the business world.”

In 2012, she established WEBB International Middle East LTD as an offshore business company and created WEBB Megastore, the first online platform that connects female entrepreneurs to become a powerful economic force. Rim explained that the online business will be cost efficient, giving women better exposure, strengthening their brands and creating competitive advantages to open up new opportunities for their business to attract new customers for local and global markets.

In cooperation with UNIDO-ITPO, she began an initiative to boost small industries by empowering 2,000 women and youth in the Middle East and Africa by 2020. The initiative aims to select business people or organizations to train 100 youth from their country.

In her capacity as President of Business Women in the Egyptian Chamber of Commerce located in Alexandria, Rim and the businesswomen in cooperation with UNIDO established a Business Center in Alexanderia’s Chamber of Commerce. The Center, in cooperation with the Emirates, Lebanon and Bahrain, opens commercial markets and joint investment projects. This year’s plan is to establish a worldwide commercial and crafts center in Alexandria.

For her relentless efforts in serving her community, Rim was the first woman in the Middle East to receive the “Middle East Dynamic Woman Award” in 2009 from www.hotmommasproject. com, an award-winning women’s leadership program, housed at George Washington University School Of Business DC and included in the mission of GWSB’s Center for Entrepreneurial Excellence.

She also won the 2013 SENSES Arabian Entrepreneur Award.

In 2014, she was selected through worldpluse.com and Lymn Syms as one of the top 25 outstanding grassroots women and visionary voices using digital tools to affect change and advance of their communities’ work.

Rim advises women who aspire to work in business to present non-traditional ideas for the market and “to persist to reach their aim” without giving in to past failures and struggles. She also reaches out to businessmen and women to invest more into women, “When you teach a woman a new skill, you are teaching a whole nation,” she emphasized. p

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Scenes

History Through Maquettes The Suez Canal Museum in Port Said presents the history of the construction of the Suez Canal through colorful maquettes.

Written and photographed by Ahmed Kafafi

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ort Said has been a historical city since its establishment, especially with the digging of the Suez Canal in 1869. It features several architectural styles as well as museums that bear witness to its glory through the ages. In August 2015, one feature was added to Port Said’s landmarks: the Suez Canal Museum, which when inaugurated, sheds light on the history of the city that sits on the mouth of the Suez Canal. Located on Empress Eugenie Street in the heart of the “Foreigners’ Quarters”, the museum reflects an immaculately white 19th century French style, a building that had once served as the seat of the French Consulate in Port Said with the opening of the canal. It sparked a special interest because it was said that Empress Eugenie of France rested there during her last visit to Port Said in 1901.

However, according to historical records, when it was nationalized after the 1952 revolution, the building turned into a housing for the missionary teachers who served in

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the community churches and schools in that coastal city. The building had been deserted for the last 25 years until it was revived as the ideal place for a museum.

The brainchild of Ahmed El Essawy, founder and director of the Suez Canal Museum, the exhibits within the museum consist mostly of maquettes inspired by true photographs and paintings of events relating to the digging of the Suez Canal, as well as celebrations marking its inauguration to which several royals and dignitaries attended. Other panoramic maquettes depict the history of the city in the wake of the aggressions to which it was exposed to respectively in 1956, 1967 and 1973.

El Essawy, who has undertaken the design and execution of the maquettes, mentions: “The museum consists of three sections: the excavation section, which shows how the work was organized to dig the canal. We depicted workers, foremen and supervisors as they toiled under hard conditions. The celebrations section displays the festivities that marked the inauguration, featuring Khedive Ismail, the then ruler of Egypt as well as Emperor Napoleon III and Empress Eugenie and other European and Arab rulers.

The third section focuses on the struggle of Port Said, along with other canal cities of Ismailia and Suez, against the colonial nations that aspired to restore the canal after its nationalization. The director also mentioned “We’ve made a point of making the work as informative as possible. We made a maquette displaying the Boursa (stock exchange house), which was located on the Manshiya Square in Alexandria, where Nasser announced the nationalization of the Canal. One of the things that people don’t know about the excavation of the world-famous water passage is that its construction that was undertaken through labor was enhanced by expansions accomplished during the rule of Khedive Ismail, who brought dredgers and mud barges especially for the purpose.”

The machines used for widening the Suez Canal were for the most part entirely metal, floating dredgers. The heavy scoops, attached to an endless chain and driven by a steam engine, removed mud, sand and gravel from the bed and dumped the extracted material via the chute, a sheet metal pipe cut in half. The chutes directed the extracted waste onto the bank and the workers kept the waste flowing using a sort of rake. Two dredgers could thus work at a distance of only two meters.

The ground floor displays original statues of Ferdinand De Lespess, who engineered the project, as well as some of his paintings. There is a plan to introduce a sound system to relate the history to visitors as they move from section to section. p

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Real People

Beginners’ Guide to Living Outside Cairo

By Enas El Masry

Growing up in the early 90’s, there were barely a few things as sacred as religion to live by as a child– on top of which of course, Disney’s 1994 animated film The Lion King. “Welcome to our humble home,” Timon told Simba as he introduced him to the jungle, “We live wherever we want.”

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n the following 20 years, my generation, as did I, grew up learning a bit more about the world, yet still holding on to our Hakuna Matata philosophies somewhere in the back of our minds. Yearning to live up to the free spirits that some of us are, it wasn’t long before we realized it’s not that easy to just “live wherever we want.”

Disillusioned with the allure of the big cities and the promise for a better tomorrow, a minority of youth who dare to question the status quo, but mostly dare to live outside the boundaries of the norm, have started turning their backs on the plastic life of the city, hoping for a life fueled with more meaning and value than keeping up with the pop-culture and its consumerist behavior.

As the sound pollution of everyone else’s ideas on the good life muffles their aspirations, a minority of Egyptian dreamers continue to slave away in silence, taking refuge in the few days they steal in the embrace of nature, dreaming of the day they break free from this urban, corporate-run living.

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Genuine as they are about their dissatisfaction with the urban life, many remain paralyzed with fear that life outside the big city may not actually work. However, two pioneers who have established life in the middle of nowhere have something to say about that. Sometime around the early 80’s and early 90’s, Sherif el-Ghamrawy, owner of Basata Eco-Lodge, and Maged el-Said, owner of Habiba Community, decided to step outside of the big cities and move their lives to Nuweiba, South Sinai. Decades later, they don’t have a shred of doubt that they made the right choices.

What Lies Beyond the Mandates of Norm “Any community starts with manpower; with people like us who decide to leave the city. The whole point is to take action,” Said mentioned. “The part about fear; what will I eat, how will I live, and all of that, those are just illusions that we create in our heads because we’re in the system, and those who are in the system cannot see other paths.”

Concerned about the governing values of the big cities, both Ghamrawy and Said warn against the dangers of living by the book. “The grand issue is that we have glorified the word ‘must’,” explained Said. “I must study at this particular school or university, I must dress as such and I must marry someone who’s this or that.” Eager to adopt this alleged one-size-fits-all societal mold, many surrender at a young age to blindly living by the book which dictates various aspects of our lives, giving little to no regard to personal capabilities or aspirations. Despite individual differences which span everything, the youth are inevitably prepared for the same journey which takes them through education, getting a well-paying corporate job that covers the unnecessarily high expenses of life, and from there on, life becomes more or less a loop.

“Between the ages of 25 and 50, everyone’s chasing after a mirage called career,” claimed Said. “Whenever I ask [my visitors] what they would like to do with all that money, the answer is usually something like, ‘buy a house by the sea where I can retire.’ Well, why don’t you live by the sea your entire life then?”

While it sounds almost dreamlike, fulfilling this dream starts at one pivotal point: knowing your priorities by heart. “Priorities may differ, and they’re all right,” Ghamrawy emphasized. “But what is wrong is to blindly follow the norm if it doesn’t suit your aspirations.” If you’re best cut for the city life, then there is no need to pursue self-realization elsewhere, however, if life in the concrete jungle defies your values, then you should probably start building steady grounds for your move.

“I’m not asking people to just quit everything and make haphazard decisions, but you should at least be aware of the life you’re leading, and to start preparing the grounds upon which

you can stand – how to not carry on living among the crowd,” claimed Said. “Such steps can include not buying an apartment worth millions in the heart of the city.”

Once that is achieved, he advises the youth to give themselves the time to learn from those who have walked their desired path before them. “We’ll offer you a comfortable place to stay [at Habiba], and then you can go work at our farm or any of the other neighboring farms owned by the Bedouins,” Said mentioned suggesting one model. “You’ll also get to meet likeminded people, and they are a lot by the way, but you’re scattered with nothing to bring you together because each is trapped in their own whirlpool of challenges.”

Nonetheless, as bold as it is to give up the luxuries and assumed security of the city to move out, Ghamrawy stressed that the driving force behind taking action makes a concrete difference.

“There’s a huge difference between wanting to escape the place you’re in and between having the strong desire to go to a particular place. If you want to escape, then any other place will do,” he clarified. “When your sole driver is escapism, chances of success become much thinner.”

With steadfast resolve to leave Cairo, both Ghamrawy and Said started their journeys by scanning the entire country for the new place they would like to call home.

“Although I lived in a Maadi villa with a yard, I felt like I was living on a lettuce leaf in a dumpster,” said Ghamrawy. “I traveled all over the country and I was awestricken with its beauty. Egypt is not Cairo; Egypt is Egypt, and I decided I had to emigrate from Cairo to Egypt.”

I traveled all over the country and I was awestricken with its beauty. Egypt is not Cairo; Egypt is Egypt, and I decided I had to emigrate from Cairo to Egypt.

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Real People While younger Ghamrawy fell in love with the entire country, from oases to deserts, the Nile and the mountains, he knew at heart he had to live by the sea. At 26, he had started the legal paperwork to settle in Basata, a move he finalized by the age of 30.

Similar but different yet, Said’s journey to Nuweiba took off on a different note. After graduating from the Faculty of Alsun in 1979, he traveled to Italy where he met and married Lorena. After having their first baby, Yasmine, they decided to come back to Egypt. “Since she was about to move her entire life to a new country, we roamed around Egypt so we could pick the place she’s most comfortable with,” Said recalled. “And we finally settled in Sharm el-Sheikh.”

“It wasn’t that I was urged to escape the city, but instead, my mentality and philosophy grew and shifted as I stepped away from the city by time,” mentioned Said. “At that time, when I made my move to Nuweiba, I hadn’t really grasped the full picture of what I was doing. I only know that now, looking back on my journey so far.

SHErIF EL-GHAMrAWY

“However, if I had found someone 20 years ago to tell me what I tell the youth now, things would have been so much different for me.”

Setting Up Life in the MiddLe of nowhere “Unfortunately, we are really lazy and we are afraid. We work in corporate so we can feel safe. We work in the government so we can be insured,” added Ghamrawy. “Whoever wants to leave the city has to put in the necessary effort. It’s fun effort.”

Having walked down this path in a time when resources were slightly less accessible, Ghamrawy and Said learned how to forge their own paths despite the recurrent challenges. “The real obstacles are in our heads,” says Said. “I see solutions not problems, and that’s how I deal with life.”

For over 3o years of running Basata, Ghamrawy has barely seen any support from the government, including basic services such as electricity and a drainage system. Despite the lack of basic services and infrastructure, he simply learned how to find his way around challenges, no matter their nature or magnitude.

“We have to fully understand that this country is ours and that we are the decision makers, not the government,” Ghamrawy exclaimed.

“Throughout Mubarak’s 30 years, we had grown used to the government being the mama who does everything. No, we are the mama. We create, and the government executes and validates.”

Persistent as he is, Ghamrawy still faces the burden of nationwide issues such as centralization, which adds unnecessary complexity to otherwise simple matters. Not only does it require him to travel to the capital city or the nearest major city, al-Tur, which is 350 kilometers away, for official paperwork and legal issues, it has also kept service providers such as plumbers, electricians, carpenters and others from spreading out across the country.

“In distant, isolated places in Egypt, the least effort stands out because these places have very little competition, and they have a very high need for what people have to offer,” explained Ghamrawy. “Out here, all the skills and capacities are needed, whether you’re a web developer, engineer, or whatever it is that you do,” said Said. “Instead of slaving away for big companies that don’t care about you, come invest your time and energy in a community that will surely flourish from your skills and knowledge.”

giving Back to coMMUnity

MAGED EL-SAID

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Aware of the amount of positive change they were capable of bringing about, Said and Ghamrawy have remained since the start keen on safekeeping their new hosting communities from drifting away from their identity and culture.

It wasn’t that I was urged to escape the city, but instead, my mentality and philosophy grew and shifted as I stepped away from the city by time.

“Over 30 years of living here have allowed me to build strong relations with the local men, women and youth, and it has helped me live their issues,” mentioned Ghamrawy. “I can’t enforce anything on them, because now, I am one of them.”

Through his NGO Hemaya, which he established 20 years ago, Ghamrawy has been catering for many lacking needs in the South Sinai region. The NGO’s ongoing projects include sanitary services for Nuweiba and Dahab, in addition to collecting the strip’s garbage from Taba to Dahab, which is separated, compressed and sent to Cairo for recycling. Other services include the maintenance and sanitation of both hospitals in Taba and Dahab. Through Hemaya, Ghamrawy has rented out two houses in Nuweiba that serve as a culture center, kindergarten and a hub for women-tailored workshops.

Meanwhile, Said has taken a rather different approach to serving the community, which revolves on the most part around integration. In 2007, he established Habiba Organic Farm and Habiba Learning Center, which have both become beacons and hubs for knowledge exchange for the locals and visitors alike.

Promoting volunteer tourism as an active member of WWOOF, Said invites his visitors to pair their vacations away from the city with a chance to enrich the Bedouin community of South Sinai, either by teaching at the learning center, or working on the farm.

Other programs include academic work for undergraduate and post-graduate researchers.

Raising a Generation of Free Decision Makers Although the youth bear the consequences of their choices, one can’t overlook the role parents play in hindering their freedom to follow their own paths. “This is how our generation was raised.

We never stopped to think, we were just functioning,” claimed Said. “That’s why when we step outside the crowd, we get more room to think and weigh out the best solutions.”

Keen to break the pattern, Said and Ghamrawy were keen on giving their children the freedom to forge their own paths.

“I didn’t want to repeat what my father did, acting like [my children] are my employees until they graduate, and then they’re free to do whatever they want to do,” added Said. “We all keep saying how we’re doing all of this for our children, which is a big lie. I say I do this for Maged, and my children can do whatever they want to do for themselves.”

As valuable as his ideals are, they are only words unless he practices what he preaches. Acknowledging the difference between education and learning, Said gave his youngest son the freedom to drop out of college. However, at a much younger age, he has prompted his children to experience life first hand through travel and work.

“When we are aware of such differences, when we say them out loud, believe them and apply them, that’s when change starts to take place,” he included.

As for the Ghamrawys, their primary concern was to stick together no matter what. Today, Sohaila, Ghamrawy’s eldest, is an engineering student at the American University in Cairo (AUC), while Faris, his youngest, is in his final year of school.

Both of his children have studied their entire life at the school of Basata, a school that provided the Ghamrawy children as well as their Bedouin peers a chance to receive the finest education.

Today, Ghamrawy looks around and he sees many examples of youth to be proud of, and community influencers who only yesterday were children playing with his own kids on the beach. “If we keep thinking and waiting around for something to happen, time will fly by and we will do nothing,” claimed Ghamrawy. “Whoever wants to start should start now. Start with whatever your potential can help you achieve. It’s okay to make mistakes, you won’t die, but it’ll make you stronger and wiser in the future.” p

JAN / Feb 2017 | Ct

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TRAVEL

Japan: The Land of

the Rising Sun

By Selma Köhn

I

KiyoMizu-dera teMpel with a Cherry BlossoM tree

t was my first ever trip to Japan and something in me changed. I can’t say what it is as it happened on a very subtle level, but one thing was for sure: I was hooked from day one. I owe it to my Chinese friend Jiayu Jiang who actually convinced me to go on a short trip to the “Land of the Rising Sun”, the poetic name for Japan. Since I was visiting her in Shanghai, I found it very convenient as I was around anyway, and so off we went to the country with 6852 islands and around 127 million inhabitants. Our first stop was Kyoto, the oldest city and former capital. This choice proved to be correct as the insight we got there into old Japan helped me later to understand the up-beat, buzzing capital of Tokyo better.

Kyoto’s townhouses

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Kyoto’s oldest university

Kyoto nishiKi Food MarKet

Kyoto

Everyone who has seen the movie “Memoires of a Geisha” can relate to it while strolling along the old streets of Kyoto.

For those who haven’t, I recommend you either watch it now or go to Kyoto, as they both transfer you back in time. Of course, I am referring to the old parts of Kyoto with its narrow streets, historic townhouses and wooden facades. There, you can even catch the sight of real Geishas who mainly perform in restaurants during the nights. For centuries, they used to entertain both male and female customers of public establishments with their dancing, singing or conversing and their work is considered a traditional profession that is still very respected, yet on the verge of dying out.

When we walked across old as well as modern Kyoto, I saw both men and women wearing the classic Japanese dresses; the Kimonos. After several hours of eagerly taking pictures of them, my friend told me that they were not Japanese but Chinese, and that it was a part of their tour to do their sightseeing dressed in the traditional Japanese attire. When we went to visit one of the Kyoto temples, we met Japanese families wearing their Kimonos during one of their many rituals where the parents have to pray for their children’s health. They do this when the girls turn three and six years old, and for the boys when they turn five.

On another day, we cycled through the city guided by a man from Peru who came to Japan with the intent to stay for three months, but has now been living there for thirty years, speaks the language perfectly and is married to a Japanese woman. He helped us understand more about how the locals think. We also cycled through mountains, green Kyoto, did our sightseeing that mainly included temples and shrines and strolled through the market street, one of Kyoto’s attractions. There, amongst a few souvenir shops, we saw a lot of food that I didn’t recognize, not only due to the language barrier but also because of its appearance. The food that I could recognize as seafood was pickled, dried or smoked, but I couldn’t quite define which species they were. The vegetables, although gigantic in size, were more common to me. Although I was both curious and eager to try some of the food as we sat down for lunch, I held back and settled for the familiar rice and tempura.

JapaneSe SpiceS

Small ShrintS with the SwaStica

Throughout the tour, I observed how our guide would interact with the locals. He would speak to everyone who came along, and they would immediately start to laugh. When I asked him about it, he explained that Japanese people are generally very open, funny and communicative, but due to their politeness, they would never approach you first. From this moment on, I followed what he did, and instead of looking at them and react with the same shy politeness, I changed my behaviour, and they responded in the same manner. However, It was almost impossible to start a conversation with them as most of the people we met did not understand English, but body language is universal and it helped to exchange expressions of joy. The communication problem was almost the same at our next stop, but vanished when I went to Tokyo, where everyone seemed to speak the English language.

Jan / Feb 2017 | Ct

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TRAVEL

Nagoya

What excited me the most in Nagoya was the old castle that burned down during the Second World War and was later reconstructed. Contrary to the castles we know in Europe, for example, this one was built into the sky, like a tower.

Surrounded by other buildings that functioned as palaces or reception halls.

It was located amidst huge gardens and trees and a tiny river that served as protection from any outside threat back in the days.

View from Castle

My impression of Nagoya was that it was more of a medium-sized industrial city with only a few things to see. Since it was Halloween at the time we were there, we bumped into lots of people disguised as locals on the streets, merging well into the role of their costumes. In contrast to them were the middle-aged Japanese ladies that I first spotted in Nagoya who radiated a certain aura that was mesmerizing; especially in the way they carried themselves. They had their own elegant style, were very well dressed with decent make-up, expressing their pride and elegance.

I had the same reaction to the food there that I had in Kyoto and was still eating the same meals for almost three days.

Nagoya is known for its delicious eel meal which we unfortunately didn’t get the chance to taste due to lack of time as my friend had to catch her plane back to Shanghai and I to Tokyo, since I decided to continue the trip on my own to visit Japan’s capital.

Nagoya Castle

artefaCts iN tHe Castle

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fatHer aNd soN wHo built tHe Castle

loCals CelebratiNg HalloweeN

loCals CelebratiNg HalloweeN

Tokyo

“Arigato Gozaimasu” means “thank you very much” and is an extreme expression of politeness that I constantly heard in Tokyo. Almost every vendor, regardless of whether they worked in a 24/7 convenient store, a coffee shop, a clothing store, a museum or at the hotel reception, bid me farewell with these words. In my eyes, buzzing Tokyo is a typical, modern metropole with a touch of Japanese culture. Divided into different districts, each with its own flair, sights and functionality, the city has a lot to offer all day.

I stayed for three days, and should have stayed three days longer in order to see everything. I would highly recommend the national museum and the Skytree as two must-sees in Tokyo.

To get around the capital, I walked a lot. I believe that you can only get the vibes of a city or country by walking through it, and luckily I didn’t get lost in translation, but on the contrary, the names of the streets were all written in English letters which made it easy to guide myself by the little city map. It was in Tokyo where I understood what Jiayu told me about the main differences between Chinese and Japanese: while the former balances traditions with modernism, the latter seem to go to the extremes, like extremely hard working, convenient and westernized. There, my relationship to the Japanese food improved as I finally found restaurants with English written menus. In addition, I got help from my Japanese friend Yaso Ryota who gave me some insights and invited me to the best Sushi restaurant I have ever been to, where we had the best organic rice that you could possible taste.

nationaL museum of tokyo

In a Nutshell

If I only had one word to describe Japan, I would say that it is functional, starting from their home appliances, to the regulated public transportation up to the organization in public areas. The travel within and between cities was very easy, and the flight, train, metro and taxi system were very convenient. Where spoken or written language was difficult to understand, pictures and gestures help you to get by.

tokyo skytree

sHopping District

What struck me the most was the cleanliness I found in every city I visited, even in public parks.

In that regard, I was also confused by the lack of garbage bins. When I asked Yaso about that he told me that they get educated early on in their childhood to carry their garbage with them and throw it once they have the chance to. Another thing that excited me a lot was the electric (shatafas) that I came across in almost every toilet, even in public areas.

In my opinion, Japan touches anyone differently due to its mix of East and West, its own approach to things and quite confident way of being. p

tempLe

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Out & AbOut Cuisine

Ricotta Strawberry French Toast IngredIents: • • • • • • • •

1 large egg, beaten 300ml milk 1 teaspoon vanilla 4 slices thick-cut white bread 2 tablespoons butter 50 grams ricotta 2 tablespoons honey 100 grams strawberries, some sliced, some halved • 2 mint sprigs, leaves picked

dIrectIons: • In a wide dish, whisk the egg, milk and vanilla together.

• Coat one side of the bread slices in the liquid, then carefully flip them over and leave them to soak for 1 to 2 minutes.

• Melt 1 tablespoon of the butter in a large non-stick pan over a medium heat and add two slices of bread. Cook for 5 minutes or until golden, then turn to cook the other side for another 5 minutes. Transfer to a plate and cook the other two slices in the rest of the butter.

• Halve the toast on the diagonal and spread each slice with the ricotta.

• Drizzle over the honey and a pinch of flaky sea salt, and arrange some sliced strawberries on the toast. Decorate the plate with the halved strawberries and mint.

Day Recipe Ideas Tomato and Basil Soup IngredIents: • • • • • • •

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4 tomatoes, peeled seeded, and diced 4 cups tomato juice 15-20 leaves fresh basil 1 cup heavy whipping cream ½ cup butter Salt and pepper Grated Parmesan cheese (for garnish)

dIrectIons: • Place tomatoes and juice in a pot. Cover and simmer for 30 minutes.

• Puree tomatoes, juice, and basil and return to pot.

• Put the pot over medium heat and stir in the cream and butter.

• Season with salt and pepper to taste.

• Serve with freshly grated Parmesan cheese.

Caprese Salad IngredIents: • • • •

2 tomatoes, thickly sliced 1 fresh mozzarella ball, thickly sliced Handful of fresh basil leaves ¼ cup olive oil

dIrectIons: • Overlap the tomato and cheese slices on a serving plate.

• Scatter over the basil leaves, and then drizzle over the olive oil.

• Season to taste with salt and pepper.

Beef Stroganoff IngredIents: • ¾ kilogram of beef sirloin steak, ½ inch thick • 2½ cups of fresh mushrooms, sliced • 2 medium onions, thinly sliced • 1 garlic clove, finely chopped • ¼ cup butter or margarine • 1½ cups beef broth • ½ teaspoon salt • 1 teaspoon Worcestershire sauce • ¼ cup flour • 1½ cups sour cream • 3 cups hot cooked egg noodles

dIrectIons: • Cut the beef to 1½ inch strips.

• Cook mushrooms, onions and garlic in butter in a 10-inch skillet over medium heat, stirring occasionally until onions are tender; remove from skillet.

• Cook beef in same skillet until brown.

• Stir in 1 cup of the broth, the salt and Worcestershire sauce. Heat to boiling; reduce heat. Cover and simmer 15 minutes.

• Stir remaining ½ cup of broth into flour; stir into beef mixture. Add onion mixture; heat to boiling, stirring constantly.

• Boil and stir 1 minute. Stir in sour cream; heat until hot (do not boil).

• Serve over cooked noodles.

Jan / Feb 2017 | Ct

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Out & AbOut Cuisine

Roast Duck with Citrus and Carrots IngredIents: • 2 duck breasts • 300 grams carrots, halved lengthways (about 6 pieces) • 4 garlic cloves, bashed in their skins • 1 orange, half juiced, half cut into wedges • 1 teaspoon vegetable oil • 1 tablespoon lemon juice • 1 tablespoon vinegar • 1 tablespoon caster sugar • 4 tablespoons chicken stock • 2 or 3 bay leaves • A few thyme sprigs • Mashed potatoes or rice to serve

dIrectIons: • Heat the oven to 200C. • Scrape away any excess fat from the duck (you could keep this for duck fat potatoes), but keep any jelly.

• Put the carrots, garlic and orange wedges into a large roasting tin, and then toss with the oil and season well.

• Season the duck breasts, and then sit them on top of the vegetables, skin-side up.

• Roast for 40 minutes until the carrots are tender and the duck is turning golden.

• Stir the citrus juice, vinegar and sugar together until the sugar dissolves. Pour over the vegetables, add the jellified duck or chicken stock, and then tuck in the bay and thyme here and there.

• Roast for another 10 minutes until the carrots are surrounded with syrupy sauce and the duck is golden.

• Season the sauce to taste, then serve with mashed potatoes or rice.

Grilled Shrimp Scampi IngredIents: • • • • • • •

¼ cup olive oil ¼ cup lemon juice 3 tablespoons chopped fresh parsley 1 tablespoon minced garlic Ground black pepper to taste Crushed red pepper flakes to taste (optional) ¾ kg medium shrimp, peeled and deveined

dIrectIons: • In a large bowl, stir together the olive oil, lemon juice, parsley, garlic and black pepper. Season with crushed red pepper, if desired.

• Add shrimp, and toss to coat. Marinate in the refrigerator for 30 minutes.

• Preheat grill to high heat. Thread shrimp onto skewers, piercing once near the tail and once near the head. Discard any remaining marinade.

• Lightly oil grill. Grill for 2 to 3 minutes per side, or until opaque.

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Brownie Tart IngredIents: • • • • • • • • • • •

6 tablespoons unsalted butter 3¼ cups semisweet chocolate chips 3 large eggs 1 cup sugar 1 tablespoon instant coffee ½ teaspoon vanilla ½ cup flour ¼ teaspoon baking powder ¼ teaspoon salt 2 to 3 tablespoons heavy cream 1 cup chopped walnuts (optional)

dIrectIons: • Grease and flour a 9-inch tart pan with removable sides. Preheat the oven to medium (170C).

• Melt the butter in a bowl set over simmering water.

• Add 2 cups of the chocolate chips, remove from the heat, and stir until the chocolate melts. Set aside to cool completely.

• In the bowl of an electric mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, beat the eggs, sugar, coffee, and vanilla on medium-high speed until light and fluffy, about 3 minutes. Stir in the cooled chocolate.

• In a medium bowl, combine the flour, baking powder, salt, 1 cup of the chocolate chips, and the walnuts. Fold the flour mixture into the batter until just combined.

• Pour into the pan and bake for 35 to 40 minutes, until the center is puffed (the top may crack). The inside will still be very soft. Cool to room temperature before removing the sides of the tart pan.

• Melt the remaining ¼ cup of chocolate chips with the heavy cream and drizzle on the tart.

Strawberry Cheesecake IngredIents: • 1 cup finely ground crackers • 2 tablespoons unsalted butter, melted • 1¾ cups sugar • 1½ cups strawberries • 4 cups cream cheese, room temperature • Pinch of salt • 1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract • 4 large eggs, room temperature • Boiling water, for roasting pan

dIrectIons: • Preheat oven to 175C (medium).

• Wrap exterior of a 9-inch pan (including base) in a double layer of foil; set aside.

• Stir together cracker crumbs, melted butter, and 2 tablespoons sugar in a medium bowl. Press crumb mixture firmly onto bottom of pan. Bake until set, about 10 minutes. Let cool in pan on a wire rack. Reduce oven temperature to 150C.

• Process strawberries in a food processor until smooth, about 30 seconds. Pass puree through a fine sieve into a small bowl; discard solids. Whisk in 2 tablespoons sugar, and set aside.

• Put cream cheese in the bowl of an electric mixer and mix on medium speed until fluffy, about 3 minutes.

• With mixer on low speed, add remaining 1½ cups sugar in a slow, steady stream. Add salt and vanilla; mix until well combined.

• Add eggs, one at a time, mixing each until just combined (do not overmix).

• Pour cream cheese filling over crust.

• Drop strawberry sauce by the teaspoon on top. With a wooden skewer or toothpick, swirl sauce into filling.

• Set cake pan inside a large, shallow roasting pan. Transfer to oven.

• Carefully ladle boiling water into roasting pan to reach halfway up sides of cake pan. Bake until cake is set but still slightly wobbly in center, 60 to 65 minutes.

• Transfer cake pan to rack; let cake cool completely. Refrigerate, uncovered, 6 hours or overnight. p Jan / Feb 2017 | Ct

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CALENDAR JAn. / feb. 2017

February 18th

music

Guitar recital (Mexico)

The exhibition will run daily, from 11 am to 9 pm. except for Fridays by appointment.

The virtuoso, flamenco guitar player Paco Renteria from Mexico began playing at the age of seven. By the time he was 22, Renteria was performing with the Philharmonic Orchestra of Guadalajara. Since then, he has composed over 300 pieces, and performed with the likes of Carlos Santana and Luciano Pavarotti. His music has appeared in films such as Desperado and Legend of Zorro.

Al Kahila Art Gallery, 15, El Batal Ahmed Abdel Aziz St. Mohandessin

Small Hall, Cairo Opera House Time: 8 pm

ART

until January 19th

“the Secret” by artist emad abou Zeid

January 15th to February 16th February 5th

Jazz – boghdady band

music

The first and only jazz big band in Cairo playing Egyptian and American tunes of the 1920s, 30s, 40s and much more, founded by Dr. Magdy Boghdady.

After graduating from the Cairo Conservatoire in 1982, Boghdady became the principal trumpet player with the Cairo Symphony Orchestra until 1985. Afterwards, he received his PhD from the High School of Music and Productive Arts in Frankfurt, Germany in 1990.

Boghdady continued studying wind band conducting with professors Timothy Reynish, James Croft and Baldur Bronnimann in the United Kingdom.

Small Hall, Cairo Opera House Time: 8 pm

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Slow War

ART

Solo exhibition by Ali Abdel-Mohsen who uses line drawings and acrylic colours mixed with dirt and cigarette ashes on the surfaces of disused cardboard boxes to convey his impressions of decline in contemporary society. Strongly influenced by his surroundings, his work depicts a dystopic world of nihilism and paranoia. Placed in post-apocalyptic scenarios of undefined urban spaces, the scenes portray a society where violence, chaos and corruption have taken over. Slow War is his fourth solo exhibition.

Mashrabia Gallery of Contemporary Art Daily except Friday, from 11 pm to 8 pm 8, Champollion St. Downtown, Cairo, Egypt Tel: (+202) 25784494

FolkloRe

February 17th

egyptian Mawlaweya Company Amer El Tony and the Egyptian Mawlaweya Company will present you with Sufi singing reflecting the Egyptian heritage, letting you discover the music rhythms that come along with this spiritual show.

The Egyptian Mawlaweya Company was established in 1994 by its singer El Tony in order to preserve this part of Egyptian heritage and present it internationally. The Mawlaweya uses all festivity forms that have used whirling in Egypt starting from the ancient Pharaonic celebrations as a basis ritual during the annual celebration of the resurrection of Osiris in which the conflict between good and evil ends.

ART

January 10th to February 9th

a Glimpse of heritage by artist Mohamed abla

He is one of the most established and recognised contemporary artists in Egypt, Mohamed Abla enjoys a strong following both among artists and art consumers in Egypt and in the international scene. He is a painter, sculptor, engraver and installation artist with a focus on graphics and oil paintings. As a modern artist he has combined techniques such as lithography with canvas paintings, photography with newspaper cutouts, all against a backdrop of heavily relevant political and social commentary.

Safar Khan Safar Khan Art Gallery, 6 Brazil Street Tel: (02) 2735 3314

Gomhouria Theater, Abdeen Square Time: 8 pm

February 3rd & 4th

ModeRn dAnce

alaa el din and el Zeibak performances Forsan Al Sharq (The Knights of the Orient) dance troupe was established in 2009 on the initiative of Farouk Hosni, Minister of Culture at that time, with the first artistic director being Esmat Yehia, followed

by Walid Aouni. The troupe’s aim was to introduce Egyptian dance theatre performances that would revive parts of our popular heritage.

January 21st

opeRA

Live opera from Metropolitan opera - romeo and Juliette

Today Forsan Al Sharq operates under the joint supervision of the Cultural Development Fund and the Cairo Opera House.

The libretto follows the story of Shakespeare’s play, although in the opera there is a slight shift of focus away from the word games of the original play and a greater focus on the two lovers, who are given four irresistible duets, including a brief final reunion in the tomb scene that does not appear in the play.

El Gomhouria Theater, Abdeen square Time: 8 pm

Small Hall, Cairo Opera House Time: 8 pm

JAn / Feb 2017 | Ct

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CALENDAR JAn. / feb. 2017

January 29th

“um Ghayeb” Movie

Film

The movie depicts the life of a woman who lives in a forgotten corner of Egypt and yearns for a child. Having no option but to live on the fringe of her community because of her infertility, Hanan lingers between a dream that is slowly slipping away and her struggle to find a place where she belongs. While everything that surrounds her bustles with fertility and mortality, she wonders how to give meaning to the time that she has in between. The movie is directed by Nadine Salib.

The screening will be followed by a Q&A with the film makers.

opera

music

Jazz – yehia Khalil Yehia Khalil presents a fusion of percussion arrangements with an oriental twist and classical jazz in concerts across Egypt and the globe.

Khalil pioneered the jazz movement in Egypt, and has been creating game-changing music for the past four decades.

Playing with a band of talented musicians, Khalil continues to re-define jazz, blending world trends with local music.

Small Hall, Cairo Opera House Time: 8 pm

January 18th

Darb 1718, Darb 1718, kasr el Sham3 Street Al Fakhareen. Tel: 0122 468 4628 Time: 7 pm

February 16th & 17th

January 26th

lecture

eXCaVatIOn OF the tt110 FOreCOurt Lecture by eSSaM ShIhab arCe archaeology Manager

Operetta the Olive tree by nabila erian

Programs begin at 6 pm at ARCE. Refreshments will be provided following the event. Everyone is welcome to the ARCE programs. Doors will be closed at 6:15 pm.

Gomhouria Theater, Abdeen Square Time: 8 pm

American Research Center, 2 Simon Bolivar St. Garden City Tel: (02) 2795 8683

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art

January 11th – February 11th

harmony February 8th

music

Piano recital soloist Omar Khairat with Cairo Opera Orchestra

Artist Reda Khalil along with five different generations of creative artists: Raheel Al Haddad, Mayriam Khalil, Eman Atef, Hanan Abdullah and Amal Hussein.

Art Corner, 12 Sayed El Bakry St. Zamalek.

Daily: 10.30 am to 9.30 pm except Sundays

Main Hall, Cairo Opera House Time: 8 pm

January 21st

music

Cairo symphony Chamber Orchestra V Mendelssohn symphonies I

ballet Jan 30th – Feb. 3rd

Coppelia ballet Cairo ballet Company and Orchestra The ballet is set in a Polish village long ago. Swanhilda and Frantz are sweethearts. Swanhilda thinks Frantz is in love with Coppélia, a strange girl in the house of a dollmaker named Dr. Coppélius and Swanhilda discovers Coppélia is a doll. Dr. Coppélius tries to bring the doll to life using Frantz’s life force. Swanhilda saves her sweetheart’s life, and the two live happily ever after.

Main Hall, Cairo Opera House Time 8 pm The ballet will also be performed at Alexandria Opera House on February 9th and 10th

W.A. Mozart: Overture to “Magic Flute” K.620 L. van Beethoven: Concerto for Violin and Orchestra in D major op.61 F.Mendelssohn-Bartholdy: Symphony No.1 in C minor op.11 Soloist: Domenico Nordio, violin Conductor: Nader Abbassi Main Hall, Cairo Opera House Time: 8 pm

January 28th

Cairo symphony Orchestra the best of american Film scores God Father (Nino Rota), The Adventures of Robin Hood (E.W. Korngold), The Good, The Bad and The Ugly ( E. Morricone), Star Wars (John Williams), James Bond (John Berry), Sound of Music.

Conductor: Hisham Gabr Main Hall, Cairo Opera House Time: 8 pm

JAn / Feb 2017 | Ct

51

Society Global Customer Appreciation Week for Marriott International at Cairo, Egypt!

This year’s GCAW was perfectly timed right after Marriott International’s acquisition of Starwood, and because #togetherwerebetter, the week was extra spectacular.

This year’s event took place at the new terminal of Cairo International Airport. All sales and marketing associates gathered to discuss the week’s activities and get well acquianted with the new members of Marriott’s growing family.

The next night was the customer event at The Nile-Ritz. Loyal customers from around the country were invited to enjoy the night receiving a few surprises including discount vouchers at all Marriott and Starwood properties in Egypt. Throughout the week, sales and marketing teams went door to door to say thank you to their loyal customers with Marriott branded treats! p

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Wadi Food Hosts and Celebrates Egypt’s First Ever Olive Harvest Festival Wadi Food celebrated the launch of Egypt’s first ever olive harvest festival under the slogan “From Trees to Press”. The festive celebration was held at Wadi Food’s farms. During the festival, guests participated in handpicking olives, followed by a tour at Wadi Food’s olive oil facility, to experience firsthand the traditional way of olive cold press from the earliest harvest, the same way ancient Egyptians were pressing olive crop.

The olive harvest festival is the first of its kind in Egypt, and was launched

by Wadi Food this year to revive this old tradition to the highest global standards to extract extra virgin and healthy oil. p

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Society Minds Alike Event Minds alike hosted its November event and it was a great success. The attendees included some of the most impactful entrepreneurs in Egypt, the most connected investor/ entrepreneurship networks and leading corporate heavy weights.

The entrepreneurs came from very varied industries and sizes from the likes of Gourmet, Zooba and Nola from the food industry, through to tech driven startups including PassIn, Elves, Bright Creations, Orcas/CairoSitters, Al Wafeyat and more. p

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