Today after leaving the pet shop on Road 9, I noticed a screaming crowd around a big truck. The State Police was busy loading up the truck with furniture of O’Beano’s coffeehouse. Inside the vehicle policemen trying to keep angry people away from grabbing their items back again. Around the truck many yelling shopkeepers. It was a big mess; everybody pushing each other, postcards and books flying on the ground, one police officer tried to pile them up. Some items were given back, some weren’t.
A local told us that government had given warnings to shopkeepers to keep the pavements clear, but no one seemed to care. So this morning the police came and simply cleaned up the street themselves.
In Cairo many people make a living on the street. Since a lot of people don’t have enough money to rent a shop - shops are kept on pavements. Shoes, stationary, 'foul' (a mashed bean breakfast, looks a bit like puke, but is quite delicious), tissues, roasted corn, handicrafts, you name it and you will find it in dusty Cairo alleys.
A local told us that government had given warnings to shopkeepers to keep the pavements clear, but no one seemed to care. So this morning the police came and simply cleaned up the street themselves.
In Cairo many people make a living on the street. Since a lot of people don’t have enough money to rent a shop - shops are kept on pavements. Shoes, stationary, 'foul' (a mashed bean breakfast, looks a bit like puke, but is quite delicious), tissues, roasted corn, handicrafts, you name it and you will find it in dusty Cairo alleys.
The most amazing street stuff I have seen are the ‘portable bars’, on the bridges downtown, with their plastic chairs in the overcrowded traffic. After you would manage to scream your order through the traffic noise, you wouldn’t be able to taste your drink trough all the car fumes, I think.
At the almost empty terrace of O’Beano’s , a disappointed looking manager, directing his staff to put what was left, out of sight. I sat down on one of the few chairs that were left. Unfortunately the police had taken all the most comfy benches – I am sure now they will be of good use somewhere else… Sipping my coffee I spotted a lamp shop owner putting lamps outside, slolwly one by one. I have a feeling it won’t take long before everything is back to ‘normal' again.
At the almost empty terrace of O’Beano’s , a disappointed looking manager, directing his staff to put what was left, out of sight. I sat down on one of the few chairs that were left. Unfortunately the police had taken all the most comfy benches – I am sure now they will be of good use somewhere else… Sipping my coffee I spotted a lamp shop owner putting lamps outside, slolwly one by one. I have a feeling it won’t take long before everything is back to ‘normal' again.
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