First, the drawbacks: Cairo’s crowds make Manhattan look like a ghost town, papyrus sellers and would-be guides hound you at every turn, and your snot will run black from the smog.
But it’s a small price to pay to tap into the energy of the place Egyptians call Umm ad-Dunya – the Mother of the World. This urban buzz is a product of 22-or-so million inhabitants simultaneously crushing the city’s infrastructure under their collective weight and lifting its spirit up with their exceptional charm and humour. One taxi ride can pass resplendent mosques, grand avenues, and 19th-century palaces, with a far away view of the pyramids of Giza. A caked-on layer of beige sand unifies the mix of eras and styles.
Blow your nose, crack a joke and look through the dirt to see the city’s true colours. If you love Cairo, it will definitely love you back.