Cairo, Egypt

I could write a book on this amazing city, after having spent a week there working with architecture students on a joint urban design project. Instead I think I will post a few photos and this explanation: whatever one might think about Muslim culture, Egypt, big cities or the Middle East in general, I urge everyone to visit and really get to know the wonderful people before passing judgment. Egyptians are the most polite, accommodating people I have ever met. The city of Cairo is intensely exciting, rich with textures and sounds and smells that overwhelm the senses. And the few negative aspects of the place (pollution, traffic and trash would have to be mentioned, in all fairness) are immediately overshadowed by the character of the people there. I learned so much in that week, that can now be applied to urban design in this country. We are so fortunate in the United States to have a high standard of living, clean air and room to sprawl...but we are missing the close-knit family structure and adherence to religious faith that I saw in so many of the Egyptians. I guess I can sum up the experience by saying we have a lot to learn from each other.