Quantcast
Channel: Egyptian Chronicles
Viewing all 4293 articles
Browse latest View live

DSC09508 [Flickr]

$
0
0

Kodak Agfa posted a photo:

DSC09508

Egypt's Famous Khan El-Khalili quarter and traditional old market in Islamic Cairo
en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Khan_el-Khalili


DSC09520 [Flickr]

$
0
0

Kodak Agfa posted a photo:

DSC09520

Egypt's Famous Khan El-Khalili quarter and traditional old market in Islamic Cairo
en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Khan_el-Khalili

DSC09521 [Flickr]

$
0
0

Kodak Agfa posted a photo:

DSC09521

Egypt's Famous Khan El-Khalili quarter and traditional old market in Islamic Cairo
en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Khan_el-Khalili

DSC09531 [Flickr]

$
0
0

Kodak Agfa posted a photo:

DSC09531

Egypt's Famous Khan El-Khalili quarter and traditional old market in Islamic Cairo
en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Khan_el-Khalili

DSC09522 [Flickr]

$
0
0

Kodak Agfa posted a photo:

DSC09522

Egypt's Famous Khan El-Khalili quarter and traditional old market in Islamic Cairo
en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Khan_el-Khalili

DSC09514 [Flickr]

$
0
0

Kodak Agfa posted a photo:

DSC09514

Egypt's Famous Khan El-Khalili quarter and traditional old market in Islamic Cairo
en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Khan_el-Khalili

Their Eid inside jail

$
0
0
For the second time, a group of Pro-democracy young activists try to remind the people in Cairo that there are young protesters and activists detained unjustly spending their Eid inside the jail.
It is limited movement, but at least those young people try to do something when people are afraid to speak in public.
It is a limited movement where those young people chose their areas like Maadi and 6 October to spread their message.
Here are posters showing the young political detainees’ faces on  ads signs in Maadi.
Douma poster on advertisement sign in Maadi "Photo :Ahmed Kamel

Here is also a big banner placed Ghamra bridge in Cairo showing the children detainees in Egyptian prisons.
Hundreds of children spent their eid in Jail
"Photo: Menna El-Shishinni
Another group of young activists distributed popcorn packets with photos of political detainees at a Mosque in October city  to children and women.



Distributing popcorn packets with detainees photos
"Photo: Marwa Kenawy"
Of course I am worried about the safety of those young activists.
It was done before during Eid Adha last year in Mohenedessin.
Here is the second message sent by Freelance Photographer Esraa Mahfouz from jail on the eve of Eid.
Tonight is the Eid’s Eve on 16/7/2015. It has been a month after Qanatar women prison after 15 days at the ministry of interior and one day at the High State Security
prosecution.
Up till now I do not understand what I am doing here. I used to feel helpless when my close friends and acquaintances were imprisoned.
Now I know that the closest people to me can not do anything to help me.
Already we cannot help each other.
I am so much hurt to see my younger siblings coming to Egypt before Eid in order to visit me in jail instead of being with them at home. Why do they have to see me in jail ?
It is as it were a horrible nightmare. Oh God I want it to end. I will not pray the Eid prayers in jail.
I can not tell what it is inside.
Have a nice Eid , you and your families away from jail.
Pray for me.
I am so sad.

FYI Sisi pardoned hundreds of prisoners on occasion of Eid and 1952 revolution , none of them are from political prisoners.  

Al-Galaa hospital,Downtown Cairo [Flickr]


Al-Galaa hospital,Downtown Cairo [Flickr]

DSC09552 [Flickr]

$
0
0

Kodak Agfa posted a photo:

DSC09552

Italian Consulate in Cairo after it was bombed in early July. The Islamic State in Iraq and Syria "ISIL" affiliated group in Egypt claimed responsibility of the attack which killed one Egyptian poor street vendor.

How to Fuel a Conspiracy Theory

$
0
0
Two weeks after the bombing of the Italian consulate in Cairo , we find statements of Egyptian governmental officials about their plans of kicking out the locals of the long-time disputed  Maspero triangle. It is as if they were waiting for this opportunity to fuel Conspiracy theory among many skeptics!!

On Monday , Cairo governor Galal Saeed told CBC extra while visiting the Italian consulate that according to reports about 8-14 buildings will have to be evacuated. The governor added explicitly that the whole triangle would be evacuated sooner or later.

محافظ القاهرة يلمح لإزالة المباني المجاورة للقنصلية الإيطالية
محافظ القاهرة يلمح لإزالة المباني المجاورة للقنصلية الإيطالية
Posted by Talk show Masralarabia on Monday, July 20, 2015

Amazingly official statements and decisions concerning the Maspero square make many people believe in conspiracy theory and that the government-not the Islamic State was standing behind the bombing of the consulate in order to take over this high-value land whether online or offline.
Here is  #Maspero_Triangle Hashtag full similar comments on twitter. 

It is not only Pro-Morsi supporters who are speaking about how the "coup" regime will evict the people of Maspero despite the historical fact that Qatari investors had an eye on that cake in downtown Cairo for years.

April 6 Youth movement was the first Egyptian political movement to accuse the government indirectly


  1. A bomb at the outskirt of Mapsero Triangle 
  2. Forcible eviction of the people in Maspero triangle 
Then it ends the tweet with #Gang

The fact that the bombing took place early morning killing no Italian official and affecting minor part of the consulate made some people suspect the motive behind the bombing.

In addition to the strange statement issued signed by Islamic State-Egypt Province instead of the usual  Islamic State-Sinai Province claiming responsibility of the attack, which fueled the speculations especially there are couple of Egyptian slang words aka “parked car”.
Usually, Islamic State uses Classical Arabic in its statement.

Of course the Islamic State did not issue a denial but people can not stop pointing fingers to the government with what is happening in Boulaq or as it is called in the Medai Maspero triangle.

Since the days of Mubarak , there have been fights between the locals in Maspero from one side and the government and investors for another side over that important piece of land in the heart of Cairo.
We are speaking after about all a golden mine for investors mainly from the Gulf who want to turn that poor area into mega-skyscrapers garden selling units there for millions.
Here is webpage of Mapsero triangle development project from Cairo Governorate official website in Arabic.
The triangle map from Cairo governorate 
The project which will be carried out on 72 fedans would include residence and administrative projects as well parking lots and museums.
The governorate did not hide that the project would include an Upper-Class residence only in the project as it used  the word “excellence residence” in Arabic which refers to the Upper-class residential units in projects.
There is no mention for The middle class or economic residence.
The statements of Cairo governor as well the plans announced at the official website of the governorate contradict the statements of Minister Laila Iskander of State for Urban Renewal and Informal Settlements that there would be no forced evacuation and there would a renovation for the area.
Already in June both ministry of urban renewal and informal Settlement as well Cairo governorate opened an international master planning contest to regenerate the Maspero triangle keeping the local residents in perspective.
In previous statements by Laila Iskander, the current minister concerned with shanty towns in Egypt said that there will be no forced eviction in the triangle.
I do not know what she thinks about the latest statement of Cairo governor.
The locals in Maspero triangle or rather Boulaq Al-Ramlah as it is originally called are very angry.They said that they agreed on renovating the area and not leaving it.  There are not less than 4,000 low working class families living in Maspero triangle.
Many old and poor houses in Mapsero triangle were affected badly after the bombing of the Italian consulate earlier July as the bomb hit a major water pipeline that affected the whole area.
DSC09552
The Italian Consulate now 
The Arab contractors company is currently renovating 50 houses following the bombing.
Here is a video shot there after the governor’s statement.
People of Boulaq react to governor’s statement
People are angry asking El-Sisi and army to interfere to stop any forcible eviction. The people are also clear that they refuse to evacuate the area so the land would be sold to investors. They refuse to leave downtown Cairo saying that they agree on developing and regenerating the area. They are clear and determinant.
Here is a video by Ahram Online’s Randa Ali showing the area after the bombing of the Consulate.
Boulaq residents speak of fears, negligence after Italian Consulate blast
Speaking about the bomb , the size of its impact was truly wide. I have noticed that the windows of Egyptian museum “which is in Tahrir square” and Al-Galaa educational hospital“Which is in front of the Italian Consulate” were still broken. I could not take photos for the Egyptian museum, but I took a couple of shot in the car to the hospital’s windows.
Al-Galaa hospital,Downtown Cairo
Al-Galaa educational hospital 
Al-Galaa hospital,Downtown Cairo
Al-Galaa educational hospital 
I just wonder when they are going to install new windows in the hospital !!

Kodak Agfa Presents : Karnak Temples Complex

$
0
0
Last month , Luxor’s Karnak Temples Complex“It is not just one ancient Egyptian temple, but rather several ones” was back to the headlines around the globe in a very sad way unfortunately when an explosive device detonated outside it. Three men including  a suicide bomber attempted to unleash attack in the temple but their attempt was foiled at the parking zone outside the temple thankfully to a taxi driver who suspected their behavior. Now this unfortunate incident reminded me that I got a bunch of photos I took at Egypt’s oldest and biggest religious temples complex since ancient Egypt during a visit to Luxor governorate in 2012.
I uploaded the photos to Flickr but I did not share them during then because I was outside the country. When I returned back , it was Ramadan and we had its special posts about lanterns , Zeinab Khatoun, Al-Azhar and Buying Eid Al-Fitr clothes.
And I think now it is the best time to share those photos I took at the Karnak temples complex during my visit to Aswan and Luxor in winter 2012
Now It is never too late to share the photos and video from Karnak.
Warning : They are not the best. In fact they are another lifeless boring Kodak Agfa shots.


During then there were not much foreign tourists then in the temple. Nevertheless the tourists in Luxor were more than in Aswan during then at least from what I see. Most of the tourists already I saw there were Egyptians. Already it was the Midterm vacation.
This was in 2012. I hope that what happened in June won’t affect tourism there. Of course luckily  the attack was in June not in winter during tourism’s prime time in the Upper Egyptian city.
The place is more than marvelous with its great ram sphinxes welcoming you.
DSC02859
That 2.7 km ram sphinxes corridor used to connect between the Karnak temple and Luxor temple. Wait for another post about the  Luxor temple.
It is enough to see some of the inscriptions on the walls an pylons still keeping their colors after all those centuries.
DSC02900

The hypostyle hall in the Precinct of Amun Re is breathtaking.
DSC02911


DSC02917

Of course modern –day Egyptians must leave their trace or as it is called in Egypt now –their-touch.
DSC02910
What would be better than declaring your eternal-love to the whole world in one of the world’s oldest religious temples !? Of course I believe 75% that those couple did not continue their relation thanks to the Pharaohs' curse 
Just like Modern Egypt , politics and religion had that tango in ancient Egypt. Already by reading in the history of temple complex and how it evolved century after century as well dynasty and dynasty, you will see how the pharaohs of ancient Egypt used this place not only to get closer to Ancient Egyptian deities but also to brag their achievements and military victories over its walls.
Needless to say , our ancestors used to erase the old pharaohs and inscribe the new pharaohs’ achievement in a ritual that is similar to what we do now.
One of the pharaohs whose achievements are shown to the whole world in Karnak is King Ramses III whose temple inside the complex shows him slaughtering his captives from enemies while ancient deity Amun-Re was watching him 
DSC02880
Another pharaoh whose achievements are still standing high and proud against the whole world after a millennium is the Obelisk of Thutmose I
DSC02931
The sacred Lake where the priests used to purify themselves is there.
DSC02941
In front of the lake , there is Amenhotep I “I think” monumental Scarab. From what I understand this was not the original place of the Scarab but after restoration works it was transferred to this location.
DSC02938
Popular myth  says that if you go around that scarab for seven times , all your love problems will be solved. I do not know what the relation between love problems and Scarab beetle in ancient Egypt as Scarab beetle was seen as a symbol of regeneration
Now outside the temple , at its entrance I found that interesting building that looked like a Sufi shrine to me.
DSC02855
Already Upper Egypt is rich when it comes to Sufism and only in 19th-century people began to realize that there was a huge temple complex underneath huge mountains of sands.
A photo for the Egyptian army at Karnak
in early 20th century 
A Photo for the famous Karank gate in 1875


And here is the Karnak now
Unfortunately I did not spend more time in the Karnak because we had to leave. I did not see the Festival hall of Thutmose III or how it turned in to a Christian Church by early Christians in Egypt. I did not see that famous Karnak Gate that became its symbol for long time.
Here is a video I shot in Karnak temple. It is not the best video at all as you will see as my hands were shaky while trying to catch up the group I was with. The music I used in the video is the famous Karnak Twist by legendary Music composer Ali Ismael in 1960s if I am not mistaken.
You can see my old posts about my Chronicles in Aswan in 2012 including my visits to Temple of Edfu and Temple of Kom Ombo. You can also check my pictorial posts about Kitchener Island and Aswan High Dam in Aswan. 

Anyone cares for Egyptian minors in Italy ??!!

$
0
0
Last month CNN aired a special exclusive on how children are smuggled illegally to Italy as part of The CNN Freedom Project. The shocking report by Nima Elbagir traced the trip of Egyptian minors from Kafr El-Sheikh in to Europe , yes Egyptian children and teenagers.
Nima ElBagir speaks to Egyptian minors in Italy 
Those Egyptian kids and teenagers are forced to work in prostitution and drug trafficking in Italy. Sadly enough the Egyptian minors turned to be from the common sad scenes in Roma Termini Train station.
That report was aired weeks before the visit of Egypt’s PM Ibrahim Mahlab to Italy where he signed a bunch of economic agreements with the Italian officials.
I doubt that he knew about what was happening to the Egyptian Minors in Roma Train station.
CNN is not the first one to speak about this horrifying experience of Egyptian Minors from illegal immigrants in Italy.
Egyptian Daily Al-Masry Al-Youm Investigative Journalist Mohamed El-Kazaz made a fantastic video report from Egypt and Italy about it last July.
The mirage of the other seashore by Mohamed El-Kazaz for Al-Masry Al-Youm
El-Kazaz spoke with Egyptian minors and Italian officials in Italy and smugglers and Egyptian officials in Egypt. He spoke with that teenage boy who described to him how Egyptian minors sell themselves to men and women to get money. It is heartbreaking on many levels.
Amazingly this award-winning report did not cause any noise as expected.
Yes the media does not care that much for those Egyptian minors.


The Guardian spoke about the Egyptian minor migrants in Sicily, in Italy but its report in 2014 did not include such horrifying details.
Reuters also issued an exclusive report from Rome including African minors including Egyptian minors who face labor and sex exploitation.
Italian and international NGOs like Save the Children are trying to help them. Do not ask about the Egyptian authorities because from El-Kazaz’ report, you will know that they care less.
I wonder if the Italian officials spoke wit PM Mahlab about that problem.
I do not know to say more, but I know if those reports were shown during the time of Morsi , they were made Front page headlines in the Egyptian newspapers and the main topic to be discussed at the night talk shows for weeks. It is just sad.
Legal or illegal migrants, those are young Egyptian citizens who have rights according to the law and the constitution.
I do not know what we can do to help those boys except by spreading their agony.
I know that this problem is resulted from bigger problems in Egypt summarized in one word “poverty”. That 7-letters word is the result of those wrong and bad political and economic policies leading to social and economic injustice across the country for decades.
All the teenagers and children appear in Al-Masry Al-Youm come from very poor families in the countryside. Their families are okay to send their children to Europe with the risk to be drowned in the sea in hope for a better future. Can you imagine how hopeless those families are !!??
Some of those families according to the CNN report know the shit and the hell their boys and yet they are okay with it.
To combat such problems and to save Europe from that attack of Third world immigrants who are being exploited by European citizens in the worst way , it will take much more than security solutions, sea guards patrols and bunch of economic aids which will lose its way eventually as we all know.
At the meantime, we need  a quick help to those minors. I do not know again what could be done honestly except spreading their stories.

Talaat Harb Square at night. #everydayEgypt #ThisisEgypt #Citizenjournalism #Blogger #downtowncairo #Egypt [Flickr]

July 28, 2015 at 10:39PM

$
0
0

Talaat Harb Square at night. #everydayEgypt #ThisisEgypt #Citizenjournalism #Blogger #downtowncairo #Egypt July 28, 2015 at 10:39PM via Instagram http://ift.tt/1D6MK3u

Once a legendary cafe , chocolatier and patisserie in the heart of #downtowncairo , the famous Swiss Groppi. Currently owned by Egyptian company, it is closed for renovations. #Egypt #Blogger #Citizenjournalism #Cairo #Cairowalks #ThisisEgypt [Flickr]

July 28, 2015 at 11:34PM

$
0
0

Once a legendary cafe , chocolatier and patisserie in the heart of #downtowncairo , the famous Swiss Groppi. Currently owned by Egyptian company, it is closed for renovations. #Egypt #Blogger #Citizenjournalism #Cairo #Cairowalks #ThisisEgypt July 28, 2015 at 11:34PM via Instagram http://ift.tt/1OzTyHu

"Enfant de Nice" a florist in Talaat Harb Square, it has been there for decades. no filters used. #ThisisEgypt #Cairowalks #Cairo #Citizenjournalism #Blogger #downtowncairo [Flickr]

July 28, 2015 at 11:49PM

$
0
0

"Enfant de Nice" a florist in Talaat Harb Square, it has been there for decades. no filters used. #ThisisEgypt #Cairowalks #Cairo #Citizenjournalism #Blogger #downtowncairo July 28, 2015 at 11:49PM via Instagram http://ift.tt/1ey4n06

July 28, 2015 at 11:58PM

$
0
0

The #Groppi building in #downtowncairo #Blogger #Citizenjournalism #Cairo #Egypt #ThisisEgypt #Buildings July 28, 2015 at 11:58PM via Instagram http://ift.tt/1SdEs0m
Viewing all 4293 articles
Browse latest View live




Latest Images