Thursday, April 9, 2009

Dokki : Blast from the past

This is the photo for Dokki area in Giza hundred year ago !! I do not know actually the time of that photo but judging of the condition of Dokki currently ,this is a very old photo.

Old Dokki  Lots of trees , villas and short buildings

Not big ugly cement jungle here and then

Lots of villas are being demolished despite the presidential and ministerial decrees that the ban the demolishment of villas and palaces .

My mom still remembers how Dokki was still quiet and calm full of villas . It became an attraction area for the revolution council members just like Zamalak, up till now you find the Hussein El-Shaefi villa at the Thawra Street.

My grand mother sister had a big fight with her husband in mid 1060s who did not want to leave Agouza and live beside her daughter in the shooting club area. It was a very fearful area at night with stray dogs here and there that could bite him. In the end they lived in the shooting club area , of course the man died before knowing or seeing how that area would a pain to anyone who tries to go through it thanks to the club.

Corncihe Al Nil

I have seen through my life several villas in Jul Gamal, Mohendessin and Dokki demolished and entered in to big ugly cement towers with no soul or beauty , I understand that this is something normal in life , nothing remains the same in life but why some people just do not understand the meaning of beauty , why do not those people who sell their villas to be demolished ask for higher prices in return of its preservation ??!!

I am happy that NDP businessman Abu El-Anin had bought that magnificent palace in the Nile Street at Agouza and restored , the palace despite its yellow colour is wonderful.

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Do you know that in Islam neighbours should be careful when they build another floor in their houses that it won’t harm other neighbours , that it won’t block the sun or penetrate their privacy !!!???

I do not know why people ignore that neighbourhood rights nowadays and do not speak about it !!!??

Sometimes I feel that I want to leave Cairo all together and live some where in 6th of October or New Cairo because of the air pollution and the terrible noise but to be honest I feel more connected to Giza and Cairo , I heart them so so much and this is why  I feel so sad for their conditions now. They can be better 1000 times.

4 comments:

  1. man! you are totally nuts with Islam, poor you, you are a victim of yourself and your parents in the first place.

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  2. I have 2 be honest Z, I don't know how u live in this city. It was lovely in 1990. Now it's a DISASTER. The constant traffic jams, the garbage everywhere and I MEAN EVERYWHERE. Islam is all about cleanliness but Egyptian muslims love to litter their streets with garbage and pollute. I had arguments with idiot polluters that r related 2 me. If every1 just cleaned up after themselves the city would be so much more pleasant to live in than it is.

    But I'm sorry u can't breath in it anymore. THE AIR IS JUST ONE BIG CANCER CAUSER. Watch ur rates rise. It's horrible air. I missed my cold northern air currents when I had 2 be in Cairo for a day or 2. The people are miserable and depressed looking. Gone are the friendly smiles of welcoming Egyptians. Not a place I plan 2 visit ever again.

    U have never lived anywhere else or in any other city to know that even if u r emotionally attached 2 ur hometown 4 its history, there are other more beautiful places 2 be. Where they don't destroy beautiful architecture for the almighty Egyptian pound.

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  3. Going to Cairo is not the same as it used to be. People are looking miserable and workers are going to work but their heart and mind is not at work! Even the servers at hotel didnt give you smiling faces anymore and they are cold as ice! The street is so dirty with trash and plastic is everywhere. The road is so congested with double and triple parking and Zamalek is not the place I used to live anymore! Saddened to see people are living miserably, the poor are getting poor, things are getting more expensive than before. The air is so polluted that I refused to open the door to the hotel balcony. There is no maintenance and a lot of building around Zamalek alone are looking shabby and some have cracks on it and waiting its time to collapse! I love Egypt and will always be but am sad to see what become of our Egypt now..

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  4. Hi, enjoyed reading this entry. Do you know anything about the history of the shooting club in Dokki--its founders, etc? I am a researcher in the United States trying to find more about the history of hunting and shooting in Modern Egypt.
    Thanks in advance

    ReplyDelete

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