Kodak Agfa Presents : Spring Flowers Fair 2018 “Elections , Selfies and flowers”

And I am avoiding all that useless debate about Syria currently because I am too angry of that hypocrisy in this world so I will stick to photography and spring.
It is that time of the year where Kodak Agfa studio proudly presents Egypt’s Spring Flowers Fair 2018
I went to my favorite Spring Flowers Fair 2018 to enjoy a good spring weather with a breeze of beautiful flowers’ smell. I went at the beginning of the Fair which was inaugurated on the 10th March.

A beautiful pink rose at the Spring Flowers Fair 2018

I used to go on working days in the past but this year I went on Saturday during the weekend for most Egyptians in Cairo.

Initially, I did not intend to go to the fair on that day. I planned to visit Aisha Fahmy palace in Zamalek to see the Special Fabric exhibit that will end this month. There, I was told by security that I could not use my professional camera inside except after taking a permit from the ministry of culture’s department of something. I can only use my mobile phone camera.
Determinant to use my professional camera on that day, I headed to Orman botanical to spend a couple of hours at the Spring Flowers Fair 2018.

Beautiful purple daisies at the fair 

The ministry of agriculture understood that it can get extra revenue with extra fees and I can’t blame them.
The Spring Flowers Fair 2018 was fully packed that Saturday afternoon to the level that you could not park your car inside Orman botanical part because the parking area inside it was full.

Visitors visiting the fair 

Families from all social backgrounds, university students, Egyptians and foreigners were all there whether to buy nice plants and flowers or enjoy a good spring view or for the sake of selfies.

A family visiting the fair 

Besides the huge crowd, the fair echoed the March of Presidential elections.
There were banners hanged calling the people to vote in the Presidential elections.

For the sake of stability, participate in the elections

There were also banners supporting Abdel Fattah El-Sisi in the Presidential elections.

Sisi's photos were there too 

I believe that this is the first time Spring Flowers Fair was used in its long history as a campaign tool.
Here is a Sisi grass portrait that was placed in the Middle of that fair.

I saw last year that portrait but in a different location

I think Mohamed Salah or Mo Salah’s Jesus grass portrait is better than Sisi’s grass portrait.

Mo Salah, Liverpool's Jesus

Aside from elections, this year more people were taking Selfies and photograph to remember their visit to the fair.
Whether a mother taking a photo of her cute little girl in front of some garden décor by a landscaping company in the fair.

Smile at the mobile's camera dearie 

Or a student taking a selfie alone in front of some sort of illusion fountain at the fair.

A quick selfie by the fountain 

Or a mother who was trying to take a selfie with her uninterested kids.

Stand still for a Selfie with mom 

Or a man taking a photo of his family in front of a fountain using his mobile phone.

Say Cheese 

Or a student taking a selfie while her friend under a flowery love arc.

Take my photo, please  !!!

The fair is bigger than last year’s fair.
The big landscaping companies and flower nurseries kept their locations and the year before like, for instance, My Garden landscaping company.
Its partition attracted everybody.
It had the same colorful cacti which I photographed once again.

The same photo of every year

As well bonsai trees which are sold a for a ridiculous price.

Another same photo of every year 

I have seen them before in the same place. 

There were new stuff there like this flower which I do not know its name.

What is its name? 

And that potted flower as well

I want to know the name of this beautiful flower as well. 

The company’s rock-in-the-air-illusion fountain attracted people from all ages to take selfies and photos in front of it as you could tell from previous photos.

Click on the photo to see the rainbow 

Another landscaping and nursery company “I think the Egyptian German company” attracted also visitors to its partitions thanks to their beautiful flowery arcs.

People loved those arcs 

Those arcs were there in that company’s partition last year.

The arc looks great to the level I regret not taking a photo for myself in it 

This year that company presented as well new flowery arcs on the shape of a heart and they were very cute.

Flowery heart-shaped arcs 

Interestingly I noticed that the ministry of education had a big partition sharing the products of the technical agricultural secondary education sector as well the educational directorates.

The ministry of education is there

It was really interesting to see that.
It was even more interesting to see strange stuff at the partition of the education ministry like for instance a pot of chocolate peppermint.

Chocolate mint and Syrian mint 

Reading the peppermint’s entry in Wikipedia I found out that there is something called Chocolate mint for real.

The ministry also offered vegetables in pots for visitors who want to grow them at their houses to save money

House vegetables 

I saw also Orman botanical garden’s partition offers for visitors its products from plants.

Orman park's own partition 

It was also the first time for me to see a partition in the fair for an NGO called “Youth Love Egypt” showing the handmade products from the south.

Youth Love Egypt's partition 

Handmade products like bags and shawls from areas like Hala’ib triangle and Siwa oasis are sold in that partition.
The partition was packed.
The unsung heroes in the fair for real are the gardeners and assistants who are trying to help people as well the owners of the partitions.

Customers speaking with gardeners and workers at one of the partitions

I do not think they get proper rest but this old gardener managed to get a nap in the shade.

I went to ask him something but I found him taking a nap on that hot afternoon in the shade

I do not know if I will go again or not but here are some of my favorite shots of the fair this year.

This is what Spring means 

Flowery road 

I want to go again to buy some nice flowers and that Chocolate mint pot also to take a couple of photos sans elections ads.
Here is the rest of the photo gallery on Flickr.
Once again due to the popularity of the fair, it is extended until the beginning of May.