Watch this: Cairo’s lively paths on YouTube

I have been intending to tell you about this amazing short YouTube show chronicling the history of Cairo’s streets and districts on YouTube for some time now and I think binging it is a nice thing to do in summer night.

Go and watch “Cairo’s biography: Her lively paths” on YouTube.

It is in Arabic, but it got English subtitles.

It is presented and researched by heritage activist Zizo Abdo.

Cairo’s biography is an independent initiative Abdo, and other heritage activists launched to document Cairo’s history and heritage before it disappears.

KA on the Go: Happy New Hijiri Year 1444

May this Hijri new year bring some peace to many troubled areas in the Muslim world especially in Yemen, Syria, Palestine, Iraq, Libya, Chinese Muslims and Burmese Muslims as well as Ukrainian Muslims.

May this Hijiri new year bring justice and freedom to all Muslim worlds in the same way that trip of Prophet Mohamed (PBUH) changed the fate of Islam.

I would like repeat what Prophet Mohamed (PBUH) said to his companion on that trip in a cave in the middle of the desert (Do not be sad, Allah is with us) regardless of what.

On this occasion Kodak Agfa would like to share those old photos taken in April 2021 days before Ramadan for the famous El-Sayeda Zeinab’s Mosque and Shrine in Cairo taken from the car as you all see

El-Sayeda Zeinab Mosque during afternoon in Cairo 
in April 2021

I would like to share those photos now because the famous Mosque and Shrine with its green lights.

23 July 1952 Coup/Revolution/Movement at 70

It is the 70^th anniversary of the 23 July 1952 Coup/Revolution/Movement in Egypt. It is our national day that many love to hate.

There is less celebration for the day that changed not only Egypt but the Middle East. Let’s state a fact here, despite it was not the first coup in the Arab World as it was preceded by one in Syria, it was the most influential.

It is the Arab spring; our 25 January revolution was louder than the one in Tunisia. No need to speak about how things are in Tunisia or Syria or Egypt now.

Maybe we are tired, just tired from speaking over and over to reach the same results and lessons. Yet, no one wants to learn from their mistakes. When was the last time Egyptians learned from their very long history??

Unfortunately, the pros were less than the cons and the cons we are paying their prices domestically and regionally to this day above them the lack of political plurality and civilian rule.

This year a cover of Egyptian Children Magazine “Samir” that goes back to 23 July 1967.

You read it right, 23 July 1967 which is after a couple of weeks of Egypt’s worst military defeat in the 20th century.

Now, this is what is written on the cover depicting two children reading some book.

How Hadia Ghaleb exposed Egypt’s Classism through her swimsuits

In summer 2022, Dubai-based Egyptian fashionista and influencer Hadia Ghaleb really made it and proved herself as not only a successful businesswoman “or entrepreneur” but also a trendsetter.

The AUC alum who is among Egypt’s early fashionistas and influencers launched this summer her first swimsuit line.

Aiming for inclusivity, Ghaleb’s swimsuit is a multi-pieces-one that can be a modest burkini or modest swimsuit or one-piece-swimsuit. 

Hadia Ghaleb and her swimsuits "Hadia is on the right" 

It is indeed inclusive “despite I do not see big sizes” but inclusive for Upper class at least in Egypt because we are speaking about a price range between LE 2,500 to 3,600 “in time of economic crisis”

With flashy colors that reminds me of the psychedelic trippy palettes of the 1960s and an excellent material according to friends who saw and touched it in North coast this year, it is a bestselling despite all odds.

Girls and women bought it and share their photos in Hadia Ghaleb’s swimsuit on social media whether Instagram or Facebook or TikTok. Girls wear it not only in Egypt but rather abroad to show off. 

Young actresses began to wear it and share their photos online.

Due to its success and popularity as well as huge price tag, it did not take long time to find that there are cheap knockoffs of her popular and trendy swimsuits especially the Burkini style sold for between LE 250-350. This is a sign of a tremendous success.

Kodak Agfa : July 2022 “Super” Supermoon

It has been awhile since I published a supermoon photo in this blog.

I feel it has been ages or years.

July supermoon 

It looked amazing by all measures.

Now July’s supermoon was considered the biggest and the brightest full moon of year 2022.

July supermoon 

That’s why it looked so beautiful and mesmerizing.

Biden in MENA : It is all about Israel and its interests in the region

And so President Joe Biden began his big historical and first trip to the Middle East on Wednesday. Biden landed in Tel Aviv to start his two-day visit to Israel including East Jerusalem. From Israel, he will head to Saudi Arabia to attend the so-called GCC+3 summit.

Biden at the University of Defense in Israel (NY Times)

For those who do not know, the GCC+3 summit will be chaired by Saudi Arabia from 15 to 16 June in Jeddah. It is a summit attended by the Gulf Cooperation Council leaders plus the leaders of the United States, Egypt, Jordan, and Iraq in addition to the President of the United States.

Yes, in a big irony all those leaders Biden slammed during his presidential campaign, he is going to sit with after all above them Crown Prince Mohamed bin Salman.

I expected this to happen since Biden was announced as the winner of the Presidential elections. It is business as usual for the Americans whether democrats or republicans.

During his Saudi trip, it is expected that Biden will announce the start of the normalization of relations between Saudi Arabia and Israel.

Israel believes that this move will end the hostility between its government and the Muslims around the world because it is Saudi Arabia and I am afraid the Americans and the West think the same thing.

The thing is that Saudi Arabia itself is not the Vatican and We do not have the Vatican in Islam. Saudi Arabia only manages the Holy Places of Islam but does not have this switch to flip on and off to change how millions think about Palestine or the occupied territories, especially with Israeli practices.

In fact, I believe this move will impact the Kingdom negatively in the Muslim world and it is like a life kiss to none other than Iran but MBS does not care.

He thinks Israel will protect him and other GCC especially the Emirates and Bahrain from Iran.

The Emirates has got the best economic relations with Iran in some Mideast Mystery. “Not to mention its relation with the Syrian regime that is being attacked by Israel monthly”

FYI, Saudi media is presenting to Saudi and Arab audiences as a victory for young MBS over sleepy Joe “They mock him directly on Saudi TV channel as an old man suffering from Alzheimer” who comes to ask for forgiveness.

This visit is considered a victory, a push and one hell of a carte blanche to MBS to the level that I expect that he will replace his old dad very soon.

The Saudi media also has been vilifying the Palestinian people and adopting the rhetoric that it is better to have relations with Israel than with Iran to the end of that talk in a way that I think the new generation in Saudi Arabia will welcome any normalization. 

I say mirage of freedom because real freedom and human rights do not really exist in the Gulf area. Do not get fooled by the modernisation camouflage.

FYI, whatever deal or arrangement was reached between KSA and Israel in that normalization thing, Tiran and Sanafir islands played a role in it. Israel got what it wanted in the 1950s and secured the Tiran strait after very long and historical Egyptian ownership and control. Many have not forgotten.

Also, I must say from the Gulf to the Ocean, Arab people from different ethnicities, religions and dialects understand very well, that normalization rush that hit the Arab world, especially in the Gulf has nothing to do with Peace in the Middle East and coexistence !! 

Now I really wish the American administrations stop lecturing us about human rights and democracy because all that they care for real, is not even the US National security or interests in the region but rather the best interests of Israel even if they harm the US interests in the region whether in short or mid or long range.

I just wish the Americans stop selling those values to the Arab people because the Arab people are tired and bored, they also understand it. They are fed up with being treated like kids or worse to be treated by Westerners as they know the best for their interests.

Whether they are democrats or republicans, it is the same thing. The wants and needs of the Israeli administration are above all.

The American administrations never had a problem in dealing with people like the MBS in fact they were their favourite kind if we are honest. “It is their SOB” after all !!

That Gamal Khashoggi was more of a small step back in the road but business is business and what Israel wants. 

Egypt celebrates Eid Adha 2022 in photos

Again Happy Eid Adha 2022 

Egypt is celebrating the Eid like the rest of the world and on this occasion I would like to share with some of Egypt’s best photos representing Eid Adha or the Great Eid’s prayers.

Here is the Eid prayer earlier Saturday from Giza’s Abusir and in the backdrop its famous Pyramids by photographer Samer Abdallah. Yes, Abusir got its own interesting and beautiful pyramids that must be visited if one has the opportunity.

Samer Abdallah in Abusir 

You must see the rest of Abdallah’s album showing how the people are praying literality in a hill beautifully.

Happy Eid Adha 2022/1443

Happy Eid Adha from Egyptian Chronicles to all those celebrating the Eid all over the globe.

P.S , the Postcard feature 1960s Egyptian beauty Laila Taher.

Happy and blessed Day of Arafah 2022

Happy and blessed day of Arafat to all Muslims all over the world.

Praying to Allah on one of the holiest days , the day of Arafah 
while standing on Al-Nour mount (AFP)

This is the first time since two years , since the outbreak coronavirus Muslim pilgrims from all over the world are allowed to perform Hajj to pilgrimage to the Holy land in Mecca and Medina.

Save Cairo Houseboats: Waiting for a miracle in a deadly time

It is too hard to write this, it is very heavy to write this post.

I am waiting for a miracle, for divine intervention to make this stop so I won’t need to write anything because I feel too heavy, tired and frustrated as well as sad to speak about what is happening to those houseboats.

We may not see this scene again in the upcoming days 

A couple of days ago, the Egyptian Ministry of Irrigation and Water source sent an eviction notice to the owners of 32 Nile houseboats in Imbaba’s KitKat area in Giza governorate.

Despite living for decades there and despite official maintenance bills for decades, the Ministry claims that their existence is illegal.

It is all over the news whether in New York Times, Ahram Online, BBC News, Reuters, Financial Times ABC News, AFP and others in the past week.

The Ministry has already begun to demolish some of the houseboats. They also moved a couple of them for huge sums of money to their warehouses.

I do not need to speak about the history of houseboats in Egypt and how they became part of old and modern Cairo’s visual heritage. It is explained in those links.