Photos of Egypt: What to Do in Cairo Traffic?

I never suffer from a lack of things to do while sitting in traffic in Cairo... and we sit in traffic A LOT in Cairo.

I like to read billboards along the road. If they're in Arabic, I try my best to read them. This one for Galaxy chocolate has Arabic along the bottom (although I'm thinking it says "Fruit & Nut," what do you think?)

There are lots of billboards everywhere so this keeps me busy for a while.

I like to look down on the crowded streets below full of cars and people and think to myself... I'm so glad I'm not down there.

Or I might look down at the moving traffic down below and think... I sure wish I was down there.

I do this kind of wishful thinking pretty often while riding on the roads in Cairo.

I might be thinking... Oh, those poor people sitting in that traffic over there.

Although secretly I'm thrilled because there's nothing worse than sitting in traffic on this bridge with no exits in sight to escape it.

But less than 2 minutes later I'm thinking... Oh, I wish we were over there in that lane.

Until we get a little farther down the road to find that the reason why traffic is so good on that side is because there's an accident holding up the cars.

Then I check to make sure my son is still asleep...

I think we wore him out in music class that day because he fell asleep the moment we got in the car and slept all the way home.

Doesn't he just look so peaceful? When he was younger I used to spend a lot of time sitting and watching him sleep.

But back to the road...

Now I'm watching the Aramex guy fly down the road on his motor scooter. He's weaving in and out of cars, sometimes squeezing through narrow gaps between cars that don't seem quite bit enough for him to fit through.

Until he gets a phone call. Then he slows down because I'd imagine it's hard driving a motor scooter with one hand.

Mobile phones are a serious driving hazard in Cairo.

We finally reach our neighborhood.

I'd forgotten how busy Sheraton is during the day. This is because there are lots of companies in our area.

I'm so glad we don't live on this street where people double-park on both sides of the road.

Then it's just two rights and a left... and we're home.

Finally!

Photos of Egypt: The Roadside Produce Stand in Cairo

I always know which fruits and veggies are in season by watching the roadside stands in Cairo.

If you see donkey carts laden with guavas (like this one) lining the streets of Cairo, then you know that this is the best time to buy guavas - or whatever kind of fruit or vegetable you see.

I don't usually buy my produce from a stand like this. But you'll find carts like this all over Cairo, particularly in some of the more Egyptian areas.

In our part of town, carts like these drive up and down the streets with the driver yelling the name out for everyone to hear him. They sell all kinds of things like this in Egypt.

It's kind of like the Egyptian equivalent of our ice cream truck in the States.

Photos of Egypt: What Causes a Cairo Traffic Jam?

You never know what's holding up traffic in Cairo until you reach the source.

It could be a car broken-down on the side of the road.

It could be a bottleneck of four lanes of traffic trying to fit onto a two-lane bridge.

Or it could be an accident and people are slowing down to gawk at the argument going on. Because even just a fender bender like this one is a great reason to yell and wave your arms around... and hold up traffic.

I guess maybe it makes them feel important.